Feliz Navidad in August

The classic version of Feliz Navidad (the José Feliciano version) is currently playing in the family room.  This is not an uncommon occurrence at our house, it's Leo's favorite Christmas song.  Feliz was played and replayed and then replayed in December.  When the holidays came to a close, he couldn't quite give it up, so nearly every day we enjoy the mariachi goodness of Feliz Navidad. 

As a side note here, the rest of the album is really good too.  It's mostly made up of acoustic guitar versions of the classic carols.  Check it out, it's on Amazon Prime.

You would be surprised at the amount of toys that two toddlers and one mom can pick up to one playing of "Beliez Navi Duck," as Leo calls it.  That is one of those phrases that I hate to correct because I know how quickly the time passes and he grows up and stops saying things like "ambliance" (ambulance) and "snoot snacks" (fruit snacks).  He is growing and changing so fast that I just want to enjoy it for just a moment.  Who knows when the last time he'll ask to hear "Beliez Navi Duck." 

So, if you stop by the house around 6, there's a very good chance that you'll hear the peppy guitar playing of a classic Christmas song.  You'll see us dancing and cleaning because around here we celebrate Christmas all year long. 

 

Preschool

I am almost embarrassed to admit how much time I've thought about preschool in the last year and a half.  First it was trying to pick a place that would work for Leo then hoping that I made the right choice because you have to register a full eight months in advance.  And then it was sending off my nearly four year old two days a week (which most parents here send them at nearly three, a year younger than Leo) and hoping it was the right place.  Being a first time parent is stressful. 


Our life experience out here is so different than the way that I grew up.  Back home, we all went to Karma's Kiddie Korner.  The teacher taught a sweet little class out of her basement, just a few doors down from my own.  I have good memories being in the class.  That is not how things are done here.  Preschools are large, formal affairs with curriculums and parent teacher conferences. 

I've seen preschools that immerse your child in another language, that promise to have them reading at 3 or other crazy things.  It's not really the experience I wanted for Leo.  Really, I wanted him to have a place to go and play and to explore the world.  

I remember walking into the preschool and thinking "where is all the art work?"  Because, that is what I thought a preschool was, kids doing the same art project and then hanging them on the wall.  Thinking back on that, I have to laugh at myself.  This is one of the things I like best about his school, they leave their projects open ended and letting the children have more control over what they create.

The highlight has been his teachers.  Mrs. Lundgren has taught there for 30 years and made the transition easier for this nervous first year parent.

Leo's was the only one with color.

 

 Last week we went to his class' open house.  He got to show us all of the zones in the room and to show all of his favorite things.  All around the room, his artwork was on the wall.  It just made my heart burst to see his line drawings.  Thinking back on how far we've come is astounding.  Leo has grown up this year and we're so proud of him.
 

Merry Christmas!

Dear family and friends,

Merry Christmas!  All is calm-ish and bright here in Northern Virginia.  For the first time in years, we haven’t had any major changes come into our life.  After the big move/job change/birth of Amy in 2014, we are all thankful for the calmer year.  

This year has been filled with park days, splash pads, walks, bike rides and trips to the library.  We are settling into our new home and have spent much of this year organizing and painting.  Heber and I celebrated our 10^th wedding anniversary with a trip to Outer Banks.  The highlight of the year was heading out to Utah to visit family and friends over Easter. 

Heber continues to his work in digital forensics trying to help catch the bad guys. One day he and his coworkers were working on a project together and another coworker stopped by and asked “Hey, did any of you help catch a bank robber today? Because, I did!”  He is a wonderful and supportive dad who wrestles with the kids and reads them stories at night.  He joined Toastmasters International, a public speaking group.  He often comes home with a ribbon for best speech of the night.

 Gentri kept the house together and everyone alive, which is a feat worth touting!  She was able to visit her dream bead store, Ornamentea, in Raleigh, NC during a quick weekend trip.  She visited Chicago.  Over the summer, she took a flameworking course that led to some beautiful new beads and knobs.  She learned how to fuse metal and added a new small torch and rock tumbler to her studio.  She continued to serve with the Activity Day Girls (8-9 year olds) at church and spearheaded a three day summer camp.

Leo turned four and is still our joyful and enthusiastic guy who loves the color blue.  He spent the first part of the year attending a joy school (with mom helping to teach) and then started at a traditional preschool in the fall.   He is most excited about space and planets and can identify each one and share details about moons and atmospheres (can you tell how proud we are).  He loves to wear shorts, wrestle and play with cars. 

