First Day of School

Today was a big first for Sofia, her first day of preschool, which she has been eagerly waiting for since her fourth birthday back in January. The first day was actually a short one, in which both her and I went to her school for a meeting with her teacher, Ms. Kylie. This is how I managed to get photos of her at school and with her teacher. She is going to Coulee Montessori, a charter school part of the La Crosse School District, at a school near where Mary works.



The next day, Wednesday, she actually went to school by herself for the full session, which for preschool is from 8:15 am until 10:45. The plan was for her to ride the bus to school, as that would work best with the juggling of daycare and work schedules.



But it turns out that the bus company that won the contract for busing the district’s students does an EXTREMELY poor job of communicating their schedule to the school staff, let alone the parents of students. To make a long story short, I think we missed the bus because two busses came at once, and while I got on one bus to find out if it was Sofi’s, the other bus left. But I’m not certain that was really her bus either, because it turns out her bus’ pick up time was changed from 7:45 to 7:15 (which neither the parents nor the school had been notified about).

So, unfortunately, we were late for her first day of school. Late for the first two days of school actually, because I didn’t learn about the change in pick up time mentioned above until I talked with Sofi’s principal and he called the bus company to also learn about the change in time.
Sofi actually took this difficulty with the morning bus schedule much better than I did, telling me in a reassuring voice “It’s OK Dad” on the second morning as we all left the bus stop on foot rather than one of us by bus, with dad visibly frustrated.



The second day being Sofi’s first full day at school, she also rode the bus home for the first time. The bus home is just for preschoolers, 11 total preschoolers to be exact. I have to wonder what this ride on the bus is like, 11 bundles of post-school energy sitting on firm green pleather seats. I would guess the first couple of days were pretty sedate, but I’m guessing it has become quite the social club, as Sofi has leaked that the driver (a sweet, quiet woman named Vicki) has assigned seats to her 11 preschool passengers.

The bus ride home is a bit of issue for me as well, however, as it is quite long. Without giving it much thought, we choose the Montessori preschool furthest from our house because Mary had heard lots of good opinions about this particular program, and the school grounds offered a lot more to do outside (fields and a playground) than the other preschool closest to us. It was a no brainer we thought. But the bus ride home is about an hour long, and to daycare it almost an hour and a half. In the end when you add this to her morning route she’s on the bus almost as long as she’s in preschool.

This whole thing bothered me so much that I actually brought it up with people I work with at the Coop, people who are still in college, with preschool bus routes being the furthest thing from their minds. The thing that caused me to give up completely on this bus ride home was the day she arrived at daycare so late that she missed lunch, and she wasn’t offered one because the daycare assuming she received it at school.

I eventually decided to leave work early every day (the church I work is very gracious about my work schedule and how and where I fit my 20 hours a week in) in order to pick Sofi up from school and take her to daycare myself, shortening her hour+ bus ride to a 15 minute car ride to her daycare.

The one factor I failed to take into consideration was Sofi herself. The bus ride home must have become a pretty fun place pretty quickly, because the day I decided to picked her up at school to drive her to day care she threw a fit and melted down right there on the sidewalk next to the bus. So I chose a compromise, and let her ride the bus to a daycare that she doesn't go to, but is only a half hour away. So she got her bus fix, but it didn't take her an hour and a half to get to her daycare on the other end of town, because I picked her up at an much earlier stop and drove he directly there myself.

It is this compromise that in the end I finally settled upon, though it took several weeks to finally figure it all out.

In regards to Sofi's first full day at school, she is pretty mum on the subject. She doesn't say that she didn't like it, but she doesn't say that she did. She just doesn't say much about it period. If pressed she will say that she likes playing outside, and Mary told me that Sofi had said that there are other students in her class who know more than her (she is in a mixed class with kindergarteners) and that she has a lot to learn. But that is about it.

Playground Milestone

Today marks another first in Sofi's path of growing up.

