SuperSmart Second Grader

Wm is officially done with first grade!!!  And, he came home with his report card and TerraNova testing results.  His report is GREAT and he scored in the 90th percentile overall on the TerraNova test - and 96th percentile in Math!  Wm is a super genius!!  I told Wm he scored in the 96th percentile in Math and I go, "that means, if there were 100 kids in a room, you would be better at Math than-" Wm interrupts and goes, "96 of them." And that's why he's a Math genius, I guess. He also figured out 200 divided by 4 in about 3 seconds. Definitely his Dad's kid.  Then, in the car on the way to coming in to work with me....

Wm: When I grow up, I have 2 jobs I want to do.  One, study space.  Two, study chemicals and potions.
Me: So you want to be a chemist?
Wm: Yes! A chemist.
Me: And do you want to GO to space and be an astronaut? Or just study space?
Wm: No way.  I'm not going anywhere.  I want to STUDY space from EARTH.
Me: Oh, then you'd be an astronomer.
Wm: Yeah...that. And a chemist.  A chemist and an astronomer.  Maybe I will study chemical and space together!

Enthusiastic

Wm was this month's Character Club winner!  The character trait was "Enthusiastic."

He got to have lunch with the principal and got a popsicle.  Tomorrow is his last day of school.  We are going to Lunch on the Lawn and then he's done.  I was planning to take him to work with me, but Steve is now making noises about just taking the afternoon off and playing.  

Tonight is Steve's soccer night, so he just doesn't come home from work.  Our house has been overrun with ants and Wm saw one in the sink and goes, "when EXACTLY is Daddy going to be home?!?" I told him not until he was asleep and he was very displeased.  Apparently I am not capable of protecting him from The Ant Menace.  So I text Steve and he said he will enact the Ant Final Solution when he gets home.  

Demon Spawn

Wm has been in rare form today.  Totally evil.  Not listening, being all teen angst-y, and just mean/diabolical all day. At one point, he sent a note down from his room (where I sent him) that said I was the "meanest mom in the world."  After Steve relented and let him out, Wm proceeded to slam him in his man bits with a baseball.  When Steve finally peeled himself off the grass, Wm went right back up to his room.  Where he is currently staying.  I went up and told him that he had to stay up there and think about how he had treated the family today and ways he could try to be nicer tomorrow and we'll hope for a better day.  He nodded and looked penitent, so we'll see how that goes.

Here are some pictures of when we went sort of hiking and Wm was being sort of nice.

Learned to skip rocks!

Sanctioned climbing!

Wm only has 3 more days of school!  Tomorrow is Field Day where they just get to play outside for most of the day. And Thursday is Lunch on the Lawn and a half day, so really - he's only got 1 more full day of real school left!  I love summer break!!!  So does Wm.  

Meanwhile, Steve is still icing down his family jewels.  

Complete!

After spending the day mulching, planting little red flowers, and otherwise beautifying, we are officially declaring Blueberry Hill complete. Numerous neighbors have come over to tell us how nice the house looks.  We are thrilled with the way it turned out!! Especially Steve.

BEFORE

AFTER

Wm was a big helper!  He helped take up the old mulch, plant the flowers, and spread out the new mulch.  This was after his baseball practice, so I am hoping he sleeps well tonight!  

I'm glad it's a 3 day weekend so we can all recover.

IKEA

Suzanne and I went to IKEA today.  And got quite the haul.

With the help of a wizard (also known as an IKEA employee), it all fit into Suzanne's car! Barely.

I got really cute porch furniture...and, of course, a bunch of awesomely cheap IKEA stuff (99 cent serving spoon! $2.99 cutting board! $12.99 shower curtain!)  Suzanne got a dining room table, 4 chairs, and an IKEA haul of goods.  We were shopping masters!!  Then, Steve spent all evening putting 2 chairs, a bench, and a little table together.  It went well for the most part, but at one point he yelled at a screw, "STOP BEING A DICK!" So there was that. But the screw listened and all was well after that.  So now the only thing left to do is plant some flowers and Blueberry Hill is 100% complete! I am choosing to ignore the garden beds in the back overrun with weeds.  Next year...

Blueberry Hill

DONE! 

