Go Eagles!!

Another season of soccer has began and this year we are loving it!!  We switched teams and couldn't be happier.  Coach Steve has a very good approach and balance of learning and fun.  Best part, Kinson actually listens to him!  We have played 2 games and Kinson has scored in both games.  Something has finally "clicked" and he understands the concept.  Bear is an avid soccer fan and they have spent several EARLY mornings together watching the European Soccer tour and he was very much into the Olympic games when they were on.  Maybe all of this has helped or like everything else that Kinson does--he does it on his own time :)

Since Kindergarten has started, Kinson comes home and talks about several friends.  It is hard at this age to meet the kids and their parents to encourage friendships outside of school.  Fortunately for us, Kinson noticed his very best Kindergarten friend and classroom tablemate, Kent, was on our soccer team.  They have been inseparable.  This has helped out tremendously with meeting his parents and their friendship!

Kinson also got to play his very best friend, Carson, Saturday morning!  They did not realize they were going to play each other!!

They have been in the same class the last few years at Hope.  They were sad to be at different Kindergartens this year.  BUT---next year they will get to be together again!!  Carson's parents are moving a few miles our way and will be in the Northshore school district.  It gets even better--- while they are building their house, they will be staying at one of their parents' house which just so happens to be in our neighborhood!!  We are all so excited!!

Singing away

Cohen has started singing over the last few weeks and it is absolutely precious.  She serenaded me the whole way home from Orange Beach last week!  This is the BEST birthday present I could have asked for!!

  Happy Birthday Mama!!  <-----CLICK TO SEE

First Progress Report

 We have survived 4 weeks of Kindergarten already!!  It has flown by but we can already see that Kinson has learned so much.

Kinson came home with this in his backpack Thursday-- his First Progress Report!!  I know it doesn't say much but the fact that it doesn't say anything that we need to work on, is great for us.  Kinson is working on mastering his handwriting and beginning easy reading.  He brought home his first book this week and "read" it to us.  It was a basic building book that progressed each page-- "I am _____"  I know he had probably memorized it but he was able to identify words when I asked him to spell them and then really impressed me when I asked for shortened versions of the compound words such as I asked him to spell "tub" when he had the word bathtub in his book. We were so proud of him and he was ecstatic!!

Orange Beach 2012-- Isaac is Coming!!

 We made our annual trip to Orange Beach to celebrate the end of summer and most importantly--My Birthday!!  The trip has grown the last 2 years, we gained my Aunt Deborah last year and this year my Uncle Mitchell joined us also.  The more hands the better when it comes to keeping my kids entertained and happy!

When we left on Friday there was a Tropical Storm pounding the Florida Keys but we figured it wouldn't bother us any.......more about that later!

 We love all the amenities at the Caribe.  Especially the zero entry pool and the slides.  Kinson has mastered some swimming skills but is still a bit surprised at the end of the slide and wants someone there to catch him. 

Both kids absolutely LOVE the water and could stay all day.  And they did!

 We did venture to the beach Saturday afternoon but had to stay on the shore due to the very rough undertow.  Within 10minutes the undertow had taken Nana's sunglasses (after an attempt with the boogie board!), Cohen's bucket, and Kinson's goggles.  So we kept the trip short, but we needed to say we actually went to the "beach", right?!?

 Attempting to build a sandcastle together.  Kinson got quite frustrated with Cohen.  He was trying to give her directions and it was difficult for her to hear him so she just would bring water back and forth and dump it wherever-- he was quite mad!!

 Back to the pool where they could be free to roam and play!

 This is where the boys preferred to be!  Bear could indulge in adult beverages and Kinson could swim and let the current carry him.

 Taking a break and contemplating life with Uncle Mitchell :)

 Throwing the football with Papa

Surfing!!

We did end up having to cut the trip short a day.  The governor issued a mandatory evacuation Monday morning at 8:00am and it was so hard to leave.  It was a beautiful day but they had already closed the pools and put up double red flags at the beach.  We decided it was best to get on the road and try to beat the traffic.  In the end, we got a few days at home where the kids went to school and we were able to actually get a few things around the house accomplished!  Overall a good trip!

First Days......A little Late

A little late seems to be the story of my life right now!  Always playing catch up.  So here goes :)

Kinson started Kindergarten at Northshore at the beginning of August.  Although he was bummed to end summer camp, he was quite excited to start Big Kid School.

We went to Open House the night before where he got to meet his teacher, Mrs. Moore.  He fell in love with her and the classroom immediately. 

 He was determined that he was going to school all by himself.  The first day for Kindergartners started later than the other grades due to parking.  We had to explain to him that there was no car-rider line that morning and we had to take him to class.  He was not very happy with us!

 After getting him in the main door, he told us we could leave and we told him we were walking him to his class.  His response immediately was to tell us that we could stay "way back" from him!!  This is him entering his new Kindergarten world as a "Doodlebug!!"  Not to be confused with the Doo-Doo Bug that he kept calling himself the first few days :)

So far, "Kindergarten is the best thing EVER!!"  He has absolutely loved it and we couldn't feel more at ease with the transition.  He feels extra big bringing his lunch and then a few days we send money for him to buy treats-- ice cream, chocolate milk, and tattoos. Things have definitely changed since I was in school!  His favorite thing is to come home and let us know if he is on "Green Light" and the he has to inform us of everyone who had to move their clip onto yellow or red light!    

And we couldn't forget about Cohen.  She started another year at Magnolia 2 weeks ago.  We were unsure until the week before which class we were moving to or staying in.  It was decided that Cohen would change rooms, to Mrs. Roxanne's class.  We prepared her for  a new room and teacher and it definitely helped that a few of her friends moved with her.  She still asks me every morning if she can go to "Mrs. Ree's (Cheree's)" room but usually she wants to tell or show her something and then she is happy to go to her "new" classroom.  She is remaining on the hearing impaired side and they are still incorporating the association method into her curriculum to assist with the apraxia.  This is all still a learning process for her and her teachers, most students either have one issue or the other.  But we have a lot of guidance from support staff and directors of each department.

Another exciting person has re-entered our world-- Ms.Taneil. Taneil was Cohen's Early Intervention Therapist that came to our house and her preschool starting when she was 11 months old, before we even knew what was exactly going on with her.  She was one of the most vital people in our early detection of Cohen's hearing impairment.  And now she is the Speech Therapist at Magnolia!!  We were so excited to get the news early summer that she and Cohen would get to be a team again :)