Letter to my son
Dear Son,
The last time I wrote a letter you were still in prek-4. Now you are a preschool graduate, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
On March 31st, I posted this on Facebook:
"We started a list of verbs today for Gregory to read. One of the words was "blush." We had to explain what this meant. My husband said, "When a girl gives you a kiss and you blush." Gregory whispered to me, "When you are in love with a girl, you blush." This is the first time Gregory mentioned liking a girl. I had to coax him into sharing, but he said, "I like Harper." Aww, that is the reason why he asked me to take a picture of him with Harper at the school Easter party :)"
I love how you understood the word and applied it to your life, my sweet son. Since posting that, we found out that Daniel has a serious crush on Harper as well. And since then, you have also mentioned that Kylie, Scarlett, Amelia, Ellie and Nahomy are very pretty too.
Another tough verb that you are learning to read and understand is: devour. We gave you the example that if you really are hungry and there's food that you like you will devour the food quickly. That afternoon we went to a kid's cooking class at our local grocery store, Rouses. You learned how to make bread by mixing ingredients in a bag. It was fun to watch you, especially now that you are more independent, "No, I can measure it!" Your patience needs work though, as you had to wait for the yeast to activate, "This is boring." The bread was placed in the oven next to the bakery.
In the bakery, all sorts of goodies were on display. It is here that you decided to educate your friends in the class about what "devour" meant. Thankfully none of the kids actually tried to eat the food, but you all ran around acting as if you were devouring the sweets. It looked like a pack of monsters were attacking the bakery!
On April Fool's day, Oma played a trick on you. Oma and Mommy were talking and you were laying down in Oma's bed. Your belly was exposed, because you had your hands over your head. Oma softly said, "Gregory. Don't move. Be very still..." You asked, "Why, Oma?" Oma softly again, "There's a bug on your stomach. I'm going to try to get the bug off of you." Ohhh, gosh, you do NOT like bugs. With statue stiffness, you whispered, "Get the bug off of me!"
Oma slowly walked over to you. She slowly moved closer. Then she gave you a raspberry on your belly! I don't know if you were relieved there wasn't a bug or mad because she played a trick on you, but you did laugh. (And then tried the same trick on everyone else that you could!) Ah, you get a sense of humor for all sides of the family.
For Easter, we went to a variety of places for egg hunts. One of my favorites is going to NOMA (New Orleans Museum of Art). The cost of the ticket helps fund NOMA and there are so many Easter Eggs for the kids that plenty of eggs were left on the ground, plus face painting, bounce houses, food and water (included in the cost), music and an animal petting area. If possible, we will go every year.
Another fun source of egg hunts - local church! We went to St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Church of the King and St. Matthew's Methodist Church. At St. Matthew's, the yard was filled with eggs, looking like little gems in the ground. It was announced that there were Golden Eggs with a special surprise in them. I heard parents giving their kids instructions and I followed suit, "Gregory, do you see the Golden Egg over there? Don't worry about any of the other eggs before it, just go for the Golden Egg first and then fill up your basket with the other eggs."
Many children were given instructions of that nature, but ohhhh, how the regular eggs along the way were temptations! Not for you though :) You made a fast bee-line to the Golden Egg. It was your prize and you showed it to everyone as we walked back inside the church to get your special toy. The toy was cool, but it was the idea that you swift enough to snag the Golden Egg - this made your day.
At the Church of Kings you liked the petting zoo and received a cool dinosaur balloon. At St. Augustine's, you helped decorate the cross with flowers and enjoyed the egg hunt. At each of the church events, it was a loving environment.
The first week of April, Uncle Rob, Tita Roda and your cousin, TJ arrived in town. It was a while since you last saw TJ, but immediately the bond was rekindled. My parents invited us all to the Global Wildlife experience. Last time we did this, you were a little shy about feeding the animals. Not this time. You held your hand out for the giraffes like a pro. You also know that of all the animals we saw, giraffes are Mommy's favorite. They are so graceful.. and so high up, you never realize just how big (about the size of a golf ball!) and beautiful their brown eyes are. If you talk softly, they will feed from your hands, so very gently. Even Uncle Rob got into feeding them.
A few days later we all went on a swamp tour and met up with Daniel and his family there too. You enjoy being on the water. We spotted several alligators, but they didn't come up to the boat this time. The tour guides are no longer able to feed the alligators. However, they did have a baby alligator on the boat. Three times you wanted to hold him, but you were too scared to do so. Most of the time you are quick to pet an animal. However, in the end you did conquer your fear and you held the alligator! I'm glad you had this experience, because a few months after the swamp tour, your school brought animals to the campus and you held the alligator then too.
Uncle Rob and Tita Roda came in town with their son to attend a wedding. Mommy's cousin's daughter got married. We drove to Mississippi to attend the wedding, so it was a nice get away. When we arrived, you saw a double rainbow and said it was good luck. It rained on the wedding; I've heard rain brings good luck and a lasting marriage. (It rained on Mommy and Daddy's wedding day! It also rained on Uncle Rob and Tita Roda's wedding day!) Both you and TJ were very well behaved in the church ceremony. The reception was lovely, but your favorite part was a table of candy. Each person could fill a bag with candy. Your bag brimmed over....
Unfortunately, Uncle Rob and Tita Roda were not in town to attend your last Chapel Day at St. Augustine's. TJ stayed with Oma and Opa. They all came with me to see your performance, which tickled you. You sang clearly, happy to do the arm and body movements taught by your instructor. I'm very grateful that my boss at work is very supportive of me attending your school events. She told me that these moments are very precious and not to miss out on them. I saw kids looking and missing their parents, crying because they didn't recognize anyone in the audience. Does it seem silly to go to a child's Chapel Day? Not at all, not just to enjoy the time and the performance, but more importantly to be there for your child. For you, sweet boy. I want you to know that you have support and love.
On Graduation Day, your teacher had a surprise for the parents! There was a table set up with black and white pictures of each child wearing a cap and gown. (The cap and gown was shared with the children, so it was just one going around for pictures.) I love the picture and made copies to share with Oma and Opa and Granny and Grandfather. You look so cute! This is your third year at St. Augustine's and the last year, because they don't go any higher than Pre-K 4. You learned so much going there, education, social skills, character development. Your confidence and creativity were nurtured at the school. I would recommend the school in a heartbeat. Graduation Day was fun and tearful too. So many good friendships were made; I can only hope that some might last even with everyone dispersing into different schools.
The pictures were of the cap and gown, but your teacher told Mommy that during the performance no cap and gown would be worn. Mommy went online and found some caps, made out of felt. It wasn't expensive and there was enough in a pack for the entire class, so I ordered them. Several parents came up to me, very appreciative, "That was the perfect touch to the day, to be able to get a group picture of the kids wearing caps." We explained to the group of children that on graduation day, you throw your caps in the air. No need to say that twice!