Last night, the final name dubbing occurred.  We have rechristened Pinkliwink Acres....Blueberry Hill! (It's blue, on a hill, and we have found our thrill). My mom emailed me this morning and suggested the same thing.  We must be related! The painters did an AMAZING job and the wood siding looks brand new instead of 98 years old. Steve couldn't be happier.  But, as our 6 year old neighbor informed us, "it's ugly and you should bring back the pink." There's no accounting for taste.

I head to IKEA with Suzanne tomorrow to get some nice new porch furniture.  Then, this weekend we are going to plant some red flowers out front in those bare spots between all the bushes.  After that...we are officially done!

Midnight Manor

Well, Pinkliwink Acres is no more...

Clearly it's not done yet since you can see them still working on it.  The porch will be painted the same beige as the trim around the windows/door and the front door will be painted a dusty red. I will update with a finished pic tomorrow (they said they should finish tomorrow - so here's hoping!)

I wanted to name the house Blueberry Bottoms. Steve wants The Matyai Midnight Manor.  Suzanne contributed lots of good ideas, include Azure Abbey, which is always awesome because it reminds me of Downtown Abbey (MATTHEW!!!  WHY?!!?) And, my friend Mel suggested Mexicali Blue - which I am loving. 

I need help picking!  Let me know your vote! 

Wm is at his first baseball practice.  It is nearly 90 degrees out, so I pleaded exhaustion and sent Steve.  I turned on the AC, took a cool shower, ate a piece of pecan pie while reading...livin' the dream!  Meanwhile, Steve texted me, "TORTURE."  I suppose I'll have to tap in for next time! I did clean the entire house (including Wm's Den of Lego Doom) and washed the car while Steve worked this weekend, so I don't feel toooooo bad.

Costco Win

We went to Costco today while Wm was in school (have to take advantage of kid-free Costco trips!)  And Steve found $115 sunglasses for $39. Happy does not cover it. You'd think he'd found the holy grail.  He has been positively jubilant.  Proof:

No problem smiling with these shades on.  Still kinda creepy, though.

Tonight is Steve's soccer night with the oldsters, so I took Wm up to the playground after dinner.  It was 87 degrees out and Wm was RUNNING around with a gaggle of children he found there.  Once we got home, he says, "I can tell you this now that we're home....I totally have swamp ass."  What?!  Yes.  He learned that gem from his father, folks.  The smiley weirdo pictured above.  I can't wait to tell Steve when he returns home. I think he may be suffering from the same affliction after playing soccer in this heat for an hour and a half.

Cardinals

Wm: I saw a male cardinal today!
Me: How do you know it was a male?
Wm: It was red.
Me: All cardinals are red.
Wm: No, the females are brown.
Me: Hm. Really? I didn't know that. Are you sure?
Wm: Look it up.
Me: I will.
[2 minutes later.]
Me: You're right!  How the heck did you know that?
Wm: [disdainfully] I READ, Mommy.

I went in to check on Wm and make sure he was tucked in last night before I went to sleep.  Afterwards, I went into our bedroom and told Steve that Wm is the cutest angel on the planet when he is sleeping and Steve goes, "yeah...I wish he was asleep all the time."

Steve is off today (he has to work this weekend AGAIN) and I am working from home, so it's pretty rad.  We are going to go play some tennis, go out to a nice lunch, and have some awesome fun (I am planning to spread my 8 hours of work throughout the entire day, so we can enjoy lots of kid-free time).  And, the painters come today to start painting our house!  The pink house is almost history.  Wm lovingly ran his hand down the side of the house yesterday and said wistfully, "I will miss the pink house."

Martyr's Day

About 3 weeks ago, Steve discovered his bank card was gone.  He was in a panic and assumed he had left it in the ATM last time he was at the bank.  He called around to every bank he could have been to, no one could find it, and he eventually had to cancel the card, put a block on it, and have a new one issued.  The whole ordeal took days.  We watched our accounts and made sure there was no suspicious activity for a couple weeks.  Then, yesterday, I was putting away Wm's laundry and opened his miscellaneous stuff drawer to stick his bathing suit in there now that swimming is done for a bit.  Guess what was in there?  Steve's bank card.  I go, "What is this?" and Wm goes, "Oh yeah, I hid that from Daddy a while ago and then forgot about it."

After returning from Whole Foods...
Steve: Cory, can you grab the iPad?
Me: Yep, got it.
Steve: Where are the bags?
Me: I have those too.  All of them. I have everything.  [sigh] On Mother's Day. No...don't worry...I've got it.  Don't worry about me...
Steve: Mother's Day? More like Martyr's Day.
Wm: What's a martyr?