Today is one of the rare days in which I fill the day with lots of plans and tasks against my better wisdom, and yet somehow they actually manage to get done. We ran lots of errands today, starting with a stop at the bank in which I deposited a paycheck from First Lutheran Church, and Sofi deposited what she has collected thus far in the "savings" section of her piggy bank into her youth savings account—a total of 99¢. Then we went to The Pearl, an ice cream parlor and confectionery, a destination chosen by Sofi where she wanted to use another 99¢ that she'd been collecting in the "spend" section of her piggy bank. For that price she was able to get one HUGE pixie stick (a tube of orange flavored sugar that was over a foot long) and two wax pop bottles (little bottle shaped containers made of wax with sugared water inside), one of which she shared with Isaac (who enjoyed sucking on the wax as much as drinking the sugar). After that we went to the library, and then had lunch at the coop followed by some grocery shopping.

A very full morning, somehow pulled off without any meltdowns (certainly stopping at The Pearl didn't hurt, nor did the library, and certainly having lunch at the coop helped as well).

Isaac then fell asleep on the way home, so after we got home I put him in his crib to finish his nap, put in an Arthur DVD for Sofi to watch, and went out and mowed the lawn before it started to rain.

Again, I somehow managed to pull the mowing off, finishing it before Isaac woke up. When I got inside Sofi announced to me that she wanted to go to the playground across the street... by herself! Since I couldn't leave the house with Isaac sleeping anyway, I decided to grant her wish.

Despite her reassurance that she would look for cars when she crossed the street, I was nervous, as I've never really let her go anywhere other than in the backyard without me. Unknown to her I watched her the entire time from the picture window in the front room. And she did as she said: she looked for cars when she crossed the street. Once across she stopped and looked around, as if pondering what to do next with the new found freedom. Then she ran to the playground and swung on the swings, without anyone to push her.

She didn't stay as long as I thought she would, probably only five minutes. But she came home content.

Isaac's 15th Month

MILESTONES:

• First words (see below)

The following foods trump everything else right now:
Cottage cheese
Watermelon

Has started showing an allergic reaction to some food: it is either red peppers, dairy in general, buttermilk or cultured milk. Have a hard time believing it is dairy since he drinks three bottles of whole milk every day, but it does seem more and more like dairy of some sort is the culprit

Is signing "all done" and "bottle", and readily waves bye-bye. And has on two occasions approached his dad and pointed at his butt to let him know that his diaper was dirty---and he was telling the truth!

Along the topic of communication: Isaac now shows his dislike of anything that you do or try to give/feed him that he doesn't want by blowing raspberries at you.

Communication and his understanding of words has taken off. If I announce "Time to go!" he heads to the back door and sits down, waiting to have his coat put on. If I announce "Bath time!" he heads straight to the tub. Seems like you can ask him most any yes/no question and he is able to give an answer by nodding or shaking his head (thought I'm not certain we are always getting the correct answer, because may not be understanding the words... but he does understand he should answer with a nod or a shake of the head).

Also has started using two words in correct context. He has been using words for a while, but this is the first time he has started to use words in correct context and at the correct times, not simply for any and everything. Those words are "up", which he now uses when ever he wants to be picked up or helped up onto something, and "hat" which he uses when he sees my hat and wants to take it off my head.

Showing an increasing like/love of music... likes to bop his head and wave his hands when music is playing, especially when he is in his car seat and we are driving somewhere. Also likes to get up and dance to the theme songs of kids shows that Sofi watches. (After the theme song is over he could care less about the TV).

Showing an interest in books. Frequently this past month he has carried a book into the family room from his bedroom, pointing at it, and smiles happily when I sit him on my lap to read it.

Showing more interest in playing with toys... even seems to be making the "vroom-vroom" sound effect when playing with cars.

Climbing up and down stairs without a problem.

Mary's belief that Isaac is a "Daddy's boy" has gotten more backing this past month---several times Isaac has clung to his Dad or insisted on being with Dad even when Mom is more than willing and able to hold him and take care of him.

For more photos of Isaac, check out flicker.com

If you can think of anything else that Isaac has done/accomplished this past month, please feel free to add a comment below (for those of you who view this blog on the website)....

Cuts!

We all got hair cuts today. All of us. Not just Sofi, but dad (it's been a while and it was showing), and even Isaac. And we are not talking the economical home trim that Mary does so well with the number four guard. We actually "splurged" and went to Great Clips... and they used scissors!

