Updates- and Josh the Genius

This cute picture was taken while I played "Wheels on the Bus" with Patrick, Josh, Evan and Clara. Patrick got off of my lap and walked over to Josh's and sat down on it. One of the cutest things I'm tell'n ya. They are getting so big.

Joshua started preschool this year, he is in an early reading program that means it is free for us and they do lots of testing to see their progress. We had our first parent teacher conference last month and the teacher told us that Josh is sooo bright, which we knew, and soooo funny, we also knew that...but it is always awesome to hear other say it as well. She said one of his main friends doesn't speak any English, but is not a problem, it is actually good for his friend. Josh teaches him how to say things in English and help correct his grammar. AWESOME!

Then on Friday I had the opportunity (thank you Allie for watching the kids I nanny) to go to Josh's school and volunteer for 2 hours. I really loved it. I got to see first hand who all of his friends are, which seem to be quite a few, and his teacher pointed out one of Josh's new friends that only speaks Farsi. She said he follows Josh nearly everywhere, she calls him Josh's shadow.

So here comes the good part...

Part of the program he is in does lots of testing , like I said before, while I was there Josh had his testing done, I only got to see it from a distance since I was on the 'sand and coloring tables' teaching kids to draw bugs and their names. At the end of Josh's test his teacher said "WOW" loud enough that I heard it across the room. I was thinking that was a good sign. Later she pulls me a side and says "maybe he should go straight to first grade, just skip kindergarten." I know he is a genius for his age, he seriously started saying clear words at 6 months. He could say things in complete sentences before he could walk, before he turned 1! She told me that in all of her years of teaching and giving this test to hundreds of students she has NEVER seen anyone score so high. The average for one portion is 5-10 points, he scored 37. The average for the other portion is 0, he scored 24! "That is amazing" I said. Then she proceed to tell me that is a test for kindergarten! So those averages are for children in kindergarten! SWEET! "Too bad they don't like you to skip grades anymore" I said. "That is true but I am going to talk with (so-in-so), the lady over the advanced learning program, and see what we can work out with her. " she said. His teacher gave us some reading phonics books, to keep him from getting bored with learning. Needless to say Josh is blessed with a beautiful brain and we as his parents and his teacher, need to work extra hard to keep him as excited about learning as he is now.

Patrick has reached the age where he understands, most of the time, what I am saying to him. He has added many more words to his vocabulary including "clock, car, ball, no, cracker, sucker, backyardagains (not super clearly), just to name a few. He still is loving to blow kisses, the noise he makes when doing it is so cute. His new favorite activity is to stand at one end of the room and he says "ready, set, go!" and will run to the other end of the room. This activity he does over and over, endless entertainment!

Trevor is working like a maniac! He goes to work, comes home, and heads straight up to the roof to get it fixed before the next big rain storm. Thank goodness Nate is such an great brother and has been helping him with his re-roofing needs. They both go to work for 8 hours, work on the roof til dark, 3-ish hours, and then to top it all off my husband then gets off the roof eats dinner quickly and heads downstairs to fix things in the other half of the duplex, which we got rented out (yea!). So he eats, sleeps, and works. Maybe next week we will be able to make some time for FUN! Just got to say my husband is an amazing man, an amazing sexy man!!

And I am making our house a home, I re-appolstered (a couch, a chair, and a bench), made some curtains and a table cloth, have done lots of painting and organizing. Trevor said to me the other day " I never really pictured you as the sewing type", I would agree, but there is something about being cheap that brings out my creative side and I kind of like it. Did it all while watching my two children (super full time) and cute little Clara (full time), and Evan and Michalea (who I watch part time 2-3 times a week-ish) and Aleko (here and there). Needless to say I am on fire, and feel pretty good about it. And I went from Blonde to Dark Red hair, it looks great I think. Trevor and I also started a Six Week Body Makeover weight loss thing. So I will let you know how that went in 6 weeks.