tiny dancer

soccer players

Soccer began last week, and if Saturday was any indication this season is going to be so, so fun and also a little bit complicated. We had two games to get to, one right after the other on opposite sides of the valley, at the same time as Ivy's preschool open house. So Chris took William and Charles to William's First Ever Soccer Game, and I took Ivy and Michael to the open house and Michael's first game.

All the way to the field, Michael kept saying, "You know what I wish? That William and I BOTH win our first games." 

brothers.   awwwwww.    and also ARRRRGH!

Now, technically William's level doesn't keep score: it's about fun and skills, not competition. But let's be real, those kids keep score. And our kid, he wants to win. (He's half Bennett. He can't help it.) 

So it went down like this: William's team was losing 0-4, which frustrated him. The next time he went in he played very hard and scored 3 goals. Then another teammate scored a goal. Then William scored a fourth time ... and his team won 5-4. 

Not officially, of course. Officially, everyone had fun and learned a lot about soccer. And also about watching out for the crazy kid who wants to win.

I know what happened at the game because William told me about it, then told me about it again, then reenacted it for me, then told Michael about it when he came off the field. 

Which was good, because then Michael got a little ... inspired, we'll say, if inspired is synonymous for competitive, and promptly scored for his team.

Which was also good.

So yes, both our teams won. It was a great weekend for sports. Next we'll work on having great weekend for sportsmanship, i.e.  GLOATING IS NOT COOL GUYS.
(Sorry everyone around us/who knows us. It's the genes, I swear.)

William's First Day of Kindergarten

time for some learning, yo.

William was nervous this morning. It wasn't a surprise -- William is sort of a little anxiety-prone? -- but it did mean I spent a lot of time in the last two days having conversations like this:

William: Mom, how will I get to my classroom? I don't remember where it is!

me: When you get off the bus at school there will be people who take you to your classroom.

William: Who will it be?

me: Someone who works at the school.

William: But who? What will the name be?

me: I don't know. But don't worry, someone will be there to help you.

William: BUT WHO?

me: William, I don't know whose job it will be. BUT. There will be people. Right when you get off your bus. And they will take you to your classroom.

William: What if they lose me?

me: They're not going to lose you.

William: But what if they do? What if they don't know I need help?

me: Then tell them and they will help you.

William: BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS AND WHAT IF THEY LOSE ME?


 We have gone over the procedure exhaustively, and I have assured William (MANY TIMES) that there will be plenty of help along the way. He's excited, but my literal-minded and precise William does not like to feel so out of control.

star wars backpack!

We walked to the bus stop together, holding hands the whole way. There was already a crowd of kids there (most older), and when we stopped one of William's friends came up to him. "Hey, that's right!" she said, "Today is your first day of kindergarten! Are you excited?"
"I think, maybe, a little nervous?" he replied.
"It's going to be great. You're going to love it."
When the bus pulled up a minute later she ran to jump on, but stopped and turned around. "I'll save you a seat on the bus, William. You can sit by me."
So William hopped onto the bus (knowing where to sit on the bus was one of his many (MANY) concerns) (his mind couldn't seem to wrap around the idea that you can sit wherever you want (THE CHAOS!)) and sat beside his friend in the front and waved excitedly to me as the bus pulled away.

And all of a sudden I got so nervous. Seriously, WHAT IF THEY LOSE HIM?
As we walked home from the bus stop, I said to Ivy, "Ivy, I'm feeling a little nervous!"
 and she took my hand and said, "Mom! Don't be nervous. William is going to love kindergarten."

She's right. But I might wait by the phone today, anyway.

2nd Grade

Birthday Girl

Ivy had her first ever birthday party this year, and she was so excited. She talked about it for weeks. Finally! Her own party with her own friends!

the birthday girl, showing her own Lellow hair before receiving a giant red wig that she would like to wear forever.

