Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Hughes' First Week of K-5


First five days of kindergarten is over and Hughes is still loving it. I will admit that the 7:20am start time is harder on me that it is on him so far.


I realize that every kid gets one of these certificates but I couldn't help myself from posting it!
He seems to really like his teachers and has only told me once that kindergarten is boring. He also told me that everybody is always asking "when's lunch". I asked him if he was one of the students asking that and he said, "I not ask that, not me".

Yesterday, he came home with this - a good listener note! This makes me proud because every morning for the last couple of years when I would drop him off at preschool and now kindergarten I always say "be a good listener". So this makes me smile from ear to ear! And, I know not every kid gets one of these!


Also yesterday, he brought home his first piece of artwork from art class. I'm assuming the assignment was draw a teddy bear because Hughes has never shown much interest in teddy bears or drawing them. Either way, I like it. On a different special area, Hughes told me that his music teacher was "kinda pretty". I think I need to meet this music teacher and see what Hughes' taste is like!


And, not to forget our first child. Charlie is enjoying all the peace and quiet he is getting in the mornings with Banks at preschool, Hughes at kindergarten and Collins taking his morning nap. In fact, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet as well.



Monday, August 22, 2011

Practice Photo Shoot



So, I'm learning with my new camera. I love it. I especially love how fast the shutter speed is! My pictures are crisp and clear. Now, I'm just learning what all the different settings do and when I should use a particular setting. Lucky for me, I've got several friends who have the same camera and they've all given me tips.

Hughes(5) - wasn't really in the smiling mood.
Note to Self: 1pm on a hot day is not the best time to try to take pictures.


Banks(3)
Little sweaty, squinchy eyes but he was pretty cooperative so I've got to give him that. Of course, it could have been the candy we were holding as collateral.

Collins(10months)
He was a doll.

Shot of the boys. Besides Banks' flailing arm, it's pretty good, right?


Also, it's a good thing I bought my camera when I did because just a week later David's car died! So, now we're looking for a car for him. But on the bright side, I can take great pictures of his new clunker when he takes it on its maiden voyage!



Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Collins @ 10 months


Collins has exploded this past month with accomplishing milestones. He is babbling a lot now, crawling all over the place, self-feeding, cutting four teeth and pulling up to his knees. We've had to put the baby gate up and raise his crib rail.

He had about a two week stint of not sleeping well at night (mainly just getting up early - 5:45am). At no point did I check his gums. Well, lo and behold, this little turkey was cutting two on the bottom at the same time and then the following week his top two came in. No wonder he was not sleeping well!

Above is a picture of mid-babble. He blows a lot of raspberries. We're working on mamamamama but haven't gotten it down yet. Oh yeah, dadadada is still a work in progress, too.

Love that smile and dimples!

Crawling all over the place. BecBec worked on this with Collins while I was at Mom & Me Camp with Hughes. He was just starting to get it with her but then came home and totally showed off his skills.

And, on his knees. He loves to get in this position and bounce up and down while flailing his arms and babbling. I know he's saying something important!

Collins loves fruit - watermelon, grapes, honeydew. Yesterday at Jason's Deli, he ate 3/4 of my bowl of chicken pot pie soup. He's still taking two naps a day. His later nap tends to be his longer one.

He really is the best baby. 99% of the time he is always smiling and relaxed. I hope he always has this demeanor.

Collins, you make our family a better family. I don't know what I would do without your wet kisses and giggly laugh. You're the perfect caboose to this Holman train.



First Day of Kindergarten



Oh My! Kindergarten is here. Real School. Real Tardies. Real Homework.


Hughes started at Harbor View Elementary today and is in Miss Rodgers' class. He has his friends Miller & Conley with him along with his cousin Hudson.

Quick picture with Christian, Wimberly & Collins.


Hudson not quite ready to let go.


Conley getting his work done.

I was so proud of Hughes. He walked in and hung his bookbag up and went to the table with the rest of the children to start working.

Here he is with Miss Rodgers. Excuse the bad light, this was the first time using my new camera.

As I was putting him to bed last night telling him what a great first day he was going to have, he told me that he hoped kindergarten wasn't boring. And, on the way to school this morning he finally admitted that he was a little bit nervous.

Hughes, I can't wait to hear about your first day. I know you're going to be one of the sweetest boys in the classroom. I hope you make lots of friends this year and, most of all, I hope you learn to love school. How in the world did you get big enough to start kindergarten? You're so big that I can hardly pick you up anymore and that makes me a little sad. Have a blast at school and I'll be waiting with a hug and a kiss.