While your days at St. Augustine's Episcopal Preschool were coming to a close with this past school year, Mommy was very busy getting your next school year in gear... this ranged from filling out registration forms for Airline Park Academy of Advanced Studies to finding out where to order your school uniforms from to getting approved on Facebook to join APAAS group to buying books from a list of summer reading sent from the school.... and finding a blessing! Mommy was so worried about you not fitting in with your new school. Would the kids like you? These are children who have known each other for a year now (APAAS starts with Pre-K 4, but you didn't test high enough to get in at the Pre-K 4 level at the age of 3.)
Mommy enjoys taking "Quilt Block a Month" classes. One class per month, one block each class. Mommy met another quilt student and mentioned that you tested into APAAS for the Kindergarten level starting next school year. The other student mentioned that she knew someone's child who was attending APAAS and going into Kindergarten. She then texted the lady, Mrs. Katherine, (who, as it turns out, is the sister of the quilter - two very sweet ladies, that definitely runs in the family) and me as a means for us to connect. Mommy had SO many questions and Katherine was incredibly kind with her responses, sending samples of work for the week and a list of words for reading assignments.
Not only did Katherine offer patience, she was sweet to ask another mommy at APAAS who has a child, Avery, in the class, having a birthday party over the summer if it was okay to extend the invitation.... and that Mommy, Elisa, generously invited you to Avery's birthday party! From someone I knew in a quilt class to someone I never met face to face to another mommy never met face to face.... to receive a birthday party invitation.. it spoke volumes of compassion and goodness.
We went to the party, nervous and excited. Everyone was so nice, "Welcome to the Airline Park Family!" They explained how it really is a family. Once in the school, after Kindergarten, it is rare for a child to leave and so the kids move year to year (max of 26 in a class room). It keeps the school small, which is a good thing. At the party, you ran and played well with the kids. Anytime you can run and play, you are happy. But you did get loud a number of times; this bothered me. I had to correct you. I later asked you why you were so loud. You said, "I was just so excited!" I think you were nervous too... you might have picked up on Mommy being nervous.
At the party, Mommy and Daddy talked to a variety of parents who answered more questions, including one mommy who was the Room Mother the year before. Another Mommy is a teacher and she sent me a link on the books the kids are currently reading this year. This helps, because I want to make sure you are up to par. (As my brother later told my mom, "I will only get a house where the schools are no less than a rating of a 7." When he saw the rating for APAAS, he was shocked, "Wow! He is going to a great school. They rate as a 10!") Making sure you are reading where you need to be, to help your confidence - it's all very important. At the party, another Mommy invited you to her son's, Jackson's, birthday party the next day!
Yes, we attended Jackson's party too. Dana, Jackson's mommy, was sweet to include TJ with the invitation. Oma and Opa are looking for indoor playgrounds to bring TJ to during the summer, as he will be staying with them for a while. It gets so hot and humid during the summer, the parks don't get much attention from us. Jackson's party was located inside of a local mall. It was a neat place to have a party with swings of all sizes and shapes, lots of toys, a trampoline, balancing bar and the coolest thing ever - an inside zip line! Oh, you rejected the zip line four times. Then an older boy saw that you really wanted to get on it, but you were scared. He said, "I'll help him." He was able to give you the confidence to give it a try. After that one time, you were hooked! I can't remember how many times you went after that, it was so much. The only way we could pull you away from the zip line was to see the magician for an animal balloon!
We did have to leave that party early, though, because we had our church picnic to attend on the same day. With the heat already building up, you had no problem going up and down and up and down on the water slide. You stopped briefly for food and to play some of the other games, but the water slide was the main attraction for you. You saw a lot of schoolmates and Sunday school friends there too! Father AJ remarked, "This was a great turn out of children this year." I was happy to see that too.
APAAS has its own group on Facebook. By keeping up with the group, I found out that there was a Flavors Ice Cream gathering to raise money for the school. As we drove to the ice cream parlor, I wondered how many kids would show up. It was a delight to see so many from APAAS supporting their school! While we were there, we met one of the second grade teachers at APAAS. I asked her about Mrs. Bonura, your teacher for next year. Mrs. Brenes said, "She is firm, but the kids know she loves them. My son had her last year and he cried the last week of school, because he didn't want to leave her class." Mrs. Brenes also said, "Parents are encouraged to participate. They can be as active as they want to be with the school." She was very supportive and encouraging. The more I talk with people from APAAS, the better I feel and the more my nerves are calmed. I was glad we went to the fund raiser.
Sadly, this letter is not all joyful news. Tears were recently shed. Uncle Jerry, Daddy's older brother, passed away. Uncle Jerry always gave you high-fives, fist bumps and wanted to know how you were doing and what you were up to. When you were younger, the two of you would play with play dough. He enjoyed how you stacked the toys at Granny and Grandfather's house. You loved hopping on the back of his wheelchair to go for a ride with him. Mommy and Daddy are grateful that you had time with Uncle Jerry, to see his love. Mommy and Daddy spoke with you about Uncle Jerry passing away. You later told me, "I don't want Daddy to cry any more, Mommy." I suggested that you hug Daddy as often as you could.
At the service for Uncle Jerry, his good friend gave the Eulogy, which was funny and touching, bringing equal amounts of laughter and tears. You were well behaved and after the service, you asked, "Are we going to Uncle Jerry's Going Away Party now?" I don't know where you picked up on those words, but I guess we explained it as being a time to celebrate his life and love. You were the giver of smiles during this time. Aunt Melody totally enjoyed showing you pictures on her phone and reminding you of the time we went to their lake camp. Aunt Jennifer tickled you and couldn't "get enough sugar." Your laughter was so needed; you brightened spirits.
I was worried about bringing you to something of this nature, knowing tears would be shed. But having a child brings laughter and hope and beauty. In sad times, a child's beauty is more needed and more vibrantly felt than any other time. Though there was one person who didn't see your laughter... the minister from the service asked me, "Who does that boy belong to?" I replied, "He is my son." The minister said, "He gave me a LOOK when he couldn't receive the sacrament." I explained that we attend an Episcopal church and during the service Gregory is given the sacrament. You don't think it's fair to not receive it at all churches... it's something I'm working with you on, acceptance and values of different faiths. (I can only imagine the LOOK you gave the minister... and it makes me giggle.)
You are in the habit now of sharing your dreams, especially the bad dreams. I once told you, "If you share you bad dreams, you won't have the same one over again." Sometimes you tell me that you had a good dream and don't want to share, because you want to have the dream again. One night you woke up Mommy in the middle of the night, "I had a nightmare! I have to tell you about it! You were putting away Christmas decorations. Daddy was driving and I was in the car with him. We passed up a tree and saw an alligator in our front yard. The alligator jumped on the back of the car and Daddy was able to shake off the alligator and then I woke up!" This was soon after the swamp tour. Another night I heard you laughing in your sleep - big laughs, not little giggles. The next morning I asked you if you remember the dream. You said, "Yes! I had a dream about a fart getting larger and larger, like a bubble, until it popped! Then it stunk." You even dream about farts, oh my gosh...
