Summer, week two

Turner and Ladybug Land

Our second week of summer vacation was pretty eventful and no less fun than the first.

Turner, Hazel and I started at the school we’ll go to two mornings a week this summer. Mom likes it because it is an amazing school and it’s convenient that we all go to the same place at the same time. We like it because it’s FUN!

Hazel’s best friend goes with her to her classroom. Because he lives down the street from us, he goes and comes home with us in our car, which is a ton of fun! Hazel likes making crafts in school. I like talking to all the teachers about their birthdays and how old they are, and I like writing notes for Mom and Dad. Turner likes reading and playing outside.

Our first day at our new school

On Mondays we have a music time called Jamboree, where all the classes come together to sing and dance.  Hazel, Turner and I like seeing each other there. Hazel and I also get to see each other out on the playground because our classes go out at the same time.

Mom and Dad are impressed with how quickly we’ve all adapted to the school. We are all happy to go in the morning and exhausted when we come home.

Last week we made a fun day out of something pretty mundane – Ikea. Mom usually dreads going there, especially with three kids. But we were well behaved, played on the beds and toys in the kid section, and learned that Tuesday is kids eat free day, so we had lunch there too. Mom joked that maybe we should take a nap on the bed section and stay for dinner.  Next time we might.

One of Hazel’s birthday presents was a Ladybug Land ladybug hatching kit from Aunt Jen. We’ve been busy trying to keep our larvae alive and growing and last week they turned into full blown ladybugs. We really enjoyed them. Turner liked hugging them and yelling, “Bugs! Bugs!”

Last Friday, Turner decided to scare Mom out of her wits. She took a broken toy away because she didn’t want it to hurt anyone. While she was taking it out to the trashcan, Turner head butted our back door. When Mom came back in, he had a two-inch scrape across his forehead with a lump that was quickly swelling to the size of an egg and turning blue. 

Turner's first nap in his bed

Mom put us all in the car while calling the doctor. She next called our friend to cancel our morning plans, and instead, our friend took us while Mom took Turner to the doctor. It turned out he was all right, but Mom was supposed to keep an eye on him. A few minutes after they got back, he fell over and busted his lip open. Mom decided it was time to switch him to a bed so he wouldn’t knock his head on the side of the crib, which he often did when he woke up after nap or in the morning.

Turner did great his first couple of days in his toddler bed. He goes to bed well, but since then he has had a hard time sleeping through the night and taking his usual long naps. He’s starting to get a little grumpy from it.

Or maybe he just has a headache.

Summer vacation is really here

May 31 was my last day of school. We celebrated by heading to swim class, then Sonic for ice cream. Hazel, Turner and I have never been to Sonic before. We also have never had hot fudge sundaes before. Mom decided the last day of school was a good day to make that right. We loved them!

Over the first weekend of summer, we had more treats - the banana stand and baseball!  Mom and Dad took Hazel and me to a Round Rock Express minor league baseball game.  Since the game was at night and we knew we'd get home late, we left Turner with a sitter.

We went to a bunch of games last year and really enjoyed them.  Last year, all of the games we went to were on a Friday night.  Friday night games were neat - at the end of the game there was a big fireworks show.  This time, we went on a Sunday night.  Sunday night games are kids' night!

As soon as we got to the ballpark, we saw a big train that was driving around the parking lot.  We took a really fun ride around the parking lot on the train.  Then we went into the game.  Our seats were in the front row right behind the dugout which was neat.  I was interested in the field dimensions and the display on the scoreboard that showed how fast the pitches were.  Hazel liked watching the game and the baseball players.  We both liked it when they cleaned the infield dirt in between innings, and when one of the players threw us a ball. We both liked eating big soft pretzels and chocolate ice cream.

Before

The game was exciting and the Round Rock Express won 3-2.  After the game was the best part. Since it was kids' night, they let all of the kids onto the field to run around the bases.  I quickly calculated that it would be 360 feet, which was good exercise.  I ran around the bases pretty quick.

