Half year review

This looks like a half year review with the rate at which I write my posts :)

Anyway, we're all getting excited because we'll be home for the Holidays! The best time of the year for me, even better (is there something better than best? Haha) is that we'll spend it with family and friends. Four weeks to go!

The not-so-little boy is still doing good. He has gotten better in dealing with other kids - the combination of age and therapy at work. He's a naturally lovely soul, just needs to be reminded to take time to listen to others and focus.

He's so engrossed in his Minecraft and lately, seems to like playing with his Skylanders again. He's also liked playing with his Lego - right in time, we can bring back his Lego set that uncle Abet gave him about 2 yrs ago. I've downloaded a jigsaw puzzle app into the iPad and he's interested in it as well, which is cool.

School-wise, he's still doing good. Doing multiplication now, both in Kumon and in school. His brain is amazing, he's memorised the multiplication table at age 6! I had a hard time memorising tables 6,7 &8 and I was in second grade then! Challenging the mind is working for him, he thrives in it. We feel really blessed that we don't have any issues in that front - with both our kids! :)

Behaviour-wise, he's also doing good. Their reward system in school starts with a "Learner's License" at the start of the year. They get one sticker/stamp for each week that they complete without any timeouts or callouts for their behaviour. Once they get 5 stickers for the Learner's, they progress to Purple, Blue, then Lime with 10 stickers needed for each.

Last year, he managed to just complete his Purple at the end of the year. So this year, our goal was to complete his Blue license. He managed to go beyond because he's now in his Lime license with 1 sticker in and still 4 weeks to go before he gets his early year-end.

There were a few snafus along the way, there were about 2 weeks when he didn't get any sticker because he got into the company of a silly kid and he went along with the kid's silliness. But after a few talks (and reminders from his teacher as well), he realised the silliness and stood up for himself.

It has been a good year for Ethan, I just hope his appetite would improve. And those episodes with tonsillitis wouldn't recur because he suffered through it. The good thing though is that he has no problem with taking medicines.

He's turning 7 in over a month, I am still in denial that in 3 years' time photon, we'll have a 2-digit-age kiddo! He's still my baby :)

Speaking of which, the baby girl (ehem, excuse me, she says she's not a baby but a little girl. Except when she wants to dede, then she's a baby!) is getting more and more talkative. She can talk your ears off! I remember Ethan going through the same phase when they're such chatter mouths!

Where do I start? She is such a girly-girl, loving princesses and ballet tutus. Twirling when she has a dress or skirt on. Loves mani-pedis and tiaras! So different from tomboyish me. She loves playing with my trinkets, fiddling with bracelets and necklaces - good thing I only have cheap costume abubots haha.

We got surprised when she was able to recite the Three Little Kittens poem (or whatever you would call it), out of nowhere. We didn't teach her that, she saw it from her YouTube views. She loves watching videos of toys and those egg surprises. Or Eggsperts, Peppa Pig, Louie, Donald Duck with the Chipmunks, Postman Pat, Yo Gabba Gabba and so much more.

Oh, and she loves singing Let It Go. It's almost as if it's on forever looping the way she sings it again and again. With matching actions (tiara-throwing "I'm never going back, the past is in the paaasssstttt!", Cape-throwing "the cold never bothered me anyway", or walking backwards "it's funny how some distance, makes everything seem small...")

Go ahead, Google it, watch that video of Elsa singing...you'll know what I mean;-)

She attends playgroups every other Wednesday, and she's got the administrator, Liana, at her beck and call! She would like to go to Preschool next year but her age doesn't fall into place just yet, one more year. I told her that, and she goes "Awww, wwwhhhyyy???"

We plan to let her start Kumon middle of next year, hopefully, the center here would take in non-readers, like how Ethan's center in Sta. Rosa welcomed him with open arms. It would help prepare her for school the following year, although that's just preschool. Albert has downloaded an app which helps kids learn to read and started working with her last night. Learning letter sounds, and how the letter looks like.

She was able to hold her own, promising start, if I must say so :)

She's adorable, it's difficult to get mad at her. She can charm her way in, smiling her cheeky smile saying sorry, with hugs thrown in for good measure! She is spoiled, I'm afraid. Even Ethan, she's wrapped him around her little finger, he can only shout out or complain but never hurt her back.

I asked Ethan last night if he loves Ianna. He says he does, but sometimes he doesn't like her. Like when she pulled his hair or kicked him on his nose - softly (his words, not mine). Haha, sibling love. I told him about my experience as the oldest child as well, letting him know that I empathise, as I have been there :) and my lovely little boy understands.

Although, we don't worry, because we can see how much he loves the little one. And she loves him just as much - she thinks of him every time we have something for her, she thinks of kuya as well.

I could not ask for more. Oh, maybe several pounds off, and these pesky skin irritations going away please. But family-wise, I am blessed. Especially with A, who is the best. He takes care of the kids, actually all of us. Yeah, I get irritated with the kalat he leaves after cooking, that's my stressful A-personality talking which I'm struggling to curb each day, but I couldn't ask for more. He's the best partner in life, again am blessed.

Let me end this with a short thanksgiving prayer...

Blessed are You, loving Father, for all Your gifts to us. Blessed are You for giving me my family and friends. Thank You for Your gifts. I pray for Your loving guidance in our every day, grant us the grace to always see the abundance of Your blessings. Amen.