Parent-Teacher Conferences

Luke looooooves school.  This week he doesn't have school on Wed and Friday because of Thankgiving week and he was really, really sad.  He is always telling me that he likes school days and weekend days the best, and he likes Tuesdays and Thursdays the least (non-school weekdays).   We're so glad he enjoys his school, hopefully it sticks.  This week we also had our Parent-Teacher conference and his teachers think Luke is doing awesome.  They had so many good things to say about him - how smart he was, how kind, how curious, how well he gets along with all the other kids, what a great memory he has.  He continues to be a leader in the class, driving their class discussions and even what they study next.  The teachers really appreciate how engaged he is in everything, he makes the other kids excited about things too.  The only thing they said he should work on is slowing down and focusing on one thing at a time.  He's so interested in everything that he wants to play with everything at all times.  They said he gets agitated/worried if he isn't done playing with something and still wants to play with something else, too, but his playtime is almost up.  They said if they assure him that he'll have time play with the other things next time, he feels much better.  Anyone who spends time with Luke can see how that could be, he never stops!  We're so proud of our big kid.

This past weekend we hit Legoland in nearby Schaumburg for the first time.  I'm surprised it took us this long to make the trek out there, seeing as Luke is so into Legos.  We had a fun time.  Maybe next time Luke will spend more than 1/16th of a second admiring all of the amazing things made out of Legos.  He was way more into the play set and other "hands on" activities, as you would expect.  There are also a few other pics from the week included below.

Spumoni is always finding new places to take a snooze

Dog park visit

Wearing Mom's gloves

Spin! Spin!

Helping Grandma peel potatoes.  Luke is really into "helping" with everything now.  He sets the table, helps cook, helps unload or load the dishwasher.  He's an eager beaver.

Stickies with Grandpa

Claire wanted her whipped cream in her play tea cup.

Then decided she wanted it directly in her mouth!  She points at the canister and then at her mouth.  Learned that trick from Daddy.

YUM!  So funny.

A big box is more of a toy than any of the toys in our house.

Imagination play.  We are in the back seat of Luke & Claire's "spaceship", complete with "controls", "seat belts" and of course space aliens in cages (stuffed animals under laundry baskets).

This picture is blurry, but I love it because it shows how into  "Min-neee", "Oofy" and "MICK-KEY!!" Claire is right now.

Hair Twirling Maniac

Oh my goodness, Claire's hair twirling has reached a new level.  She used to do it now and then, but it hadn't really become a real problem.  It has fast and furiously become a big problem.  She now twirls her hair to the point of impossible-to-ever-get-out teeny tiny knots in a matter of minutes.  She does it at night, in the car, during her nap, in the middle of playing with toys, you name it.  It is an addiction!  We need to have an intervention!  She twirls her hair around her finger and cuts off the circulation, especially when she tries to pull it off herself and just pulls it tighter.  We used to let her fuss a little until she went back to sleep if we heard her in the middle of the night, but now we have to rush in there to make sure she's not losing a finger from lack of blood flow.  Her beautiful hair, a remarkable feature of hers since birth, is now looking pretty raggedy on the right side (the only side she twirls on).  We try not to have to cut out the knots, but some of them seriously will not come out no matter how patient you are.  Between Matt, Isolene and I we now have a system that Claire at all times has to have braids in her hair and/or baby oil or conditioner - especially at nap time, car time or bedtime which is when she does it the most.  The braids help a lot, but she still can work hair out of the braid and twirl it, which is why the back up grease is needed.  Even with those measures being taken, the knots are definitely not a thing of the past.  Why do I have the feeling our hair twirling journey has just begun?  Matt has already suggested we cut her hair, but I'm not ready!  

Anyway, here are some pics from the week and a video, too!

Matt needed to learn how to braid - pronto!  Here he is practicing with some ribbons.  Whatta guy!

Saturday we went to visit my college teammate Jenni Bean and her family

I finally got to meet her third baby girl Maci, such a cutie

Kylie, Aubrey, Luke & Claire had a blast running around and playing together.  Claire can keep up with the big kids now, in select kid-friendly settings, which meant Matt and I were free to catch up with Jenni & Eric!  A whole new era of parenting!

A nice place for Spumoni to rest his head

The wonder of snow!  Love Luke catching the snow on his tongue and Claire feeling it hit the palm of her hand  

The next day we got bundled up for the first time this year - had to find all those boots/snowpants/hats/mittens.

First little snowman of the season!

There was hardly any snow, but Luke REALLY wanted to make a snowman.  Matt  was so nice and helped him make this little guy.  You can see how little he really is next to Lukers.  

Reading in my rocking chair

At Eloise Hartman's birthday party on Sunday

Games

Happy 4th Birthday Eloise!!

Pin the tail on the donkey the other little girl her age at the party, Carson.

Taking off her blindfold

This is much easier without that pesky blindfold.

"Roar!!"

Luke is back into puzzles with a vengeance, 100 pc or more really hard ones.  

Monkey business - she climbs on everything

Playdate with Joey and Ryan - Claire LOVES Joey

Luke & Claire are constantly wrestling now, it is so funny.

Ring around the Rosy

Watching the garbage & recycle truck - our Friday morning ritual

 Finally, here is a video of Luke from last week knocking over his brick wall.  What a wild kid.