First Grade

Every night I tell Nicholas that I wish that Santa would bring me a shrink ray. I would love to shrink Nicholas back to when he was a baby. Where did my little baby go?? How on earth can he be in the first grade? I miss the days of staying in our pj's and hanging out together, just the two of us. I miss going to the Zoo, Aquarium, and Park whenever we felt like it. I really miss Friday playgroups with all the moms and kids. I miss not working because it was so much easier and much less tiring! Plus child care costs half my check every month!! Oops - I went a little off topic there - I just miss those baby days when they wanted to be held and kissed - oh wait, they are still like that. I believe it was just two hours ago that they were both on my lap hitting each other and trying to knock the other one off. Ah, memories. I even missed Nicholas first day, I wasn't the one who dropped him off at school on that scary yet exciting first day. At least it was Nana who shared the experience with him, for that I am very grateful and thankful. My baby boy is growing up too quick.

A New Bed

Nicholas has started waking up in the middle of the night again. The habit was broken last spring but has now reappeared. Last night I was tired so when Nicholas came in at 2 am I just said go back to bed. When Christopher woke me up this morning, up popped Nicholas out of nowhere. Turns out he slept on Alli's bed in the corner of my room. Not only was Nicholas covered in dog hair but he also smelled a little. What was he thinking??

First Grader

Nicholas is not officially considered a first grader. What school he will be at next year is still a mystery, but regardless he is moving on up. He has two loose teeth, which he is very proud of, and already thinks that our summer rocks. I hope I can deliver and he isn't disappointed!! He has learned and changed so much over the past year, I just can't believe how time flies.

Growing Up

Nicholas is now officially 6 years old. When I look at him I still see a little boy but he is so tall and so amazingly smart. He can read, he writes stories, it's so hard to believe that I have been home with him for six years now. Where does the time go?

Terrible Sixes

I think Nicholas is about to enter the terrible sixes, forget the terrible twos! This morning he started fighting with his brother over who was going to get to look at the snake. He took it too far and was in trouble but didn't like that. It went down hill from there. There was screaming, crying, packing of the backpack to run away, all that fun stuff. He wouldn't wear his clothes for picture day so he wore his uniform and is not getting his picture taken. He lost all video games and watching TV until Friday. I almost cancelled his birthday party when he hit me in the face with his Mr. Blanky. That child is something else.

First 6th Birthday Present

Joe and Kristyn gave Nicholas his first present during the month long celebration called Nicholas' 6th Birthday. We are now the proud owners of a corn snake named Rocky. He looks like a tiger, with different shades of orange and red and black stripes. He is the center of our lives now as he resides in the family room and none of us can stop watching him, including Alli. Alli sits in front of the cage and watches for any sign of movement. Christopher wants to be held right in front of the glass in case anything changes. Nicholas asks every five minutes if he can hold it - the answer being no, not until the next time Uncle Markie is over! Tomorrow Christopher and I will be taking a trip to the pet store to buy frozen mice. Yes, that's right, I just wrote and you did just read the words frozen mice. Enough said.

Homework Troubles

Nicholas does have the best handwriting on earth, I'll admit it. So his homework assignments take at least thirty minutes every night. Every time he writes a letter or number, we have to erase it and write it again, and again, and again. Otherwise the homework paper is returned to us and we have to do it all over again the next night. It's hard to believe that this is just the beginning of homework for us, we have 12 more years to go, how long is it going to take by the time he gets to 8th grade???????

Kindergarten Report

Nicholas came home with a homework assignment on Friday. I thought, oh great, homework over the weekend. Oh no, it's even better than that. It was his homework for the next week which is to write a report. That's right, my Kindergartener, whom I have to fight with every night to do easy five minute homework, has to write a report and make a model of an animal in the ocean. Are these people crazy?? They send home his homework for us to redo when his handwriting isn't neat enough. Seriously, the kid is five, how neat can his handwriting really be, isn't he supposed to be learning?? Now he has to write a report. Granted, it's not super long, the questions are fairly easy, but come on - he's five!! Are my standards too low? Am I the one who is ridiculous? I don't know, but we are off to the library this afternoon to find information about hammerhead sharks. Maybe I'll get some clay and he can make a shark out of the that.

A Successful Trip

Nicholas did have a wonderful time with his dad. They went skiing, he rode alone on a snowmobile (great idea I must say), sledding, and rode horses. I think my favorite part of the trip was when (as told by Nicholas) he drank a ton of gatorade and then threw it up all over the restaurant because he had a stomach bug. According to Nicholas, it was the most he has ever thrown up and it was everywhere. I am sure that his father enjoyed that one! I am so glad he is home safely and that he did have a great time.

Snow Skiing

Nicholas has left for his trip to Utah with his dad and his new wife and her family. He was excited as can be and I am glad that his dad came through with the plans and taking him. I will be calling him all the time to make sure he is OK! It was very hard to watch him walk down the sidewalk with his dad, this is the first trip he has taken with him alone. I know he is going to have a great time!

The Star of the Show!

My son was the star of the show on Friday! He was singing and doing the arm motions, he was awesome! No other Kindergartener (except maybe Sebastien, who is lethal to fourth graders by the way) could compare! He was so cute up there in his plaid shirt and dress pants. I can't stop watching the video. I know he wasn't the real star of the show but he was to me!

