Happy Birthday

Dear Dominic,

I'm a bit late on this letter for your 5th birthday. We have had a wonderfully busy month and I'm loving being able to stay home with you guys while I work from home. Since your birthday I've been amazed at how turning 5 has made such a big impact on you. You're always telling me what 5 year olds do and don't do. You won't hold my hand in the parking lot because "big boys know to stay with their mom." I'm so proud of you!

You're at this amazing point where you alternate between being my cuddly boy and being a big kid with, at times, a big kid attitude. :) It's a balance I'm sure you'll figure out. You love video games and have been having some great bonding sessions with Uncle Chris playing Mario. It's wonderful watching that circle around, since I remember Uncle Chris playing Mario as a boy your age. Just like I've been reading you the books I remember my parents reading to me.

I love your imagination which you use to it's fullest. You're such great friends with Samantha but you've been making your own friends now too at the dojo and at Sunday school. I love watching you and Samantha compare notes on how class went now that you guys go to separate classes. You're learning a lot there and now you call it "praying" rather than "purring." ;)

You're growing up into a wonderful little man. I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Dominic's Pirate Birthday Adventure!

Dominic's 5th Birthday was pure craziness, but the kids had a fantastic time!! The weekend itself was a whirlwind of activity with a friend's wedding and work, culminating in an awesome birthday party for my big boy. The day was as quickly moving as Christmas, but turning 5 made a big impact on Dominic. He's always talking about what 5 years do and don't do. My baby's growing up.

Self Portraits

Dominic has become quite the little photographer and videographer. He loves making movies and he has apparently figured out how to take self-portraits. It's always a surprise when I look at the camera's memory.

Dominic updates

I can't believe Dominic will be five this month. It's crazy how fast it's all going. He's a little video game maniac at the moment and loves playing on the computer or on the wii. I'm hoping we can translate this love of video games into a desire to learn to read. He isn't all that interested in learning letters which I think is a very boy thing. He's much more into spacial things. He is however very interested in learning new things. Now that I'm home I think we'll start working a little bit everyday on letters and maybe convince him how great it would be to be able to read the words on the games all by himself.

His imagination is impressive and he and Samantha have involved pretend games which usually go smoothly but sometimes lead to arguments. It's amazing how they'll argue over something they're just pretending in the first place. :-)

We've started reading long stories at night which I find much more interesting. :-) After finishing the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, we read the first book of "How to train your dragon" and now have a Phineas and Ferb book we're working on.

Fair Time

The Champlain Valley Fair has always signaled the end of summer to me. Probably because as a kid it was the last week we had before school started again. The kids love the fair and Dominic especially loves the rides. We were fairly unprepared last year and he could only go on a few rides because they were incredibly expensive. This year we got ride bracelets for the kids that let them go on anything, assuming they were tall enough. Dominic is quite the daredevil and there were several rides that we had to go on with him. The faster the ride the better he liked it. Soon, he's not going to want to do the kiddie rides. On one junior roller coaster, Dominic giggled the entire time and as soon as it stopped he started saying, "let's go again, again, again!"

More summer pics

Summer Pics

Yup, I did it again. I got behind in the blogs. What's new right now? Everything! I quit my job and started my own business. I'm thrilled, but there's a lot to do to make sure we'll be ok financially speaking. Since I'm home, I've signed the kids up for preschool story time at the library and the kids go to sunday school at the First Congregational church in Burlington while I work in the nursery. They love it. And of course, the kids are still at the dojo. Soon Dominic will have to transition to the 5 year old class. That will be interesting...

Oh no, it's a rock!

For the last few months Dominic has had this little ritual with me, and apparently only with me. I have no idea why we do it, but we do it every time I go to unbuckle him from his car seat. Every time he will be curled up in his seat and I have to say "Oh no, it's a rock!" before he will uncurl and let me unbuckle him. I have no idea what this is about. :-)

Strawberries!

Out picking strawberries with daddy.

Samantha's Birthday

Dominic was so excited for Samantha's party! He knew that she was getting a princess castle (he found the box) and was so excited but didn't say anything to her. He specifically wanted to get her a mermaid barbi which we did and he was so excited. He wrapped it himself and drew pictures and wrote his name on her card.

He could barely contain himself and one night on the couch when I told Keith that he was excited for the party, Dominic said "Oh great, now you reminded me! I'll never be able to sleep."
He is such a giving kid. He was thrilled that she would get to open presents and never once expressed any sort of jealousy that it wasn't his birthday.

Dojo!!!!

Dominic loves his dojo days and is having a great time making friends with the other kids and running around like crazy. He earned his first yellow stripe this week! YAY Dominic!