I talked her into having a water party, because that sounded easier to plan than a fairy party. But what do I know? At the end of the day, I still felt like I was run over by a train.

some of the attendees. I couldn't manage to get everyone gathered for a picture.

Anyway. After much waffling she decided she wanted a cakepop cake.

it's possible the wind blew out her candles before she started blowing.

And I made Pina Colada Shakes.

Which, alright, yes, that was mostly for me. I love all things pina colada. But they were excellent! And the kids really liked them! Plus, adorable umbrellas!

Her favorite part was opening presents.

Her other favorite part was the PVC sprinkler we (Chris) built.

It was a lovely day.

cousins!

just to make sure Maggie knows Gray had a great time

The End.

The Wizard

All of my kids loved playing with remotes as babies (because, buttons! lots of buttons!) so it was no suprise that Charlie, upon learning to crawl, was instantly smitten. Then about six weeks ago I was reading in the living room when I noticed Charlie on the floor doing this with the remote:

And for six weeks it has been one of his favorite games.

I can think of two possible reasons: first, we have a savant on our hands! Or second, my kids play too much Mario Kart.

and then Charles turned one

and he found the whole thing mostly...concerning.

Until he realized there was cake. Cake is very reassuring.

Happy birthday, Charlie! Now stop aging, this is pretty much perfect.

William turned 5, even though I told him not to

William had a hard time narrowing a guest-list for his fifth-birthday party, but I finally talked him down to 20 kids or so:


You can imagine how many he wanted. I was feeling awfully tired and harried at the time, and I wouldn't have done a party at all, but, honestly, this kid deserved a party. This funny, stubborn, compulsive, crazy, thoughtful, willful, difficult, lovely boy deserved a BIG party.

This is the face William makes when people are looking at him:



He wanted a chocolate cake with balloons on it. (Okay, actually he wanted a chocolate cake in the shape of a pirate ship, but HELL no.) ( Listen, I am willing to throw a party for twenty kids, but I draw the line at spending weeks of my life in the kitchen cursing and crying and trying to figure out how to bake a cake in the shape of a boat, I HAVE THINGS TO DO.) (also, does all that work make the cake more delicious? No, it does not.) (He loved his balloon cake.)

He blew out the candles:



I mean, he tried to blow out the candles:



and Christofer responded really inappropriately; there was just no need to flip off the children.


Finally he got it.



and there was much cheering and rejoicing and cake eating. Seriously, there was a ton of cake eating. I gave those kids huge pieces. Their parents all love me, I'm sure.

William opening his presents, surrounded by friends:


I'm always telling William I'm going to shrink him back to four, because I can't stand for him to get any older. That's not really true. As much as I'll miss the sweet and wild William he's been, I love the grown-up, independent, smart William he's becoming.

So. Don't grow up too fast, William, but truthfully I can't wait to see what comes next.

visitor

This is my sister with my nephew (looking good, guys):

They're visiting from Michigan and came to spend yesterday afternoon with us.

It mostly consisted of her patiently helping me deal with children/housework/homework/church stuff/dinner. I am not an easy person to visit. You should know this in advance.

It was still really wonderful. I love my sister.

good times.

IN RELATED NEWS:

well, hello Daniel:

and in other (non-related) news:

These two will not stop bickering and fighting today so let's take a moment and remember they are not all bad OR ARE THEY:

eh, they're pretty cute, I guess. Maybe I'll let them out of timeout after all.

reader

(These are old pictures. I took them at the beginning of September and forgot they were on my camera.)
(Before we get started, how cute is Charles?)

William has been learning to read. He loves it. He especially loves to read to Charles, because, he tells me, Charles is his favorite, he loves Charles more than he loves the rest of us. That's a direct quote, by the way.


I told him it was okay to love everyone the same. He said, Okay, I love my whole family the most. But maybe I love you guys half as much as Charles?

I can live with that, I guess.

this is halloween (halloween, halloween)

(We're going to pretend like I didn't disappear for two months, and just get back to business, okay? okay.)