Boat Parade

Nicholas had the best time ever at the boat parade last night. Not only did he get to see his best buddy, Steven, he also got to hang out with his friends. Talk about feeling like one of the guys! He even enjoyed watching the boats all lit up as they drove by. We had a great time!

Christmas Play

Tonight is Nicholas' Christmas play at school! He is so excited to be up on stage! I hope he doesn't get nervous. He doesn't usually so he should be great, keep your fingers crossed! Oh, I better go find the video camera!

My Poor Baby

My sad guy is having trouble in school. He is upset about the divorce. It has been two years but now he is having trouble in school with everything. His teacher called me today and she is worried about him. I don't know if he has figured out that his dad is remarried or if it's just the holidays. It seems strange that he would act out in school now when he hasn't done that at all this whole time. I am going to keep an eye on him. I did ask him if he wanted to talk. He said that it bothers him that everyone at dad's house says shit all the time. I don't know. Nicholas just isn't much of a talker so I don't know how to get him to open up to me. You would think I could figure it out, I am his mom after all.

Loose Teeth

Nicholas' best friend Sebastien lost a tooth a couple of weeks ago. Now he has another tooth that is loose. Nicholas is now trying to wiggle all of his teeth to see when one will pop out of his mouth! He just can't figure out why his teeth won't move. He thought for sure that one would get loose before Bash had a second one loose. He really wants the tooth fairy to come and visit!

Santa is Coming

Nicholas is so ready for Santa to come. I think his list is a mile long, if I actually wrote down everything he asked for!! Every single commercial, that isn't for a girl of course, he asks me to add it to his list. Some of the things I would have written down 20 times if I actually did it. I hope this Christmas is better than last year for him. I think it will be, he's getting some pretty exciting gifts. Today I am going to show him a website my friend Lori sent me to, www.northpole.com where he can write a letter to Santa and find out all about what goes on up there.

This can't be happening . . .

On Friday, while driving to drop the boys off at their dad's, the unthinkable happened. Nicholas and I had our first sex talk. Here is an overview of our conversation -

Nicholas - Mom, did you scream when Christopher was born?
Me - No, I didn't scream.
N - Did you scream when I was born?
Me - No.
N - Why didn't you scream? The Hulk's mom screamed when he was born.
Me - The doctor gives you medication that makes you feel better so it doesn't hurt and you don't have to scream.
N - Oh. The Hulk's mom didn't have that medicine because she was screaming. How does the baby come out?
Me - The doctor takes the baby out.
N - Where does the doctor take the baby out of on the mom?
Me - He just takes the baby out because it's time for the baby to come out.
N - But where does the baby come out of the mom?
Me - It's private for girls, you don't have to worry about that.
N - Where does the baby come out, just tell me, I won't tell anyone.
Me - It's not that you can't tell anyone, it's just that it's girls stuff.
N - Tell me mom, I want to know! (yelling at this point)
Me - The baby comes out of the mom's private parts.
N - Like the mom's penis?
Me - No, girls have different parts and that's where the baby comes out of.
N - What it's called? Is it the nuts?
Me - No, it's called the vagina, girls don't have the same parts as boys do.
N - So the baby goes out of your butt?
Me - No, it's down there but it's more like where you go pee from.
N - Oh, OK mom. So the baby comes out from where you pee.
Me - Something like that, yes. This is something we only talk about with our family. Babies and private parts are private, so if you have questions and want to talk about only talk about it with your family not your friends, OK?
N - Mom, can we listen to the air song now?

A Political Debate between Five Year Olds

Tuesday afternoon in the car on the way home from school:

Nicholas - Mom, did you call into the radio station and tell them you were voting for Obama?
Mom - No, I didn't.
Nicholas - Did you go vote for Barack Obama?
Mom - Yes, I did.
Sebastien - That's good, Miss Trisha, that's who I would vote for.
Nicholas - Yeah, me, too. I really like Barack Obama.
Sebastien - I don't like John McCain, he's a bad guy.
Nicholas - Whose John McCain?
Mom - The other man who is running for president.
Nicholas - I would vote for John McCain.
Sebastien - No, Nicholas, you can't for John McCain he takes away money and jobs from people.
Nicholas - No he doesn't, I am voting for him.
Sebastien - Well, I still want Obama. Go Obama!
Nicholas - Mom, do you think I can go inside at Sebastien's house and play the Wii for a few minutes?

We were off to see the Wizard . . .

Yesterday, Nicholas and I went to see the Wizard of Oz with Amy and Zachary. We had a fabulous time! Nicholas' eyes were glued to the stage. When he was asking questions, he wouldn't even turn his head for a second, he didn't want to miss what was happening! I thought about watching the movie with him before we went but then I decided that maybe it would be more fun for him to watch it the first time on stage. I asked him afterwards what his favorite part was and his reply was "The whole thing, mom!" What made my day was when I was getting ready he asked, "Why are you wearing pretty clothes mom?" I said, "We are getting dressed up for the play. That's what people do when they go. Why, do you want me to wear something else?" "No, wear your pretty clothes mom, you look very pretty."

Karate

Tonight Nicholas tried Karate for the first time. He absolutely loved it! He was even able to chop the board in half. The other moms were impressed with this, they said usually the kids can't do it the first time. The only down side was that when we came home, he kept Karate chopping me!