Unlocking the Mystery

Nate has been in school 3 weeks ( 5 classes) ~Knock on wood~ it is still going well.  I wouldn't say he is overly excited to go, but he doesn't resist either.  There are a few 'I want to go to the park mommy, no school' type things said.  He doesn't say it with a lot of passion and doesn't seem to mind when I say 'maybe after school we can go to the park' so I'll take that as a good sign.  

Side Note: I went to my first *Back to School* parent night.  I feel so official, like I'm part of some bigger system now.  It was a huge milestone for me.  Me, a parent, sitting with all kinds of other parents.  Yes, saying that at my age seems funny, but it's true.  Basically, I learned that these parent nights are just to tell you how to be civil in the parking lot, pay on time, don't send your kids to school sick and by all means no goodies for bdays and if you even bring a peanut into the bldg you are out ;)

Ok, back to the mystery... what are the best mystery novelists? Agatha Christie? Mary Higgins Clark? Michael Connelly? Fyodor Dostoyevsky? I'm not well read anymore... I should probably watch less tv in my 10 min of free time at the end of the day and start a current bucket list book list.  I tend to read articles instead of anything substantial nowadays... :(  Maybe I'll put that on my new year's resolution list.... ahahaha like I make one of those ;)

Oh yeah, back to Nathaniel and school.  When I pick him up from school my mystery solving skills come alive.  The mystery is 'What the heck did he do for the last 2 hours?' I get a bit and piece on the way to the car.  These are usually what you might call 'give me's' since I base the question on the worksheets/artwork in his cubby.  For example, he had a square dobber project and a cut out shapes project.  So I say, "Did you learn about squares today?" and he says "Yes, we did".   Another give me is, "Did you eat your snack today?" 

After the first round of questions I try to dig deeper.  What did you do on recess?  He usually mentions not wanting to wear a sweatshirt and that a bell rings and they have to go in.... no activities mentioned.. so I say, "Did you play with sand?" or "Did you play with a ball?" every once in a while I'll get from him "soccer ball and I made baskets" Ok well that's something.  

I ask if he went potty... and a couple of times he has said 'I stand and aim'.... ok great!  No wet or poopy pants have come home so that's good (for everyone!!)  

If I'm lucky he sings a little bit of a song... I don't always catch on to what it is though, but he sings it kind of low and smiley and then stops.  I assume he doesn't know whatever he is saying very well so he just kind of muttles through it.  At least I know there was a song.  I know they've used maracas and egg shakers too.

I get glimpses of rules he is learning very randomly.  For instance, we walked up stairs and he said "Hold on to the rail for safety mommy" ... I know I haven't said that so that is new.  He also said "I don't want to stand on the Dr. Suess head"... ok .. well I learned this is how they line up to go places... haha (he already wants to break the rules)  

I think the hardest part of the mystery so far is figuring out what they read.  I have gotten ZERO hints about any books on any day.  I am sure they read at least 2 a class.  I'm wondering what he is doing during the story... is he listening?  He doesn't sit well at home for books so who knows.  He is always listening to the story, but he likes to move around.

One of the most funny answers I've gotten so far was this - I asked "Do you play with any friends in class" and Nate said "Yes, 2".... I was excited, huge progress from a boy who was mortified at the thought of a kid in line behind him at the slide at the park.. I asked "Do you remember their names?" and he said "Yes, my teachers Miss Lisa and Miss Diane"..... well ok, at least I know he likes his teachers haha!!  He does call visitors friends lately.  When Kevin and his parents left for the airport a few weeks ago Nate said "I only have one friend left, meaning me (mom)" and he called my sister 'his friend' when we were in the car going somewhere.  Kind of cute and possibly sad for him.

I've heard the mystery of what happens at school is a never ending battle so I have that to look forward too!! But for now I think it is so fun and cute to try and piece together what happened.  I eavesdrop on his conversation with dad before bed as they 'recap' the day.  Sometimes I learn even more stuff... and I almost have a partial picture of what happens.  Partial at best. 

Daddy Daddy Daddy

This is what Nathaniel likes to say A LOT.  Where's Daddy?  I want Daddy? So how do I feel about Nate being a daddy's boy???  

There are days I get annoyed.  For instance, when I tell him, "No" or discipline him for something he tends to want *Daddy*  (Is Daddy more of a pushover (I mean nicer) than Mommy?..... uh yes.  ;)  Daddy hugs are also more comforting for some reason - I think its because of the bigger arm reach, right? right? 

There are also days I am not annoyed at all.  For instance, at 3am when he wakes up he yells for *Daddy* While I never ever want Nate scared etc. I don't mind sleeping while *Daddy* checks on him.  He also likes *Daddy* to put him to bed...yep, free time for mom (well sort of, I end up vacuuming or doing laundry, things off the to-do list or I get to give the dogs some extra love and attention which is great or catch up on a DVR'd show... ok yep the to-do list sometimes gets ignored)

I guess some Mommy's would never ever admit this, let alone blog about it, but it's all in good fun.  How can I ever mind my son loving his dad.  I'd rather have a dad that pays his son so much attention that he has become a Daddy's boy than a loser deadbeat dad.  Plus, I get a lot of hugs and 'I Love You's' (even when Dad is around) so I'm not to jealous.... YET.... I can't wait to use the line "I labored for like 16 hours and had a major surgery for you yada yada yada" :)  

Nate Goes to School

Well, sort of... It's a 2 hour 2 day a week preschool thing.  It is a class called 'Older 2's' He has not had a lot of opportunity to be around a lot of kids his age - that's what we get for moving around a lot and being away from family :(  We thought it might be a bit of a confidence booster if he had some socialization and a chance to be around someone other than us (we aren't that exciting).  He tends to shy away from crowds and kids at the park and stuff.  Now that I write that though it could be about me or Kevin too hahaha... it is definitely in his genes.  

