2nd Grade

Darling,

Today was your last day of 1st grade. We celebrated with pizza, a movie, and dairy queen and of course your best friend, Sofia. I can't believe how fast you are growing up. I'm excited for:

Warm weather

Being outside

Riding bikes

Hiking

Swimming

Camping

Elitches

Go-Karts

Celebrating your 7th birthday

Pretty much I'm just excited for summer. Congrats on finishing 1st grade.

Hugs,

Mommy

Faking It

Dear Cole,

Your friend Carson broke his arm a couple of weeks ago and on Saturday, you decided to have a broken arm too. You wore daddy's sling just about all day. While we were out and about you would say to me "No one is even saying anything about my arm." It was funny.

I love you.

Mommy

Working it

Dear Cole,

You so know how to work me. Like, when you asked me to get the game from downstairs this morning, "I'll give you 10 kisses and 10 hugs" or like the other night when you were taking a bath, "will you please wash my hair?". My first thought is, you can wash your own hair, but then, half a second a later, I realize that soon enough, you won't be asking me for things like that. So, whenever you ask things like, "Will you please wash my hair" or "can we snuggle in your bed and read"....the answer should always be YES. You're getting growing up and fast.

We watched Justin Bieber's Never Say Never DVD. I've got Bieber Fever now....seriously. He is so cute. You remind me of him with your big eyes.

We're off to see the movie Soul Surfer. It's almost summer buddy. Four more days of school!

I love you so much.

Mommy

1st Grade

Cole,

1st grade is almost over. You know school is almost out when field day is right around the corner. Here is your class picture. You'll laugh of these some days.

Mother's Day

Dear Cole,
You and dad went the store while I was still sleeping and got some of my favorite things like biscuits, bacon, cookies...and you helped daddy make breakfast for me. You even made the scrambled eggs. Delivered hot and fresh to the bedroom on a silver platter (ok, on a cookie sheet, but same difference). Thanks for making my morning so special.

You made me the most wonderful gift. Dena took you and Sofia to Home Depot for a Kid's Build Workshop. You built a planter, picked out my favorite colors in paint, and you picked out just the right flowers you knew I loved and came home and painted the planter. You worked so hard at Sofia's house and I'm so proud of what you made for me. Thank you baby doll. It's so amazing and beautiful and it's sitting in the center of our dining room table.

Daddy rebuilt my computer and loaded some music on my ipod and it's AWESOME. Thanks Chris. Big hugs to both of you.

I love you,

Mommy

Michael Turns 7

Happy 7th Birthday Michael. Thanks for inviting us to Boondocks. I can't believe you boys are already (and almost) 7. Where are our babies?!!!

Cole, Michael ended up getting hurt after we left. He got stitches near his eye because he got hit in the face with a golf club at Boondocks...(boys, you can't control them). You were so concerned about him the next day when you heard the news that you kept saying things like, "I hope Michael is ok." "Do you think Michael is ok?" "I wish I could see Michael to make sure he is ok." "I bet Michael eye really hurts."

Sweet darling. I love you.

Carnival

Cole,

Emerald had it's annual carnival. We had a blast. You played games, won cupcakes at the Cake Walk, eat yummy food, and got your face painted.
See for yourself.....

Love you,

Mommy

Indoor Camp Out

Dear Cole,

We were set to got to Ft. Collins to camp out the night before Katie's marathon. We had a camp site reserved and everything, but the weather didn't cooperate for us. So, instead of camping outdoors, we camped indoors. We set up the tent in your bedroom, made hot dogs, and even roasted marshmellows...by candlelight. They were pretty good too.

I love you monkey.
Mommy

EB

Dear Cole,

The Easter Bunny came and dropped off a basket with cute bunny and Learn How To Draw book. You were soooo excited...You kept saying, "How did he know this is exactly what I wanted?" Hmmmm, good question.

We met Uncle Derrick and family over at Grandma's for an Easter Egg Hunt. We filled the eggs with coins and dollars. You guys were so cute. Look at this picture of you covering Eliana's eyes while we hid the eggs.

Grandma made all the kids bags with their names embroidered on them with fun stuff instead, like a new soft bunny and fun straw (which you immediately used when we got home to drink a glass of milk) .

Happy Easter family! Thanks for sharing your day with us.

37 or is it only 36

Dear Cole,

I thought I was going to be 37 this year, but thanks to Aunt Veronica, I'm only 36. I called her and said something like, "So, how's it feel to be turning 32? (see I know these things because we're five years apart)" And she said, "I'm only turning 31, which means you're only turning 36!" YIPPEE for me. That conversation totally made my day.

We celebrated with Angel Food cake which grandma made (not shown in first picture....that's Aunt Veronica's deliciousness). Here is grandma's attempt...don't be fooled - looks aren't everything. I ate the whole cake BEFORE dinner....practically by myself. Although, grandma helped a little.

She brought over fried chicken, edamame, potato salad, and yummy cake, and beautiful balloons, and a gift certificate for a massage.

You and daddy got me a sweet pair of shades and two cases for protection. You guys call me "Hollywood" now. I absolutely love them. Big hugs.

Aunt Veronica and family couldn't come over cuz the kids were sick, but don't think we didn't eat that cake right up. We missed them though.

Sofia and Dena came over for cake and brought gorgeous tulips.

