Talking to the Bird- Part 921... :)

Coop was talking to a rainbow lorikeet this morning.  It was eating on a super-low branch so we got a really good look at it AND some great photos. :)

Talking to the Bird- Part 921... :)

Coop was talking to a rainbow lorikeet this morning.  It was eating on a super-low branch so we got a really good look at it AND some great photos. :)

Catch-up

I haven't been much in the mood for blogging lately.  Not much has been happening and getting used to the routine of school has us all exhausted. I will try to highlight some of the things going on around here as best I can.  

Coop waiting for the morning assembly to begin

I guess, first and foremost is school. Coop is finally settled in and enjoying school. When asked how school is, his reply for a while was, "Boring. Boring. Fun." Now, when asked, he says, "Great."  He has a few friends who he talks about and is enjoying his teacher.  He is really soaking up the academics as well. He brings a new book home each night to read to us and there is never a fuss. He does his "homework" eagerly and loves the fact that he is recognizing letters and words.  His big thing is to read his sight words on his wall and say, "Are you impressed?"  And, of course we are!  He loves to draw now- a new development and is even beginning to write a "sentence" describing his picture!  Oh this teacher-mom is sooooo impressed! :) I am having a lot of fun doing some of the teacher things I did with my students with Coop.  They actually help and make me feel like my brain still works. 

Coop (with paper )holding hands with classmate,
Deena, on the way to class.

We still spend a lot of time at the playground at Darling Quarter.  Tucker and I go there 2-3 times a week and Coop goes with us on the weekends. This past weekend was a big one for Coop. He finally climbed up the back of the big slide and slid down.  This was HUGE for him and he was so proud of himself.  Tucker loves playing in the water there. I think he thinks it is his own personal water park!  

The dogs are going along pretty well.  We did get some good news about Manzie- we redid her blood work and it all the results were in normal range. If you remember, just last October both dogs were diagnosed with early stage renal failure.  So, good news!  Bad news is that she may have glaucoma and her arthritis is pretty bad, but we are dealing with all that. We had a bit of a scare with Tofie. I won't go into details, but will say that after a run to the emergency room and a huge bill, she is doing fine.  

I did find a veterinarian who comes to our home to care for the dogs. It is so much easier than piling the kids and the dogs into a cab and having to entertain the boys and discuss the dogs with the vet at the same time.  Thankfully, this vet will work with our current vet at Sydney Uni so we have both of them on board! Yay!

The things this dog will cuddle up with....

As I think I have written before, I am really enjoying the time I get to spend with Tucker.  We do lots of errands, stop by Starbucks for a drink, visit with friends, walk Coop to and from school and spend lots of time at the water park.  I am also trying to do some of those things that I did with Coop early on- art projects etc.  This week we had a great time using glue and paper cut outs.  Tucker loved painting with the glue, but was not nearly as interested in putting the paper on.  I gave him some feathers to glue on and his response was, "No. Icky."  So much for moving beyond paper.  We have also been singing, dancing and reading lots of stories. He LOVES books and I love cuddling up with him to read. He is at the stage where he finishes the sentences for me in his favorite books.  Not sure anything is more wonderful than reading with my boys.

Tucker is really funny.  He uses a ladder to climb into his chair and calls it a "ladder truck."   He will say to you, "Close eyes." and when you do, he pauses a second and then says very loudly, "Bawk! Bawk!" and you are supposed to be startled awake.  It is really cute. He loves to be carried, "Up-down" (upside down) by his dad.  He sings all the time. As we are walking down the street, he sings one of two songs- "I'm the Map" from Dora or the "Firetruck Song." In both songs, he just repeats the same words over and over-- "I'm the map. I'm the map. I'm the map."  or "Firetruck. Firetruck. Firetruck."  That's it.  He loves all of Coop's big kids friends.  Unfortunately, Coop is at the stage where teasing and excluding his younger brother is fun...

Using a ladder to get into his chair.

Tucker waiting for me to say, "Bawk! Bawk!"

Tucker reading to Tofie on the porch

Catch-up

I haven't been much in the mood for blogging lately.  Not much has been happening and getting used to the routine of school has us all exhausted. I will try to highlight some of the things going on around here as best I can.  

Coop waiting for the morning assembly to begin

I guess, first and foremost is school. Coop is finally settled in and enjoying school. When asked how school is, his reply for a while was, "Boring. Boring. Fun." Now, when asked, he says, "Great."  He has a few friends who he talks about and is enjoying his teacher.  He is really soaking up the academics as well. He brings a new book home each night to read to us and there is never a fuss. He does his "homework" eagerly and loves the fact that he is recognizing letters and words.  His big thing is to read his sight words on his wall and say, "Are you impressed?"  And, of course we are!  He loves to draw now- a new development and is even beginning to write a "sentence" describing his picture!  Oh this teacher-mom is sooooo impressed! :) I am having a lot of fun doing some of the teacher things I did with my students with Coop.  They actually help and make me feel like my brain still works. 

Coop (with paper )holding hands with classmate,
Deena, on the way to class.

We still spend a lot of time at the playground at Darling Quarter.  Tucker and I go there 2-3 times a week and Coop goes with us on the weekends. This past weekend was a big one for Coop. He finally climbed up the back of the big slide and slid down.  This was HUGE for him and he was so proud of himself.  Tucker loves playing in the water there. I think he thinks it is his own personal water park!  

The dogs are going along pretty well.  We did get some good news about Manzie- we redid her blood work and it all the results were in normal range. If you remember, just last October both dogs were diagnosed with early stage renal failure.  So, good news!  Bad news is that she may have glaucoma and her arthritis is pretty bad, but we are dealing with all that. We had a bit of a scare with Tofie. I won't go into details, but will say that after a run to the emergency room and a huge bill, she is doing fine.  

I did find a veterinarian who comes to our home to care for the dogs. It is so much easier than piling the kids and the dogs into a cab and having to entertain the boys and discuss the dogs with the vet at the same time.  Thankfully, this vet will work with our current vet at Sydney Uni so we have both of them on board! Yay!

The things this dog will cuddle up with....

As I think I have written before, I am really enjoying the time I get to spend with Tucker.  We do lots of errands, stop by Starbucks for a drink, visit with friends, walk Coop to and from school and spend lots of time at the water park.  I am also trying to do some of those things that I did with Coop early on- art projects etc.  This week we had a great time using glue and paper cut outs.  Tucker loved painting with the glue, but was not nearly as interested in putting the paper on.  I gave him some feathers to glue on and his response was, "No. Icky."  So much for moving beyond paper.  We have also been singing, dancing and reading lots of stories. He LOVES books and I love cuddling up with him to read. He is at the stage where he finishes the sentences for me in his favorite books.  Not sure anything is more wonderful than reading with my boys.

Tucker is really funny.  He uses a ladder to climb into his chair and calls it a "ladder truck."   He will say to you, "Close eyes." and when you do, he pauses a second and then says very loudly, "Bawk! Bawk!" and you are supposed to be startled awake.  It is really cute. He loves to be carried, "Up-down" (upside down) by his dad.  He sings all the time. As we are walking down the street, he sings one of two songs- "I'm the Map" from Dora or the "Firetruck Song." In both songs, he just repeats the same words over and over-- "I'm the map. I'm the map. I'm the map."  or "Firetruck. Firetruck. Firetruck."  That's it.  He loves all of Coop's big kids friends.  Unfortunately, Coop is at the stage where teasing and excluding his younger brother is fun...

Using a ladder to get into his chair.

Tucker waiting for me to say, "Bawk! Bawk!"

Tucker reading to Tofie on the porch