Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Eric's Graduation

Eric made us proud on Friday when he graduated from Ms. Nancy's preschool. Not because he graduated, but because he behaved himself far better than we expected. Last year at this time, we cringed/laughed when he sang his own opera instead of following along with the rest of the kids. Last year, he played to the crowd, and he had parents cracking up. A friend of mine who showed the video to her extended family mentioned to me how much everyone "enjoyed Eric's performance". Ah, yes. Eric and his performances . . . what mixed feelings I have about those . . . 

This time, he was serious and focused. He followed along and did his best, and it was good to see. While I'm sad to see our time at Ms. Nancy's come to an end, I'm so glad to know that Eric has grown up in the last year. In the fall, when he goes to kindergarten, I'm less concerned about how he'll handle himself, and that is a relief. 

Side note: Ms. Nancy hands out awards at the end of the year, highlighting every child's strength. Eric got the "Engineer Award" for his constant building while at school. Aunt Christine and Uncle Andre will be proud!





Monday, May 14, 2012

Our Toad

The story goes something like this - Sarah had an early release day a couple of weeks ago, and we picked Eric up from Ms. Nancy's preschool. There were several toads hopping around, and the kids were catching them. (Eric is really good at this, I've noticed. He's fast and doesn't hesitate, and his "catch rate" is probably 4 out of 5.) Well, there he was, holding a toad in his hands, showing it off to all his friends. Ms. Nancy generously offered the toad to us, and in a weak moment, I said yes. We did some quick research and went to pet store to get supplies and food. I never thought I'd have a pet who eats live animals, but I've honestly enjoyed watching him. We find grubs, worms, crickets, slugs, and anything else we think he'd like to eat and then watch the show. He's an impressive hunter, watching, waiting, and then pouncing. 

I still have some ethical issues about whether we should keep our little friend. (Basically, I wonder if he's "truly happy", knowing that he came from the wide open world and is now sitting in a tank in our dining room.) We'll see how long this lasts, but for now we're enjoying our own small live version of a National Geographic program.




Monday, May 7, 2012

Brian's 40th Birthday

We celebrated Brian's 40th birthday today, with fettucini alfredo and chocolate cupcakes. Sarah's card included drawings of a squid, an angler, and an octopus. She also gave him several paper presents - a set of hands, a mouth, a bracelet and a heart. Eric made him a bunch of Lego inventions, including a box with fire in it. His card was random, as usual, and included a "connect-the-dots" puzzle for Brian to play later. (What I find interesting is that Sarah's card and presents were even more random than Eric's this time - that one's a first.) I wasn't as creative (or weird), and I went with a store bought card, some beer, and some snacks. I think he appreciated and was entertained by it all.