Splash!

We hit the splash park across the street from us a time or two this summer.  It's so wonderful that it's close, you can bring your own food, it's cheap, and there are gates all around keeping a special someone locked in at all times.  I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately with the start of school a million side projects.  I also have been concerned that I'm so behind on my blog.  Then I realized, that's just silly.  For many of this posts I only need the pictures so that I can print them in my book at the end of the year.  As a result... the next few posts might be, shall we say? quite picture heavy!  Enjoy!

Preschool

So there is a little class at Jesse Hall that has a pre-school progam specifically designed to help advance language in children with language delays. As such, they need "model" students for the children to mimic.  They did a screening to select the two model students.  Xiana and her little friend Tad both went to the screening.  Because they are so close, we threatened and explained that there was to be no crying/fighting/hitting/leaving other kids out/tattling/not sharing on this screening day; so much so that Tad finally cried out, "I don't wanna go to the screaming!" We softened our approach.  Long story short, both girls were selected which is wonderful for them, and for their transporting mommies.  My dear friend Kate told me about this class.  I was very fortunate to be able to head down there as soon as I heard the word go.  Kate put in a good word for Xiana as did two other moms that know the teacher.  After the screening, when the teacher called to tell me that Xiana had been selected she said, "I gotta be honest with you.  I had three different moms in so many words tell me I'd be a lunatic not to pick Xiana.  It started to worry me that there was some reason they were taking pre-emptive measures.  Then I met her.  She is perfect.  I can't believe there is a 4-year-old so perfect for this class."  Needless to say, I was beaming with pride.  She proceeded to tell me about how Xiana could identify almost all her letters, counted to 50 before they told her could stop, and then, when they asked the kids to write their names and one little girl exclaimed that she didn't know how.  Xiana told her, "just copy the letters off of your name tag."  Genius I tell you, sheer genius.  I was very proud, and also a little relieved.  I know Xiana is a special, smart little girl, but every parent thinks that about their children.  So, after dropping her off for the screening I started to think that perhaps I was her A number one fan, perhaps even on a solo mission; so much so that after I picked her up I gave her a little pep talk about how if she didn't get selected, it wasn't because she wasn't smart or wonderful etc.  It's funny how I could lend my own insecurities to her.  At any rate, she LOVES going to school.  I heard her less than two hours later confiding in a mommy at the park that, "I go to pre-K at Jesse Hall."  I also had a long conversation with her about the man, Jesse Hall, whom the school was named after being the first African American teacher and principal in Washoe County School District and how important that was for her with her own heritage.  It was neat.  I think she understood pretty well.  She's so perceptive that she interjected once to say that she bet those mean people that were treating the black people so badly were really sad when they didn't get to go to heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus.  I explained to her that they didn't know any better and that they probably were really sad, but that Heavenly Father loved them so much that he probably just taught them the truth so that they could live with Him again.  She had a lot to say about that and thought it was pretty darn neat that Heavenly Father would be so cool.  She said she felt sorry for the mean people which is just about the best thing you could ever hear from your four-year-old half black daughter who will probably have to face a mean person or two in her life.  But I digress. 

Xiana asked her teacher half way through the first day when preschool was going to start.  She craves a sit down structured learning environment so much.  When I asked her about the comment, half laughing while doing so, she said, "Oh yeah, I think we're gonna start pre-school tomorrow."
Then, while she was gone I got to hang out with Kolton on a solo mission.  I can't say that I've spent all together too much time with him one-on-one.  It was a rare priveledge that I'm grateful for.  Although, I often go to the gym while she's at school, even the 30 minutes after can be quite endearing.  I guess that's just part of the gig for a second child.

And the girls were so darn cute.  They really love each other.  It's such a wonderful experience.  They do such fun activities and have access to any number of imagnative tools.  Our little ebony and ivory.  Happy little lives!!

Pyramid Lake

We took our little crew to Pyramid Lake right in the nick of time.... shortly after, they issued a warning not to swim in this particular lake as it was causing skin rashes from some parasite.  But... on this day... the water was grand!  Now I'm not a huge proponent for Pyramid lake.  I've seen more than one fish egg covered algae that makes me want to hurl.  But again, on this day, the water was marvelous.  It was clear and clean and a perfect temperature.  The only thing that could have made it more enjoyable is a boat... some day.  Still, we had a wonderful time.  Ekco stayed in the water the entire time.  Xiana and Kylee did some sand play, I ventured in and out, and Brian and Kolton stuck together....

