My 6 yo is insisting on testing all the limits known to mankind. He’s generally a good kid, don’t get me wrong, but, boy, that kid has cajones! We never really had a problem until he turned 6. Once 6, he thought that none of our rules applied to him. I have no idea what gave him that impression. When I’m giving them “the rules” he’s always the one that says “Me, too, mommy?” And I have to remind him that Yes, the rules apply to him, too. Yet when he’s playing or on his own (and not occupied playing with his brothers or me), he forgets that there are any rules that exist at all!

Take, for instance, his insistence on crossing the street without letting us know. Yes, he’s 6, and yes, we live in a townhouse development way back from the main street. However, there are still plenty of people that tear through the parking lot like bats out of hell, despite the fact that are a zillion kids around. So, if he’s going to cross the street, I want to watch to make sure he’s safe (especially since they have a failure when it comes to looking before they run out into the street). We’ve had this problem with him before, where he told me he was going one place, and ended up crossing the street to go to another. Today was one of those days.

We have given him every punishment imaginable and nothing phases him (which is another problem all its own). I don’t know what to do with him anymore. I’m really and truly at a loss. I’m hoping it’s just a rebellious phase and that this, too, shall pass. Unfortunately, not having experienced this with the twins, I dunno. I’m sure we’re not the only ones to experience this, even though it sure seems like it. All I can say for him is that he’s lucky I’d already had my coffee and that they are leaving for 3 weeks on Saturday. Otherwise, his punishment would be much, much worse. mIf he keeps this up, he’ll be lucky to make it to 7…

Family, life, the kids | No Comments »

(Hat tip: Pauley)

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Have you ever had that ssv (still, small voice), taping away on your shoulder? I think we all have at some point. This week, my ssv decided it was tired of being still and small and it smacked me upside the head!

After starting back to school last fall to finish my teaching degree, I thought I had 3 more years left to get my BA Ed. While talking to my advisor this week, she suggested I concentrate on my Poli Sci degree (that’s my major) since I’m not yet into the education program at Brockport. I had planned to apply this fall for the spring, but I decided to think about what she’d said. DH was adamant that “a degree is a degree” but there isn’t anything I can do with a Poli Sci degree by itself. So, while pondering all this at work Wed. night, and not being at all happy about it, something suddenly hit me. And it wasn’t one of those small realizations, either. It was a smack in the face: I can graduate with my BA in Poli Sci in May, enter grad school in the fall, and graduate with my MA Ed in the time that I had been planning on getting my BA!

I have no idea why I didn’t see this before. Honestly, the thought had never occurred to me before. I guess I never thought about it because it wasn’t the goal I was striving for. I never wanted a Political Science degree. I’ve only ever wanted to teach. But really, this makes the most sense. I was going to have to go right into grad school once I graduated, anyway. I might as well start it earlier and get it over with sooner. It’s a smart financial decision and a smart time decision for us.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think my graduation date was so close. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me! My parents are excited, too. I’ll be the first college graduate in our family, even if it did take me 12 years! And I’m excited that the boys will be able to see it all take place. That’s important to me, too. So, barring no unforeseen problems, it looks like I’ll be a college graduate as of May 15th 2010!

going back to college, life | 3 Comments »

Regretfully, I don’t have any before pics of today’s tackle. I just didn’t think about it before I started. Today, I’m tackling my kitchen. There isn’t much to tackle, really, since it’s merely a corner (literally!) of our townhouse. But I’m putting some things in closets on shelves to get them off the counter and give us more space there. It looks a bit more open. I just wish I could get the microwave off the counter! That, however, won’t happen.

Anyway, here’s my after picture:

It doesn’t look like much, but I’ll describe the before picture. Next to the paper towel holder was the iced tea maker, then the coffee maker, then a bread maker (and a big one, too!). The canisters (just down a bit further toward the stove) were next to a FoodSaver (again, a large one) and then there was the bucket of utensils. I had zilch for counter space and now I have quite a bit. This is all considering the counter space you see in the picture is pretty much my kitchen. All you don’t see is the sink and the microwave.