Friday, August 12, 2011

Camera Questions



My point-and-shoot camera is broken and I'm ready to upgrade. I want a digital SLR camera. We're looking at the Nikon 3100 but I have questions.

1. There is a package deal at Costco where I can get included in the camera purchase a 18-55mm lens and 55-200mm lens. Do you have both of these lenses? Which do you use more? Or do you only use one?

2. What is your least favorite thing about your SLR camera?

3. What SLR camera would you get if you could buy one/another one?

Any and all comments are welcomed!


Legos & Digestion



Well, Collins has finally done it.

At some point in the last couple of days he has managed to get a hold of two small cone-shaped Legos and digest them. Ugh, at least try to digest them.

Imagine my surprise when changing his diaper yesterday. I had no idea that he had swallowed such so to see a yellow and red lego mixed with, ugh, well, you know, I was shocked. But, I took this as a learning opportunity and called Banks and Hughes over.

I'm always saying "pick up your Legos or Collins will try to eat them". Now, I think they understand. And, no, I did not wash them off and put them in the baby book like BecBec did with Bull's famous nickel. I gingerly closed the diaper and threw it out. Our collection will just have to be missing two cones.

Hughes told a friend that his Legos smelled like horse poop. I'm sure William couldn't wait to play with them then.

For what it's worth, they were two of the smallest Legos Hughes has and they were connected. Do you think his intestines connected them? j/k

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Just Sayin'



While at Hilton Head at the pool, Banks had made friends with a little girl named Isabelle. They were the same age and chatting and playing together. Banks wanted Isabelle to watch him jump off the side of the pool but wanted me to get her attention. I told him "no, you call her name and tell her to watch you". He refused to do it saying " no, mom, you do it". This went back and forth for about a minute and finally Banks replied with "no, mom, you're a girl and girls talk to each other". So, I called Isabelle over to watch Banks jump.

On the way home from camp, Hughes was in the backseat watching me drive and he said, "mom, you have old hands". (remove knife from heart) He was looking at the scar on my right hand.

I made homemade salsa last night for dinner. Hughes loves the local mexican restaurant's mild salsa and he watched me make the salsa telling me how great it smelled. Of course, he refused to eat any last night. Well, today at lunch while I was coming down the stairs I heard him tell David that "mom makes the worst salsa he's ever had". I didn't think he saw me come down the stairs but apparently he did because then he was motioning to David with his hands to be quiet and telling him never mind. At least we know he has social etiquette and not tell someone to their face that their food is bad. For the record, the salsa is excellent!

Also today, Hughes said "I've got something red on me" while pointing to his nipple. This, of course, led Banks to explore as well. David took this conversation and showed them his nipples and that everyone has them. Banks then asked if mom had them. There was a quick yes and then the conversation moved on to all mammals having nipples. We went through dogs, cats, deer, cows. And then, David couldn't stop himself and started talking about when you're a baby and your moms make a special milk. At this point, I put my head down shaking it back and forth. Banks started to laugh. Hughes said it wasn't funny. And then, thankfully the conversation was over. Who knows what we're going to tell our new teachers next week?


Mom & Me Camp


We got back from Mom & Me Camp at Camp Greenville on Wednesday and I think it's taken until today for me to recoup. It wore me out and I'm pretty sure that it wore Hughes out, too. We had a fantastic time. Hughes was really brave and did things that were beyond his comfort level (riding a horse, canoeing) and he loved them. It was so nice to have 3 days alone with Hughes to see him in his element of making new friends, learning new games and not having the little brothers tag-along.


Our partners in crime - Ashley & Grayson Me & Hughes


During rest time for the kids, the moms got to go do the zip line. I loved it!

The boys' side of the cabin - (bottom up) Elliott, Jack, Hughes, Charlie, Tradd & Thomas

Before we went canoeing. Hughes was a little nervous and saying he didn't want to do it. I had to convince the lifeguard to give us a push and that he would be fine. Once we got out there, he loved it and we went exploring for turtles.


Doing a little fishing.

At roll call at the flag pole before dinner. Katie, our counselor, was lining them up. That's Grayson, Betsy, Hughes, Tradd, Thomas & Harper in line.

Peyton, Hughes & Grayson
Sneaky Ninja Night - the kids participated in their own scavenger hunt that ended with them using their ninja skills on BlackBeard the Pirate to steal their ninja stars back.
The kids loved it!

And, then my camera broke. Soooo, I'll return in a few days with pictures from Ashley's camera. Guess Santa will be coming early to the Holman household :)



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