"But When Am I Going to Grow Up, Mom?"

Christian started kindergarten a few weeks ago and what a difference a year makes! We held him back last year because then he was not ready for school.

The issue of holding a child back a year is a delicate one, I know. But in our case, it was the best thing we could have done for Christian. You see, it was due to his maturity that he was held back, and it would have been detrimental to him to make him struggle through the rest of the year. He knew his ABCs and 123s, but for him kindergarten was overwhelming compared to preschool. And the struggling could have continued for the next twelve years after that -- for all of us.

I, too, have a late summer birthday and was not ready for school when I started at the age of six. I did not have the opportunity to attend kindergarten and was thrown into first grade and struggled throughout the rest of primary, secondary and college years. I wanted for Christian to enjoy school and therefore enjoy learning. I realize many kids are ready when they're ready and it's up to each family to decide when to start kindergarten.

We are proud of Christian and the progress he has made. He rides the bus to school and knows not to get off unless one of us is there. He has the same teachers as last year and that makes all the difference.

So, this year Christian has achieved many milestones: kindergarten, learning to swim like a fish, two missing teeth, and riding a bicycle without training wheels. I hope our son will continue to enjoy school and that his intrepid curiousity never diminishes.

I Yike the Way He Yaks

This fall I started the speech-language pathology program at UNM and I'm taking three courses: Intro to Phonetics, Phonological Disorders of Children, and Language Development. It'll be a long road to completion of a Masters in SLP. What I especially am interested in is how children develop language/reading skills because of the different stages that each of the boys are at. Gabriel has by far the most interesting vocabulary and it is changing as he grows up (that's part of the reason I blog!). For the longest time he would say 'mocoyo' for motorcycle, and I continually have problems understanding what he is trying to say because of his lisp and way of speaking. Sadly, Christian usually has to translate for pathetic me. Every time we view videos of babies and toddlers speaking in one of my classes, I marvel that I have three little case studies right in front of me. Gaby still pronounces the /l/ sound like /y/ as in "you".

The other day my parents took the kids to McDonald's to play while Mike and I went out. We were in serious potty training mode for Gaby last week so that he could begin preschool this week. Unfortunately, I had to pull him out of his class because he is not "fully potty trained" as required . I'll live.

Anyway, while at McDonald's Gabriel told Grampa that he needs to go to the bathroom. When they entered, Gaby pointed outside the stall and told Grampa to wait there.

Grampa heard the toilet flush about three times and wondered what was happening. He asked him, "Is everything ok?"

No response. So Grampa cracked the door open and peeked inside.

Gaby was sitting on the commode with his eyes shut tightly and hands covering his ears. Apparently, each time he tried to move, the automatic flusher would go off.

Gaby told Grampa, "I don't yike it. It's too yowd!"

Keep Those Stamps Coming

Before he went to school this morning, I explained to Christian that he may see President Obama on TV explaining to all the kids at school and around our country to do well in school, study hard, and pay attention so that they can get good jobs & help society when they grow up.

Christian: "But if we don't do good in school that means we can't get a job?"

Me: "If you don't do well in school, you will not be able to become a veterinarian or whatever you want to do later on."

Christian: "But we'll still get stamps, won't we?"

I tried to explain that good behavior stamps come to end when we grow up. That's what good evaluations and pats on the back -- if our employers are decent -- are for.

Here are two guys who hand out nice compliments for free every week on the campus of Purdue University.

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What a world we'd live in if we took the initiative to hand out those stamps.

Wedded Blessedness

Mike and I just celebrated ten years of marriage on September 4th. I am not an expert at marriage because we live it day by day...

year to year, prayer to prayer...

bliss to sometimes diss, coasting or careening by the seat of our pants, and through it all arriving at the same conclusion always. What would one do without the other?

RULES OF MARRIAGE -

as described by kids

1. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?

-You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff.. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

-No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10

3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF 2 PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

-Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

-On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard, age 8

7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.

--Anita, age 9 (bless you child )

8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?

There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is (and my personal favorite)

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck ..

-- Ricky , age 10