And you are teaching your fart humor to TJ. One day TJ farted and you laughed so hard, "TJ, you farted!" TJ started to laugh hard too and ran around saying, "I farted! I farted!" Uncle Rob and Tita Roda might not be pleased with the fart jokes. Oma gave TJ a bath and he had gas. He busted out laughing, saying, "I farted!" Goodness.. boys.
At night time, you still aren't sleeping the entire night in your room. We told you, "If you wake up in the middle of the night, don't come to our room until the clock says it's after 4." That night, you came to our room and we said, "Gregory, did you look at the time?" You said, "Yes, 11 comes after 4." It seems a lesson is in order.... 11pm is not after 4am. But I can't deny your logic!
Daddy signed up for Kiwi Crates. He told you about it and said, "We are waiting for the first delivery. It's about the Human Body." Before the delivery, you were demanding, "Mommy, tell me all the different parts inside the body. What do they look like?" We did some research. You wanted to draw the parts. This crate was pretty cool. There was a poster of the body, showing the organs, muscles and skeleton. Material, thread and cotton were in the kit - you had to sew organs, such as the heart and stuff it with cotton, finish sewing it and then put it on the poster. Daddy helped you make the stethoscope and you listened to our heart beats.
The second Kiwi Crate arrived not long ago with a theme of secret spy. You loved it. You wrote messages that could only be seen by a specific ultraviolet light. You made a telescope. The box it came in was part of the kit to create your spy suitcase to hold your cool super spy glasses.
You're riding your bike very well, but the training wheels remain on. Daddy tried to get you to learn how to balance without the wheels, but so far it isn't working. We need to work on this more, but it's so difficult to get out in the heat. Earlier this summer, Daddy bought himself a scooter and then, for an early Father's Day gift, he bought a new bike. (Daddy just recently ordered a "motor" for his bicycle.) It's cute to see the two of you riding bikes.
There's another bike in the family, but it's not for Mommy. When Mommy was pregnant for you and visiting with Maw Maw, we talked about Opa as a little boy. Maw Maw shared how Opa loved his bike when he was little and that she still had it! It was in the shed, rusted so much you couldn't even tell the front of the bike had a Donald Duck face on it. Maw Maw offered the bike to us, saying it would be nice if we could fix it. We searched around to get it restored to working condition, but that was impossible. However, just recently Mommy made a friend who loves to work on antiques. She wasn't able to restore it to working condition, but when I said, "I'd love to get it painted and make it a garden decoration...." she was eager to work on the bike.
I wasn't expecting any more than a simple yellow bike, but Melissa found the original design online of the bike. She restored the painting to match the Donald Duck face and the yellow and blue design! Opa was delighted when he saw his childhood bicycle. He said, "That was the fastest bike ever! Nobody could catch me on that bike."
I told you, "Maw Maw kept Opa's bike for all those years. She treasured his childhood bike so much that she kept it for him." Your sweet face light up and you asked, "Mommy, will you treasure my bike too?" Awww, yes, I will. It might not be a cool Donald Duck bike, but it's a cool Gregory's first bike!
Before the heat of the summer, we had a play date with Nathan and his Mommy, Jamie. It was so good to see them and catch up. You and Nathan are two spirits, who love to run, pick flowers and be incredibly silly together. We watched and walked and talked while ya'll ran, jumped, rolled down the hill and played on the park gym. As the sun was going down, you decided to sit in mud, even after I told you not to. Mommy fussed at you. I saw from the corner of my eye that a man was watching us, which was a little creepy.. but it didn't stop me from fussing.
You said you were sorry. Then the creepy dude walked up to us and explained, "The kid's park closes in 10 minutes. But I wasn't going to interrupt you correcting your son. I've worked here many years and this is the first time I heard a parent correct a child. We need more of that." I don't have to correct you often, but I won't hesitate to do so. It's just part of being a parent. Not the fun part, I assure you, but children need to know right and wrong and the consequences. It was nice for a not so creepy now stranger to appreciate parenting.
Uncle Rob came back in town to bring their dog, Gumbo, to my parents' house. TJ wouldn't let his Daddy out of his sight! Rob had lots of stored up hugs for TJ and TJ soaked them all in. Uncle Rob and Tita Roda are going through a huge transition right now. After several phone calls, Facetime and real time interviews, Rob was offered a job with Equifax! During part of the interview, it was natural to hear the question, "Why are you leaving your current job?" Uncle Rob explained, "Sometimes you work with great people and love the job, but you don't love the location where you live."
Uncle Rob's response reminded me of Mrs. Joline's logic to me when I was anxious about not knowing where you would be attending Kindergarten (this was prior to finding out the APAAS test results). Mrs. Joline, Director at St. Augustine's Episcopal Preschool, said, "Going to school is not a prison sentence. Just remember that if it isn't a good fit for the child, there are other schools you can send him to." Uncle Rob did the same thing. If he didn't like the location, he found a job in a location he would like. (Life lesson - life has options) He is moving from Maryland to Georgia.
When we were in college, Uncle Rob had mentioned three places for programmers: George, California and Texas. He starts his new job towards the middle of this month! Their lives will be in upheaval for a while, trying to sell a house, start new jobs and find a new home. Oma and Opa are watching TJ and Gumbo while all the chaos is going on.
Unfortunately during this time, TJ needs to be potty trained in order to attend preschool. Oma said, "I never thought that in my 70's I would be potty training a child!" You have been a great help. You took on the role of an older brother, showing TJ how you pee standing up and when you go to do number two. TJ at first yelled, "Dirty! Dirty!" when you went to the bathroom. Now he doesn't do that any more. He isn't fully potty trained. He is on the cusp, sometimes he has to be told to go and there are times that he is going to the bathroom by himself or saying, "I have to pee." He has made huge steps in the potty training process. You helped Oma with this, by being a good example and by cheering TJ on when he went to the potty.
Speaking of potty's.... you are learning a new device on the toilet. A bidet. Oma and Opa had a bidet installed on the toilet in their bathroom! You tried the bidet and you like it. The bidet cleans the bottom by spraying water (there is a remote control so the water temperature can be warm) and then there is a blower (yes, similar to blow drying your hair, but this is for your tush). It's supposed to be more hygienic than using toilet paper. In fact, when Tita Roda first came to the US, she was horrified at the use of toilet paper. I'm glad that you are learning how to use this; Mommy might try it soon. It sounds like a spa for the bottom.
While Uncle Rob was bringing Gumbo to my parents' house (You are under strict instructions not to go near Gumbo. He will bite!), Mommy shared a story that you would rather not be shared.... I told Uncle Rob, "We went to Granny and Grandfather's house. I was in the bathroom. When I came out, I noticed that Gregory had a runny nose, which was odd considering he wasn't sick. I brought him to the bathroom and wiped his nose, then I noticed that he was crying! I asked if something was wrong. Gregory told me, "I was just trying to do what Daddy did. Just trying to be like Daddy." I asked, "What? How were you trying to be like Daddy?" Gregory said, "Daddy put play dough in his nose! I just wanted to do what he did."
