Kindergarten and Barack Obama

A couple of weeks ago Mason brought home a note from Blue Ivey telling us about a meeting for Kindergarten Round Up. It took me a little bit by surprise, but I was actually pretty excited to go. Quick side note--Mason will turn 5 on July 30, making him very young for his grade. I decided, almost as soon as we brought him home, that we would hold him out of public school for a year. As he got older, Jacob and I did come to that conclusion jointly =). He will go to a private Kinder next year (Blue Ivey) and come to public Kinder at the elementary where I work the following year.

Anyway, we raced home, ate dinner, and raced back to Blue Ivey tonight. On our way there, Mason pipes up from the back seat, Mom, did you know that Arack Bobama, our president, is going to talk on tv tonight?

A little surprised, I said I was aware and then he asked if he could watch it. Given that he was expressing such a great interest, we decided he could stay up past his bedtime and watch a little.

Back to the meeting--we got to meet the teacher and the director gave us an overview of the program. I was sitting at this tiny table, in this tiny chair, completely and totalling FREAKING OUT! There were work samples of current kindergarteners and they were amazing--higher than most anything I've seen out of the kinders at Jackson (my elementary). They were talking about no nap, a shorter recess, showing us workbooks (workbooks for pete's sake!), and thoroughly overwhelming me.

A few questions were asked, and then the meeting broke up. Those who know me, however, will know that I was certainly not content to leave it at that. The director knows me well and we've had many Mason conversations over the years he's been in daycare and Pre-K there. My questions were simple--is he ready (the curriculum seemed much more strenuous than public school, which she quickly assured me it was) and will the teacher love him like his current teacher does? See, I have no doubt that Mason can do the academics, but if he isn't in sync emotionally, forget it! Luckily for me, Amy calmed most of my fears and reassured me that Mason will be fine (of course, what else is she going to say, we're paying her salary!).

Once we got home, we did a quick bath and put Max to bed. Mason excitedly ran downstairs, worried that he'd missed some of the speech, and asked if we could make popcorn. So Jacob and I sat on our loveseat with our 4 year old and his popcorn and watched the president address the nation. How could anyone not love our sweet Mase?

Kate!

I'm posting from Kelli's house--I came in on Wednesday to see my new niece! However, if you hear Klaus tell the story, I flew on the big airplane just to see him. Really, most of my time has been spent playing with him--it's hard to be the big brother!

Kate is darling! She is a sweet little girl who already loves to snuggle with her Aunt Kimmie. Here are some recent pics...

Sweet monkey girl

Klausy with his new Planet Hero, Earth! Thanks Mason and Max!

I love my new sister...

Mommy with her darlings...

I can make her happy, Mom...

Gotta love the soothie pacies! I love that you can see in her mouth while she sucks on the paci...

This is probably my favorite picture of her so far. I love that you can see her eyes and she just looks peaceful and happy...

I am missing my boys (all three of them!) so much, but I'm having a great time. It's so nice that I have this time to get to know Kate and play with Klaus.

Photo Session

We try to get the kids' pictures taken at least twice a year, on (or around) each of their birthdays. We are SO lucky to have found a wonderful photographer who we have been using since Mason was two. The latest session was for Max's two year pictures. Let's just say it wasn't the best the kids have ever done at a session. My main goal was to get some good ones of Max, at least one good one of them together, and then whatever we could get of Mason.

Well, Max is definitely 2, and didn't really feel like posing. He loved it as long as she was chasing him around, but to get him to sit still, not really happening. She kept assuring me that we would get good shots, but I wasn't holding my breath. Guess I should have listened to her!

This is some of what we got!

One of the things I like most about Natalie (the photographer) is that, while she works really hard to get shots that she knows we will like, she also does a great job of letting the boys' personalities come out and she gets shots of that, too. Some of my favorites where my boys are just being their goofy, screwball selves.

If any of you live around here and are looking for a great photographer, here's the link to Natalie's page www.natalieannphotography.com

Happy Gotcha Day, Mason!

Over the weekend, we went home to Kansas for two very special celebrations. The first was to celebrate Gramp's 71st birthday. It was so good to celebrate with everyone.

The second reason to celebrate was Mason's Gotcha Day! Gotcha Day is the day that Mason's adoption was finalized in court and we were legally recognized as a family. Of course, WE knew we were a family as soon as we picked him up, but the courts are a little slower =)

Being a clown with the balloons

Sharing a special kid drink with Kayden and Max. We had a breakfast celebration with pancakes and fruit salad (Mason's fave) and the adults had mimosas. The kids decided they needed something special so they got special glasses and a lemon wedge.

After breakfast we read the book Happy Adoption Day! which was the book we had at Mason's first Gotcha party. Then Mason's wonderful grandparents and aunts surprised him with presents. We have such wonderful family to help make the day special for Mase! It was a great ending to a great party.

Our goofballs! They got into the clothes cabinet and came out in these get-ups! Kayden's is way too big and Mason's, well, Mason's is wearing satin pajama pants with flowers. They had a ball!

Maxy snuggling with Marla.

Max has an obsession with his grandmothers' reading glasses. I have already had to replace a couple of pairs of my mom's and now he's started on Gigi's. This picture, however, was too cute to pass up!

Before we left for the airport, we went to see Grandma Phyllis and Pompi. The kids LOVE going to their house.

Mason thought Grandma's walker was extremely cool. He climbed right up and posed.

Max loves sitting on Pompi's lap. Whenever we see them, Max runs to Pompi, wanting him to pick him up.

We are so lucky to be able to spend time with family even though we are away. Our kids truly think they have two home--their Texas house and their Kansas houses!