I forgot to bring my camera, but I took this fuzzy photo of me and Isaac on my PDA.



Isaac did REALLY well. I think it helped to see Sofi go first, and she sits really well because she knows they give suckers to kids who behave. Isaac sat completely still for quite a few minutes, so well in fact that I decided to go all out and do more than just the bangs (I went in with low expectations, feeling I be happy if she could just get a few quick clips at the bangs). But he did so well she trimmed all of it, and even used a trimmers to touch up around his ears and neck, which surprisingly didn't bother him! Eventually he got squirmy sitting in dad's lap, and I did my best to distract him with my mobile phone. The only time he fussed was when she was done and she tried to blow dry the little cut hairs off his head. But overall his was extremely good. No sucker for him though, but they did give him a sticker.

The Christmas Program

Tonight was the church Christmas Program, Sofi's first. She wore a halo and a cute little white robe and stood hanging on the altar (as she had been specifically asked NOT to do) just staring at all of the people staring at her. Which is actually not so bad for her age, At least I did not see her pick her nose or poke her neighbor or lay down on the floor (oh wait, she did do that during rehearsal this morning).

I (Mary) am involved with the church Christmas program teaching the songs and helping to get the kids to do what the paper says they should do. It is a bit like herding cats but harder mainly because everyone is watching you try to do it. Also it's their little darling that you need to coerce into doing something they don't see a need to do, and you must do the coercing extremely kindly and sweetly, even when you feel like just hog-tying the child and propping him up against the pulpit.

Parents love it. If not for the beautiful time tested story, or the cute costumes, then just for the hilarity of watching it all. Tonight I overheard the spectacle being compared to a movie. Hmmmm perhaps something by Mel Brooks along the line of "Airplane". The rehearsal room before the show closely resembles the set, almost as if someone cued the little boys with fake swords chasing each other around the piano or the little girls in angel wings running and screaming their heads off. The kids were literally bouncing off the walls in their excitement. I believe it was physically impossible for them to stand still and be quiet, so singing a calm melody and inviting them all to join in was my only ticket to sanity.

Ah the Christmas Story. I'm sure it's always been exciting, "Did you hear?! They say a king is born! A King! In our town! Can you believe it?!" Perhaps people were bouncing off the walls and crowding in that little cave to visit the baby and see what all the fuss was about that night too. Sharing stories and gossip, gawking and dreaming of what this might mean. After all it was pretty busy in Bethlehem that night...and I imagine poor Mary just needing to rest!

We all need a rest after tonights re-enactment of the spectacle of that miracle.

Visit Flickr for a few more non-family photos of the Christmas worship service.

Sofi's First Dentist Visit

Eating fish.
Getting shots from a really long needle.
Waiting in line at the DMV.

These are a few of my less favorite things.

And that is fine.

What isn't so fine, as I've come to realize as a father, is casually nurturing a similar dislike in my children. I want them to try what the world has to offer on their own, and make their up their own minds and form their own decisions.

So it was with this in mind that I took Sofi to the dentist today.

I'd done several things in preparation. We visited the office the day before, so her first trip could be a "non-event" and she could get a feel of what it looked like and what to expect. And, as is my usual prescription for a new experience, we checked out books about visiting the dentist.

And boy did I have to keep my mouth shut. While reading these books they all basically go through a typical visit, and go through the different tools the dentist will use. Pretty much ALL of them said that the tool they use to brush your teeth "tickles". Tickles? Are they kidding me? That thing that spins at high revolutions and grinds the awful tasting fluoride into my teeth? If that's tickles, why don't I giggle? And all the books mention cavities, and how they are fixed, but don't even try to explain how it feels. Thankfully Sofi had no cavities. But they didn't take x-rays (that comes during the next visit I guess), so that possibility may be drawing near. I suppose all kids get cavities eventually.

