James: protesting, not putting plate back, throwing books and toys on the floor just to make mess.
Put your hands up, mama!
Bad mama.
Finally started chatting and singing at school, to big surprise to the teachers (and that haven't seen half of it yet!)
He now requests to be read to instead of sang to before bedtime. He actively participates in reading and chooses his books--at the moment, the favorites are any Cat in the Hat (like the one where the Cat entertains the boy and the girl on a rainy day), Clifford (especially the Halloween one, which was the other kids' favorite at the time).
He remembers things like 'don't look at the sun', and makes weird comments like, 'Mi ne jedemo cuku.' ('There is a dog. We don't eat dogs.')
Nikolas is spending more time alone in his room, reading comics. Every now and then he'll pop out to read us some funny lines. Instead of Minecraft (which he still enjoys) and Legos, his new obsession is Pokemon cards. He asked to spend his own money on new cards, and if I didn't have control over it, he would have spent it all to the last penny.
He is still very picky about what he wears and how his hair looks. He has his own gel in the bathroom that he uses every day--he definitely gives more attention to his hair than either mommy or daddy does. On the other hand, he constantly wears basketball/baseball outfits, quick-drying sleeveless shirts and shorts (no matter how cold it is), long socks in various colors, often mismatched on purpose.... I can't figure out where the 'style' is coming from.
Michael is copying him, although when it's time to look nice, he still looks all buttoned-up and polished, with perfectly matching colors.
Sonja loves skirts and dresses--she just needs to behave more girly to match the outfits!
Everyone is into Star Wars now. James says 'I'm Darth Vader.' or 'I'm Star Wars!')
Friday, April 28, 2017
We just had Aida with her family over for a week!
The kids played great together: Nikolas, Sonja, Michael, James with Basti and Emma. Despite the language barrier and a slight difference in ages, they got along wonderfully. Sonja and Emma drew together and made bracelets, Basti was tumbling with the boys, piggyback-riding, making tents out of living room furniture and blankets, everyone stayed up late watching Star Wars before passing out, and during the day they went to the pool a lot and a few more places like the beach, Zoo, museum (James did not like live butterflies in the museum at all!).
We miss them a lot!
General updates:
James is into Winnie the Witch books and the classic stories, esp. Snowwhite and Puss in Boots. I had one Croatian version of the Winnie the Witch, and then I ordered a collection in English--he knows which is written in which language so he was able to ask daddy to read him the English version.
James already spelled all of his friends' names last fall, and now he writes his names very well. He never flips letters (S is usually the one kids tend to flip left to right in the beginning, but not James). He picks up everything he hears at home or school. His music teacher says he is the one who carries the melody when the kids sing together--he knows all the words, his pitch is on point, and he is not shy to sing loudly.
He is also good at expressing himself verbally: he tells me exactly what the plan for the day is: 'Kad dodjemo kuci, mama, daj mi zvaku i onda hocu da gledam Strumfove. Onda kad padne mrak, ja cu da obucem pidzamu i onda cu da jedem i ti ces da mi citas i onda cu da idem u krevet.' (When we get home (from school), I want a bubble gum and to watch the Smurfs. Then when it gets dark, I'll put pajamas on and eat dinner and then you'll read to me and then I'll go to bed.) For any variations in the day, he likes to give me an overview if it should include something that he wants.
He remembers phrases and words so easily. The other day daddy must have done something that he told the kids not to do, and James's response (in daddy's words from before) was, 'But you are daddy--you can do what you want', which is one of daddy's phrases. Or, as I was reading a book to him last night, I omitted 'snow' from 'snow boots' in the Winnie the Witch story, and he stopped me and corrected me ('cizme za snijeg'). He even helped the older kids with the Serbocroatian version of a few English words that they couldn't remember.
The kids played great together: Nikolas, Sonja, Michael, James with Basti and Emma. Despite the language barrier and a slight difference in ages, they got along wonderfully. Sonja and Emma drew together and made bracelets, Basti was tumbling with the boys, piggyback-riding, making tents out of living room furniture and blankets, everyone stayed up late watching Star Wars before passing out, and during the day they went to the pool a lot and a few more places like the beach, Zoo, museum (James did not like live butterflies in the museum at all!).
We miss them a lot!
General updates:
James is into Winnie the Witch books and the classic stories, esp. Snowwhite and Puss in Boots. I had one Croatian version of the Winnie the Witch, and then I ordered a collection in English--he knows which is written in which language so he was able to ask daddy to read him the English version.
James already spelled all of his friends' names last fall, and now he writes his names very well. He never flips letters (S is usually the one kids tend to flip left to right in the beginning, but not James). He picks up everything he hears at home or school. His music teacher says he is the one who carries the melody when the kids sing together--he knows all the words, his pitch is on point, and he is not shy to sing loudly.
He is also good at expressing himself verbally: he tells me exactly what the plan for the day is: 'Kad dodjemo kuci, mama, daj mi zvaku i onda hocu da gledam Strumfove. Onda kad padne mrak, ja cu da obucem pidzamu i onda cu da jedem i ti ces da mi citas i onda cu da idem u krevet.' (When we get home (from school), I want a bubble gum and to watch the Smurfs. Then when it gets dark, I'll put pajamas on and eat dinner and then you'll read to me and then I'll go to bed.) For any variations in the day, he likes to give me an overview if it should include something that he wants.
He remembers phrases and words so easily. The other day daddy must have done something that he told the kids not to do, and James's response (in daddy's words from before) was, 'But you are daddy--you can do what you want', which is one of daddy's phrases. Or, as I was reading a book to him last night, I omitted 'snow' from 'snow boots' in the Winnie the Witch story, and he stopped me and corrected me ('cizme za snijeg'). He even helped the older kids with the Serbocroatian version of a few English words that they couldn't remember.
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| Play at James's school |
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