I walked Gregory to the kitchen table and asked Greg, "Did you put play dough in your nose?!" Greg didn't respond and then Gregory said, "Yes" and then he showed me the play dough on the table. I said, "Gregory, did you put this in your nose? Is it still in your nose?" He said yes. I grabbed a tissue and you had to blow really hard but a big gob of play dough came out. I asked Gregory if he was still hurting and he said No."
I continued telling Uncle Rob that I had a long talk with you afterwards... how you know the rules, "no toy goes in your mouth, nose or ears." and that you never broke this rule in the years that you learned it. But you did it now, because you wanted to do what Daddy did. However, if you can't follow the rules, if you can't do the right thing, just because someone else does the wrong thing, then you can't have the toys.
You promised me that if anyone broke that rule, Daddy or any adult or any friends you know now or friends you make in the future, that you will do the right thing and not break the rules. Uncle Rob listened to the story and then said, "That was an important life lesson. If he learns that now, he won't bend to peer pressure. Children need to learn right and wrong and know what to do, no matter who the person is that is doing the wrong thing." I didn't think of it in that way, but Uncle Rob made Mommy feel good.
Now, I'll share something a little lighter in note. Oma bought some books for you for summer reading. The title of one book was, "Raise Your Hand if You Are Not Here." I laughed when I read it. Oma told Daddy, "I bet I'll trick Gregory when he reads this and he will raise his hand."
We called to you and you came into the room. Oma read the title of the book to you.... You walked backwards, out of the room, with stiff hands at your side while walking... when you were JUST OUTSIDE of the room and still within sight, you raised your hand! We busted out laughing. Daddy said, "I can't believe he did that! He followed the directions. He wasn't "here" and yet he found a way to raise his hand!" Such problem-solving skills!
Here's a Funny Facebook post
Gregory was talking and he ended a sentence with, “just a little bit.” All of a sudden my husband starts belting out, “wiggle it, just a little bit!” Gregory announced, “Daddy always takes my words and turns them into songs.” I laughed. Greg asked Alexa to play “Wiggle It.” It was loud and silly. Good morning, Monday.
You sense of humor thrives! You make me laugh with your expressions... and situations that we find ourselves in at times. Such as when we were at church and it was time to receive communion. Thankfully we attend an Episcopal church and you are allowed to receive communion, after your baptism. Well, last Sunday, you were given the host.... and you were going to dip it into the cup, as Mommy typically does. But... whoopsi... the host fell into the wine! You looked at the man holding the cup and the man holding the cup looked at you and you both looked at the cup with the expression of, "What do I do now?" Oma was on one side of you and I was on the other and we both wondered what would happen now; we had to bite our tongues to stop the giggles from starting.
You did the natural thing; you stuck your fingers in the cup and started to fish around for the host. It wasn't easily accomplished, so the man had to help out too and eventually - success. You ate the host and thankfully, nobody was behind us to have to drink from the cup after that... when we went back to the pew, Oma giggled. I did too, but I said to you, "Gregory, you need to hold the bread tightly when you dip it into the cup." You looked at me as if I had grown two heads, "Come on, Mommy, it was an accident!" You didn't say it in a rude voice, just a "I can't believe she just told me that" tone. It was funny moment.
Yesterday we were at Oma and Opa's house. We heard Opa fussing... at you. Oma had asked you to bring TJ to her. You were following instructions, but TJ didn't want to come with you. You took TJ's arm and Opa yelled, because he thought you were pulling TJ. You ran into another room and started to cry. TJ went over to you and gave you a hug and said, "I love you."
Later, TJ went into the room where you were doing your schoolwork. I told TJ, "You can't go in there right now, Gregory is doing his school work." TJ climbed on a chair and bent his body over with sadness. I went over to TJ and held out my arms. He gave me a hug. I asked him what was wrong. He said, "Is Gregory still crying?" Aww, he went in the room to check on you to make sure you weren't still crying. That is sweetness. The same sweetness that you have, the two of you share this and it melts my heart.
Daddy says Mommy has too many things planned for you this summer. He told that to Granny and Grandfather. Granny didn't miss a beat, "That's good to keep kids busy!" Go Granny! Granny asked what all you have in store for summer:
Three weeks of vacation bible school (one week each at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, St. Matthew's Church and Lutheran Atonement church). Lutheran Atonement sold CD's for the music the kids would sing during vacation bible school. I bought the CD, in the hopes that you might learn one or two of the songs and it would help to make you feel comfortable in a setting that you aren't familiar with. It turns out that you LOVE the first song on the CD and you request it now. You already know some of the words.
After vacation bible school you have full and half days of camp at Lutheran Atonement. I really like how they planned the camp weeks. Each week focuses on one thing for a half day.
So, you could have two main focuses if you go for a full day (which you have three full day weeks). Here are the things you will do:
Week of Soccer
Week of Baseball
Week of Basketball
Week of Flag Football
(the next ones are the second half of the days, but for the full week as well):
Week of Cooking
Week of Art
Week of Science/Technology
Then, the end off the month of July, you have a week of music camp with the Louisiana Performing Arts Association. I told Granny, "You said that the only thing missing in Gregory's life, to be fully well rounded is music. I am teaching him piano, but it's a slow progress and it might be better coming from someone else. I'm following your advise and found a music camp."
This is the first time attending Lutheran Atonement for summer camp. I'm praying it will be a great experience, something you'll want to do again in the future. The same goes for the music camp.
Oh and you are taking swimming classes as well. Plus we still go to Home Depot kid classes and the library craft times. At home, we are working on drawing faces, with the focus on the eyes. You are reading books from the APAAS summer reading list and doing short book reviews. Oma works with you every day on reading (both word lists and stories and programs on the iPad), spelling words, writing, cognitive thinking and math skills. We want you to have a fun and educational summer.
We just went to the local grocery store "kids cooking class." You love this. It's only once a month, but you enjoy it so much. This time, the kids made Muffalettas in the form of a wrap. You put all of the layers together and wrapped it tightly, using cream cheese to seal the edges. You sprinkled the cut pieces with olive salad. After that you made an Italian favorite, Cannoli. The shell was already premade, as was the cream. However, you picked what to put into the cream. You decided on small pieces of chocolate, chopped up cherries and toasted coconut. You put the mixture in a bag and then you piped it into the shell. I tried everything that you made and it was yummy! Your interest in the kid cooking classes at Rouses was what prompted Mommy to enroll you at the Lutheran Atonement camp for cooking.
You have birthday parties for schoolmates (both old and new friends) and fun time with TJ at indoor playgrounds and at Oma and Opa's house. You'll also see Granny and Grandfather when we drive them to the north shore to see your cousin, Alivia, in her dance recital.
There's so much going on this summer. It might be another couple of months before I write again. I'm praying this is a happy memory making summer for all of us. You have grown so much... sometimes I forget that you are only five years old. You speak well, read well, socialize well.... but you are still .... just a child. Each moment is precious and I want to give you a childhood that you can look back on and smile with the memories.... But the most precious of times for me... is when you hug, snuggle, ask for group hugs and when you smile.
