My eldest

It is rare that I can get him to smile for a photograph.  He is going through a stage.  But, somehow I managed to convince him to get his face painted  . . . complete with a Bruins logo.

School

Last night we attended Mark's Curriculum night. I was so impressed with his teacher, and what they are going to do this year. Adam and I left feeling so impressed and in awe. His teacher is strict and structured, but fair and flexible. I am soooooo looking forward to having a whole year of Ms. Powell.

She even has an easy button for the kids to push . . . . once they figure out a problem . . . . that was easy.

DS

So, Mark last year requested a DS. We wanted to teach Mark that money does not grow on trees. We had been giving him an allowance of $2/week, plus the soda bottle money. After a long time, Mark has SAVED up for not only the DS, but the "bundle" that comes with an accessory pack and 2 games. It arrived today. It is charging, and then Mark can use his new toy.

Now he wants to save up for a Charm City Cake, which is over $1,000, plus $175/hr for delivery (from Baltimore). He might need a real job for that!

Mark in a few years

Right now, Mark is at Camp Grandma, also known as the "Spa." There is a week between when school ends and camp starts. On Day 1, Mark went to Five Guys for lunch and had a double burger. Then he went swimming at the JCC pool. For dinner that night he had London Broil.

Today he saw Toy Story Three, and then did some bike riding.

Tomorrow is a bake-a-thon.

Last weekend we went to Canobie Lake Park, where Mark has grown tall enough to go on many of the larger rides, and he can go on many rides alone. One ride that he loved was the Canobie 500, which is driving a race car.

Photo included.

Mark - I remember

Mark is about to finish second grade. I can't believe that. I remember so much about his past life, and how fast he is growing up.

I remember, how he was born three weeks before his due date.

I remember, that he slept through the night for the first time, on his two month old birthday, at my parent's house, while Adam and I slept at home for the whole night in two months.

I remember, his first airplane ride, at three months to FL, to visit his great grandparents.

I remember, his flapping.

I remember, how he learned how to read - he taught himself, by smooshing the letters together.

I remember, how excited he was when we got the mini van.

I remember, how much he ate in Denver when he was 18 months old - his favorites being white bean pate with truffles. On that same trip, I remember how after he ate a HUGE helping of black beans he slept in my inlaws room . . . . and he slept as he passed gas, all night long.

I remember his first day of daycare (and his last day).

I remember his first day at Angier.

I remember when he got ear tubes.

I remember, how they did NOT fall out, and he had to have them removed surgically.

I remember how he asked when he saw Naomi for the first time (all wired up) "Cool my sister has batteries. . . . will we go to CVS for new batteries?"

I remember how he told his friend this year, how he was in my womb, and came out (and how) and then proceeded to explain a C-Section is a special door.

I also remember how he asked recently, "I know how babies come out of the womb, but how do they get inside?"

Mark and Adam . . . a conversation

Mark: Daddy, is the tooth fairy real, or is it just your parents?

Me: What makes you think it's just your parents?

Mark: Well, Santa Claus is just your parents. Plus, you usually get what you tell your parents about, like, if I say I want a dollar, the tooth fairy usually gives me a dollar. Like when kids ask for Christmas presents.

Me: Well, since you seem to have it figured out, do you want to know the truth?

Mark: (pushes the button on his "dreidel") This is how they have to spin a dreidel in space.

Me: I wonder why. I would think you could impart enough force on it by hand.

Mark: No, they have to do it this way...
(conversation about dreidel-in-space physics continues, tooth fairy conversation left at cliffhanger)

Jackets

My son takes after my husband in many ways. One of those ways is losing things. As it is explained to me, Adam was very good at this as a child. Mark every year, leaves his jacket on the bus on the LAST day of school. It feels as though the bus yard manger and I get to know each other very well.

Being a daycare parent, I was trained to label EVERYTHING! So, on the inside of every jacket Mark's first and last name is written in LARGE letters in SHARPIE, with his phone number.

On Tuesday, Mark again left his jacket on the bus. The bus driver remembers the jacket from last year (bright orange - for a reason), but no jacket. Yesterday we went to the school - plenty of interesting things in lost and found (one sock, underwear, typical lunch boxes, sweatshirts) and no orange jacket. We went to the playground, and there were LOTS of jackets, but not one of them Mark's.

Last year he lost THREE pairs of snowpants in one week.

I love my son.

But, he needs to superglue his belongings to his body.

My son, the mench

So, Mark made his first shiva call this week. He really impressed me, by insisted that he had to go to make his friends feel better (after losing their dad at age 7).

He then decided he was going to use some of his allowance for a donation to the foundation. So he gave me his hard earned $3 (some allowance and some bottle money) and I am going to write a check now.

Guess I am doing something right (at least some of the time).

Mark - Second grade

Last night we attended Mark's open house. He is now in second grade, and I can't believe I have a second grader. This year he will be learning independence - putting his folder in his backpack after his homework, etc. The teachers want him to develop a love of reading. What is interesting is that we were clearing out some books, and he wanted to keep "The Dot." Now this book is cute, and below the grade, but he loves it. The story is very cute - about a girl who thinks she can't draw, and she has a teacher than inspires her. Of course, we put the book back on the shelf. And now he wanted to read it this morning. I love to read, and I hope to inspire the love to read in both my kids.

This year Mark is going to learn about Ghana, China, Mexico, and butterflies, to name a few thigns. Very cool things.

Riding the Rails

Mark has not taken a train ride in a long time. Yesterday, even though it was beach weather, we decided to let Mark take a ride. He decided to take the green line to North Station and then ride to Rockport on the commuter rail. The trip from North Station to Rockport is 1 hr and 10 min. They got there, had a snack, and then got back on the train for the ride home.

Riding the train is so relaxing for Mark. He loves looking out the window. Adam brought his zune. I stayed home and made gazpacho, chocolate chip cookies and cowboy cookies (chocolate chip cookies with oats and toasted walnuts).

The Tooth Fairy

Sometimes you just have to laugh outloud. Mark's visions of the toothfairy have changed.

The first time he lost a tooth and found money under his pillow this was his story:

The toothfairy came into his room wearing a beautiful pink gown and had a sparkly magic wand. She carefully took the tooth and brought it back to her castle, at the North Pole. She then changed it into money and flew back to Newton, MA and placed it under the pillow.

My mom wanted to know what I was wearing that night. . . . and we had a good laugh, when I told her that my husband was the tooth fairy.

The first tooth was lost in the spring, 2008.

Now it is the fall, and we are on lost tooth #5. Now, Mark believes that there is an east coast tooth fairy, and west coast tooth fairy.

I love being a mom!

A Trip to the Museum of Science

Mark and I spent over four hours there. We saw the BASEBALL IN AMERICA exhibit and an OMNI movie. Had a great time.