Back to School 09/05/2009
Aidan and I both had a four day school week to start with a four day weekend to follow. The first day I went in late so that I could drop him off at kindergarten; we did the same thing the second day. He has spent a lot of time with the guidance counselor/assistant principal but that is declining. By Thursday he even managed to ride the bus home with her accompanying him. I don't see him when he gets home, so he has already told someone else all about his day and forgotten half of it or wonders why I want to know about it when he has already told the story once before, but from what G and LB tell me, he comes home excited about parts of his day. He does want me to drop him off and pick him up. That just can't happen. The best I can do is wait for the bus when it goes up the road and see him board it in the morning. If he waits to board until it comes back down the road, I'll already be gone. So we'll work on that. My first days went smoothly, though the result by the end of the week was as usual; I'm now spending my weekend sick with a double ear infection. I catch everything that any student has, even after 14 years on the job.  First Day of School  Playing guitar (left handed) Big Days 08/30/2009
 Yesterday was RB's third birthday party. Today is my great nephews's second birthday party. And tomorrow is Aidan's first day of kindergarten. The first two are very exciting, but the third one is very scary for my son. I will be going in to work late so that I can take him to school, and G will be leaving work early to pick him up (he is terrified that we will put him on a bus-a bus took him away from his foster home, remember) and just plain scared of the change. This week I sent him to his old daycare, which he loved after the first few days, and still he cried the first morning. His best friend was out on vacation, so that added to his upset, and of course he was not used to getting up and leaving the house early in the morning, either-part of why I sent him. So this week will definitely be tough. Birthday Party #1 RB's best friend (center) and Aidan's beloved daycare teacher, both guests at the party.   The birthday boy with LB Kindergarten Open House      Birthday Party #2 The two year old birthday boy His Sisters   His Parents-My Nephew and His Wife  Birthday Party, etc. 08/16/2009
We got the pool filled enough for the kids to cool off. PB and I went toy store shopping with the three boys-what fun-and Aidan got a baseball bat, plus I picked up birthday gifts for BB and RB. And today we went to BB's first birthday party. Then on the way home I stopped in the meadow where my brothers were haying and took these shots of my nephew's kids on the hay and my brother on the tractor.  LB's hair is almost as blue as the pool lining, though you can't really tell in this picture of she and MB   Some people think one year olds need motorized cars. Here is BB with a remote controlled car run by his uncle, behind him. And then, like most kids, he wanted to play with the packaging more than the toys.        Dog Days, at Last 08/10/2009
 We finally have long, hot, sticky days. My fifth brother went haying for the only time this year-it was finally dry enough to cut-and Aidan got to drive the tractor. He loved that, of course. My second brother was exhibiting at the annual League of NH Craftsmen Fair this week and sold a table and chairs, so he's psyched. http://www.nhcrafts.org/index.html http://www.myrlphelps.com/  My third brother called and asked if my grandsons needed a swingset. When I said they do not, but we do, we got a swingset. MB hasn't used it yet, but the other three had a great time on it today.   And last, my first brother was here for a day and a half with his wife. He'll be back again later this month for his birthday (let's see-he'll be 62 this time!) for longer. Then he'll be able to see his daughter-she lives in NH, he lives in WA, and she was out West while he was back East.  MB could not get enough of my sister in-law!        Vacation Week 08/02/2009
Today ends vacation week for both PB and myself. I actually ended up watching the grandsons on and off, but it was still a good week. PB and I took all four boys (BB was with me that day) to the beach for one afternoon. We played in the dirt a lot. And on Friday, despite the constant pouring rain, Aidan and I went to Santa's Village, which he loved. On Saturday we went to an Asian families gathering (adoptive families) hosted by the biology teacher at my school, who has two Korean children. Their son, also named Aidan, is eight, and their daughter is four. The other family that came has a 15 year old Chinese daughter. The fourth family had to cancel last minute. Then today we spent the early afternoon at Mom's house where I had MB and GB was there with his son, BB. Here are shots from the whole week:           You can see that I was thrilled to take this plunge but that Aidan was not so much so. He asked, as we ascended, if he could get off. He also insisted that I keep my arms around his waist the whole time, even when the ride was gentle. Guide to these shots: 1st row left-BB (grandson #2); right-Brandy (dog), Aidan, BB, & RB (grandson #1) 2nd row left-PB & boys after beach; Aidan after beach, w/black cherry ice cream 3rd row left-Aidan; right-PB (our first daughter) 4th row left-Brother #2 with Aidan and my niece (from sister #4) in the workshop (my brother makes furniture); right-BB & MB (grandsons #2 and #3) 5th row left and right-the boys again, with cabbage (other rows identified below)                     6th row left-the boys and me; right-GB (our 1st son) and his son, BB 7th row left-sister #4 with MB; GB and BB again 8th row left-my sister's girls and MB; right-brother #5 and BB 9th row left-Mom and kids; right-my 2nd brother's girlfriend, doing a crossword puzzle in the shop 10th row left-Aidan; right-my 5th brother's wife and BB Bike Riding 07/27/2009
