On the eve of the second week of school, and we're all starting to get back into our school-year routine. The boys were a little tired last week, but they seem to be adjusting very well to Kindergarten and second grade.
I'm still adjusting to the fact that I have a second-grader and a Kindergartener!!!!!
Dante has complained a few times about not having any homework to do. We'll see how long that lasts.....
Still dealing with the mad dash out the door to get to the bus stop on time, but hopefully we'll get that process smoothed out a bit during the next week or two. There's always a bit of chaos as we leave the house, but I'd like to see if we can alleviate at least some of that chaos.
The rainy weather we had last week didn't help, either. It's hard enough getting used to having to remember backpacks and lunchbags, without having to also remember raincoats and umbrellas! Thankfully we're back to the beautiful, dry, warm September weather that I love, so at least for next week, we should be coat-free in the mornings - one less thing to have to remember!
All of the beach stuff has been washed off and put away. We may sneak in a few hours at the beach one of these September weekends, but we won't be loading up the beach cart for an entire day on the sand.
I was putting some pictures in a photo album the other day, and already missing the beach. Missing watching Gabe and Dante screeching with delight as they caught a wave on their boogie boards. Missing Carmine doing his happy sunblock dance (he LOVES having sunblock put on). Missing the ride home at the end of the day, when we'd roll down all the windows and drive along Ocean Road, sandy and windburned and exhausted.
It took a few trips to get our beach routine down, but once we did, Carmine proved to be just as much of a beach bum as the rest of us, and I'm looking forward to even more fun next year, when I expect he'll finally be ready to get out in the water. That will definitely make it even more work for me, too, as I'll have to stay right on top of him to make sure he stays safe - but I can't wait to see him splashing around with his big brothers.
I'm still surprised that he didn't get in the water this year, since he does EVERYTHING else that his big brothers do - good and bad. We keep trying to explain this to them, and impress upon them how important it is that they set a good example, and don't laugh when Carmine does things like throw food across the room.
But they're 5- and 7-year-old boys, so of course they laugh. And thanks to them, Carmine is now a pro at making fart noises, screaming at the top of his lungs, and generally making as much noise and causing as much destruction as he possibly can.
He's also adopted Dante's obsession with accessories, and is constantly asking for necklaces, which he calls "neh-nees." And I'm sure once he can tie knots, he'll be finding various pieces of string and ribbon that he can tie around his waist as a belt, just like Dante has been known to do.
Gabe loves nothing more than to make Carmine laugh, and will go to just about any length to accomplish that goal. I try not to let him get too out of control, but I have to admit, it's pretty awesome to see Carmine giggling hysterically at the sight of his big brother making an absolute fool of himself.
Gabe is growing up so much. He's changed so drastically in the past year or so, I sometimes feel like I hardly recognize him. Sometimes that manifests itself in wonderful ways - when he does something particularly sensitive, or thoughtful, or helpful. Other times it manifests itself as him acting like a teenager, talking back, being fresh, and arguing with every single thing we say to him.
He loves his catchphrases, too. A few weeks ago it was "You gotta be kidding me!" That was followed by everything and everyone being called "unpredictable." And now that school has started, I'm sure he's going to pick up a new one. Hopefully it's as innocuous and harmless (and amusing) as the above two.
He was arguing with me the other day about having to clean up his room, and he started to say something along the lines of "why do I have to do everything around here," and I didn't even let him get the words out, I was so angry that he'd even think to say something like that. So of course I let him know how angry I was, and how he better think twice about who's the one who does "everything" around this house.
He listened for a minute, then burst out yelling "You treat me........ like a DOG!"
I replied that yes, I do treat him like a dog - he's well-fed, has his every need attended to, and is showered with affection every day.
I don't think he really got it, but it threw him off enough to make him stop arguing and clean up his room.
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