Celebrating the End of the First Week

Saku finished his first week of school. I think it was a great first week. Last night he was tired and he was upset that he wouldn't get to sleep in today. But then he woke up on his own before six o'clock and happily watched some news with Troy on the closet floor before getting ready for the day...yeah that's how my boys are:)

Mrs Bohnsack uses stickers and a behavior chart to encourage a good behavior. Saku got stickers on three days and was on the green the whole week. Each day he would come home and tell us which kid was on the yellow or red. Since today was the last day of the week and he had stayed in the green, he got to look into the prize box and pick a prize today. This was obviously a big deal to him. 

Saku did say that he didn't play a game in his music class because he missed me so much. 

We have also incorporated the "we only ask once" rule at home. And Eerika has become a much better listener in the last few days. 

We went to McDonald's for a celebratory ice cream sundays. We saw two of Saku's classmates there and he wanted to go and sit next to Zane. So I ignored the fact that it might be a bit weird and I let Saku go and choose a table next to his new friend. I chatted with the mom for a bit. 

Each day I have tried to make an effort to chat with some of the moms/dads and get to know whose parents they are.  I figured if I tell Saku to make new friends at school, I should do it as well. Plus it is nice to feel connected to the other parents as our kids are doing something new together. 

Saku seems to have a very definite liking to a girl named Natalie. He drew a picture of him and her today. She sat at his table (table #5) for few days and now she sits behind him. When I went to pick him up, Saku missed the teacher's "Saku your mom is here" because he was chatting with Natalie...

Tonight's dinner was banana-milk chocolate pancakes with buttermilk syrup with blueberries and watermelon on the side. Followed by movie night and cuddling my children to sleep. 

I also found a show that I would have never thought I would like but I find it hysterically funny, especially when I am tired and walking on the treadmill. It is safe to say that I have never laughed as much as I do when I was The New Girl while I am tired.

Saku's favorite part of the day was "you picking me up" and Eerika's was "playing little girl with Ella and Julia".

Favorite part of the day

It is safe to say that Troy and I are asking about million questions when Saku gets home from school. Yesterday we were talking about Harry Potter and Saku said "isi why don't you tell what happened because I am telling so much about school. We will have to master the art of asking the right questions so we can get the right information. 

It is hard to not know everything that is going on, but overall Saku seems happy so far.

Saku's favorite part of the day was "learning Chinese" and Eerika's was "picking Saku up".

The long days of school was catching up on us. Saku chose to stay home with me and read Harry Potter while Eerika and isi went to the pool for a little date last night. 

Swimming in the Coronado Bay

On our last day in San Diego, we decided to check out a playground and little beach by the Coronado bay. Troy biked from the beach house there. It was about 9 miles and I drove with the kids. The beach was great because there weren't any big waves so Eerika loved playing in the sand and in the water. She even "swam" in it, meaning that she splashed a lot while her belly was touching the bottom.  The beach was also very clean which was nice. So next summer, I think we will make few more trips to the beaches in Coronado. 

First Day of Kindergarten!

Yesterday my alarm was set to go off at 5:45. Troy's alarm at 5:35 woke me up. He was already up. He is much better about getting up on the very early hours of the morning. 

I woke Saku up at 6:15 and he actually got up very quickly. He is not a morning person, but the novelty of the first day of school must have helped him to perk up. 

A breakfast of the champions, hash browns and eggs, was served by isi. We were few minutes behind the schedule as our cars left the garage at 7:10.  I was a bit stressed since I had no idea what to expect at the school. We went with two cars since Troy was going to work afterwards. Saku opted to ride with Troy, which was good since Troy got to the school a bit faster than I did. 

When Troy asked Saku if he was nervous. Saku replied "yes". When Troy asked what he was nervous about, Saku answered "math". And then  he said "what if they ask what 300 plus 100 is and I don't know it. Wait a second, it is 400. "

When we actually found his seat and said goodbyes, he was so brave.

The teacher gave us a sample schedule of Saku's school day so throughout the day I would check it and think "he is reading now" or "it's math time".

Lunch went by fast for him and he didn't quite finish all of his lunch.

His assessment of the first of school was  "I loved it" and his teacher "she is actually great".

So really we couldn't be happier. I just wish I could be a fly on the wall and see how everything goes in the class room.

I really have a good feeling about Saku's class teacher Mrs. Bohnsack. Ms. Hu seems very kind.  

Saku as he is returning from his music class.