I felt very special. Thanks to all my family and friends for making my day so awesome with warm wishes, cards, gifts, and food. Here's to being only 36!

Hugs,

Mommy

Lunch visitor

Dear Cole,
Daddy came to school today and ate with you in the cafeteria. You and your friends were so excited....I think daddy was too. You guys had pizza which probably wasn't right for daddy's stomach, but once he told you six weeks ago that he would be able to have lunch with you when you had pizza at school, you asked every week for six weeks. The schedule finally worked out.

I love darling. We've been up to a lot, I haven't gotten around to writing about Easter, camp out with Sofia, soccer....and I'm sure more once I look at the pictures on my camera waiting to be downloaded. Soon love.

Hugs,
Mommy

Port-a-Potty

Dear Cole,

We were at soccer practice last week and I was sitting in the car staying warm. You rushed up to the door and in a very urgent and frantic voice said, "Mom, I have to go poop. I have to go poop and pee now." And you were doing the poop pee dance. I said, "ok, let's go over to the port-a-potty over there (pointing to the unit at the end of the field)." Instaneously, the urge to go to the bathroom subsided. You said very calmly and confident, "That's ok, I don't have to go anymore."

You pinched your cheeks the whole practice - it looked like agony and, honestly, I'm surprised but thankful that you didn't pee your pants. About 15 minutes left in practice, I couldn't take it anymore. I swooped you up and carried you to the portapotty. You said, "I'm not going in. Can I just pee by it? I don't want to go in." In the end you did end up going pee in the unit but there wasn't anyway you were going to sit on the seat to do number 2. You held onto that poo until we got in the car and then I thought you might (for real) poop your pants in my car.

Daddy always jokes that when people are speeding, it's because they have to take a poop. So, when we saw me haulin ass down our street, he told the neighbor - someone must have a code brown. So true darling. So true!

We made it....barely.

I love you monkey. You make me laugh!

Hugs,

Mommy

Sick

Darling,
You are sick. The nurse called me at work and I came and got you. We snuggled in bed and watched Hood Winked, played on the ipad, read books, played board games. Mellow, relaxing stuff. You have a fever and sore throat and I hope you don't have strep.

Twice you said, "I'm sorry I interrupted your work day." Sweet pea. I told you, "If i could trade being sick with you, i would." I'd much rather be sick than watch you be sick. You're not good at being sick. You get bored too easily and you're restless. So, let's switch, okay?

I love you monkey and I'll always be here to take care of you,
Mommy

Art Show

Dear Cole,

Your artwork was chosen to be displayed at the 2011 Boulder Valley Schools k-8 Art Show. The show was open March 5-April 3 at the Boulder Public Library. Tonight, you were honored at Emerald. You stood in front of your art and as people passed by, you told them about your piece. It was so awesome. Dad and I are super proud of you.

You've been learning about impressionism and Monet. You describe your bridge piece like this:

So, you know Monet. Ok, well, Monet didn't use black or shadowing. He didn't go swish swash swish swash when he painted. He used a lot of little tiny dots, which I've included. The sun is shining, reflecting on the water, and bouncing back to the underneath of the bridge.

Well done darling. Well done.

Dear Cole,

Yesterday, Dena explained a rising situation. It goes like this - she is going to North Carolina for work in July and Cesar and Sofia will join her. They will be gone 5 to 6 months. Half of summer. All of fall. I already miss them. I don't want them to go. I'm sad that you and Fia won't be able to play and have sleep overs and watch movies and eat dinner together. We'll have to set you two up on Skype. It makes me sad so I'm not going to think about it. Sofia is your best friend. She can't go. She just can't.

Pirate Party

Dear Cole,

Eliana turned 4, Parker turned 2, and Aunt V turned 31! They celebrated by throwing a Pirate Party. You went as Jack Sparrow...I didn't get a picture of you with your full costume, but here was a few days before. Look how big you are. You had great fun playing with the other kids in the Pirate Jumpy. Uncle Gabe showed up as a 'big' Pirate! It was cool.

Spring Break: Day 6 - Coming Home

Dear Cole,

We got up super early to make our flight, but after some mechnical problems, they ended up canceling it all together. We had to wait at the airport another four hours to leave. You were so good though it all. Actually, you were so good on vacation. I'm proud of you. We had so much at Disneyland, Legoland, the beach, movies, etc. I was able to capture the classic "dad and son playing in the ocean" video. I love you so much.

Spring Break: Day 5

This morning was gorgeous! We ate breakfast at the cottage and then walked to the pier. We saw a surf competition and at the very end of the pier we saw a school of dolphins. We saw 7 of them and it was amazing. After that, we hung out at the beach for a few hours. It was so much fun to watch you play and dig and get buried in the sand by dad. We headed out before the rain the came and took a long nap after lunch. You and dad built your Lego car that you got yesterday. It's been a great vacation.

Spring Break: Day 4 - Legoland

LEGOLAND. This place is cool. Here is what you wrote in your school journal:

"Yesterday, I ate brefis. Aft that I wit to lagelead. I wit to the volvo. It wos mad fun. I wit to lego technic costr. Las Vegas, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC, New Orleans ot fo logos."

Miniland USA: We saw New Orleans, San Francisco, NYC, Las Vegas, Sydney - all made out of legos. It's so freakin cool.