Camp Christmas Tree

Erik had his first day at YMCA daycamp! He got on the bus at 8 am and I picked him up at 5 pm. I think the bus ride is about 45 to 60 minutes and they sing songs while riding. He had good things to say about camp. They shot archery, rode in canoes, and swam. When I picked him up he said he liked it but it was too long. This evening for some reason I asked if anyone cried at camp today. He said he had cried a little at the beginning because he didn't know anyone. But that then the counselors told him their names. I suppose after a long day of activities it's normal to forget that one cried earlier in the day, but it surprised me a little.

Back when I was in grad school, the SLP I did my student teaching under told me that preschoolers are not really able to control the volume of their voices. I see this in Adin. When we are riding in the car and he's talking to me, I have a very hard time hearing and understanding him because his voice volume is so low. And when I ask him to say it again louder he can't or won't. Other times, of course, he has a loud voice. I thought of it tonight when he went to bed. He often yawns very, very loudly as he settles down to sleep. It's funny to me to think about the difference in volume between his yawns and some of his speech!

Biking

The last couple weeks of June Erik learned how to ride a two-wheeler without training wheels. That's been lots of fun, although his freedom was lessened because he wasn't able to get started on his own without a push. He was getting pretty close and today he did it! We went down to the garden and he started on his own several times. This makes crossing the street much easier. He's so proud of himself. I kept telling him on the ride how proud I was and Adin started telling him that too! Very cute.

Fun with the kids

The kids and I went strawberry picking yesterday morning while Joe cooked a turkey. Super fun. We went with some neighbors. Erik was a little bothered that he had fewer strawberries in his basket (because he was eating so many). I kept having to tell him it's not a race, he's just eating them, so we can't see that he's picked lots.

We were invited to some friends' for dinner and fireworks. Joe took Adin home at bedtime, but this year Erik got to stay up and watch. Plus, the friends live right off a bike path so he and I biked there! The fireworks started at 10, and for about 45 mins before, he and the other kids were running and asking their parents every 3 minutes or so, "how long until the fireworks start?" He loved the fireworks for the first 15 or 20 minutes. He stood up, and would throw his arms up in the air when he really liked something. The last 10 or 15 minutes he was pretty tired so he sat down and was more relaxed. Afterwards, once the crowd passed us on the bike path home, he thought it was really cool that we were biking in the dark.

The kids and I had some fun with my Dad today. We met up at the Mall of America to go to a petting zoo as part of Toddler Tuesday. Then we walked around the amusement park for a while. A woman offered me a points card (you pay for rides with points) with a few points on it. It was hilarious watching the kids try to decide what ride to go on, or if they even wanted to go on a ride. They were just buzzing around going nowhere fast, from an adult's perspective! Finally they chose a ride and I got to go too, since Adin is too little to ride by himself. It was a mini roller coaster that was perfect for them. Just enough up and down and around to make it fun but not scary. I was pretty excited that they went on the ride, since last year even the little kids' rides were too scary.

Final story, they both often fall asleep in the car as we ride around town. Erik usually falls asleep quicker and wakes up more easily. When Adin wakes up in the car he's very upset, and does not want to leave the car or even be unbuckled. We got home today around dinner time and I really needed Adin to get out of the car. I told him Morfar was coming for dinner and he said some garbled comments about loving Morfar and Mormor, as if he thought it was news to me that he loves Mormor, too! I told him I love them both, too.
Adin: You do? I think Mormor and Morfar are going to have a baby soon.
Me: Really?!?
Adin: I hope it will have lots of milk. (Our neighbor's baby is three months and so we have to remind Adin that he can't share his food with her.)
Me: I'm sure they will give the baby lots of milk. Do you think it will be a boy or girl? Adin: A baby girl.
Me: She will be my little sister!
Adin: You've always wanted a baby sister!
Me: What about you? Have you always wanted a baby sister, too?
Adin: Yes, but my baby sister is gonna be a boy.

I feel I should add in here that there are no plans for Adin and Erik to have a baby sister, neither boy, nor girl!