Best Gift of All

James' birthday was a good one. Despite it being a school day, it started with presents. We brought his cupcakes, which he helped bake & decorate, to share at school. Then we went to his grandparents' house after school, to celebrate some more and open even more presents. We'll have a party with some friends later this month.

I saw some cute pictures of James and I flipped through my recent downloads. It made me smile to see him so much more aware and happy about his birthday events than in previous years.

There were two photos that especially warmed my heart. They were of James, getting the best gift of all:

Attention and love from Big Sister. She made his card and present herself.

Look at that quiet, happy smile. He played with that all morning and then put it in his room.

These are moments I'll treasure.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Fairies

Remember earlier this week when I posted that James' Big Sister got them going on some fabulous pretending and play time together?

This is what it looked like in our house this weekend:

James had started talking about flying and wings at bedtime, when his sister told him they were going to meet up in Dreamland. When she woke up the next morning, she had the wings ready for action.

James had to try his out while jumping on the trampoline:

Then his sister broke out the crowns and wands. They then started chanting "Abrahhhh-kaDAbra!!!" and enchanting everything in sight. They ran races to exercise their wings.

I love this last one, because James looks like Puck to me:

For more images that catch the eye and heart, or to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Magic Marker Monday: Fine Art

James started to make his own pictures this year. Usually starting with spirals and jaggedy sunburst things. His sister made similar pictures when she was 3 or 4.

Recently, he drew a picture of his sister, from memory. His first portrait. I watched him make this, and he talked his way through the picture, from the head, eyes, smile and hair ... to the body .... to the two feet and legs. Wow! And he made her smiling. There goes my melty heart again.

He used some of the materials he received at Christmas (thank you, back-to-school sale stash!)

For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own,
visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                         

NYE Countdown: 9PM

Even at the end of Kindergarten in May, you still look so much younger to me than just recently in End of November/December.

You don't fit those shoes and that shirt is a little small on you now. I'll bet the pants are almost floods.

Still, we did enjoy the nifty sheeps' clothing at the Healdsburg Future Farmers' Fair.

More activities with your sister: Dining outdoors at the Hungry Puppy Cafe.

Drawing together with chalk on the sidewalk. You both loved doing that this year!

For the first time, you did writing: Dad, Mom, Anna, and ....

James

You're still my sweet boy, which is lucky ....

because I remember that when you're naughty.

The boy who cried at the Christmas show, five months later turned out to love doing
the Chicken Dance in front of everyone ... including me.

Big Development: James can sit criss-cross applesauce. This was the first time I ever saw him do it.
Also, he is letting the face paint stay on his cheek. Usually he swipes it right off.
End of year Kindergarten field trip at Haworth Park.

See this shot? This is Mommy enjoying the poolside while both kids swim in the pool, without fear or floaties.

Special Exposure/Wordless Wednesday: Looking at Sis

This week's Special Exposure/Wordless Wednesday photo is brought to you by James' sister, who just started using my camera.

I think she got a nice one. It's interesting to see how he looks at and holds still for her. I think she got a different response from him than I would have. She is his hero and he watches her closely, trying to do the things that she does. Even though James is seated, I get a sense that he is on tiptoes, trying to reach high enough for her approval.

For more great images or to join in the fun, Visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.

and ... Wordless Wednesday

New Power Word: "NO!"

Portrait of a nearly 4-year-old boy:


Do you want some more water? Time to go to bed! Come here, please ... these are all met with the same answer: "No!"

There is no "yes," there is only "okay." Maybe. Sometimes.

James is so excited to have his big boy bed that he has decided to really be a big boy. He has not been taking naps these past two days, and he found the big boy underpants that we put away a few weeks ago and brought them out to me, so we are starting potty training afresh.

He will sit on the potty at home, but only the big one that his sister uses. He does not like the underpants with black -- he wants the ones with blue or red on them.

He does not want his mommy to put him to bed -- only his big sister can do that now. I'd cry except ... I am really tired by then, so I slink off to the next room and go "ahhhhhhh!" and wait for my chance to give him a good night kiss, tell him how proud I am of my big boy and that I love him.


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Happy Halloween!

This is our first year that both kids really got excited bout and participated in Halloween -- yay!! James was a puppy (gotta love costumes that last for 2 or more years!) and his sister was a fairy queen.

James hung in there with us for about 20 houses. He loved walking around at night and being out with Big Sister. He said "Trick-a-Tee" at quite a few houses and was very good about saying thank you. The only tough times were at the homes with dogs. Especially the one with a friendly collie. "I want UP!!" Yessir! Irony, how I love you so.

Anything with flashing lights were instant fascination for him. I thought we'd never get him away from our neighbour with a strobe light on his front porch. We did get a splashing of rain after a bit, and headed home. James looked very pleased with himself. I am very pleased -- I know there is no way he's going to eat more than 5 of those candy pieces in his treat bag. Score!

Night Swimming

Not only do I like the song, I like to do it too. Which makes it a great posting title, but I digress ...

It's been unusually hot around here all week. Roast, roast, crisp, and schizzle! James does not do well in heat. He melts and gets cranky. The school buses and summer school do not have a/c. Thank goodness he's back home before 12:30pm!

So on Friday, I took he and his sister to the gym's pool after dinner, right about sundown. It was still like 90° and nice without the sun beating down on us. Big sister has been having swimming lessons, so she put on her inflatable ring/tube and hopped right in.

James was not so sure. He wanted his legs in the water and he wanted to keep his shirt on. After a bit, I coaxed him into going shirtless (this is tough for James). We went slowly down the steps, with James grabbing me as much as I was holding him. He got to watch the kids playing and his sister having fun. The gym is right by the airport, so he got to see a low-flying plane coming in for a landing -- he lit up as he waved to it and yelled "Hi, plane"

After a while, I started getting him a little more wet. James got nervous, and started to talk in babble-speak -- but he liked it too. Then I started singing and moving him. His sister's teacher from last year taught us to slowly tip them side to side, singing "Tick-tock, tick-tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock," so I did that too. He loved that. He even tried leaning over further to drink the water.

We went all around the pool. After about 45 minutes, I got James to float on his tummy, with me just holding him under his arms, and kick with his feet -- yay!!! He even let me float him on his back for a little bit. We all had to leave when they closed the pool.

We all really enjoyed doing this, especially at the end of a long, hot day! It was so hot getting back into the car (in the 80° range) that we stopped off for ice cream on the way home. We were going to get snow cones, but the gym's snack bar had closed.

I am so proud of how much more comfortable James is in the water. I never thought he'd let me float him and start kicking his legs on his own. This is partly because he's been uneasy even in the tub -- he has trouble balancing in the water and doesn't like it splashing on his face. The other part is that I know James has trouble "knowing" where his body is in space, and floating in water would seem to make that worse. Activities that involve the vestibular areas of his brain have been a real challenge for him.

I guess you can never underestimate the power of doing something for fun, and being surrounded by other kids doing the same thing and enjoying themselves.