Yesterday I took Aidan's training wheels off. He was pretty nervous about trying to ride the bike alone, so I would run with him and hold onto it while he pedaled and practiced steering. Here he is just one day later, riding ten feet at a time. Perfect Summer Days 07/14/2009
When it is not raining, the days are perfect. Like the summers of my youth, the temps are in the 70s and the humidity is relatively low. I can breathe, we can actually spend time in the south-facing part of the house, and it just couldn't be more beautiful.     Aidan also has a great love of cooking. It really doesn't matter what; he loves to measure, pour, stir, everything. He even loves to wash dishes. Here he is actually cooking with a wok that my sister gave us years ago.   Family StyleThis weekend was G's family reunion. Here are some shots of Aidan playing ball, BB trying to get in on the game, BB and GB enjoying the sun, and Aidan hanging out with his father.       Hangin' out with Dad All tuckered out from that batting practice. My Little Dirt DiggersThe trip to the elementary school playground was so that Aidan could get used to his new school and play on the equipment, but the boys spent most of their time in the dirt.     Today we went to my mother's gravel pit. Aidan was awed by the place. I'll have to tell him that both of his grandmothers own gravel pits!         Happy Independence Day! 07/04/2009
 The boys catching rain with their shovels. What else was there to do this week? After our week of rain, the sun came out enough for us to watch the parade in the next town. Then, just as we were heading to our car, the pellets started falling, and just after we started the car, the skies opened up with a vengeance. By the time we got home it was tapering off. A couple of hours later we went to G's parents' house for the annual cook-out and the rain held off long enough for us all to eat and play for a couple of hours, then the thunder came again. Most of the week we just had rain without thunder or lightning, but it sure would be nice to see a break.  Aidan, enjoying some of G's onion rings, just before the parade got started, and wearing the Sponge Bob hat that G bought him at the vendor tables.             Drip, Drip, Drip 07/02/2009
It might never stop raining. Busy, Busy Weekend 06/28/2009
The weekend actually began on Friday. First we went to the doctor's office where Aidan got not one, not two, but three shots. Reaction and fever didn't set in until later that night, so he was able to play with the kids at daycare where we went for his last pizza day--they have them once a month--and showed up just in time for some sprinkler fun.   We also stopped in at my sister's bakery, where she and my niece were busily preparing for Saturday's sales.    Then later in the evening we met PB, RB, and MB at the park in town.       On Friday night and Saturday, Aidan was pretty sick from his shots-feverish and tired-so we laid low, but on Saturday afternoon we went to visit my mother and were just in time for a pretty powerful and short-lived thunderstorm. We sat with her out on the porch and listened to the thunder, lightning, and windchimes. Aidan loved it. He has asked at least a dozen times since when we could hang windchimes on our porch (I think I got some from a brother for Christmas, but the porch wasn't built until last year and the ceiling still isn't finished, so I haven't hung them yet).  Mom turned 81 on Sunday. She stopped hiking the mountain for her birthday two summers ago, which is how Aidan and I got her to ourselves on Saturday afternoon (a very rare and special treat), but on Sunday all of the hikers were gathered at the house and at the bog to play, so we joined them for a while.       Then in the evening we joined GB and JC for a cookout using the new grill she got at last weekend's bridal shower. BB is walking now, and he is curious about everything!    When we got home, to yet more rain, Aidan and I sat on the porch and talked about windchimes, and "camping" out on the porch sometime when it is raining. The fact that he had a sleeping bag was news to him, so of course he had to see it right away, and he then spread it out on the t.v. room floor to watch Iron Man. | More of Aidan can be seen under the Photos blog. Our older children can be seen in both the Photos area and by clicking on their initials on the home page.  Adoption Timeline
Travel Dates: Aidan's Lullaby
ArchivesNovember 2009 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed