A Day in the life...: So I Don't Forget...

I am so thankful I have this little space to jot down stories of my kids lives.

So often throughout the course of my days I'll say to myself things like:

"Man- I need to write that down."

Or: "Can't forget that happened."

Or: "Jack would kill me if I wrote about that."

Or: "If I don't hurry about and get that in writing it will fade away from my memory."

So this time I'm writing some of those 'just-so-I-don't-forget' things.

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Lately Jack has been SUPER into reptiles.

He watches Animal Planet Shows and NAT GEO WILD shows about reptiles. He reads about them, mostly snakes and lizards. He writes about them in school.

He has three pet snakes (all are stuffed and from the toy store mind you). Their names are Corny (because he's a corn snake) , BoBo (because he's an emerald tree boa) and Cobra (no explanation for that one).

Right now he has one of those rubber things you throw in the tub or sink for a few days and see how big it gets. He has his own names too: Stripes. (I guess it's because he has stripes- but I was just told he's also a python).

He's been in the tub for a 8 days now and I think he's fully grown.

These stuffed snakes and rubber snakes are the closest Jack will ever get to owning a snake while he lives in our house.

Much to his dismay his Dad and I don't like slimy creatures that slither so he won't be getting a live one.

But- little does Jack know that he's getting a bearded dragon in April.

My Uncle Fritz is retiring in June from years and years as an elementary school principal and is a reptile junkie.

He has a juvenile bearded dragon that he's ready to unload and asked if Jack wanted it.

What the hell right?

His good friend Matthew has one and they seem to be pretty low maintenance- with the exception of feeding it live crickets (of which I will not be partaking).

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Riley has been trucking right along with her TK class.

I feel she is finally ready for kindergarten.

Too bad I can't send her now :)-

She's knows tons of sight words and can recognize lots of words in books- a first step to reading.

I am super proud of her and her new found interest in words, letters and the sounds they make.

She asked quite a few times over Christmas Break when it was time to go back to school.

She missed it. A lot.

She loves school.

I hope that love continues through the years because it makes things a whole lot easier.

Kinda weird that both of our kids love school.

I'm sure that will change but for now- I'll take it.

Anyway- on the way to school Tuesday, her 1st day back in 2 1/2 weeks she says:

"Mom- the boys are all so annoying because they all want to marry me."

Really?

Wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or be amused about her obvious self-confidence.

I joked with her teacher about this statement Ri so boldly made and she was quick to tell me that "all the boys love Riley."

Uh oh....

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On a completely different note I just want to document some not-so-enjoyable-traits that Jack has been showing lately.

I'm hoping one day we can read this post and say "Man- you were really like that? Wow - times have changed."

But seriously- I have to tell Jack a minimum 4.8 times to do one thing.

Like for instance: orange Crocs under the chair.

Our conversation goes something like this:

ME: "Jack- pick up shoes up and put them in the closet."

JACK: "uh huh..."

(pretend 3 minutes time has elapsed)

ME: "Jack- put your shoes away. Now."

JACK: .......dead air.......

(three more minutes has elapsed)

ME: "JACK- PUT YOUR SHOES AWAY NOW!"

JACK: "ok"

Then and only then (well after stopping to do a cartwheel, shoot a Nerf ball into his Nerf hoop, and fuss at Riley along the way) will he put his shoes away.

It is tiresome.

It's the same for putting his homework away, for hanging up his towels, for picking his balls up outside, and the list goes on and on.

His sister is NOTHING like this- she often picks his crap up b/c she's likes things tidy- like her momma.

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Some of Riley's favorites right now:

pickles

hard boiled eggs

American girl dolls

riding her bike

Mickey Mouse cartoons about twice a week (still the only cartoon she watches after all these years)

hip-hop dance class

back scratches at night