Cafeteria, Redundant, Spring Days

Last Friday I got to go with Nico to school and go to the cafeteria with him where he ate lunch for the first time. They did a test run for next year so the kids could learn where to go to get hot lunch and where to sit, where to throw their trash away afterward, etc.

He sat next to his friends Cooper and Olivia.

Then on Saturday Nico and I went up to the cabin! Grandma Salisbury helped me make the rest of the henna aftercare balms I needed to make and then we just hung out and had a great time! Nico chopped wood and played Mastermind with Papa. 

Nico went through a little flip book of "moods" with Grandma and she read each one to him so that Nico could decide what his mood was. He decided that he was redundant. So he started repeating everything that he said several times. "I'm redundant, I'm redundant, I'm redundant", then he'd laugh and laugh and laugh. 

 Comparing teeth

Lots of hugs

A sprout growing through Nico's missing tooth hole.

We went to the park on Tuesday, we took Avery and Evelyn with us. Nico brought his "homework" which is just a workbook that is for Kindergarten, purchased at Costco. He calls this his homework. At the park, Evelyn and Nico took turns doing stuff in the workbook. On Monday he had taken this workbook over to Adam's house and worked on it while Adam played with cars.

Here is my favorite part about going to the park in the Spring and Summer, this little path right here. Big sigh and big breath in when I get to this part. 

Here is Nico and Aiden. Aiden is very soft spoken. When I ask him how his day at school was he makes a soft noise but never answers with words. He talks to Nico just fine.

Nico said "Mommy, take a picture of me!" Then he chose all these poses himself. I didn't have to say anything, he moved to a new pose automatically and waited for the click.

We have a new neighbor who is very sweet. Her name is Laura and she is older and very friendly to the kids. A tow truck had to come pick up her car this morning and she saw that Nico and Adam were interested, so she grabbed both of their hands and took them over to watch. She lives in the house between ours and Adam's.

I think that's it for this week.

Sun Shade, GG, and hugs

Last Friday Guy worked late, but it worked out just fine because Nico fell asleep around 4:30 PM and woke up at 6:30, right before Guy got home. (6:30 is the usual bedtime around here). So after eating dinner we decided to go to the park since it's rare that Nico naps. We rode our bikes.

We got home around 8:30 and started bedtime. Didn't work, really. He was awake until I went to bed at 10:30, when he crawled into bed with me. He didn't stop tossing and turning until 11:30. 

On Saturday we met outside with Jeff & Allicia and crew so we could put up our new sun shade! They purchased us our very own sun shade, they had initially intended to put it up for us while we were gone on vacation so we would come home to it, but thought instead that they would wait so we could have input into the process. 

Cutting back branches

The main work crew

The helper crews

Nico's stick and rock collection. Arranged by him. We thought of you, Grandpa Russell! :) Guy said: LOOK! Take a picture of that!

Avery "helping" sort screws

 Aaaaaand... DONE! 2 hours later!

We ate lunch and I took a nap while Guy and Nico went out to the library and to get coffee. That afternoon we met up with the crew again in the backyard where they had stacked a bunch of compost on a tarp, on its way to the garden. Nico thought to bring out the digger.

Balancing on a board

Then when they were nice and dirty, they turned the sprinklers on!

That was a full day!

Sunday was a risk-filled day as our car was developing problems with starting. It would take longer and longer every time we tried to start it. We ran errands after church (leaving the car running at our last stop so I could run in without having to turn off the car), and then drove the car home and parked it. We borrowed Jeff & Allicia's car Sunday night to make it to Bible Study, we wanted to save as many starts as we could so that Guy could start the car Monday morning and drive it straight to the shop to get it fixed. But alas, Guy could not start the car Monday morning, and the engine started smoking. I am so grateful for USAA's Roadside Assistance! We have used it several times now to tow our car. The tow truck came and took it and Guy to the shop. The shop of course drove Guy to work. I didn't have to think about it at all, because the car was fixed that day and Guy drove home with it good as new! It was the starter. Makes sense.