Love Always,
Mommy
The last time I wrote a letter you were still in prek-4. Now you are a preschool graduate, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
On March 31st, I posted this on Facebook:
"We started a list of verbs today for Gregory to read. One of the words was "blush." We had to explain what this meant. My husband said, "When a girl gives you a kiss and you blush." Gregory whispered to me, "When you are in love with a girl, you blush." This is the first time Gregory mentioned liking a girl. I had to coax him into sharing, but he said, "I like Harper." Aww, that is the reason why he asked me to take a picture of him with Harper at the school Easter party :)"
I love how you understood the word and applied it to your life, my sweet son. Since posting that, we found out that Daniel has a serious crush on Harper as well. And since then, you have also mentioned that Kylie, Scarlett, Amelia, Ellie and Nahomy are very pretty too.
Another tough verb that you are learning to read and understand is: devour. We gave you the example that if you really are hungry and there's food that you like you will devour the food quickly. That afternoon we went to a kid's cooking class at our local grocery store, Rouses. You learned how to make bread by mixing ingredients in a bag. It was fun to watch you, especially now that you are more independent, "No, I can measure it!" Your patience needs work though, as you had to wait for the yeast to activate, "This is boring." The bread was placed in the oven next to the bakery.
In the bakery, all sorts of goodies were on display. It is here that you decided to educate your friends in the class about what "devour" meant. Thankfully none of the kids actually tried to eat the food, but you all ran around acting as if you were devouring the sweets. It looked like a pack of monsters were attacking the bakery!
On April Fool's day, Oma played a trick on you. Oma and Mommy were talking and you were laying down in Oma's bed. Your belly was exposed, because you had your hands over your head. Oma softly said, "Gregory. Don't move. Be very still..." You asked, "Why, Oma?" Oma softly again, "There's a bug on your stomach. I'm going to try to get the bug off of you." Ohhh, gosh, you do NOT like bugs. With statue stiffness, you whispered, "Get the bug off of me!"
Oma slowly walked over to you. She slowly moved closer. Then she gave you a raspberry on your belly! I don't know if you were relieved there wasn't a bug or mad because she played a trick on you, but you did laugh. (And then tried the same trick on everyone else that you could!) Ah, you get a sense of humor for all sides of the family.
For Easter, we went to a variety of places for egg hunts. One of my favorites is going to NOMA (New Orleans Museum of Art). The cost of the ticket helps fund NOMA and there are so many Easter Eggs for the kids that plenty of eggs were left on the ground, plus face painting, bounce houses, food and water (included in the cost), music and an animal petting area. If possible, we will go every year.
Another fun source of egg hunts - local church! We went to St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Church of the King and St. Matthew's Methodist Church. At St. Matthew's, the yard was filled with eggs, looking like little gems in the ground. It was announced that there were Golden Eggs with a special surprise in them. I heard parents giving their kids instructions and I followed suit, "Gregory, do you see the Golden Egg over there? Don't worry about any of the other eggs before it, just go for the Golden Egg first and then fill up your basket with the other eggs."
Many children were given instructions of that nature, but ohhhh, how the regular eggs along the way were temptations! Not for you though :) You made a fast bee-line to the Golden Egg. It was your prize and you showed it to everyone as we walked back inside the church to get your special toy. The toy was cool, but it was the idea that you swift enough to snag the Golden Egg - this made your day.
At the Church of Kings you liked the petting zoo and received a cool dinosaur balloon. At St. Augustine's, you helped decorate the cross with flowers and enjoyed the egg hunt. At each of the church events, it was a loving environment.
The first week of April, Uncle Rob, Tita Roda and your cousin, TJ arrived in town. It was a while since you last saw TJ, but immediately the bond was rekindled. My parents invited us all to the Global Wildlife experience. Last time we did this, you were a little shy about feeding the animals. Not this time. You held your hand out for the giraffes like a pro. You also know that of all the animals we saw, giraffes are Mommy's favorite. They are so graceful.. and so high up, you never realize just how big (about the size of a golf ball!) and beautiful their brown eyes are. If you talk softly, they will feed from your hands, so very gently. Even Uncle Rob got into feeding them.
A few days later we all went on a swamp tour and met up with Daniel and his family there too. You enjoy being on the water. We spotted several alligators, but they didn't come up to the boat this time. The tour guides are no longer able to feed the alligators. However, they did have a baby alligator on the boat. Three times you wanted to hold him, but you were too scared to do so. Most of the time you are quick to pet an animal. However, in the end you did conquer your fear and you held the alligator! I'm glad you had this experience, because a few months after the swamp tour, your school brought animals to the campus and you held the alligator then too.
Uncle Rob and Tita Roda came in town with their son to attend a wedding. Mommy's cousin's daughter got married. We drove to Mississippi to attend the wedding, so it was a nice get away. When we arrived, you saw a double rainbow and said it was good luck. It rained on the wedding; I've heard rain brings good luck and a lasting marriage. (It rained on Mommy and Daddy's wedding day! It also rained on Uncle Rob and Tita Roda's wedding day!) Both you and TJ were very well behaved in the church ceremony. The reception was lovely, but your favorite part was a table of candy. Each person could fill a bag with candy. Your bag brimmed over....
Unfortunately, Uncle Rob and Tita Roda were not in town to attend your last Chapel Day at St. Augustine's. TJ stayed with Oma and Opa. They all came with me to see your performance, which tickled you. You sang clearly, happy to do the arm and body movements taught by your instructor. I'm very grateful that my boss at work is very supportive of me attending your school events. She told me that these moments are very precious and not to miss out on them. I saw kids looking and missing their parents, crying because they didn't recognize anyone in the audience. Does it seem silly to go to a child's Chapel Day? Not at all, not just to enjoy the time and the performance, but more importantly to be there for your child. For you, sweet boy. I want you to know that you have support and love.
On Graduation Day, your teacher had a surprise for the parents! There was a table set up with black and white pictures of each child wearing a cap and gown. (The cap and gown was shared with the children, so it was just one going around for pictures.) I love the picture and made copies to share with Oma and Opa and Granny and Grandfather. You look so cute! This is your third year at St. Augustine's and the last year, because they don't go any higher than Pre-K 4. You learned so much going there, education, social skills, character development. Your confidence and creativity were nurtured at the school. I would recommend the school in a heartbeat. Graduation Day was fun and tearful too. So many good friendships were made; I can only hope that some might last even with everyone dispersing into different schools.
The pictures were of the cap and gown, but your teacher told Mommy that during the performance no cap and gown would be worn. Mommy went online and found some caps, made out of felt. It wasn't expensive and there was enough in a pack for the entire class, so I ordered them. Several parents came up to me, very appreciative, "That was the perfect touch to the day, to be able to get a group picture of the kids wearing caps." We explained to the group of children that on graduation day, you throw your caps in the air. No need to say that twice!
