From the Mouth of Lilly

Over the past week Lilly has had the following to say about school.
-The librarian is The Library Boss, The Writing Teacher is The Book Writing Teacher, and my favorite, The Couselor is Sunshine Girl. She has loved going to specials and the being exposed to new things.

Ove the course of the week she has shown her perfection issues in Homework and Art. She has meltdowns when asked to draw herself because she just can't draw people. THis is defintily a Jonathan trait because I would not care less.

Last night as we were talking before going to bed Liilly asked me "What is tomorrow?" I answered "Friday" Lilly "Can you remind me tomorrow?" Me: "Yes, Why?" Lilly: Because Caroline always get the answer right and tomorrow I am going to get the right answer."

That is how we have always gotten Lilly to learn new things, telling her her friends can do it. She doesn't like to be the kid who doesn't know.

Lilly's First Day

My sweet babby girl LOVES school and I hope this continues for years! I really think she just LOVES being in a social setting.

First day Lilly got right up , got dressed and ready with no problems. Jonathan went to school with us the first day and we walked Lilly to class. Lilly went right in put up her "stuff" and sat down to work. J and I left shortly after because there were ALOT of parents in that little room. I had said all along I wasn't going to cry b/c I was not emotional about Lilly starting school....I cried all the way back to my classroom. Day 2 I walked Lilly to her classroom. Day 3 I walked Lilly to the end of the hall and she sent me back. Day 4 Lilly wanted to go by herself to class. SO I got to walk her for 3 days...that was a little sad. Day 4 Teacher Assisant told me she saw Lilly walking to class and she had stopped to talk to everyone she knew along the way. I told her to please send her on her way, but she said Lilly wasn't being rude or out of the way just stopping to say Hello. She is SOOOOOO much like her Daddy.

I get to see Lilly at lunch everyday because we have the same lunch time. I have worried most about her getting hungry, but she eats lunch, snack, and eats again as soon as she gets to my room each day. Lilly has come home talking about a certain girl in her class that has to pull apples quite a bit and that this girl doesn't know that pulling apples is bad. The more she talked about this girl I became worried that she might not be making a wise choice for a friend, so I made a point to meet this girl at lunch yesterday. This is a little girl who is "special needs" and at that point all of my worry about Lilly's friendship turned to pride. She has befriended the underdog and was helping her with her lunch and telling her what she should do not to get in trouble. My heart is full of pride because Lilly always seems to gravitate toward the "different" person and try real hard to be their friend. I hope she will always have this compassion. NOW that doesn't mean Lil is perfect, she is still moody and stuborn, but I sure do love her. She also marked her conduct for making a noise during class time. She was terribly upset b/c she knew that she would be in trouble. That was her warning and now if she does this again she will have a consequence BUT really how many of us could go all day and be perfect without talking or slipping up here and there?

Random Jackson

Jackson was trying to talk to Grandaddy one day and Daddy was working in his office. Daddy said Jackson was talking and talking and Daddy just didn't answer him so Jackson said "He not listening to me." and walked out. That has been my laugh of the week!

Jackson's First Day

Jackson's first day of pre-school was very uneventful. He started before Lilly so she was able to spend some time by herself with Gran and Granny. Jackson got up and dressed with a smile on his face. He didn't cry when I left him this year. However he did cry when Lilly left him. SIDE NOTE: I wanted Lilly to have a sister so she would always have a friend, but God gave her a brother and my heart is full daily to see the love they have for one another.

Jackson went right on into school with no problems, all smiles. Whenever we ask his about school he says "I played with my friends." Last week he would tell me about the he read a story. He is so sweet but he plays rough so we had a serious talk about "no pushing, no hitting, no biting, no guns, no swords." I think we had the same talk with Lilly minus the guns and swords. In the end Jackson had a great first day and is enjoying preschool.

Other Jackson notes:
-He doesn't like loud noises.
-He is obsessed with guns right now....we have bought about 5 in a week because he always wants a bigger one. HOWEVER when Daddy shoots the real gun Jackson takes off running in the opposite direction.
-He is so loving. I still get big hugs when he sees me.
-He sleeps with us and has all summer. I just can't make them go to their own beds.
-He cries to stay HOME. He likes to be home in "his green house" UNLESS I am going somewhere then he cries to be with me.
-He is really sweet!
-He is not a baby any longer. He still let's me hold him like a baby and says "I is yours baby Mama"
-He LOVES babies and would make a great big brother, but I don't know that the rest of the family can handle another baby.

Finally Swimming

Lilly has finally learned to swim underwater. I enrolled her in swim lessons for two years. The last year she went she told the teacher what she was and was not going to do and at that point I just said forget it. She saw her cousins swimming and decided that she was going to swim and took off. She only swims if she can reach though and refuses to try in deeper water. When she jumps off a the diving board she has on a life jacket and a ring and determined not to go under water. (She gets this from both her grandmothers :0 ) Jackson will not swim but will go under water and stay 7-10 seconds at a time. He keeps his eyes open the whole time but he too refuses to swim and even go out in the water alone with a life jacket. I have thrown him out into the water with a life jacket on several times, but he just cries and go like lightening to the steps and then refuses to get back in the water.

Pirates

We took the children to the beach one last time before I went back to work. While there we were able to go to "The Pirate Invasion" in Beafort. It was hot and I am convinced Jonathan could have been a pirate because they were not on time. We were seated at 12:30 for a 1:00 show which didn't start until about 1:45. By this time we were all a little hot, tired, and grumpy. It was fun to see the pirates, hear the cannons, and see sword fighting. There was one pirate who was rather nice looking and we saw him on the news the next morning. Lilly said "Hey look! THere is the handsome pirate we saw yesterday." Can you guess which pirate that would be?

Christmas in August

Daddy put up our trampoline...it is pushing 20 years old. He bought a new mat for it before he was asked by the insurance company to take it down about 6 years ago. Crafty Tim painted it and the trampoline looks brand new. Lilly said it was the best day ever when she saw it and has asked daily when are we going to Gran's to jump on my new trampoline.