After being away from home all of July we were excited to finally be back in our our home with our own things.  We mostly spent the month catching up on life.  When we were gone on vacation we were able to put on hold all the boring stuff (mostly meetings and doctors appointments).  Once we were back home we were thrust right back into life.  The calendar filled up rather quickly with appointments.

We started with the dentist.  We don’t have dental insurance so we were only taking the kids in to the dentist on a need only basis.  I decided that they really needed cleanings and that we had to all return to the dentist regularly, no matter the cost.  The good thing is although I hate the dentist my kids love the dentist.  They think it is so fun to go.  Especially Alessia.  She is always disappointed when she doesn’t need any extra work done.  The kids checked out well at the dentist.  Micah was the only one who had a cavity.  Curtis, however was told he should see an orthodontist.  He had lost almost all his baby teeth and there wasn’t enough room in his mouth for all his adult teeth that were growing in.  So off to the Orthodontist we went.   The orthodotist started with a spacer.  We had a little screw driver that we had to stick in the spacer twice a day.  We would do one full turn each time and it would expand his mouth.  It wasn’t always easy turning it.  One time I didn’t think it worked so I did it again. Poor Curtis was in so much pain.  I guess it had worked the first time. 

Right as school got out Curtis got glasses.  When we got back to Vegas we had already replaced his main glasses once and broke a different pair.  Kids and glasses do not mix well.  John took Curtis in for a follow up when we got home.  Things looked good.  However, one eye is stronger than the other so he is suppose to wear an eye patch for an hour every night.  (I can count on one hand the number of times he has actually done it.  He hates wearing it).

 

We didn’t spend all of August at the doctors.  We were able to have some fun too.  We finally made it our to Boulder Beach. I was brave and took all the kids plus a friend for Alessia and Curtis.  We spent a few hours out at the beach playing.

 

We also visited the park a few times.  Alessia started another season of soccer and her team practiced through out the summer. It was so hot outside so they would practice for an hour and then run over to the splash pads and cool off.   If it wasn’t for soccer practice I doubt we would have dared to visit the park during the summer.  It actually wasn’t too terrible either (as long as we went to the parks with the splash pads).

We played a fair amount inside to keep cool.  One day I was feeling like a good mom. I let them get out the painters tape and tape “roads” on the laminate floor.  They spent more time making the roads then they did playing with cars on it.  It was a great activity though.  They kept themselves occupied for over an hour.

Right before school started Micah got to attend his Kindergarten Orientation.  They did it on it’s own night (the older kids went a few nights later to meet their teachers).  I loved having it’s own night so I didn’t have to bring all my kids along.  I convinced Micah to bike up to school so we didn’t have to fight traffic.  Parking at our school is crazy.  I can’t justify driving when I we live so close.  (With that being said I do drive for kinder pick up a lot of days but that is because there isn’t much traffic at that time.)

A few days later all the kids started school. I am not one of those mom’s that gets sad when the first day of school comes. I am just as excited as my kids. I am ready to send them off.  I will say though that Micah was my hardest Kindergartner to send off so far.  He is just my quiet little side kick. I feel as if he has always just been by my side.  His first day seemed so long to me when in reality it was a shorter day than his preschool days.

He has Mrs. Miller for his teacher.  She seems really nice and fun.  She has a piano in her classroom!  He doesn’t normally get overly excited about things so it didn’t surprise me that he wasn’t hyper when it came time to go to school.  I asked if he wanted to stay home with me but he didn’t.  He was ready to go,

Alessia started the 2nd grade this year.  Unlike Micah she does get excited over every little thing.  She was so wired and ready to go.  She got up really early and was all ready to go before I even got up in the morning.  She has Ms. Moen for a teacher.  She is so nice and fun.  She is also a huge Green Bay Packers fan and I am sure it is her goal to make her whole class fans by the end of the year.  Alessia is completely obsessed with the Packers now.

 

Curtis started his last year of Elementary School this year. I really can’t believe he is old enough to be in the fifth grade.   At his school they have a homeroom teacher but take their 4 main classes from the other 4th grade teachers.  His first 5th grade teacher was Ms. Erdman.  He liked her.  She left in November to be an assistant principle at another school.  Mrs. Johnson came in and taught his class for all of November and December.  When he heads back to school next week he will have another new teacher , Mrs.  Jensen.  We are hoping this is his last teacher for the year.  Luckily, of all my kids Curtis handles change really well.  He doesn’t seem too affected by all the changes.

Curtis came home one day and told me he had to be at school early the next day.  He wanted to play the drums at morning ceremony.  We went and he did a good job.  He told me he needed to go the next morning.  I didn’t realize that the music teacher hand picks a few fifth graders to do drum roll each morning and Curtis had been picked to do it.  I just thought he had volunteered. I am glad she asked him because I am not sure he would have volunteered.  He loves doing it.  And I love seeing him up there doing it too.

And never to be left out Gianluca wanted his picture taken on the first day of school.  It is so weird just having one kid home.  I try to keep Gianluca awake all morning while Micah is in school.  Once we pick up Micah I then put Gianluca down for a nap.  That way they each get a little one on one time with them.

Gianluca is pretty quiet when he is by himself.   He loves to look at books.  I try to read them but after two pages he is ready for something new.  He is full of personality and loves me to be right by his side.  He will sit down and pat the seat next to him and say “sit”.  Needless to say I don’t always get a lot done during the day. I just can’t resist snuggling up with him.