My next tackle, though I’m not waiting for Tuesday, is the cabinets underneath. I can never seem to find anything!

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The boys are all due for their yearly physicals, so I scheduled the twins for theirs today. Might as well get them done and out of the way early, no? I was amazed to see just how much they’d grown in a year! Zach has gained 8.5 pounds and grown 2.25 inches. Not super growth in terms of height, but I was shocked at how much weight he’d gained. He still looks lean and lanky and he’s still bony (lol), but the doc said he’d progressed fine in terms of height vs weight. He’s still on the short side for his age, only between the 25th and 50th percentile (closer to the 25 end, though). He’s 55 pounds and exactly 4 feet tall

Ryan, on the other hand, has gained a whopping 11.5 pounds and grown 3.25 inches in the last year. I was much more impressed with his gains. I knew he had grown quite a bit taller, but I had no idea he had gained so much weight! He’s much better than Zach in percentile ranges, being in the 65th for weight and in the 48th for height. He’s 61.5 pounds and 4 feet 2 inches tall. If he keeps growing at this rate, he’ll be as tall as me at age 11 (I’m only 5 feet 1/2 inch tall)!

I’m glad they seems to be *finally* catching up with their same aged peers. Admittedly, I think it’s taken longer than most preemies. Maybe it’s because they were micro-preemies? I dunno. At any rate, seeing them against their classmates, they seem to be right in the middle.

They also appear to be starting to get sweat glands under their arms. We were worried about this, but the doctor said it can start around age 7. It’s intermittent, as it’s supposed to be. She said as long as they weren’t showing signs of early puberty, they’d be ok. So far, they are still prepubescent. That put our minds at ease. They were also due for a chicken pox booster. Zach didn’t even flinch! Ryan yelled “OUCH!” and then looked at me and said “Wait, that’s it? It didn’t even hurt!” I think the ouch was a bit premature, lol, and much more for show than actual feeling!

Now they are officially ready for third grade. 2 down, one to go. And he’ll be taken care of in 2 weeks

Family, life, school, the kids | 1 Comment »

Oy, I have been in a funk, lately, as it relates to the blog. Don’t know why, but I just have not wanted to blog/have not had anything to say. I am trying to rededicate myself to blogging at least semi-regularly. Even if it isn’t anything anyone wants to read but me, I guess that’s ok. I’m also going to try NaBloPoMo again for July. This month’s theme ought to be easier for me, since it’s routine. I have that down pat, that’s for sure. Even if our routine is mundane, it’s a routine, nonetheless.

The boys are finally out of school. They finished last Wed. and it was a heck of a day for the twins. They were bawling by the time they got off the bus. They so didn’t want to leave their school, and I can’t blame them. It’s such a wonderful school, and I will miss it for them. Alex will be there 2 more years yet, so we aren’t totally done with it. And I suppose it’s harder for them because their only experience with a new school was when we moved here; they knew no one but each other. They feel, at least a bit, like that’s the same experience they will have this time around (for those who don’t know, they are leaving the primary school, which is K-2, and heading to the elementary school, which is 3-5). Especially Ryan, which is not uncommon with PDD/ASD kids.

So, part of our daily routine has become talking about their new school and reminding them that they will still have their friends with them. They’ve been in the same class, with the same teacher/students since they started (A great idea for the primary school, I think. Whomever Alex has next year will travel with him to second grade, as well.). While they won’t have the exact same students, they will be placed together in groups of 4, so that each student knows at least 3 others on the first day of school. I also remind them that all of their friends are also going. They’ll all be on the bus together, albeit a different bus than before.

So, such is the start of our summer. More tomorrow on the summer reading challenges the boys and I are involved in…

blogging, life, the kids | 1 Comment »