The meet and greet with the teachers was on Tues and his first *alone* class was today (Thurs).  At the meet and greet he held my hand the whole time and any time a kid came close he would say 'Let's get out of here'.  I was extremely nervous/anxious/mortified/stressed out/sweaty/etc. etc. - was this the right thing to do? Should I wait a year?  Am I setting him up to be on a future episode of Dr. Phil where he recalls his traumatic experience at 'Older 2's' class???!!! 

So Thurs came.  First of all, I didn't plan very early and his backpack I ordered isn't here yet so his bag was an old beach bag I had with a masking tape across it with his name on it.  It looked pretty jalopy, especially since the tape wasn't sticking that well haha...  I know the kids don't care, but I'm sure some mom probably noticed :)  The whole way there he said 'We can stay one minute mom' .... I was thinking to myself .. it's going to be a bit longer than one minute.... 

We were at the classroom door.  We hung his stuff up and quick like ripping off a band-aid I said "Bye, have a great time, I'll be back soon" and left.  That is how we were instructed to do it, of course I follow directions ;)  I walked off.  No tears (me or him).  I then, like a good sneaky mom does, peered through the foggy glass blocks hoping to get a glimpse of him.  It looked like he was playing, the teacher was kneeling beside him.  So off I went.  I crouched the whole way up the walk way looking into the window.  There are 2 teachers and 8 students.  

Any guesses as to what I went and did??  Yep, Starbucks.  Then I went and looked at a pediatrician office, went to the grocery store and picked up Kona for a vet appt (Kona broke her toe and is in a cast for 6 weeks - that is for another blog).  The 2 hours was over.... I had the Imperial March theme song in my head as I walked towards the school.  I walked up to the classroom door and the teacher was walking him out to the hallway.  He looked at me and shouted "I did it, I did it mom" and was smiling so big and running towards me. Yep, I was teary eyed.  I looked over at the preschool director and she was a little too (I had met here a few times prior) It's possible she just had allergies.  That was definitely a Hallmark moment for me.  I was just so relieved and proud and excited for him.  I was so scared he'd hate it and be sad.   

He then was talking and talking and talking.  About how a bell rings and light comes on and that is when recess is over... and that he ate all his popcorn at snack time... they read a book.... they had circle time... I just loved that he was so chatty.

I could breath again - for the 2 hours he was in there I didn't.  

I liked that he was jumping :)

Our First Visitors

Not the alien kind, although that would be pretty cool... well if they were nice :) A visit from Grandma and Grandpa Hahm has already come and gone.  They were our first visitors in Seattle (my sis was a little jealous the title wasn't going to go to her (she is headed here in mid Sept).  We had a big project list for Kevin's dad.  We got a lot of things done; however, not as much as we'd have liked because me and Kevin were behind getting stuff (knobs, faucets, stuff like that) OWELL, we had fun being tourists instead of working!  The biggest thing was that Nate's room got painted (the reveal will come when the decor is all up) It's similar to his last room, with some changes.  

Besides just hanging out and catching up (which really consists of watching and playing with Nate) we did all sorts of Seattly stuff.  When people visit it forces you to learn your new city.  Well the touristy part of it anyway.  We went to the Woodland Zoo, Snoqualmie Falls (top and bottom), Space Needle, Olympic sculpture park, Pike Place Mkt (twice), The Aquarium,  A one hour boat tour along the cityscape, Boehm's chocolate factory, Kirklands' waterfront, Wine tasting at Chateau Ste Michelle, Shopping in a couple of places, Museum of Flight, Hiram M. Chittenden Locks/fish ladder, quick tour of UW campus, I think we saw almost every lake around us (sammamish, pine, union, washington), puget sound, a golf tournament (The Boeing Classic) a 1000 Starbucks runs and a ton of restaurants.  Oh how could I forget the rock throwing.  Almost everywhere we went we tried to find a rock throwing spot.  Nathaniel really likes to throw rocks.  He collected a few everywhere we went with the hopes of finding water.  

One funny thing is we think Nate thinks the space needle is actually Seattle.  There was a Little Einsteins episode where they fly to Seattle and go to the space needle.  After we toured the needle he said Seattle was fun.  Another great moment was when the bears at the zoo put on quite the show for us.  They were real active and one was swimming right in front of us... really cool.  The chowder we ate at Pike Place chowder was pretty tasty.  Nate had to have raspberries while we were there so Kevin found him some.  The market is so full of stuff you never know what Nate zeros in on.  

I think grandma/grandpa really enjoyed aimlessly driving while Nate napped.  We were out and about up until his nap time a lot so he'd fall asleep in the car and I'd keep driving so that he got a little rest.  They got the full tour of a road here called the 202 :)  

It's always hard when they leave.  Not only because of their great company - love our coffee conversations, but you get used to having a helping hand around pretty quickly.  It is so great to see Nate's face light up when someone else gives him all kinds of attention and love.  It was great to watch him point out things to grandpa at the toy store 'Look at this grandpa' I could listen to that all day.  Of course, me and Kevin were chopped liver anytime grandma walked in the room.  'Play with me grandma' 

A couple of the days we had fun relaxing after a day of touring with some rum and coke happy hours.  Nate played with his water table and new kickball game they bought him and we enjoyed the great weather.  Here are a few pictures from our fun times.  Fun times that seemed to fly by.

Kirkland Waterfront

Funny bench Kirkland Waterfront

Wine tasting Chateau Ste Michelle

Nate watching an iPhone at the aquarium (hhhmmm)

Bottom of snoqualmie falls

Grandpa showing Nate the bears

Boat tour with the Space Needle in the background

3 generations throwing stones

Museum of Flight