No Baths For Anyone or Anything!

On the way home from our camping trip, we were not allowed to stop and wash the van.

School Daze

Nathan is doing well in school. He really enjoys it and I'm not sure what they do there but he comes home so exhausted he takes three hour naps. Go school!

Last night he brought me a toy letter and proudly announced "R" as he handed it to me. They are getting him to learn so much! He has been great about learning his numbers and shapes at home but not so much about learning letters so we find this very exciting.

His biggest thrill right now is riding the school bus which is a little thing that comes to the house. We know all the words to "The Wheels on the Bus" and that is his favorite song right now. I hear it in my sleep. It's so much fun to hear his little off-key voice singing along.

Everyone is healthy and happy hear. We are very blessed.

First Week Of School

I know that other parents are probably used to this but...I just bought $100 worth of mandatory school supplies for my three year old son. How is this possible???



We've been through quite an ordeal with getting Nathan to school. Two months ago when we received confirmation that Nathan would be accepted into Special Pre-K, we had to change daycares. His old daycare wasn't within school district limits so the school bus would not pick him up and the daycare wouldn't drop him off since it serviced Edmond schools. His new daycare drops off at the Deer Creek School district and said Deer Creek picks up there as well. It was a bit of a hassle since the daycare opens later in the morning and I had to hussle to drop off Nathan so I wouldn't be late for work.

Two days before school started, Deer Creek informed us that the daycare was NOT within the school district and they would not pick him up. The daycare does not have a bus that drops off preschoolers. We were stuck. In an incredible move that has still stunned us, the Deer Creek School district changed the entire hours that they do daycare to match the kindergarten kids so that Nathan could ride to school with the kindergarteners. This would have been great except...the daycare won't transport him because he is only three years old.

We were just about to the point where we had to pull Nathan out of preschool which we really didn't want to do because he has his speech therapy. So we pulled him out of daycare instead. At this point we are paying my Mom to keep him in the morning. He catches the bus from her house which, fortunately, is in the Deer Creek School District. I don't know how long this will work and we will likely have to find a babysitter come January if Ron is able to go to day shift. But at least it's working. Ron has to stay up with Nathan instead of sleeping but we are both happy to be able to keep him in PreK.



The good news is that Nathan is really enjoying his PreK. His teachers are really great and I think he is going to learn a lot from the school.
The SoonerStart had diagnosed him as 50% delayed in cognitive ability for his age. Ron and I tried not to laugh because we know that is ridiculous. He stubbornly refused to cooperate with the worker conducting the examination but it definitely wasn't because he couldn't comprehend. It's because he is a stubborn little mule! He's already exceeded many of the goal they set for him this year so they think he is super-smart...which he is!

I hope that he makes great strides in his speech this year. His therapist notes that he always leaves the first and last letters off of his words even if he can pronounce them. That's true.

Nathan stubbornly refused to speak until a few months ago and now he never stops! He is a wear-bear sometimes but we are so glad to hear him chattering on and trying to learn new words. He is still announcing the color and shape of everything everywhere we go.



Today I found Ron teaching Nathan new shapes. Nathan was trying to wrap his tongue around the words Isosceles and Trapezoid. [Insert Mommy rolling her eyes]

Present From Jack and Christine

Uncle Jack and Auntie Christine sent Nathan a birthday present. He was very happy with his present and has played with his cars for hours.

First Day of School

Nathan started his first day of Special Pre-K today! He came home so exhausted! Daddy got to drop him off and pick him up and he said he was really happy in his class and the teacher was pleased with how enthusiastic he is.





Nathan is still trying to figure how his backpack works.



My baby is getting so big!

Three Years Old!!!

We were traveling during Nathan's 3rd birthday so we did a little celebrating before and after the fact. I meant to have an actual birthday party but I didn't pull it off this year. I figure this is one of the last years I'll be able to get away with that since Nathan will be able to look forward to his birthday next year.









We met Nana, Aunt Jennell, and Cousin Daniel and James at my favorite coffee house for a birthday breakfast.
















Too much chocolate!




We had a very impromtu gathering in North Carolina the night before we left Grandma and Grandpa's house. Aunt Penny and Uncle Sam along with Cousin Brent were there.

Meeting Micah

This is Micah! He is exactly one month younger than Nathan so he will turn three at the end of August. Micah was adopted from China and has been home less than a year with his parents Karen and Bruce. I have to say that he is absolutely adorable and incredibly smart! Karen and I have been on-line friends for years on adoption sites. When I discovered that they live pretty close to the route we take to get to North Carolina, we arranged to meet. Nathan hasn't been able to meet any other little boys from China so Daddy and I were excited to see how he would take to meeting Micah!

Here is how our evening went...

SCENE 1: After picking us up in a golf cart (yes a golf cart) we took a tour of their town which is completely accessible by golf cart. We were very impressed. Micah sat in the front seat pointing out items of interest. We putted our way to a retaurant. We had been travelling since around midnight the night before so we were ready for the break.

After dinner, Micah went to the bathroom and Nathan took the opportunity to ingratiate himself with Karen. He's still a pretty outgoing little boy and he had his eyes on Karen's jade pendant all during dinner.
Nathan was enjoying the attention and was turning on the charm. I was enjoying the sweetness of seeing my son and my friend meet. THEN...
Micah returns and he is Not happy at seeing another little boy putting the moves on his Mommy. Nathan has got to go!
Karen and Bruce tried to convince Micah that it was okay for Nathan to hug on his Mommy but Micah was not interested in sharing his Mommy with anyone! Karen tried to switch Nathan to the other side so she could hug both boys but that wasn't far enough away.
Nathan tried to escape over the wall like a fleeing felon.
Karen tried to keep Nathan from climbing the walls and Micah at bay. I was no help since I was laughing too hard and taking pictures. We finally got them separated.

SCENE 2:
In the parking lot after dinner, Nathan decided he wanted Bruce to pick him up. Micah spied them and insisted on being picked up also. Micah eyed Nathan suspiciously. Nathan was oblivious.
Nathan got really wound up and started to spas out. Micah looked at him like he was a nut!
Finally Micah seemed to think this hyper little guy was kind of funny.

They started keeping an eye on each other and decided they could tolerate one another.






To me, this picture looks like Micah is pulling Nathan aside for a little chat. "We are going to get along fine, buddy, as long as you realize my Mommy is off limits. Get it?"
SCENE 3: We golf-carted out to a playground by the lake.
The guys chatted and let the boys swing while the mommies indulged in girlfriend talk.
Micah and Nathan hit the playground and before long were squealing with glee and chasing each other around. It was too dark for video unfortunately.

SCENE 4: Back at our hotel lobby, no one wanted the night to end. It was so late and the boys were holding up well.
Nathan spied Karen taking a break and decided to join her.

The boys began a game of follow-the-leader and had the best time.


Who would have thought a hotel lobby could be so much fun?








A group shot. We affectionately called this our "Brown Couch Photo".


Nathan and Micah share goodbye kisses and hugs.




It was so much fun meeting Karen! She is the only person I have met from all of my on-line adoption community friends. It is something I've alwasy wanted to do and it was even better than I had hoped. Karen is such a sweetheart! The time went by so fast and I hope we are able to get together again and that the boys are able to stay friends.