Wockets in my pockets

Sept.9-Sept.14, 2008
I forgot to write that when we were at the park last week a little kid asked Isaac’s name and he paused for a second and said, “Benjamin Franklin!”
Monday was a good park day. The boys pretended to be pirates and spaceship explorers with the kids from church playgroup and then we stopped at trader joes on the way home and go some fresh pizza dough. I really like that aspect of city life—being able to walk to a park and then shop at a store on your way home. You get exercise and you don’t really need a gym work out because you’re doing so much walking.
Isaac’s first day of preschool was on Tuesday and he did alright but I got an email from his teacher later that day about the need to work with him on following directions, raising his hand when he wants to speak, and sitting still and staying focused when she’s talking. I definitely have my work cut out for me. I really hope that Isaac can improve with these things, I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make it all happen.
We also went to a Spanish playgroup on Tuesday morning and it was funny because the person hosting the playgroup had a small apartment and a new baby and no toys so my boys went a little bonkers looking for something to play with. Isaac did use his Spanish though so at least that was good.
Wednesday was a zoo day and the weather was great so the boys ran around a lot and wore themselves and me out completely. My favorite part about the zoo here is a giant treehouse that they have for members only and its this big indoor/enclosed play area where the kids can run wild and climb all over everything.
Isaac did better in school on Thursday so at least I’m hopeful he won’t be kicked out at least for another week. While Isaac is at school Levi keeps asking “where’s Isaac?” and when Isaac goes into school he says, “I want Levi to be in my class.” Ah brotherly love—I need to remind them of that when they’re clocking each other over the head with toys.
Levi is saying sentences now—“read me that book mom” and “here I am” and “there it is” and “give me a towel”
Isaac tucked all of his finger puppets into bed with him—he put them all in a really cute row.
Friday night there was a kids club party and there was a balloon artist there so the boys kept her busy making balloon swords and then all of the kids were running around in circles chasing each other.
This morning a lot of the streets were blocked off for a funeral procession for a police officer. I just walked over to the Franklin Science museum with the boys and I have to say it was so nice just to have a fun place to take them within walking distance—across the street! Isaac even got to dress up in a real astronaut suit that one of the staff was using for a little demonstration.
The boys got invited to a b-day party on Saturday with a construction worker theme. They were pretty pumped to wear the pretend hard hats and play with their new plastic dump trucks. Levi also found a large rock to jump off of several times and a good muddy spot to practically bathe in. Isaac was beside himself with glee when we got to eat the chocolate “dirt” frosted cupcakes.
Hurrican Ike hit Houston today. I’m glad we’re not in Houston anymore, but we do still own a house there! We talked to our old neighbors (our tenants are on vacation) and they said that our house is okay but the family next to us got a tree through their back window.
We found the missing Wocket in my Pocket book this week and the boys have absolutely loved reading it again. Isaac has invented some know “Wocketisms” like being a “zaundry in the laundry” or a “zed” in the bed.
Babysitting trade offs. . . we started off a Saturday night kid swap operation with some friends from church. We took all of the kids this Saturday (Jackson, Jordan, Sage, Marley, and Elliot) and then for the next 3 Saturdays we get to drop our kids off at our friend’s houses and go out on a date! I’m pretty pumped. The babysitting did get a little intense when Sage and Elliot both had meltdowns at the same time. I kept the older kids busy going on treasure hunts with silly made up treasure maps that I made. I put teddy grahams in a little brown chest that the kids wanted me to hide—they got a real kick out of pretending to be “pirates.”
The prayer strike has finally ended for Isaac. He had been refusing to pray for a while and always insisting that we do it, but this week he decided that he would pray and he’s prayers have been very. . . interesting. He likes to thank Heavenly Father in advance for things he wants to happen—for example, “thank you for riding in a fire truck and for lots of candy.”
Levi has started to use more short sentences this week. He’ll say “Where’d Isaac go?” and “push the button,” “I have poops,” and “Whatcha doin?”