Level 2

Wm made me a very nice Mother's Day card at school yesterday that included an amazing letter inside. However, for some strange reason, he chose to draw some sort of animal skeletons on the front.  Nooooo idea what's happening there...or why.

And Wm officially "graduated" from Level 1 swim lessons today!!  They finally got him to go all the way under water multiple times!  Which was the one thing holding him back from moving to Level 2.  Sadly, swimming is nearly over and baseball is beginning in a week.  But, we plan to take Wm to the outdoor pool a bunch as soon as it opens after Memorial Day!  And I have high hopes that baseball is going to be Wm's sport.

Conversation I just had with Wm...

Me: Fold your laundry, man.

Wm: I finished folding my socks!

Me: Wow! Great job!  That is hard work folding socks!

Wm: Wait.  Socks aren't hard to fold.  Are you being sarcastic?

Me: Indeed.

Very proud that Wm is able to recognize sarcasm.  I've trained him well.

Helium

We've all been coming down and cleaning up after Wm's big birthday celebration.  I must find a way to get out of a party next year.  Anyone with ideas on other activities...please share!  When he turned 6 we did that surprise day off school and filled with fun.  That was less exhausting.  But - it's been done.  I need new! But, we did have fun with the helium left in Wm's birthday balloon!



And I am super looking forward to Mother's Day!  I tried to make all last week Mother's Week, but Steve and Wm would not have it.

Birthday Party

I. Am. Exhausted.  But Wm has had a great birthday so far!!  And it's not over yet!  Presents and dinner with Mimi and Guy yesterday, Grandma and Grandpa came for celebrating, and then swimming and big Chuck E. Cheese party today.  Steve and I couldn't believe how completely draining herding 6 kids around Chuck E. Cheese was.  We are TIRED. And more birthday to come with Papa and Donna tomorrow! And the returning of duplicate presents. Wm ended his birthday party with 2 of the same Lego set and 3 of the same Skylander. He is pumped to go to Target tomorrow and return it all for new goods.

Mustache from Mimi

At Chuck E. Cheese

Daddy stealing tokens...

Wm got over 1,000 tickets

Pizza and craziness

Getting his birthday crown

Was not a fan of the crown.

Blowing out the candles!

In Ticket Blaster!

Deer in headlights...

Our house is destroyed and covered in Legos. Typical Wm holiday.  I expect to have nothing but foot rubs and chocolate next weekend for Mother's Day!

Almost 7!

It is finally GORGEOUS outside!!  Super sunny and in the upper 70's or even low 80's.  While Steve worked last weekend, Wm and I went to the park to play.  And yesterday, Wm rode his bike all the way to the library and back!!  We went the back way so he wouldn't have to ride near High St and so it was about a 3 mile bike ride - with hills!  And Wm knocked it out!!!!  He's a biking riding champ!

Very orange: outfit by Wm

Wm got me a lego chicken man.  He was convinced I will love it and encourages me to sleep with him under my pillow "for good dreams." Early Mother's Day gift?  No idea.  But I now have a lego chicken man living under my pillow.

The perfect gift. Lego chicken man.

Steve has been shopping for sunglasses for...basically...years.  He never finds "good" ones and then destroys the ones he does buy.  Steve won't buy the expensive ones because that's a "ripoff," but then complains that the ones he does buy are "cheap."  So, it's basically a lose-lose situation we're working with here.  But, my favorite part is the creepy pictures he sends me as he tries them on to get my opinion.  It's picture after picture of Sociopath Steve staring weirdly into his camera.  Here's a sample (my phone has ZILLIONS more that look exactly like this).  

Steve not taking my suggestion...

Steve actually finally bought some sunglasses, but they were cheap, he says they aren't as nice as the expensive ones and whines about it, but, at least, goes, "I guess they are good for a $20 pair of sunglasses."  At least I can stop worrying that he will kill me in my sleep since I don't get serial killer face pictures anymore!

And - tomorrow is The Big Day!!  Wm is SO PUMPED.  Every morning all week he gives us the countdown.  This morning he was all, "TOMORROW is my birthday!!!!!" I got him chocolate rolls for breakfast and he will wake up to a present hunt.  We're going to let him find them all before school, but then he has to wait to open the boxes until after school.  We'll see how that goes...