I got the girls to bed early and Dante is gone and I was sitting here not really wanting to do anything and not wanting to go to bed too early, and I thought that I would take the time to update the blog.
Dante is on his way home at this very moment. He went with his Nana to Utah for the weekend to attend his dad's graduation. I think that he might be a bit homesick, though, because he decided that he wanted to come straight home instead of staying at Nana's. Which is okay with me, because I miss him. Dante is such a sweet kid. The morning of the day he was to leave, last Wednesday, Dante was up early, and he wrote a note for me and left it on me while I was sleeping so that I got to wake up to a sweet note from him. It said, "I love you!" and had a picture of the two of us hugging. He often helps the girls get lunch while I am busy. One day, after getting Emily's hotdog out of the microwave and cutting it up for her while I was downstairs doing the laundry, he told me that he wanted to let me do my work . I really think that Dante is going to grow up to be a thoughtful man.
Dante's reading skills continue to amaze me. We will sit down for a new reading lesson, and he'll breeze right through most of the words. He also loves to get emails, so feel free to send him one at dlpimental@gmail.com. Did I mention that I took him out of school? He was feeling lost in the crowd and missing me (by the time he got home, it was lunch, baby nap, and my schoolwork), and I was planning to bring him home for homeschooling in the fall, anyway, so I decided that it was more important for him to spend time with his family. Dante absolutely loves to ride his bike whenever we can, and I try to at least ride them to the library every week. I think it might be time soon to get him a bigger one. He keeps telling me to raise his seat, and it has just about run out of a stem!
Dante got back . . . was it an hour ago? He has been non-stop talking and "What did you do fun?" and worrying about his balloon and showing me his McDonald's toys. I am so glad that we are close. It could be so easy to say, "Be quiet and go to bed!" But I really enjoy talking to him. He said that he got to take the shoulder boards off his dad's uniform and put on new ones, and he took his hat off and put it own head, just like his dad told him to, and everyone laughed and he felt silly. Then he put a new one on his dad. But the ceremony was boring ;) At the university graduation, there were lots and lots of people in robes with "square hats." He also got to meet his dad's fiancee, Jessica, and her family. She's nice, and he had fun because he got to watch a movie. He just got done leaving notes for Constance before laying down to bed. Goodnight, my son!
Constance has missed her brother. When she talked to him on the phone, she spent most of the time giggling because she was so excited. Lately, we have really started working on her letters, choosing one and spending the week learning its sound and playing I Spy to find it in books and on boxes and things. She has also started "writing." When writing her own name, she usually gets a c, an o, and a t at least. Poor thing, she has such a long name to learn! She can draw very nice stick men and really could spend hours drawing. She could spend even longer cutting paper. Just cutting. I currently have a bunch of little pieces of paper all over my bedroom floor, courtesy of Miss Constance. She also focuses really well, which means it is usually hard to get her attention.
Constance has become so affectionate. She loves hugs and kisses, and she loves to have me play with her hair and trace my fingers on her face. She has gone up to people she has only briefly seen before and gives them big hugs before running off and continuing her play. She takes them completely by surprise! She is constantly asking to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. She loves them, and she loves the animals and all the fun things to do. She went fishing with them and brought home quite a whopper! Then when I pulled it out of the oven and showed it to her, she said, "My fish!" and was very proud to get to eat her fish. She has also started to follow Dante's example and tries to help Emily. Oh, and she still does Ariana's superhero smile. "Ding!"
I know that I've talked about Emily a lot before, so I'll try to be brief. She is just such a hoot! First of all, she finally got her tooth, you know, the one on the top that was taking forever to come in. And now she has couple of molars halfway and at least two more in front that will be here soon. She looks so funny when she makes her squinty eyes and her funny, toothy (if that's possible) grin. She thinks that she is SO funny when she sticks toothbrushes that aren't her own in her mouth, waits till I'm looking, and then runs away for me to catch her. She'll do the same with the fride. Wait for me to pay attention, open the door and look at me, then slam it shut and run away at the first movement I make to get her. She also likes to "help" me by getting the juice out when she's thirsty. That's normally not a big deal, except when it's in a pitcher and she carries it horizontally. And then we have an orange floor. Mostly lately I've been tickled by her talking. She'll just look at whoever she talking to, very seriously, and talk, "Yahyahyah," on and on, pointing and telling stories. Even when she got hurt, she tells me all about it. Some words are more purposeful and clearer: "ee" for please, "ay oo" for thank you, both while making the signs, "gah gog" for hot dog. And then there's always, "MUM! MUM!"
Usually the kids get along so well. We finally got the trampoline up, and they love it. Even Emily can get on and off by herself if the stroller is by it. And I feel pretty secure with them playing on it with its awesome safety "enclosure." Dante and Constance, lucky kids, got loft beds from a friend; loft beds are like bunkbeds without the bottom bunk, or like a really tall regular bed, so that you can put dressers or desks or whatever underneath. They got these cool beds--and they rarely sleep in them! I almost wish that we had kept the bunk beds, but these are such space savers, and they'll learn to appreciate them. Dante and Constance usually sleep together under Constance's bed. Dante adores Dante and enjoys having the company, and Dante just wants someone else to sleep with. At least this way it isn't always me.
Well, for Easter, Grandma and Grandpa came out for a little while and helped us color Easter eggs. I don't know how I could have done it by myself! Even Emily got to color them, but who needs a spoon? She used her hands. And even tasted them. Yum! The older kids were excited when we figured out the crayon trick, and we had some rather cool eggs! We also recently tried to make taffy. I bought a candy thermometer and everything, but apparently I cooked it a bit too long. It was too hard to pull but too chewy to really eat. I'd like to try again. Sometime.
We have family home evening almost every Monday, learning about Jesus and his gospel, playing games, reading, and eating treats. We read scriptures every day. Dante would be happy doing that all day. He loves the stories and he loves talking about Christ. Constance always lets us know that Jesus is her friend. We have also instigated Friday family movie night, which usually includes pizza and popcorn, too.
We are getting into our routines, and I am learning to enjoy the happy moments.
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