New Beginnings: October 2010

Dear Aidan,

You've finally made it to 4! Some small part of me asks "How do I have a 4 year old?" but the greater part of me feels like I've had a 4 year old for a while. Your birthday this year was about your party... not about you being older. Honestly, I've been claiming you were 4 for about 6 months now. I figured out awhile ago that there is a different psychological reaction in people when I say "She's 3" than when I say "She's 4." A 3 year old does not read books, speak intelligently, can do math in her head, mouths off facts about random things, and play like a 6 year old. But a 4 year old can. The 4 year old is very very smart but it's not unheard of. So, my Lady Bug, I suppose because I've claimed you as being 4 for so long... I truly did not feel any emotional reaction to it. That came about 3 months ago.

3 months ago I was sitting on the couch with you. You were reading a book to me, a lot harder book than you had previously read. Afterward, you got ready for bed and helped your sister all the while talking to me about your impressions about something. I started crying... just a little. Your mannerisms at that moment and your astute observations were so "grown up" it hit me how I'm probably not going to have as much time with you as most parents get. You're still a very young girl but I know that the older you get... the more "grown up" you'll be. Although I may sometimes feel embarrassed I actually like seeing you play the little kid... with your tongue sticking out... acting silly. I also like seeing you lose it... crying and whining like all kids your age. I want you to not grow up too fast. (Not that I'm not proud of you!)

Your birthday party was awesome this year. I really hope you have some memory of it. I remember back to when I was 3 and sometimes I wonder what will be your and Ainsley's first memory. Will it be this party? Or will it be something much earlier? Anyway, I couldn't have asked for the party to go any smoother... the weather was beautiful, Anna the horse arrived, the park was not crowded, most of the guest arrived. (rule # 3481 Want guests? Bring a horse!) Everything was nearly perfect. You did get tired at the end... so when you unwrapped your presents you had lost your animation. I kept thinking of The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday. However, when I asked you if it was too much you answered with "No, it wasn't too much... I'm just tired."

Aidan, let me try to describe you....

You're a hypochondriac. Every scrape, pain, whatever and you're sure you need to go to the doctor and that you need medicine. You keep seeking sympathy from people and I'm trying hard to break this "nonsense" from you. (though in your defense... it's a learned behavior from watching other people in your life)

You can still be shy in unfamiliar situations but you're really blossoming into a confident, self-assured person. In fact, as soon as you warm up to people... you act bossy and in charge... whether the kids listen to you or not.

You're in that stage where you "LOVE" your friends. "Mommy, I want... what was her name again?... I really LOVE her and want her to come over for a playdate!" For a while you were exclusive with your love to only your friend Kayiah. You didn't want to play with anyone else because you LOVED Kayiah... but now you LOVE a lot of people. You crack me up kid. I enjoy seeing the textbook phases you and Ainsley go through.

For a few months this summer you and Ainsley kept arguing and fighting. Practically every 5 minutes there was some squabble going on. Thankfully you both seem to have worked it out and now you still play beautifully together and look out for each other. Ainsley really is your best friend and I pray that it'll remain so. Interestingly though, Ainsley is the more affectionate one. She comforts you and is a lot quicker to hug and kiss you. You avoid it whenever possible. I'm not sure if I should be worried about this or not. You are physically affectionate with Me, your Daddy, and your Grandma but everyone else you've started backing off from and it's obvious you are uncomfortable it. Perhaps this is just part of your natural personality?

You love pickles... dill pickles. Seriously, I think you'd eat a whole jar if I let you.

You still walk on your tip-toes. Sometimes I think I should have signed you up for ballet class ...not gymnastics.

You really seem to have an athletic bone or two. Your hand-eye coordination is excellent for your age and size. You even play basketball well. (with a little goal of course). As long as it's feasible I still really want to sign you up for T ball in the spring.

You're showing signs of having asthma... it's brought on especially from exercise. You also seem to have bad allergies and soon you will be getting tested. I'm also going to get your lazy eye looked at. To me, it seems to be getting worse.