Eerika was excited to play at the playground after school. Her cheeks got quickly flushed as it was very hot outside. 

As much as he liked school, Saku was happy to be playing with his toys after school.

Saku got to request tonight's dinner. He wanted ravioli soup and homemade bread.

Seriously delicious bread. It made yummy french toast the next morning.

As our life is about to change

Last night after the kids fell asleep, I cuddled Troy and cried. Saku is going to school tomorrow. Tomorrow's post will be how cute he looks with his backpack and his lunch box, and how his day went, but tonight I am not ready for it all yet. I am not necessarily scared for him. I am not having a huge separation anxiety attack. I am not just not quite ready to be away from him for 7 hours each day. Tomorrow will just completely change how our lives will be. No matter lego playing all morning or story times for an hour in our pjs. 

I am sure he is ready. He is excited. He will thrive and learn and love it, most of the time. 

But he is still my little boy. Yes a little boy is who capable of many things. A little boy whose brain amazes us all the time. A little boy who makes friends so easily. A little boy who loves learning. But he is only five years old. 

As Troy held me last night, he said "do you want to homeschool?". Yes in an ideal world where I was the ideal mom for that, I would, but I dont think it is the right thing. So for now, I will put on my brave face and enjoy the adventure that he gets to do as he learns to read, and as he learns Chinese. As he learns to play with many different kids. As he learns to communicate with his teachers. As he learns to deal with disappointment and rejection but also success and feeling of achieving new things.

So Little Ninja is having a boxing match in my belly as I type this. And I just cant believe that just five years ago Saku came to our home and now he is going to school.  I am looking forward to those half days and fall/Christmas/spring breaks when I get to have him all to ourselves again. 

Cousins make life more fun!

While we were in San Diego, Saku and Eerika's cousins were there too. Makayla and Cambree stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's beach house and McKenna and Hayden's were staying in a place about 20 yards from us. It was the perfect set-up. We had our own space when needed and wanted, which I definitely needed and wanted, but we were close enough to enjoy the luxury of doing meals together and playing together. 

Eerika LOVED playing with her cousins. She would especially ask for McKenna and Hayden. Her first request in the morning, after requesting breakfast, was to go and play with them. Since she wasn't that interested in the sand and the waves, she was happy to be playing inside the beach house.

Cambree and Eerika found a little play house area under the stairs and often would disappear there. It made us a bit nervous as there was no visualization to that area from inside the house. The pantry became their castle and they just loved being silly together. Often it seemed as if Eerika was the leader of the game and Cambree was such a good sport to go along with her. 

Saku felt a bit as an outsider as he was "too old" for the Elsa and Anna games that Cambree and Eerika liked to play and "too young" to play with McKenna and Makayla as they were acting as almost 9 year old girls do. So I wish we could adopt a boy cousin between ages five and seven. 

However, he has an awesome isi who played with him A LOT. Saku really is so blessed to have Troy as isi. Also it made me glad to know that Saku will have a younger brother to play with. Yes they are five years apart but I think he will enjoy having a boy to play with once Little Ninja grows up a bit.

These pictures are from our outing to check out the sea lions and tide pools. Eerika's hair was so out of control because of the humidity. 

Hayden (11), Saku (5) Makayla (8), McKenna (8), Cambree (3) and Eerika (3).

Vacationing in the sand

Saku loves the beach. Eerika does not love the beach.

Saku loves the waves. Eerika is scared of them.

Eerika will play in the sand for 15 minutes and then she is done. She will happily play with cousins all day on the patio of the beach house and inside. 

Saku will go boogie boarding. Play frisbee until he dives into the sand too many times or gets hit in the face with it.

I have read two books. I have slept in until 7:30 on several mornings. I also stayed up way late one night to read one of my books.

Troy has biked on three mornings. I have walked on three days: one time on the beach and twice with Regina on the streets.

I have cooked zero meals as we have eaten out or eaten Troy's mom's meals. It is awesome.

I have worn make up once and let me hair air dry every day.

I have loved the own space that we have had in our beach hut, while being right next to Grandma and Granpa's beach house so we can play with cousins and spend time with Grandma and Grandpa. I have also been freaked out by the lack of privacy of our beach hut as we are right off the beach and people often hang out right next to our back deck. 

We have looked for sea shells. And bought few cooler ones at the shop.

We went to do Saku's school shopping. I am still in some sort of denial about the fact that he starts school. 

I have listened to the waves in the evenings and felt little ninja kick in my belly. It is pretty perfect.