Valentine's Day & Kids

Well I must say that I was suprised to see that David was the first to post anything on this blog, and so touched that he would say what he said. I think he's a keeper!

Today was Aidan's Valentine's Party at his preschool. We went to Target yesterday to pick out his Valentine's... a first! He picked out pirate cards that came with red heart suckers and of course the very traditional boxes of conversation hearts. (Brought back memories to me of those elementary school days when you decorated your own shoe box for all the cards and candy that would be passed around.) Aidan decorated a white bag. He also picked out some really nice cards for his grandparents. It was so nice to sit with both kids at the kitchen table this morning writing on all the cards. I wrote "From Aidan" on everything but he would trace the letters after I was finished and wrote lots of capital letter A's over everything. He can write his whole name but it does take him some time, as those of you who know him well, will know what a perfectionist he is. Everything must be perfect, not in an obsessive way, he's just careful and deliberate. When I picked him up from school he was so excited you should have seen this bag filled to the brim with candy and cards. He told his wonderful teacher today that he loves going to school there and that he loves her! She is amazing and can I just say, for the hundredth time, it is so refreshing to have such a great preschool nearby that is well run by educated people. Anyways, when he got into the car he was telling Seery and I "Happy Valentine's Day!" (I know it's a day early, but at the age of 4, it is whenever the candy is passed out!) and he shared all his candy and cards with us. I was so touched that he split everything equally up between everyone. He felt bad that we had missed the party. It amazes me how compassionate he was, I mean come on, not many kids would split up their loot with such happiness.

Last week I had my first parent-teacher conference, and it went really well. Aidan is above target in every area as he has already accomplished everything that his age group should by May. He has show-and-tell almost everyday and they can bring whatever they want in their "Apple" bags. His teacher said that he explains where he got the item, like from his 3rd Birthday or whatever, he describes everything possible about the item and ends with "And this is how it works" even if it means pushing a toy lizard off the counter top to demonstate that it can jump. That made me laugh. It was nice to hear a part of his personality that has developed further outside the home. It makes me smile every time I think of that--"and this is how it works"--so Aidan.

Seery. She is just such the little woman these days. Her vocabulary rocks, she says grown-up phrases like "I have something important to tell you". She loves to dress-up. Yesterday she was playing with her cousins, and she had pink sunglasses and dress-up high heels on and she was sitting on her princess couch just taking it all in. She is quite the helper around the house. If I am cleaning anything she has to be right there with me cleaning too. She loves to have her hair fixed everyday. She likes to hold her "pretty bucket" and pick out a barrette or ribbon. She gives the biggest hugs, but be warned-- she does not like to be kissed right now. She will run and get a wipe and wipe off your kiss! She likes to do everything for herself. She is adamant about dressing herself and putting on her own shoes. So I'm thinking, she has got to be ready now to potty-train now right? So I talked to her about it and she informed me that she can't right now that she would like to go shopping first to buy new underwear (she already has some) because she does not want pictures of anything on them, just pink! She cracks me up. She LOVES to go shopping and will find any excuse to go to just about any store. She will go to the shoe section find a great pair of heels and a new purse to go with it. I know, we are going to have a little princess/diva on our hands, wait a minute we already do!