While your days at St. Augustine's Episcopal Preschool were coming to a close with this past school year, Mommy was very busy getting your next school year in gear... this ranged from filling out registration forms for Airline Park Academy of Advanced Studies to finding out where to order your school uniforms from to getting approved on Facebook to join APAAS group to buying books from a list of summer reading sent from the school.... and finding a blessing! Mommy was so worried about you not fitting in with your new school. Would the kids like you? These are children who have known each other for a year now (APAAS starts with Pre-K 4, but you didn't test high enough to get in at the Pre-K 4 level at the age of 3.)
Mommy enjoys taking "Quilt Block a Month" classes. One class per month, one block each class. Mommy met another quilt student and mentioned that you tested into APAAS for the Kindergarten level starting next school year. The other student mentioned that she knew someone's child who was attending APAAS and going into Kindergarten. She then texted the lady, Mrs. Katherine, (who, as it turns out, is the sister of the quilter - two very sweet ladies, that definitely runs in the family) and me as a means for us to connect. Mommy had SO many questions and Katherine was incredibly kind with her responses, sending samples of work for the week and a list of words for reading assignments.
Not only did Katherine offer patience, she was sweet to ask another mommy at APAAS who has a child, Avery, in the class, having a birthday party over the summer if it was okay to extend the invitation.... and that Mommy, Elisa, generously invited you to Avery's birthday party! From someone I knew in a quilt class to someone I never met face to face to another mommy never met face to face.... to receive a birthday party invitation.. it spoke volumes of compassion and goodness.
We went to the party, nervous and excited. Everyone was so nice, "Welcome to the Airline Park Family!" They explained how it really is a family. Once in the school, after Kindergarten, it is rare for a child to leave and so the kids move year to year (max of 26 in a class room). It keeps the school small, which is a good thing. At the party, you ran and played well with the kids. Anytime you can run and play, you are happy. But you did get loud a number of times; this bothered me. I had to correct you. I later asked you why you were so loud. You said, "I was just so excited!" I think you were nervous too... you might have picked up on Mommy being nervous.
At the party, Mommy and Daddy talked to a variety of parents who answered more questions, including one mommy who was the Room Mother the year before. Another Mommy is a teacher and she sent me a link on the books the kids are currently reading this year. This helps, because I want to make sure you are up to par. (As my brother later told my mom, "I will only get a house where the schools are no less than a rating of a 7." When he saw the rating for APAAS, he was shocked, "Wow! He is going to a great school. They rate as a 10!") Making sure you are reading where you need to be, to help your confidence - it's all very important. At the party, another Mommy invited you to her son's, Jackson's, birthday party the next day!
Yes, we attended Jackson's party too. Dana, Jackson's mommy, was sweet to include TJ with the invitation. Oma and Opa are looking for indoor playgrounds to bring TJ to during the summer, as he will be staying with them for a while. It gets so hot and humid during the summer, the parks don't get much attention from us. Jackson's party was located inside of a local mall. It was a neat place to have a party with swings of all sizes and shapes, lots of toys, a trampoline, balancing bar and the coolest thing ever - an inside zip line! Oh, you rejected the zip line four times. Then an older boy saw that you really wanted to get on it, but you were scared. He said, "I'll help him." He was able to give you the confidence to give it a try. After that one time, you were hooked! I can't remember how many times you went after that, it was so much. The only way we could pull you away from the zip line was to see the magician for an animal balloon!
We did have to leave that party early, though, because we had our church picnic to attend on the same day. With the heat already building up, you had no problem going up and down and up and down on the water slide. You stopped briefly for food and to play some of the other games, but the water slide was the main attraction for you. You saw a lot of schoolmates and Sunday school friends there too! Father AJ remarked, "This was a great turn out of children this year." I was happy to see that too.
APAAS has its own group on Facebook. By keeping up with the group, I found out that there was a Flavors Ice Cream gathering to raise money for the school. As we drove to the ice cream parlor, I wondered how many kids would show up. It was a delight to see so many from APAAS supporting their school! While we were there, we met one of the second grade teachers at APAAS. I asked her about Mrs. Bonura, your teacher for next year. Mrs. Brenes said, "She is firm, but the kids know she loves them. My son had her last year and he cried the last week of school, because he didn't want to leave her class." Mrs. Brenes also said, "Parents are encouraged to participate. They can be as active as they want to be with the school." She was very supportive and encouraging. The more I talk with people from APAAS, the better I feel and the more my nerves are calmed. I was glad we went to the fund raiser.
Sadly, this letter is not all joyful news. Tears were recently shed. Uncle Jerry, Daddy's older brother, passed away. Uncle Jerry always gave you high-fives, fist bumps and wanted to know how you were doing and what you were up to. When you were younger, the two of you would play with play dough. He enjoyed how you stacked the toys at Granny and Grandfather's house. You loved hopping on the back of his wheelchair to go for a ride with him. Mommy and Daddy are grateful that you had time with Uncle Jerry, to see his love. Mommy and Daddy spoke with you about Uncle Jerry passing away. You later told me, "I don't want Daddy to cry any more, Mommy." I suggested that you hug Daddy as often as you could.
At the service for Uncle Jerry, his good friend gave the Eulogy, which was funny and touching, bringing equal amounts of laughter and tears. You were well behaved and after the service, you asked, "Are we going to Uncle Jerry's Going Away Party now?" I don't know where you picked up on those words, but I guess we explained it as being a time to celebrate his life and love. You were the giver of smiles during this time. Aunt Melody totally enjoyed showing you pictures on her phone and reminding you of the time we went to their lake camp. Aunt Jennifer tickled you and couldn't "get enough sugar." Your laughter was so needed; you brightened spirits.
I was worried about bringing you to something of this nature, knowing tears would be shed. But having a child brings laughter and hope and beauty. In sad times, a child's beauty is more needed and more vibrantly felt than any other time. Though there was one person who didn't see your laughter... the minister from the service asked me, "Who does that boy belong to?" I replied, "He is my son." The minister said, "He gave me a LOOK when he couldn't receive the sacrament." I explained that we attend an Episcopal church and during the service Gregory is given the sacrament. You don't think it's fair to not receive it at all churches... it's something I'm working with you on, acceptance and values of different faiths. (I can only imagine the LOOK you gave the minister... and it makes me giggle.)
You are in the habit now of sharing your dreams, especially the bad dreams. I once told you, "If you share you bad dreams, you won't have the same one over again." Sometimes you tell me that you had a good dream and don't want to share, because you want to have the dream again. One night you woke up Mommy in the middle of the night, "I had a nightmare! I have to tell you about it! You were putting away Christmas decorations. Daddy was driving and I was in the car with him. We passed up a tree and saw an alligator in our front yard. The alligator jumped on the back of the car and Daddy was able to shake off the alligator and then I woke up!" This was soon after the swamp tour. Another night I heard you laughing in your sleep - big laughs, not little giggles. The next morning I asked you if you remember the dream. You said, "Yes! I had a dream about a fart getting larger and larger, like a bubble, until it popped! Then it stunk." You even dream about farts, oh my gosh...
