March 2018 – Family Highlights

 

In school this month, Calan had fun practicing multiplying single digits by double digits in math. He liked learning about Pi, and celebrated Pi Day on “3/14”. He had fun writing down quite a few of the first numbers of Pi and even memorized about a dozen of the first numbers to where he could rattle them off quickly for you. He also started writing down and making up his own choreography. A little artistic dance inclination we never knew about! He also liked playing around with a new “coding” toy called the Ozobot (where you mark out lines and little shapes in marker on a large piece of paper, and a tiny little bot follows the commands based on what you draw out). He’s also reading the Ralph Mouse collection. The boys also had fun playing “Magic Tree House”, setting up the tree house and other scenarios in the living room with pillows and chairs. Calan also liked working on his cursive writing, which was fun for us to see. Together, the boys have really gotten into their show “Wild Kratts”, where two brothers teach about different animals and creatures of the world through both a documentary format and “wild” cartoon stories. Calan took to some cooking practice this month. He learned more specifically how to crack eggs himself, whisk them around and even cook them himself, including starting the gas burner. He and Mama made some omelettes together for a few days. He’s growing up!

 

In sports this month, it was all about getting ready for D2 basketball that would start next month. We finished the CYBA season with Coach Steve’s team and his son Nick by going to their playoff games. They lost along the way so had to play more post season games. This was ok with us as we got to go see these usually exciting games, sometimes several nights in a row. This was made challenging sometimes when Evan had to come along while Mama worked. He was not for “sitting” in the crowded stands at the various gyms we attended. He liked to “work the crowd” so to speak, so we were often chasing him down and figuring out ways to keep him in one spot. Calan continued to work with Coach Wil on basketball and conditioning. He especially liked trying out the treadmill, and in fact, started running on ours at home. The more comfortable he got, the faster and longer he could go. He would easily do a mile at a time. He also started dribbling around his back once he discovered he could pull it off if he got it just right. 

 

One fun venture Calan and Dada did this month was go to the Ventura Rock & Mineral Show at the fairgrounds. It was the first time Calan had been around THAT many “rocks”. He loved going around to the continuous flow of exhibits and stores that filled the same hall at the fairgrounds that Dada and Uncle Dave ran their kids consignment sale in 11 years ago. Calan had some money to spend to pick up a few special gems. It was hard, but in the end he chose his favorites that were within budget and took home a memorable collection of gems. (Dada even got his favorite, Laboradite).

 

 

Another amazing moment came one night when Calan taught Evan how to play Twinkle Little Star on the piano. Evan had shown some interest and was trying to peck it out. Somehow, he and Calan managed enough patience to sit together for twenty minutes or so while Evan learned and memorized the first phrase of the melody.

 

Evan continues to pick up reading more easily. He’s identifying more words than ever and reading longer sentences in books. Lately, we’ve changed up his books and started reading the Magic Tree House series with him. It’s fun as Calan will join us before bed each night. One interesting observation he made that tells us how he looks at the words and letters in books came one night when he noticed that the word ‘science’ from an earlier page and the word ‘picnic’ both have “two Cs in them”. Interesting since the Cs in each word don’t even have the same sound!

 

After his Long Beach trip this month, he started on wheat germ. Tiny little specs of the stuff that we mix in apple sauce. He’s making his way nicely through treatment now!

 

As he finishes his last quarter of being three, we’re still yet to see him easily use the potty. And actually, he hadn’t done it yet despite trying here and there. He would sit down, and nothing would come out. Then…finally on March 31, on one of our tries he let “pee-pee” trickle out into the potty. His first official time using the toilet; we hope a new trend has started for this late bloomer potty goer!