My favorite things

I've always heard that your child's Kindergarten year would be some of your best memories of their childhood. Maybe I just set my expectations too high but I had a really weird school year. Parker did great, a few minor hiccups (come to think of it, those would make a pretty hilarious post) but he flew through the year like a champ. Great grades and only a few disciplinary learning experiences. I was the one with anxiety about school, homework, friends, getting stickers and everything not going perfectly. It taught me a lot about Parker and myself and we both grew together. Awww. Maybe by the time June is in Kindergarten, I will have it perfected!
I have been noticing things lately that I just absolutely adore about my little Hoffman boys and I feel like these little moments are going to slip right out of my mind if I don't get them down. How tragic would that be!
My favorite thing Garrett is doing right now is pretend reading. He will get some instructions out for Hot Wheels or something and sit down, very seriously and begin "reading" them to me. He puts his first finger on the words and starts, "First you put the sing (thing) on the top of the sing and next you get zat piece and put it over zere." He will go on like this until I attempt to make whatever it is he is instructing me to make. He wants to be like his big brother so badly.
He is also still saying "I'm firsty" and "lellow". His latest, and my personal fave is bessert.Pretty much after every meal he needs his bessert. Too cute. His whining is also making me nuts but he has the best pouty face. I have never seen a bottom lip stick out so far and then turn back to a smile equally as fast. Finally, after 2 kids I am getting the hang of how to get their minds off of their serious troubles and stop the whining. June doesn't stand a chance!
Parker is losing teeth like crazy and it has been so much fun. I can't stand to have a tooth just hanging there and the build up to it falling out is hilarious. He was brave and let me pull the first few but now I think he remembers all of the blood and he tries to stay away from me. I try to threaten all sorts of things, losing it in his sleep, swallowing it, having to wear a tutu like the tooth fairy, etc. He has lost 8 so far and thank goodness they are all coming in just in time for school to start. I know he is going to want to look good for all of the first grade girls. He is growing up too fast. One day, he just started bathing himself. I filled up the tub and the next thing I knew, he was in his pj's and had washed his hair and gotten clean and emptied the tub and dried off all by himself. I'm grateful for this but when did everything change? And, I love that my almost first grader is doing negative numbers, and multiplication and division. It is so fascinating to watch how his brain works and how I explain things too slowly for him. If he only had someone good at math showing him new things, oh the places he could go!
The boys have also been being so sweet to each other. Before school was out, Garrett would ask when we were going to get Parker all day long and once he was home, they would go upstairs and play nicely for about an hour together. SWEET FREEDOM! It finally happened. Not much past one hour would I start hearing fighting but, man, what an improvement from Parker not wanting to be in the same room as Garrett just a short time ago. Parker has been great at "teaching" Garrett too. I heard them up there reading the other day and Parker was trying to get Garrett to read. He said, "Garrett, you know this word, it's easy. Sound it out. It's h-e-l-i-c-o-p-t-e-r." Garrett said, "Um, no Parker, I can't read." Both of the boys are so sweet about June getting here. We have had a great summer just relaxing and playing. I wish I could bottle these memories forever, especially the ones where they are scheming together and not completely harassing each other. Another summer is almost gone and the craziness will begin. Back to school for Parker, then for Garrett and then very very shortly after, June will be here, adding to the chaos. I just pray I have time to enjoy it all and make the most of every second.