And you are teaching your fart humor to TJ. One day TJ farted and you laughed so hard, "TJ, you farted!" TJ started to laugh hard too and ran around saying, "I farted! I farted!" Uncle Rob and Tita Roda might not be pleased with the fart jokes. Oma gave TJ a bath and he had gas. He busted out laughing, saying, "I farted!" Goodness.. boys.
At night time, you still aren't sleeping the entire night in your room. We told you, "If you wake up in the middle of the night, don't come to our room until the clock says it's after 4." That night, you came to our room and we said, "Gregory, did you look at the time?" You said, "Yes, 11 comes after 4." It seems a lesson is in order.... 11pm is not after 4am. But I can't deny your logic!
Daddy signed up for Kiwi Crates. He told you about it and said, "We are waiting for the first delivery. It's about the Human Body." Before the delivery, you were demanding, "Mommy, tell me all the different parts inside the body. What do they look like?" We did some research. You wanted to draw the parts. This crate was pretty cool. There was a poster of the body, showing the organs, muscles and skeleton. Material, thread and cotton were in the kit - you had to sew organs, such as the heart and stuff it with cotton, finish sewing it and then put it on the poster. Daddy helped you make the stethoscope and you listened to our heart beats.
The second Kiwi Crate arrived not long ago with a theme of secret spy. You loved it. You wrote messages that could only be seen by a specific ultraviolet light. You made a telescope. The box it came in was part of the kit to create your spy suitcase to hold your cool super spy glasses.
You're riding your bike very well, but the training wheels remain on. Daddy tried to get you to learn how to balance without the wheels, but so far it isn't working. We need to work on this more, but it's so difficult to get out in the heat. Earlier this summer, Daddy bought himself a scooter and then, for an early Father's Day gift, he bought a new bike. (Daddy just recently ordered a "motor" for his bicycle.) It's cute to see the two of you riding bikes.
There's another bike in the family, but it's not for Mommy. When Mommy was pregnant for you and visiting with Maw Maw, we talked about Opa as a little boy. Maw Maw shared how Opa loved his bike when he was little and that she still had it! It was in the shed, rusted so much you couldn't even tell the front of the bike had a Donald Duck face on it. Maw Maw offered the bike to us, saying it would be nice if we could fix it. We searched around to get it restored to working condition, but that was impossible. However, just recently Mommy made a friend who loves to work on antiques. She wasn't able to restore it to working condition, but when I said, "I'd love to get it painted and make it a garden decoration...." she was eager to work on the bike.
I wasn't expecting any more than a simple yellow bike, but Melissa found the original design online of the bike. She restored the painting to match the Donald Duck face and the yellow and blue design! Opa was delighted when he saw his childhood bicycle. He said, "That was the fastest bike ever! Nobody could catch me on that bike."
I told you, "Maw Maw kept Opa's bike for all those years. She treasured his childhood bike so much that she kept it for him." Your sweet face light up and you asked, "Mommy, will you treasure my bike too?" Awww, yes, I will. It might not be a cool Donald Duck bike, but it's a cool Gregory's first bike!
Before the heat of the summer, we had a play date with Nathan and his Mommy, Jamie. It was so good to see them and catch up. You and Nathan are two spirits, who love to run, pick flowers and be incredibly silly together. We watched and walked and talked while ya'll ran, jumped, rolled down the hill and played on the park gym. As the sun was going down, you decided to sit in mud, even after I told you not to. Mommy fussed at you. I saw from the corner of my eye that a man was watching us, which was a little creepy.. but it didn't stop me from fussing.
You said you were sorry. Then the creepy dude walked up to us and explained, "The kid's park closes in 10 minutes. But I wasn't going to interrupt you correcting your son. I've worked here many years and this is the first time I heard a parent correct a child. We need more of that." I don't have to correct you often, but I won't hesitate to do so. It's just part of being a parent. Not the fun part, I assure you, but children need to know right and wrong and the consequences. It was nice for a not so creepy now stranger to appreciate parenting.
Uncle Rob came back in town to bring their dog, Gumbo, to my parents' house. TJ wouldn't let his Daddy out of his sight! Rob had lots of stored up hugs for TJ and TJ soaked them all in. Uncle Rob and Tita Roda are going through a huge transition right now. After several phone calls, Facetime and real time interviews, Rob was offered a job with Equifax! During part of the interview, it was natural to hear the question, "Why are you leaving your current job?" Uncle Rob explained, "Sometimes you work with great people and love the job, but you don't love the location where you live."
Uncle Rob's response reminded me of Mrs. Joline's logic to me when I was anxious about not knowing where you would be attending Kindergarten (this was prior to finding out the APAAS test results). Mrs. Joline, Director at St. Augustine's Episcopal Preschool, said, "Going to school is not a prison sentence. Just remember that if it isn't a good fit for the child, there are other schools you can send him to." Uncle Rob did the same thing. If he didn't like the location, he found a job in a location he would like. (Life lesson - life has options) He is moving from Maryland to Georgia.
When we were in college, Uncle Rob had mentioned three places for programmers: George, California and Texas. He starts his new job towards the middle of this month! Their lives will be in upheaval for a while, trying to sell a house, start new jobs and find a new home. Oma and Opa are watching TJ and Gumbo while all the chaos is going on.
Unfortunately during this time, TJ needs to be potty trained in order to attend preschool. Oma said, "I never thought that in my 70's I would be potty training a child!" You have been a great help. You took on the role of an older brother, showing TJ how you pee standing up and when you go to do number two. TJ at first yelled, "Dirty! Dirty!" when you went to the bathroom. Now he doesn't do that any more. He isn't fully potty trained. He is on the cusp, sometimes he has to be told to go and there are times that he is going to the bathroom by himself or saying, "I have to pee." He has made huge steps in the potty training process. You helped Oma with this, by being a good example and by cheering TJ on when he went to the potty.
Speaking of potty's.... you are learning a new device on the toilet. A bidet. Oma and Opa had a bidet installed on the toilet in their bathroom! You tried the bidet and you like it. The bidet cleans the bottom by spraying water (there is a remote control so the water temperature can be warm) and then there is a blower (yes, similar to blow drying your hair, but this is for your tush). It's supposed to be more hygienic than using toilet paper. In fact, when Tita Roda first came to the US, she was horrified at the use of toilet paper. I'm glad that you are learning how to use this; Mommy might try it soon. It sounds like a spa for the bottom.
While Uncle Rob was bringing Gumbo to my parents' house (You are under strict instructions not to go near Gumbo. He will bite!), Mommy shared a story that you would rather not be shared.... I told Uncle Rob, "We went to Granny and Grandfather's house. I was in the bathroom. When I came out, I noticed that Gregory had a runny nose, which was odd considering he wasn't sick. I brought him to the bathroom and wiped his nose, then I noticed that he was crying! I asked if something was wrong. Gregory told me, "I was just trying to do what Daddy did. Just trying to be like Daddy." I asked, "What? How were you trying to be like Daddy?" Gregory said, "Daddy put play dough in his nose! I just wanted to do what he did."