On Tuesday we drove Guy to work so we could have the car to visit GG! Nico brought his iPad with him to show her his current favorite iPad game which is called Around the World in 80 Days, it's a hidden objects game. You can click on the objects you find and it gives you points and removes them from the page so you can move on to the next item. We got it when it was free a few weeks ago. The first time we went "Around the World" it took us a while (several days), but now he pretty much has all the object placements memorized. Him and GG played it for a good 30 minutes during our visit!

It's so fun to see him so excited to show her his favorite things! GG gave us a foldable table to put under our sun shade. Thank you GG! We set it up outside yesterday and we ate dinner on it. Guy pulled it back inside when it started raining. It looks like a big suitcase, but you unfold it and it's a table with 4 chairs! Incredible!

We ran into one of Nico's school friends on the way to school on Tuesday. Her name is Brody and she yelled from down the street: "NICO!!!!" Nico turned around and yelled "BRODY!!!!" and they ran to each other and gave each other a hug. Nico patted her back afterward and then took her hand to walk to school with her. Brody's little sister joined in and took Brody's other hand, and I was holding Nico's other hand, so we had quite a line. Brody's great grandmother was walking her to school so we were able to chat.

This reminded me that last Thursday on the playground (I had volunteered in the classroom Thursday so I was able to see it, Nico's teacher pointed it out to me), him and an older girl (1st grade maybe?) were hugging on the playground. Then they would stand with their arms around each other. Then another girl came over and all three of them hugged as a big group. He is a hugger! 

On the way to school yesterday Nico asked me "Where's Brody?" and I told him I didn't know. I said "Brody's really nice, I like her." and Nico said "Yeah, Brody's really nice to me. She's cute too." hehe

Do I need to be worried? :)

I think that's it for this week. I captured some video but didn't have time to put it together for this week, so maybe I'll do a snippet video next week? 

Ta ta!

Interview and Salt Lake City

Guy had his interview last Friday at 3 PM. He tells me it went well, but we are still waiting to hear the results of it! 

The rest of the week was really spent me getting ready for my trip to SLC, I had a lot of last minute stuff to do. So Nico came with me running errands, and he played a new game on his iPad. I download free apps, but only the ones that are only temporarily free and used to be $4+, because those are the good ones, the ones that don't have any ads or are silly. There are two Dr. Panda apps I've downloaded this way and they are awesome!! The latest one, Nico gets to drive around animals in cars and construction equipment to run errands around the town. He has enjoyed it.

I left to come to Salt Lake City yesterday after I dropped Nico off at school. My mom came in and picked him up from school at 3:15. I arrived last night here around 6 PM. I have had a good time so far and I've been really enjoying seeing the pictures Grandma has sent me. It looks like they are having a good time and that makes me happy! Nico gets to sleep upstairs in the suite with Grandma.

Here he is being silly in the morning. 

Waiting for their pizza at Chicago Connection. Looks like they're playing Tic Tac Toe!

Waiting for the bell to ring at school

And now I'm remembering, on Tuesday he didn't want to go to school and seemed very tired and I admit I was worried that he was sick or something. I could not get him to get into line after the bell rang and he kept whining and squirming around on the floor. I told him that he wouldn't get to play on his iPad after school if he didn't get into line and he said "Ok!" and happily got into line and was perfectly fine. Then he ran up to me and gave me his usual hug and kiss and got back into line. 

I love that he has randomly started doing that when he says goodbye at school. Hug and kiss. He asks for "rough hugs" which means I squeeze him really hard. He started saying this because I started asking for soft hugs or gentle hugs. He says "You like soft hugs and I like rough hugs!" Sometimes we forget to do the hug/kiss routine but I love it when he remembers. Kind of like how he came up with the idea to count to 3 before praying. He still does that every morning. We have to have our eyes open while he counts, and then we have to close them when he starts praying. If he sees that we have our eyes closed while he's counting, then he has to start over.

Ok off to bed for me!

Until next week!

Alexis

Grandma Salisbury and Alexis stopped by today for a bit. Nico loved having her around! Lexie hug-attacked him several times, it was cute!