Sofi did extremely well. She even did it all without me---I waited in the waiting room filling out new patient paperwork (I didn't bring Isaac... if Sofi didn't enjoy her experience Isaac was the last person I would want to see that). She came back smiling, with a sticker on her shirt, holding a balloon, a small toy horse, a Polaroid, and a new tooth brush. I joked that I must not be a very good patient, because they only give me the toothbrush. Of course, it wouldn't matter if they did give me all that stuff---I'd still hate going.

At least Sofi has formed her on thoughts about the dentist, and they appear to be positive.

Isaac's First Birthday

MILESTONES:

• Started cruising
• Took his first steps the last couple of weeks (Resists being set down to sit. When I try to set him down, he tries to remain standing and then wants you to hold his hands so that he can try walking.)
• Started pointing. It's kinda like a game of distraction, as if he's saying "Hey, quick, look over there!"

Along with the above milestones, he continues to climb up onto anything he possibly can. Constantly climbing on the hearth still, to the point that we are starting to realize that he is doing this simply because he knows he shouldn't. He looks at you with the side-ways glance as if to say "Are you watching, because I'm heading towards the hearth, and you don't want me to!" As if he knows and loves that he is doing something he isn't suppose to. Also started climbing up onto the toilets, giving him even better access to everything we originally put on the back of the toilet to keep out of his reach in the first place.

In the same vein, we've started to store our toilet paper and kleenex at higher and higher altitudes, because he has started to unload and unravel whatever he can get his hands on.

He has 8 teeth, perhaps more (he doesn't really let you get a good look at them when you really want to).

We've started brushing his teeth with an actual toothbrush, instead of using a wash cloth (it really hurt when he bit down!). The first couple of times we used a brush he was very still, as if amazed that he was being treated like the rest of us.

Likes to eat mandarin oranges, grapefruit, bananas, cheese, especially cottage cheese.

No longer interested in breast feeding, which Mary has mixed emotions about.

To go along the above, Isaac has now figured out how to hold a bottle on his own, and even how to hold it up so that milk flows down (this latter part had escaped him before).

His ability to wave has turned into the ability to use sign language. But he uses the same sign for EVERYTHING, so it is pretty much meaningless. The sign he knows, because I use it for him quite a bit and because it is a lot like how he waves, is the sign for "all done". But when he wants "more" food, he signs "all done". And when I sign to him to "stop", he signs back "all done".

Mary thinks he's a "Daddy's boy" because he keeps saying "DaDa" all the time. The thing is he says that for EVERYTHING, not just for me. He calls dogs "DaDa". He calls Grandma Ardelle "DaDa". But Mary does have a point... he doesn't use "MaMa" to refer to anything. Sofi was the direct opposite of this... she used "MaMa" for everything.

Like his Dad, he enjoys tech-toys already, especially our mobile phones.

Click here if you'd like to see more of his birthday photos.

If you can think of anything else that Isaac has done/accomplished this past month, or if you would like to reminicse about Isaac's first year, please feel free to add a comment below (for those of you who view this blog on the website)....

Isaac's First Steps

I was going to announce this irregardless of the fact that I had not actually seen Isaac make any steps. There has been many sightings, and I hadn't seen any. My Dad saw some in Red Wing last Saturday when we were snowed in there. Lois saw some when she was watching the kids on Monday. And Mary has even seen some this week, including seeing him walk three steps in a row this evening. None of these I've seen. I always turn around to find him on the floor.

But Isaac is determined, and enough so that I did get a glimpse this afternoon myself. It was only one step, not three, but he wanted to make sure that I'd seen it myself before I went and started telling everyone else.

As you can imagine, since I've had a hard enough time actually seeing it with my own two eyes, trying to capture in video or in photos is not happening.

Swimming Improved

Today in swim lessons Sofi did very well. I went over with her what I expected as far as behavior before the class started, and I stayed and watched the entire time instead of going to exercise.

No spitting in the teacher's face, no jumping on top of others.

Today instead she swam (with the help of some flotation devices) on her back half the length of the pool, all by herself. Definitely a first.

And she also jumped off the diving platform on the deep end of the pool. Numerous times. The last time she even did it without holding the teacher's hand.

Grapefruit

Fed Isaac grapefruit for breakfast for the first time this morning, just to see what he thought of it.

He's like his sister, loves it.

