School aged kid

While shopping this weekend, Randy found a cars backpack that he just had to buy for Aidan. It was on clearance and Aidan will start preschool in the fall so it was an excellent purchase. The only problem is that now Aidan believes that he should be starting school. Today he laid the backpack in the middle of the room and announced, "I'm putting this here until I turn 4 and can start school!" He turns 4 in just over a month and then I'm sure the question of when he can go to preschool will become a daily occurence! I think that he is even more excited to go to school than Reese was, which is saying alot! It definitely helps to have an older sibling to look up to and copy. Aidan has learned how to spell his name and loves to do "homework" like Reese does. I can't believe that in a few short months, I will have 2 kids in school!

One BIG happy family

As we usually do, I was asking Reese about her day at school on our ride home. She started telling me how she went to the library and picked out the best book. Our conversation went something like this: Reese: I love the book that I picked out because it reminds me of our family. Me: Oh yeah, what is it about? Reese: A family of hippos! Yep, that's us! One BIG happy family!

Change of character

Generally, Reese's personality and character traits are more similiar to Randy's. She is very outgoing and athletic and hands on. Aidan on the other hand tends to be more like me, he is very tender hearted and caring and definitely a clutz. So I was thrown for a loop when the following took place: This morning while Randy and I were working on the house, I overheard the kids playing. Aidan had built a fort in the couch we moved to the center of the room and was playing in it. Reese came and asked if she could play, to which Aidan replied, "Yes, for five dollars!" Now Aidan usually takes after me, so this showed a little of his entrepreneurial spirit, which would definitely come from his father! Reese upon hearing Aidan's request, made her way to the dining room table and immediately began cutting out and creating her own money with which to pay Aidan. This definitely showed off her more crafty side, and therefore a little bit of my personality. When Reese had finished making a few dollars she returned to the basement and "paid" Aidan her entrance fee and asked to play. Without missing a beat, Aidan immediately asked for more money, specifically he said, "Reesey, make me money all the way to the stars!"

Ladies Man

While out shopping with Aidan and Gretchen the other day, Aidan told me very sincerely, "Mommy, let me know if you see any pretty ladies." We are going to have our hands full with this one someday!

Swim lessons

I signed both Reese and Aidan up for swim lessons this fall. I was not sure which level to sign them up for since they had both advanced significantly in their abilities over the summer. Reese had completed the introductory level last year, so I signed them up for level 1. The first week, Aidan was totally soaking up all of the attention and allowed the instructors to help him float around the pool. Despite Randy and I trying to get him to show off his ability to hold his breath under water or swim, he refused. The second week he finally showed off some of his abilities and after the lesson, the head instructor approached me and asked if I would be willing to allow them to move up to level 2 since Reese seemed to show a higher ability and she thought Aidan would not want to be separated from his sister. We consented and began the following week. The kids enjoyed the new lessons and the instructor was suprised at their ability. At one point Aidan went underwater as he waited for the instructor who was working with another student. When she turned around, she grabbed out to pull him up as if he had been drowning, and just then he popped his head out of the water and grabbed onto the side of the pool. She breathed a sigh of relief and from then on trusted more in his abilities. They learned how to do several different strokes and swimming skills over the following weeks. During one of the last lessons, the instructor tested them on their ability to hold their breath underwater. Most of the older kids went, holding their breath to the count of 11 or 12. When it was Aidan's turn, she counted to 12 and looked impressed, she got to 15 and she looked kind of nervous, and when he finally came up at the count of 25 she was incredulous. Though they did not completely pass the level 2 requirements, I was very impressed with the skills they learned. We will continue to work on their swimming and I hope to get them both involved in a swim team next year.

Only Brother

Yesterday I took the day off work for Randy's surgery. Since Reese was not sick and did not have any reason to miss school, I took her to school while Aidan and Gretchen stayed home. I cleaned most of the morning while Aidan played and Gretchen cooed. They kept themselves entertained and I was not constantly breaking up fights! We headed into town about 10 and dropped Randy off and then ran a few errands while we waited. While at HyVee, our first stop, Aidan commented how it was nice without "Reesey" and I kind of had to agree. We got a kids shopping cart and Aidan was driving by himself and I did not have to yell at anyone to quit fighting or keep their hands to themselves. After getting a few supplies for cookie making, we decided to go get lunch. We went to the McDonalds play place and there happened to be another little boy about Aidan's age. They were playing very well together when I overheard Aidan tell the other little boy, "I wish that my sister was here." Again, I had to agree.
Recently, Reese began referring to Aidan as her "little bother", just like Nickelodeon's Olivia does to her little brother. As she has started school, their relationship seems to be even more difficult. Reese is growing and wants her privacy and time alone, while Aidan is so intrigued by all the things that she is learning and doing and wants to be involved in it. Although they fight the majority of the time that they spend together, I do believe that they really do love each other. It's things like their time apart yesterday that reveal their true feelings and the special bond they share.
As the only boy between 2 girls, I think that Aidan is going to have a lot of skills in dealing with women when he gets to the age to start dating. In another instance yesterday as we were walking through the mall, another shopper said, "Oh look, he is playing with her hair!" I had put Aidan in the back of the double stroller as he requested, so Gretchen was in front of him. He had leaned forward in his seat, with his arm resting on the seat back and rubbing his sister's head and playing with her hair. He has done this often since she was born and it always melts my heart because I know that he truly loves and cares for his little sister. I just feel sorry for any of her potential boyfriends, because I think that he is going to be pretty protective of his little sister.

Pumpkin carving

Unfortunately, we experienced yucky weather on the day that we had planned to go to the pumpkin patch and we were forced to purchase pumpkins at our local grocery store.

Not quite the tradition that I was going for, but the kids did not seem to mind.
I had purchased a pumpkin carving kit last year that I was really excited to try out, so I had the kids pick out their design and then we got down to work on gutting the pumpkins.

Several hours later, we had these beautiful masterpieces.