Monday, April 28, 2014

Shocked, Mom?

I've been putting off making blog posts because I am years behind with no time to catch up.  So apparently my solution has been to get further behind with absolutely, positively no fathomable way to catch up...yeah.

So, this is no attempt at meaningful catch-up, but rather a post simply to shock my Mom who still faithfully checks this blog and, as faithful as she is, I am quite sure never actually expects to see a post.  This one's for you, Mom.  (And the pics are off my phone--sorry.  Dan's new computer should have the "no decent pics!" issue remedied, soon.) 

Okay, a bit of cursory catch up.  Kamron is 3, turning 4 (gasp!) in June.  He is a man of extremes, either 100% delightful or 100% pain, with very little in between.  He is husky, hard-headed (figuratively and literally), task-oriented, and plans to drive the truck that empties portable toilets when he gets bigger.  (Not kidding.)  He might just be the best helper I've ever met.  He sets the table, pours milk and serves food at dinner, vacuums, scrubs toilets, rakes, and loves helping Grandpa fix his new skid loader.  He loves reading books, playing instruments, all Jason Aldeen songs and is working on his rapping skills.  (See what I mean?  Country and rap?  Man of extremes.)  He is quick-witted and very articulate, except when things don't go his way and then he erupts into a fit that I'm pretty sure can be heard in Korea.  Thankfully, those fits are not as common as they once were, though still more common than I'd like.  He recently learned to write his name, but not without bribes of chocolate--academics are not his area of interest at present.  Machines, chocolate, Monsters, Inc., iPhones/iPads, playing in dirt/sludge/mud, riding his bike, and the general adoration of his sister rank high.  To some extent, Kam seems afraid to try new things initially because he instantly wants to be as good as his sister at everything, but we're working on that.  From his perspective, she is the proverbial "tough act to follow".  Kam will start school later this summer at MorningStar Montessori and I'm pretty sure having his "own school" will help him bloom.  He is not destined for wallflowerdom.  Not on my watch.  ;)

Kam and Nedy "fishing" in one of the ponds at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.
 
Blurry, I know, but stinkin' cute nonetheless.  :) 
(And yes, Dan is building our cabinet doors soon. Ahem.)
 
Kennedy (Nedy) is 6.  For the record, I have no idea how that happened.  Wasn't she just 4?  Nedy is in kindergarten at MorningStar Montessori in Cedarburg.  She has such a love of learning--forever asking how things work, why things are as they are, etc.  She is fascinated by what is happening in the world and has information processing abilities beyond her years.  I can't even count the number of times people have referred to her as an "old soul."  Last week, after Nedy's near-constant urging, Dan and I took her to the BodyWorlds exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum.  In typical Nedy fashion, after 6 hours at the museum she complained that we had to go, "But we just got here!  There's so much more to see!"  Nedy is hooked on the joy of reading and was so excited to get her very own library card a few weeks ago--she signed the back of it in her beautiful cursive and said, "This is so OFFICIAL!"  She has lost 2 teeth with several others loose.   Her great joys in life are reading Beverly Cleary books, cooking/baking, playing in the dirt, bugs, jungle gyms/ monkey bars, pogo-sticking, bike riding, olives and potato chips.  She takes individual and group violin, dance, and recently she and Kamron started swimming lessons.

Kamron's swimming class.
 
Kam (center) getting ready to jump in.  Can you see his smile in his cheeks?
 
Nedy (red suit) getting ready for her jump.
 
More hours in the day, please.  :)