Amy, at nearly two, is our determined and spirited red head.   She loves to run and to dress herself.  She loves her mom and is her constant shadow.  She talks all day long and we are starting to actually understand some of it.  Our girl is fearless and especially likes to play at the park.  She decides that she is going to do something and goes right for it even if it’s the big slide at 16 months old.  Baby dolls are her favorite.

We are so thankful for you all in our lives. We hope that 2016 is a wonderful year.  We wish you the happiest of holiday season!

Love,

Gentri, Heber, Leo and Amy Green (or as Leo says, G-R-two Es-and an N)

Leo's Birthday

We celebrated Leo's birthday this weekend.  I can't believe that our boy is four.  For the party, I hung up a bunch of pictures from throughout his life.  I hardly recognize his sweet little two year old face and the newborns, well, it just seems like a lifetime ago.  When did he become not that little boy anymore?  When did he start telling me stories?  When did it all change from toddlerhood to this boy?

I said that I wasn't going to throw a party this year.  We'd thrown a big one last year and the year before and with it so close to Thanksgiving, it wears me out.  About two months ago, Leo started talking about what his party was going to be like, that there would be a blue cake.  How could I not throw a party?

He has been really excited about the movie Planes lately and asked for a Planes party.  It was actually pretty fun to sit with him and have him look through pinterest with me and to point out what he'd like for his party.

For the first time in my life, I bought a cake.  I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to buy one but usually I throw together some cupcakes and call it good.  When Leo started asking for a Dusty Crophopper cake that was blue (and the fact that we've been hosting company all week and had a horrible cold), I knew it was time to call in reinforcements.  So, we ordered a blue cake. 

We continued on with our new tradition of birthday boxes.  I ran onto this idea on a blog and thought it was so fun.  In a box, you put some little presents and special treats.  Leo's had fruit loop cereal, a carton of little goldfish, a couple cars and of course a small Dusty airplane.  It's been a fun tradition to think about and he loved the box even more than the big birthday presents.  I think we'll keep doing this.

On the birthday day, we invited some friends for a playdate.

In four years, so much has happened.  Leo is our joyful, excited guy.  He is so happy to be alive and takes such joy in the simple things like driving his cars.  We were lucky to have his Grandparents in town to join us for the celebrations too.

Preschool

What have I been thinking about lately? 
Preschool.

Yes, I've spent my February trying to decide what preschool to put Leo in in the fall.  It shouldn't be such a big deal but it is.  This is the first time Leo will be consistently somewhere else and will be his first real interaction with school.  I want it to be a good experience.  I am not under the impressions, however, that preschool will affect his college or future really significantly.  I just want it to be a fun, positive experience.  I mean, I still remember being at Karma's Kiddy Korner and making ice cream out of snow. 

Yes, I realize it's February but all the deadlines for registration are coming quickly this month.  People are funny about preschool out here.  There are some that you have to get up at 4 a.m. to get in line to turn in your registration form.  Wow.  I, luckily, don't have to do that but it's been quite the ongoing discussion this month as to what to do. 

It was hard to imagine my sweet little guy big enough for preschool, and then he turned three and decided that he was giving up naps.  The terrible twos have got nothing on the three angst.  Heber and I have been laughing over this quote from Jim Gaffigan, "The person who came up with the term "terrible twos" must have felt really foolish after their kid turned three." We know this all too well.  

Even in all the angst, he is a really funny guy. Last night Leo really wanted Heber to play trains.  The little guy used all the tricks on Heber that we use on him.  "Come on dad, I'm going to play trains without you.  You have one minute dad and then it's time, is that a deal?"  Well played Leo, well played. 

Leo at Three

It was Leo's 3rd birthday a few weeks ago.   3.  I still can't believe it.  I was looking through a whole bunch of pictures to do a display for his birthday and it brought so many memories back.  He has been the most joyful boy his whole life.  He makes us laugh all the time.  I am so happy to be able to be his mom and to be the one who is teaching him.

 

 

 I thought about when he was born and as a newborn.  He was this 9 pound boy and I just remember feeling these bursts of happiness that he was in our family.  It was him who taught me how to be a mother, something I will continue to learn for many years to come.

