BIKING
I’ll start with the great news- AJ is learning to ride a
bike! I have been trying to get him interested in it for years and he just didn’t
care about it. A few weeks ago, it was a beautiful day and there were other
kids outside riding and I asked AJ if he would try it. We talked a lot about
how he had to learn to ski and how he wasn’t great at it right away, but “practice
makes perfect”. I talked to him about balance and how he has to use his core
muscles. I think he may be the only 5 year old who knows what his core is J We went to the park
and practiced over and over. There are so many hills around us that it can be
tougher to learn, but he did it! He got a lot of encouragement from other
people at the park who were watching him. It was too cute! Here’s a video of
it:
Since then we’ve kept practicing. We went for a little “bike ride” to the church nearby this weekend. He is learning now to get going by himself. He really tries so hard!
SOCIAL GUY
Since daylight savings started, he has really been very into
playing with friends outside when he gets home. It’s yet another bittersweet
thing for me. I love that he is social and wants to be outside. I love that he
has friends and makes an effort to see them. On the other hand, I don’t see him
all day and when he gets home he changes his clothes and heads outside. I also
worry about his safety, but I have to learn to trust him and give him some
space. We have talked a TON about strangers and what to do if someone tries to
steal him. Plus, he plays with friends who are bit older than him and they keep
an eye on him. He knows also, if they go somewhere else (like to another
person’s home or to the park) that he isn’t allowed to go and has to come home.
TRAVEL
Jason started traveling a lot for work this past month. From
what I am told, this will continue but will be short term- like maybe 6 months
or so. First, I have to say how thankful
I am that Jason and I are getting along so well and communicating better than
ever. Him traveling can be a little stressful (for us all), but we’re getting
by just fine. AJ really misses Jason when he’s gone, but he also gets a lot of
special things during those days. AJ gets to sleep with me in bed (I won’t lie-
I kinda like it). We have more playdates with friends and he gets to eat a lot
of noodles J
He also really helps me out in the mornings. He knows we have to get moving
earlier because these mornings I take AJ to before school care. (Typically
Jason takes AJ to school). I usually feel bad for AJ but he always tells me he
enjoys going there because Mr. Sara is so nice and he gets to play in the gym
with friends before school. I need to not feel bad anymore! I think I will be
going to Virginia in May for a week and I am starting to really worry about how
I am going to handle being away from AJ for that long!
READING/WRITING/MATH
I can’t tell you how impressed I am by all that AJ is
learning. He is truly impressing me more
and more each day! I got him some more BOB books and he is breezing through
them. In fact, they are too easy! About a month ago, I bought him some Beginner
Reader books and he’s already done with those. So, now I’m getting smart and
going to the library, because it’s getting expensive! Last night he read me one
Beginner Reader and then half of a Level 1 book. Level 1 books are for Kindergarten/1st
Grade. He is amazing at sounding out words. And he really LIKES reading. When
we’re in the car, he looks through his Highlights magazines and I hear him sounding
out words. He will ask me “What does this spell?” and I remind him to sound it
out and he does.
AJ really likes math too! I am terrible at math, so I am
glad that so far he’s great at it and enjoys it. He’s adding numbers like 9+9
and learning odd and even numbers. Last night at dinner, he wanted me to play
the “plus 2” game. I give him any number and he tells me what that number plus
2 is. He was great at it!
His writing has gotten really good too! He can be lazy and
get a little out of control, but mostly he’s very good. We’re starting to write
a book together- it’s going to be adorable. More details to come on that one…
HE IS JUST A GOOD
PERSON
I have to tell this story about AJ. It just tells you exactly
what kind of kid he is. We were skiing a few weeks ago at Copper Mountain and
we were going down the mountain and in front of us was this woman who had
fallen. Completely by himself, and with no coaxing from me, he stopped by the
lady and asked her if she was ok. I was behind him and could hear what he said
and I was incredibly impressed and proud. Here’s this 5 year old boy who’s just
skiing along and stops to ask if she’s ok! When she said she was ok, he started
back down the mountain. I asked him to stop for a second and when he did I just
hugged him and told him how kind and considerate it was of him to check on her.
He is such a good person and makes me so proud!