Throwing lots and lots of rocks. Kolton is getting a pretty good throwing arm too.  The only problem is that, being a 1-year-old, he can't discriminate between appropriate and inappropriate rock throwing times and places.  *sigh* Enjoy every phase right? 

Random

• This is Kolton's business casual church outfit.  He's darling
• He continues to be a barrel of energy rarely stopping for more than a second unless he's asleep.  We have to do hourly searches of the trash can to extricate all the exciting items he's placed in there throughout the day. The latest: almost an entire load of laundry.  He's such a helpful boy.
• He says: mama, dada, baba (bottle), bampa (simultaneously grandpa and grandma), yes, no, meow, growl, hi, bye, all done, and jabbers all day long.
• He gives kisses generously.  He is a feisty little beast who wreaks havoc all day long with absolutely no guile.  His heart's in the right place :)
• He loves to rough house picking on his sister at all times.
• He thinks he should be allowed to play outside at all times.
• He follows his sister, running to greet whomever is arriving.
• He runs non-stop during sacrament.
• He's been going to nursery even though he isn't old enough.  He loves it there and is excellent for the leaders.
• He's still small weighing in at about 20 lbs, but he is ridiculously larger than Xiana was at his age.
• He likes to make messes.
• He loves to throw his food on the ground (particularly at grandma's).
• He still gets at least one bruise per day, but he's a tough little bugger and often doesn't even cry when he does things like fall down the stairs.
• He LOVES to be read to... but only out of his 5 favorite books.  Anything else he will try to take out of your hands and replace with his beloved bear/dinosaur/kitty/puppy/hedgehog books.
• He keeps us laughing all day long.
• He understands everything we say.  Sometimes he is obedient, sometimes he is not, but he always understands.
• He is very coordinated despite multiple spills.
• He loves ranch.
• He loves his family, and we love him!

• Xiana asks to put on lipstick every day.
• She desperately wants to be on So You Think You Can Dance when she gets older and shows me her dances every day.  Some of them are pretty good.  All of them are hilarious.  She gets to start dance classes in September.  She is beside herself with joy.
• The other day she was telling me about the pioneers and said, "If I were them, I could actually prefer to ride a camel."  I'm not sure where she comes up with this stuff, but she's funny.
• She continues to love all social interaction and has never gone anywhere without making friends. 
• She loves people very much.  Her primary teacher is moving to Utah so they had a farewell party for her.  On the way there I said, "I wish I had a piece of gum."  She said, "I wish the Harrises weren't moving."  Sweet little soul.
• She bares her testimony every fast Sunday, speaks/ prays in church whenever asked, and loves primary.
• She helps with Kolton tremendously and loves him fiercely.
• She is becoming a little woman.  Every day I'm surprised at the level of conversation we have.  As we drive places we have actual conversations.  It still surprises me that my little girl can now keep me company talking about current events... and believe me, she's up on them.
• The other day the sky was cloudy with sun rays shining through.  She ran up to me exclaiming, "mom, hurry, come and look outside.  It looks like heaven out there!!!"

Ekco decided to play dress up this weekend... isn't he cute?!?!  I don't think this is the last of his cross dressing days with two older sisters.....

The only time he's still.... he is sooo sweet.  I love his feisty little personality. He makes you want to catch him, bite him, and kiss him forever all at the same time!!!

babies, babies, babies....

There were four of us pregnant last year... four great friends all due within a few months of one another.  We joked about having a joint birthday party for the four little ones.  And then that joking became a plan of action.  Karina made these darling matching outfits, Joyce put together the decorations and mickey mouse cupcakes, Kate volunteered her house and water slide, and I showed up.  I say that it jest, but it's actually true.  I've been teaching Mon-Thursday from noon to 7:30 which leaves me little time for anything else.  My one contribution was cupcakes (granted they were divine, but my one contribution nevertheless).  I'm grateful I have these women in my life.  I'm grateful for their generosity, their inclusion, and their friendship.  This night was such fun.  We had desserts galore and lots of water fun.  The babies were absolutely and utterly adorable and loved their little cakes.  The party was well attended and much fun.

When we got home I had to snap a shot of Xiana carrying Kolton around.  We see this approximately 55 times per day, but I never get tired of it.  I think it's absolutely hysterical to see her dragging an unwilling-almost-the-same-size-as-her-baby around.  It always makes me laugh.