My favorite phase was when he was about 7 months old.  He was sitting up and just learning how to crawl.  He crawled everywhere and was so fast.  He'd put his head down and go like crazy.  He just had this sweet excited face.  He has always been a book lover, even at that young age, and I can remember reading him the doggie book with the finger puppet and he would laugh and laugh.

When he was around one, I got this little house with a mailbox.  He spent hours opening the door and going inside.  He'd look at me through the mailbox and laugh and laugh.  He's always loved to play with other kids and be a friend.  I think I will picture him at age two at the park, running around, climbing up things and going down the slide.

When we moved to Logan just before his 2nd birthday, it was an adjustment.  He loved being outside with dad though and scrapping the snow.  He loves matchbox cars and will play with them for hours without tiring.  When Amy was born soon after, he loved his sister.  She had to be on a billi light for several days after coming home and she did not like that at all.  He brought over his most beloved doggie and put it by her.  He is a sweet thoughtful boy.

In that 2nd year, we started going to a music class.  Leo was the most excited to be there, he's always been a music lover.  One of his special gifts is his joy, when he is happy about something there is no containing the joy for him.  And you know what, we all need to have things to be excited about.  He sings and talks all the time.

Lately, he's started really playing with other kids and even trying to make new friends.  We were at the park several months ago and he went up to a little guy who was obviously upset.  Leo says, "you lost your momma?"  The boy was looking around for his mom.  Leo turns to me and says, "this guy's lost his momma.  We've got to help him?"

Leo has a pair of light up shoes that he loves.  Excessively.  He won't wear any others but they light up so I can't blame him.  We were at the park a few months ago and he went up to a little boy there at the park and said, "my shoes light up."  And the other little boy responded and back and forth they went.  It's so fun to see him making friends. 

And now he's 3.  He's our big talking, potty trained guy.  I never expected what these three years brought into my life.  I am profoundly changed and so happy he's with us.

We threw him a big party to celebrate and invited a bunch of his friends.  For months he said that he wanted to have a "paw patrol birthday" and so we did.  I did some little games (balloon toss, bean bag toss at cups and a rice bin with construction vehicles, which was the hit of the party), and had some treats, mostly different kinds of popcorn.

It was wild, 10 2 and 3 year olds and 4 infants plus adults.  The moment I want to remember from it all was when we were all eating treats.  Leo was sitting on the living room floor on a blanket next to his buddies, he was eating his popcorn and just so joyful.  My mom even came out and spent a week with us to be involved in the party.

 

It's been a great three years.  I can't wait to see what all the next years bring.

Nature and a Perfect Day

I loved today.  It was one of those perfect weather days, not too cold, not too hot.  We went up to the Stokes Nature Center in Logan Canyon to our Parent and tot class.  I was just basking in the green growing everywhere, the sound of the river and watching my boy throw rocks like a champ.  It was so peaceful.

We have to hike up a short trail to get to the center.  Over the past couple of months, I have watched the trees bud and then grow into leaves.  The world went from cold and brown to leafy green.  I don't think I ever paid attention to stuff like that before.  Now, Leo and I stop and examine the butterfly flying among purple flowers or to talk about dandelions. And meeting some new buddies to throw rocks in the river isn't too bad either.

I never thought I would be one of those people who signed up for a bunch of classes.  I'm more of a "let your child play and explore" kind of person but I have been so happy with this little class.  That and it was time that we met more people with kids Leo's age. 

Leo and his rainbow project.

We met up with Heber at Hydro Park (the one where we got engaged) to have lunch together.  I told him that I refused to go inside on such a perfect day.  After our long, cold winter, we have to appreciate this little window of good weather.

A New Bed, A New Phase

Yesterday was a big day for Leo.  We went out and purchased a twin bed.  For weeks he's had to have a pillow in his crib and has been acting ready to be in a bed.

When we got it all set up, Leo was thrilled.  He's been jumping and saying "my bed" all evening.  I can't believe that he is grown up enough to have his own big bed. 

It brings me back to when I got my "big girl" bed.  It was a white canopy bed.  My sisters and I all got the same style and I thought they were the most beautiful beds I had ever seen.  My mom put together a rainbow bedspread and ruffled cover for the canopy.  I spent many happy nights looking up at the colors.

It's these milestones that seem to come so quickly.  All of the sudden little Leo is a full fledged little boy and all the baby is gone. 

First night was a bit rougher than expected.  Made us laugh.