I walked Gregory to the kitchen table and asked Greg, "Did you put play dough in your nose?!" Greg didn't respond and then Gregory said, "Yes" and then he showed me the play dough on the table. I said, "Gregory, did you put this in your nose? Is it still in your nose?" He said yes. I grabbed a tissue and you had to blow really hard but a big gob of play dough came out. I asked Gregory if he was still hurting and he said No."
I continued telling Uncle Rob that I had a long talk with you afterwards... how you know the rules, "no toy goes in your mouth, nose or ears." and that you never broke this rule in the years that you learned it. But you did it now, because you wanted to do what Daddy did. However, if you can't follow the rules, if you can't do the right thing, just because someone else does the wrong thing, then you can't have the toys.
You promised me that if anyone broke that rule, Daddy or any adult or any friends you know now or friends you make in the future, that you will do the right thing and not break the rules. Uncle Rob listened to the story and then said, "That was an important life lesson. If he learns that now, he won't bend to peer pressure. Children need to learn right and wrong and know what to do, no matter who the person is that is doing the wrong thing." I didn't think of it in that way, but Uncle Rob made Mommy feel good.
Now, I'll share something a little lighter in note. Oma bought some books for you for summer reading. The title of one book was, "Raise Your Hand if You Are Not Here." I laughed when I read it. Oma told Daddy, "I bet I'll trick Gregory when he reads this and he will raise his hand."
We called to you and you came into the room. Oma read the title of the book to you.... You walked backwards, out of the room, with stiff hands at your side while walking... when you were JUST OUTSIDE of the room and still within sight, you raised your hand! We busted out laughing. Daddy said, "I can't believe he did that! He followed the directions. He wasn't "here" and yet he found a way to raise his hand!" Such problem-solving skills!
Here's a Funny Facebook post
Gregory was talking and he ended a sentence with, “just a little bit.” All of a sudden my husband starts belting out, “wiggle it, just a little bit!” Gregory announced, “Daddy always takes my words and turns them into songs.” I laughed. Greg asked Alexa to play “Wiggle It.” It was loud and silly. Good morning, Monday.
You sense of humor thrives! You make me laugh with your expressions... and situations that we find ourselves in at times. Such as when we were at church and it was time to receive communion. Thankfully we attend an Episcopal church and you are allowed to receive communion, after your baptism. Well, last Sunday, you were given the host.... and you were going to dip it into the cup, as Mommy typically does. But... whoopsi... the host fell into the wine! You looked at the man holding the cup and the man holding the cup looked at you and you both looked at the cup with the expression of, "What do I do now?" Oma was on one side of you and I was on the other and we both wondered what would happen now; we had to bite our tongues to stop the giggles from starting.
You did the natural thing; you stuck your fingers in the cup and started to fish around for the host. It wasn't easily accomplished, so the man had to help out too and eventually - success. You ate the host and thankfully, nobody was behind us to have to drink from the cup after that... when we went back to the pew, Oma giggled. I did too, but I said to you, "Gregory, you need to hold the bread tightly when you dip it into the cup." You looked at me as if I had grown two heads, "Come on, Mommy, it was an accident!" You didn't say it in a rude voice, just a "I can't believe she just told me that" tone. It was funny moment.
Yesterday we were at Oma and Opa's house. We heard Opa fussing... at you. Oma had asked you to bring TJ to her. You were following instructions, but TJ didn't want to come with you. You took TJ's arm and Opa yelled, because he thought you were pulling TJ. You ran into another room and started to cry. TJ went over to you and gave you a hug and said, "I love you."
Later, TJ went into the room where you were doing your schoolwork. I told TJ, "You can't go in there right now, Gregory is doing his school work." TJ climbed on a chair and bent his body over with sadness. I went over to TJ and held out my arms. He gave me a hug. I asked him what was wrong. He said, "Is Gregory still crying?" Aww, he went in the room to check on you to make sure you weren't still crying. That is sweetness. The same sweetness that you have, the two of you share this and it melts my heart.
Daddy says Mommy has too many things planned for you this summer. He told that to Granny and Grandfather. Granny didn't miss a beat, "That's good to keep kids busy!" Go Granny! Granny asked what all you have in store for summer:
Three weeks of vacation bible school (one week each at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, St. Matthew's Church and Lutheran Atonement church). Lutheran Atonement sold CD's for the music the kids would sing during vacation bible school. I bought the CD, in the hopes that you might learn one or two of the songs and it would help to make you feel comfortable in a setting that you aren't familiar with. It turns out that you LOVE the first song on the CD and you request it now. You already know some of the words.
After vacation bible school you have full and half days of camp at Lutheran Atonement. I really like how they planned the camp weeks. Each week focuses on one thing for a half day.
So, you could have two main focuses if you go for a full day (which you have three full day weeks). Here are the things you will do:
Week of Soccer
Week of Baseball
Week of Basketball
Week of Flag Football
(the next ones are the second half of the days, but for the full week as well):
Week of Cooking
Week of Art
Week of Science/Technology
Then, the end off the month of July, you have a week of music camp with the Louisiana Performing Arts Association. I told Granny, "You said that the only thing missing in Gregory's life, to be fully well rounded is music. I am teaching him piano, but it's a slow progress and it might be better coming from someone else. I'm following your advise and found a music camp."
This is the first time attending Lutheran Atonement for summer camp. I'm praying it will be a great experience, something you'll want to do again in the future. The same goes for the music camp.
Oh and you are taking swimming classes as well. Plus we still go to Home Depot kid classes and the library craft times. At home, we are working on drawing faces, with the focus on the eyes. You are reading books from the APAAS summer reading list and doing short book reviews. Oma works with you every day on reading (both word lists and stories and programs on the iPad), spelling words, writing, cognitive thinking and math skills. We want you to have a fun and educational summer.
We just went to the local grocery store "kids cooking class." You love this. It's only once a month, but you enjoy it so much. This time, the kids made Muffalettas in the form of a wrap. You put all of the layers together and wrapped it tightly, using cream cheese to seal the edges. You sprinkled the cut pieces with olive salad. After that you made an Italian favorite, Cannoli. The shell was already premade, as was the cream. However, you picked what to put into the cream. You decided on small pieces of chocolate, chopped up cherries and toasted coconut. You put the mixture in a bag and then you piped it into the shell. I tried everything that you made and it was yummy! Your interest in the kid cooking classes at Rouses was what prompted Mommy to enroll you at the Lutheran Atonement camp for cooking.
You have birthday parties for schoolmates (both old and new friends) and fun time with TJ at indoor playgrounds and at Oma and Opa's house. You'll also see Granny and Grandfather when we drive them to the north shore to see your cousin, Alivia, in her dance recital.
There's so much going on this summer. It might be another couple of months before I write again. I'm praying this is a happy memory making summer for all of us. You have grown so much... sometimes I forget that you are only five years old. You speak well, read well, socialize well.... but you are still .... just a child. Each moment is precious and I want to give you a childhood that you can look back on and smile with the memories.... But the most precious of times for me... is when you hug, snuggle, ask for group hugs and when you smile.
Love Always,
Mommy
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