Tradition Continues

While driving home on Monday after getting Ashley from karate Ashley and I were talking and goofing off a little as we always do. It was a little extra because Jack had fallen asleep in the back seat. After we entered our development she stopped and I asked her what was going on, if she was ok because I found it odd she just stopped. She said "I'm doing what Grandpa says you're supposed to do." It didn't hit me at first but then I realized, she had her hands folded in her lap and was looking out her window. What possessed her to do that I have no idea, but it made me smile.

It's gone!

This past Tuesday afternoon while Jack was home with John after school he was snacking. While snacking his loose tooth finally came out. Ever since we discovered his loose tooth we've been anxiously waiting for it to come out. I also had been watching extra close as it got looser and looser because I was afraid of him losing it in his sleep and swallowing it since it was a bottom tooth. I know that you cannot pull them prematurely because it will cause a lot of bleeding, so I try my best to let the loose teeth run their course and come out when they're ready. I remember Ashley's first loose bottom tooth it was very loose one night and when she woke up in the morning it was out and no where to be found. After searching her bed, pillow, covers, stuffed animals and everything else where it possibly could have fallen John and I concluded that she swallowed it. We left a note for the tooth fairy that evening and she was still able to cash in.

Jack was very excited to see me when I got home from work to show me the new found hole in his mouth. He also informed me that Ashley had helped him wrap his tooth in a napkin and put it under his pillow. I thought that was so sweet and then found that Ashley had also loaned him her Tooth Fairy pillow to put it in. Ashley got an extra hug that night for being such a great big sister. Although I had explained the Tooth Fairy concept to Jack previously when we discovered his tooth was loose Ashley gave him step by step information as they wrapped his tooth and put it under his pillow. These are the moments I know I will treasure as they continue to grow and the memories of them fighting will hopefully fade.

I was woken up the following morning to a very excited 5 year old staring me in the face with a big grin holding a dollar in one hand and a Tooth Fairy pillow in the other. Later that day Jack says to me "Mommy, I think I have another loose tooth!" Not sure if I like this idea ....

Loose Tooth

We have hit another milestone in the life of Jack. I meant to post this earlier but just never got to sit down to do so. Last week Jack discovered he had a loose tooth. He didn't quite understand it or know why he had it. He also wasn't very happy about it because it hurt when he bit into things now. I felt bad for him because he was just getting over a sinus infection that really tuckered him out. I told him about the Tooth Fairy and how once his tooth comes out we'll put it under his pillow and the Tooth Fairy will come and leave him money for his tooth. Once he heard that he was perfectly ok with having a loose tooth. He was so funny because as soon as I finished telling him his response was "Money? So I can buy things?!"

The camera was still in John's truck which he took to work today so I had to improvise with my phone.

Congratulations Ashley!

When John checked the mail on Thursday there was a letter from the Seminole County Schools for us. Inside was the letter we've been waiting for since December. It was our letter of notification that Ashley has been selected to attend Sanford Middle Magnet School. Ashley had gone to the open house with John back in October and came home so excited, practically begging for us to put in an application for her. It is a science and math magnet school. Ashley wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up and the school has special classes guided for this as well as other science and math professions. One of the science classrooms has two tanks that are stocked with fish that the kids have to take care of and learn about.

We were excited to share the news with her so we sat her down and told her we had received a letter. At first we were going to try to pull the "I'm sorry Ashley" trick and then surprise her with telling her the wonderful news. But as soon as I showed her the envelope she says to us "I know, I got in" so matter of fact. It turned out that her school was notified as well and the guidance counselor had told her that day at lunch. So our moment was a bit ruined but she is still very excited to have gotten into the school she was really hoping for.

Is Nana on the airplane?

Yesterday on my drive between getting children Jack and I were having our normal conversation of how his day was at school. When we were driving through one of the developments I cut through on the way to get Ashley an airplane flew overhead. Jack asked if that was our airplane which I told him it belonged to the airport. He then asked me, is Nana on the airplane? I told him no, she was home at her house. He said to me "I wish Nana was on the airplane and could come to my house. Can she come on Tuesday?" I said to him we'd have to talk to Nana and see and maybe one Tuesday she could come. He then says "How about we can go to Nana's house on Tuesday and then Nana can come to our house and she can come to Show and Tell on Friday." I told him we could try, but we could not do that this week but I'm sure Nana would love to come to Show and Tell one Friday. Maybe she can come when the week's letter is "N" and she could be his Show and Tell. Of course I get a boisterous "Ya!" out of the back seat with that suggestion. Now we just have to work out the travel arrangements I guess.

Double Days

While I was washing dishes today and I heard Jack clambering by the doorway, so I stopped and walked over because I was afraid he might hurt himself since he was climbing on the stools we have over there. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what he was trying to get so I asked him. He had found a small hand held fan that also is a flashlight. I had completely forgotten it was there, leave it to little ones with better memories. So I got it out for him and handed it to him and he turned it on but it did not go on. He then promptly told me we needed batteries. Although we got a lot of batteries for the toys for Christmas I was not sure if we had any left. So I told him we would check but we needed to open it up to figure out what kind we needed. Off to the garage he goes while letting me know we need a screwdriver. He says to me in such a definite and informative tone, one with four points. Since he knows where Daddy keeps them in the tool box and it's a safe location I decided to wash the last two cups I had in the sink. Also, our sink is in viewing distance so I figured it was ok. He starts looking through the drawer and pulls one out and shows me "It has four points Mommy." I tell him very good and he goes right to work trying to open the back of the fan/flashlight. He has a bit of a struggle and says "It's too big" then somehow he found that it just pops off in the back, no screwdriver required. How neat and convenient, at least in his eyes. After we realize the back just pops off he looks inside and says to me (again with the informative tone) "We need double day batteries, double day OK Mommy?" How cute, although he is 5 and speaking very well I love how he still mispronounces things. I've thought of just blogging with what it's supposed to be and how he pronounces it.

Still a Jersey Girl

The saying is normally "You can take the boy out of the city but you can't take the city out of the boy" or something like that. Many people have used it and altered the words to fit whatever the situation is at the time. This morning I realized you can take the girl out of Jersey but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl. The dogs were in the back yard and wanted to come in, so Jack went to open the door to let them in. I hear Ashley say to him "Wait Jack, you have to wipe Sugar's paws before you let her in." And although we have not lived in New Jersey for 3 1/2 years she still has a little accent at times and it's funny to hear. Instead of paws (sounding like pause) it came out more like "pwaws" with that extra w sound. I guess with all the transplants down here we won't be able to completely break her of it but she has started to pick up some native sayings. One night we went to Publix (our local grocery store) and they always have cookies for the kids. After the kids got their cookies from the lady at the bakery Ashley said "Thank you" but was looking at me. So I asked her, who were saying thank you to? In which she responded "Both of y'all". That made me giggle and of course have to share with Daddy after he got home from work that night.