I like grapefruit too. Used to eat an entire grapefruit for part of my breakfast. Today, sharing it three ways this time, I think I got four bites.

I should add that this grapefruit my kids like is straight up. No sugar added. Just straight pulp.

Wonder how long it will be until Isaac eats an entire grapefruit for breakfast. I think Sofi was 12 months when she ate an entire grapefruit in one sitting.

The Dark Side

For most of my life I had this memory of my mother being angry most of the time when I was a kid. I can't recall lots of incidents, except one when she was sitting next to me on the piano bench while I practiced. I took piano lessons for eight years, and amazingly never learned how to read straight through nor how to improvise, though I tried to do both at some point. Consider how long I took lessons, and the minimal outcome created, I'm sure I didn't try too hard when I sat at the piano for my requisite 30 minutes every day. So as my mother sat on the bench next to me, seeing me watch the clock and me loathing every measure of music, I'm sure her blood boiled. All I recall is a shriek, and thinking that my mom was possessed.

This was just one incident, and I can't recall any others with this detail, but for most of my life I remembered my mom as being easy to anger. So much so that in college I would speculate with friends that I was probably the way I was—shy, checking how others feel before doing anything—because I spent my childhood trying to tow the line so mom wouldn't explode.

I say that I remember her this way for most of my life because I don't remember he like this anymore. Or, to be more accurate, I still remember it like this, but I'm starting to think my memory is just plain wrong.

I told my mother how I remember her and she simply laughed. She does recall being an angry mom, but it wasn't when I was in childhood. It was when Michelle and I were teen-agers.

Why am I doubting my memory? Because I am now a parent myself. And even though I'm not sitting next to anyone on a piano bench, I'm feeling my blood boil on occasion. Many occasions actually. I've never thought of myself as an angry person, but lately I certainly seem like one.

Which is why it was very nice to do what Mary and I did this weekend.

Mary and I are having our first today. It is our first night away from both kids. All night. Thanks to the grandparents, we have an entire weekend to ourselves.

We headed out to Myre-Big Island State Park, near Albert Lea, MN, in search of fall color. The fall color report at Explore MN said it was peaking there. This may be true, but like most everywhere else the heavy rains and winds that Minnesota and Wisconsin have experienced have stripped most of the leaves from the trees, and the peak is just not that spectacular at Myre-Big, nor is it anywhere really. This photo is about as close to leafs of color that we got (and yes, it was raining this weekend, but we have the gear for that, and it was actually quite nice... after all a weekend without the kids in the rain is better than...)

What is interesting to note is our feelings as we pulled out of the drive way. Mary was sort of teary with the thought of leaving the kids all night. As for me, I was thinking about the best route towards Myre-Bigs.

On our way there we enjoyed listening to podcasts, and one of our favorites is This American Life. The particular podcast from This America Life that we listened to happened to be titled How to Talk to Kids. As usual, most of the acts were intriguing, and a couple got us talking. One in particular was the last act. It was by Dan Savage, titled Use Your Words. In a nut shell, he talks about how sometimes adults just blow up at kids. And he concluded that, in his opinion, kids need to see and hear this at times.

As you can surmise, this struck a chord with me. It was so refreshing to hear that other parents loose it too (including Alex Baldwin, as Dan Savage points out).

"They" say that parenting will change you. And it's true. But what I never thought is that it would changed even the memories of my past. It took becoming a parent for me to realize that a fundamental memory that I had of my childhood is not accurate. Sure my mom was angry. But it wasn't her I'm starting to realize. It was me. Who wouldn't get mad when a kid doesn't listen... for the umteenth time.

It's just odd to think that I'd probably still be perpetuating this memory and how it formed my character if I hadn't gone down the road of having children of my own.

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PS: Regarding Myre-Big Island State Park, we'd recommend the non-electric site 23. Very nice, in the woods, near the lake. (The photo at the top is actually a picture of it at night... kind'a. Our tent is glowing orange on the left. The mess of light is me playing around with my LED flash light while Mary took an extremely long exposure). And the park's backpack sites are accessible by canoe, which we'd like to go back and do some day... with the kids.