Ada Feeling Better

Ada had a fever yesterday, so when I called to talk to her while at school, I asked her if she is feeling better and she said that she was. When I asked her if she is running around having fun she said, “No, I’m talking to you daddy!”

First Day for Teachers!

And 92 degrees in my room with all the blinds pulled down. We’re taken care of so well.

Although, Helena knows all….

We were going to the store and passed by our park, where almost daily there are people playing soccer. The kids notice that nobody is there and wonder where they are.

Dad: Liam starts soccer again next month. Hey, Liam, are you going to play soccer forever?

Helena: Do you think that he has a crystal ball?

Technology in the Schools

I’m in a workshop learning about how kids need to use technology in class, but rather than listening, I’m updating my blog. If I can’t ignore the distraction on my desk, then kids can’t either.

Photo of me being bored

35W Exit Beggars

When taking the kids to Dalen’s, we exited the highway at 46th Street and Ada said, “How come there is nobody there?”

The rest of us didn’t know what she was taking about. But, we eventually figured out that Ada meant that there was no beggar at the end of the exit ramp.

Helena thinks that all the people are there asking for money for alcohol and drugs, so I’ve been trying to explain that there are lots of reasons why people have to ask for money, but so far she is skeptical.

Ada’s Birthday

Over the last year, we’ve had to hear about Ada’s birthday parties. When she became angry with anyone, she’d say that they weren’t invited to her birthday party. Then it was, “You’re not invited to my green birthday party!” You were either invited or not to one of the color birthday parties, but they became themed based on color. She hasn’t been doing it over the last month or two, but when I asked her what color birthday party her “real” party was going to be yesterday, she said, “Rainbow”. I guess all those colors through the year all manifested themselves into the real thing.

Being Goofy at Dinner

Just After Being Surprised

Birthday Girl

Dad’s Cupcakes

Handing out Party Favors

Ada with Best Friend Alexa

Helena with Friends. (I had to take her home early because of extreme goofiness)

Opening Presents at Grandma’s House

Opening Presents at Home

Getting Tired

The original plan was to have a party at Bryant Square and invite daycare over, but there was something going on, so they only could do it after nap time, so we had the party at Grandma’s House. I walked in with Ada and it was dark inside. Ada said, “I didn’t know it was closed!”, and as I opened the door they all yelled surprise. Last year’s party for her was a surprise party (after a nap), but I don’t think she understands the whole thing. But she had a good time, and was happy to see her old friends again.

She opened presents from Dalen and the kids at the daycare, then we went out to eat, and when we got back home she got to open the presents from me at the house. Then it was pretty late, but she got to watch the end of “The Ant Bully”, and then went to sleep downstairs due to the thunderstorm – which was the third one that day.

She’s said a bunch of funny things today, and I wish I could remember them all. At the moment, all I can think about is when we got home she asked me if we could play “Super Mario Galaxy 2 Wah-hoo”

UPDATE: I do remember something else. While looking at pictures on the cell phone, I said to Ada that her mouth looks really big in this picture. She said, “Yeah, I was so thirsty that day”, which was true. And when she did get a drink, she was so happy that next to the water fountain there were paper cones to put the water in. I think she had four of them before I had to stop her.

Also filed under “What they remember about that day”, Helena tonight remembered when we went to the hibachi table at Ichiban how a woman tripped over a cord and broke the Christmas lights on the tree.

Home Depot and the Walker

To get the kids out of the house, I took the kids to Home Depot to get paint for Liam’s bedroom. After the squirrel broke though the wall to get it’s kids some food somewhere, it had to be patched up, so it needed a repainting job. Walking into the store, there was a program for kids where they could each build their own pencil holders by gluing, hammering, and a little sanding. Helena wants to go back every week.

Afterward we went to eat, and by the time we got home, Ada’s was lost. We do have some proof that she actually made one, though. Helena, Liam, and Ada all wore their Home Depot aprons in Ikea, and Helena “complained” that everyone was laughing at them, but she was actually quite proud to be wearing them and being centres of attention.

The Walker’s family day was next, and the kids were given GPS units to find caches around the garden, which they liked playing with. They also heard some music, and began to make megaphones out of paper, but we ran out of time for that.

Ada spotted the Spoonbridge and Cherry and took off running after it – she was really excited after going by it so many times on the bus. She’s been there before, but I guess it has been a year since we’ve been to the Sculpture Garden.