You have developed two new habits lately. The first is you keep sticking the tips of your fingers in your mouth. It drives me crazy! The second is that when you start to say something and you realize you shouldn't you stop and say instead "I mean, I love you Mommy" or "I mean, I love you insert whom speaking too." It's kindof amusing.

You like me to sing to you. I'm an okay singer at best but it doesn't matter to you. We make a game out of making random things or activities into a song. You're favorite is still the Aidan song though.

You read everything! It's as if you're addicted to reading... I suppose you're just proud you read so well but regardless of what it is you read it... even if it's a soup can. Much of your day is spent surrounded by books. You carry your Hello Kitty backpack wherever you can filled with books. I've stopped trying to keep a list of books you read because you read too many for me to keep track of. Books are your favorite toy. As for reading level... you are moving into 3rd grade level. You've been sticking to books around the 2nd grade level but just recently have started reading much older books. I'm having a hard time finding books on your level that are appropriate for you.

You are firmly in the 1st grade level with writing, math, spelling, etc. I am not officially calling you a 1st grader until January but it actually won't be long until you're doing mostly 2nd grade work. That is, if we actually do anything. Unfortunately, school is seldom done because of our traveling to N.C. a lot. I've been using time4learning.com and dreambox.com to supplement and to make me feel better about my slack.

The adjustment from going back and forth to N.C. is minimal with you. You're really doing great with it. Whenever we are in N.C. I never see you or spend time with you like I do at home. You spend every minute with you cousins that you can. Often I don't have a clue where or what you are doing. I miss you when we're there but I love the relationships you have with them. Family is important.

Aidan... I am so PROUD of who you are. I am so PROUD... not just of your intelligence or maturity but of your heart, your empathy, your humor, your slyness, your goofiness, your everything. Everything that makes you Aidan... I LOVE... good and bad. And yes, I still marvel at your every freckle, your fingers, the length of your nose... at all the little things. I just usually am only able to marvel at them while you're sleeping.

"Aidan Mckenna you are my girl

Aidan Mckenna you're my whole world

I do love my Aidan

I know she loves me

Together, united we always shall be"

I'm finishing my list of needed items for the official start of 1st grade but I'm also worrying about how long exactly 1st grade will last. Aidan has been doing a lot of the work I have yet to introduce from the computer programs and she shows mastery with a lot of it. However, in my favor, with the family situation being so up-in-the-air... there will be a lot of time-outs with schooling.

Things I'm looking at ordering:

Practically everything out of Critical Thinking Comp!

- Language Smarts

-Mathematical Reasoning

-Mind Benders

-Math Analogies

-Building Thinking Skills

-others I cannot remember

REAL Science 4 kids Biology Pre-level 1

AIDAN

Aidan still loves to read The Berenstain Bears but has moved on to other things like Little House on the Prairie books (no, she does not read the entire books as they are too long for her) and Cul De Sac kids. She doesn't seem to like the readers anymore although I still would like her to do them for the practice (and because I've collected so many I want her to read them). Math she has been playing around with money, fractions, time, place value, adding, subtracting, all the basics. Mostly I just see the more she does them the less time it takes her to think about the answer. We have been reading about Benjamin Franklin, about early America, about different habitats, mammals, amphibians, and other random things.

AINSLEY

Ainsley does not have any interest outside of using the computer with doing school. She likes to pretend to read books... especially when Aidan is reading... but she doesn't want anyone to sit with her and help her sound out letters... or even tell her the words. Right now she's in the "NO, I DO IT" stage. I let her be. She's a different kid and that's a okay with me. However, she really loves the T4L site. I settle her in front of the computer and give her the mouse and she does great with it. I think I've only seen her get one answer wrong. Of course she only does PreK 1 stuff right now but she is only 2.7 years!

There really hasn't been any worksheets or regular school work being done for the last few weeks. I'm having a hard time fitting it in and because the girls are not on schedule and we're always traveling... I choose to keep things light and relaxed.