Hazel was less sure she wanted to run around the bases.  She was pretty tired since the game ended after 10 p.m.  But once we got down to the field, she said she wanted to run the bases too.  She did great and Dad noticed of all the kids out there, she was the littlest person running the bases!  We were all exhausted by the end of the game, but it was a really fun night.

After

The next week -- my first week of summer vacation --was the last week for Turner and Hazel at their old preschool. That was the only school they had ever gone to, and both of them spent a few days here and there in the baby room. Everyone was really good to us there, so it was hard to say goodbye. Hazel went out in style, with a popsicle party. I was excited to be able to go, and Hazel's friends said they'd miss her.

My first day of my first full week of summer vacation, Mom, Hazel and I headed out for some fun. We hiked around the duck pond at the Arboretum, had some lunch at Five Guys and then played in the sprinkler in our backyard in the afternoon.

Tuesday we played with our friends at the playground in the morning, which we've been doing a lot lately, then headed to the pool in the afternoon. We plan to do this summer in style.

I also got a summer haircut! Here we come, summer! Look out!

Here are some early summer photos.

Fun in the sun (and water)

Before school let out at the end of May, we were really busy. 

Just before Memorial Day weekend, after they put us to bed one night, Mom and Dad were on the back patio enjoying the mild weather on our swing. They heard a thump but didn't think much of it. Mom went inside to find Turner -- who has been talking a lot more lately, saying things like "Hello Mitch," "Hello, lunch," and "banana cold" -- outside of his bedroom at the top of the (gated) stairs. She was very surprised since he had gone to bed safely in his crib in his room.

When she and Dad figured out he had jumped out of his crib, they knew it was time to start thinking about switching him to a bed. 

Mom started researching on Craig's List and found something -- a desk for Hazel! Hazel is a little artist and Mom thought it would be nice for her to have her own space to create in her room. Hazel announced that she would never sleep again once Mom hauled it up to her room. 

The next week, Mom found a new bed for Hazel, then ordered a mattress, sheets, and a comforter. Hazel is pretty excited about her new digs and Mom is excited to have a new place to take a nap. And Turner got to have Hazel's bed.  Everyone was a winner!

Things started changing outside too, with warmer weather. We celebrated Memorial Day by going to a party with a kid pool and we broke out the slip n slide in our backyard. 

The next week was my last week of the preschool program I've been in for two years. It was very hard saying goodbye to everyone. We performed a dance, the same one as last year, and Mom and Dad were proud of how much I improved over the year. We also had a splash day outside, which was a lot of fun.

Here we are -- photos of us in the sprinkler and slip n slide.

Big news

This morning, on the way to preschool, we were talking about losing baby teeth. Mom told me to feel mine to see if any are loose yet. I checked and said they weren’t.

Hazel declared that she is going to try to smash hers out with a hammer because she wants her grown up teeth. Mom told her that wasn’t a good idea.

Then this afternoon, we were loading back in the car to pick Dad up from work and I said to Mom, “Actually, one of my teeth IS loose!” Mom whooped and Hazel climbed into the back of the car so she could wiggle it for me. Hazel was bursting to tell Dad, but Mom explained to her that it was my news and I needed to be the one to tell him. Hazel managed to hold back, and we're proud of her for that. 

While we were out, I told everyone I met about my tooth and showed them how it wiggles. 

We are all really excited to see what it’s like when it falls out and what happens when the tooth fairy comes!!! It was a super exciting day.

What did he say?

Turner's been talking a lot more lately, but sometimes we can't understand what he says.

One of the words he's been saying a lot lately is "jambo." He says it a lot and sometimes while walking around playing his banjo (which he calls "jo"), he sings it. Mom knew he was trying to say something, we just couldn't figure it out.

Today, Mom solved the mystery! She was walking downstairs with Turner, talking about colors each of our family members was wearing. After Mom said the color, Turner would repeat it. Hazel had on a mismatched assortment of colors and Mom said to Turner that Hazel was wearing a rainbow. Then Turner said, "Jambo!"