The Dog Ate My Homework

Little nael had her very first Oral Interpretation today at her school. After searching the web for hours, she finally found a poem she wanted to recite. She had several months to prepare in school and at home. So tonight, she finally did it. And we are so very proud of our little girl.

The Dog Ate My Homework by Denise Rodgers

The dog ate my homework just like it was kibble.
He started up slow with a cute little nibble
And then scarfed it down with a burp and a snort.
How was he to know that my special report was due here this morning precisely at 8:00.
So, now it is eaten.
I'm sorry it's late.
But what can you do when your dog needs a snack and your stapled report comes under attack?
I told him to stop but he just wouldn't mind.
When my dog is hungry, he's not very kind.
I'll bring it tomorrow, and you'll see it then.
So long as my dog isn't hungry again.

FIVE!

Little nael woke up early this morning and snuggled next to me in bed. Since it was a Saturday, I was hoping to sleep in past 8. Didn't happen...nael was too excited to tell me that she got $5 from the tooth fairy. She knew she was going to get five dollars since she lost her 5th tooth. Who knew that losing a tooth would cost the tooth fairy so much money? What happened to a quarter under the pillow?

another one bites the dust!

Little nael lost her 5th tooth earlier tonite. Her bottom tooth has been loose and I told her that maybe this weekend it'll come off. However, snowboarder came home from work, sat nael on his lap and flicked her tooth right off! Little nael wasn't too happy about that and cried for a few minutes. We gave her a freezer pop to suck on and minutes later she was fine.

sleepover

The school year just started but little nael had a not-so-new friend sleepover this weekend. Her friend Megan is from school but they met at Religious Ed. last year. The girls spent Saturday afternoon making sugar cookies, crafts and playing all day. They both wanted to sleep in the playroom which they did and they stayed up past 11 only to wake really early the next morning. After breakfast the next day, I took the kids to church then Megan met up with her mom afterwards. I wanted to take the kids out to lunch but little nael just wanted to go home. As soon as we got home, she plopped herself next to snowboarder on the couch and 20 minutes later, little nael was fast asleep on her father's lap! It was obvious she was tired so we let her be and she didn't get up till 3 hours or so later.

new school, new school year, 2nd grade

Not sure if little nael was nervous or excited about the first day of school in a new school. Probably both. We talked last night about her new school and meeting new friends so I knew she might be a little anxious. I walked her in to her classroom and since we met her teacher a week before, it wasn't too nerve wracking, I suppose. She set aside her backpack and lunch and off she went, plopping herself into her seat. Snowboarder came by a few minutes later but little nael was already busy working on something. It looked like she was fine. I, on the other hand, am still trying to get used to the idea that I now have a 2nd grader. How time flies...

First tooth

Little nael lost her first tooth earlier today in school. She lost her bottom front tooth. She couldn't be happier. She's been waiting for this day. If you look at the photo, you can see her permanent tooth with jagged edges already popping out in the bottom. Our BIG girl is so excited...Right after school, we took her down the street for some frozen yogurt to celebrate. Snowboarder happened to get out of work early so he was able to join us in the celebration!

We'll see what the tooth fairy brings her in the morning.

training wheels

The last couple of days j has been bugging snowboarder to take the training wheels off his big boy bike. Snowboarder told j he'd do it this weekend but snowboarder came home early today and j asked him again. So, finally, snowboarder gave in and did it today. The wheels came off. The funny thing though was that while snowboarder was taking the training wheels off of j's bike, little nael kept telling j that it would be hard to ride his bike without the training wheels and that he would need dad's help. It was like she was trying to discourage j. In any case, J got on his bike and with a little help from snowboarder, j took off down the street with snowboarder right next to him on foot. When little nael noticed that j could do it, she then asked snowboarder if he could take her training wheels off too. She started off unsteady for the first few minutes but soon enough she was up and down the street with her brother! Our kid neighbors, Elli (9yrs) and Shad (5 yrs) were around to witness this milestone and they were cheering both kids on as they biked up and down the street feeling like BIG kids on their big kid bikes. Of course, all the kids wanted to do for the rest of the day was simply ride their bikes. But what's a bike ride without a bump, scratch, or a bruise? J got all three before the day was over.

Little nael had to take a break from riding her bike because she had ballet class but on the way home from class, she asked if she could ride her bike again before dinner. Who am I to say no? So she did and rode around with Shad (who learned how to ride a bike sans wheels at the age of three) up and down the street until the sun no longer shined.

Snowboarder and I can't be any prouder...