Preschool and 1st Grade

Growing Into Someone Else
Tiberias turns 4 yrs old in just under a week.
He knows that one day he will be grown just like his dad. Lately he has not had too many issues with anxiety , as he had a few months ago. However, he is concerned about turning the big number 4.

Less than a week ago he started sharing his concerns with me, his mom. "I don't want to be a dad. I want to be a Ty." That was his first attempt at letting me know what was going on. And being his mom I totally knew what he meant. He is afraid of growing up too fast. And maybe worried his appearance will change over night.

As days went on and he continued to comment it confirmed that he was afraid his physical appearance would change over night because his age changes over night. Cute kid.
I have tried to teach him how it works and assure him he will still be himself.


It did not help that I made his appearnce change drastically with a hair cut. But I think he will be fine.
I was growing his hair out because Luke looks so great with longer hair than buzzed hair. I wanted to grow out and tame Ty's hair to see what he would look like.
His hair was getting long but being difficult to tame. It's so soft and puffy just as it has been since he was an infant. But looking at him with his hair wet and moused into place and looking at our last family portrait when his hair was buzzed (but not bald) I decided he looks best with a buzzed cut. He does look a little older than he did the last time his hair was this short so it is a change for him. He said "I don't look like Ty."

Trying To Be "Good"
Tiberias struggles with , and has for a few years, behaving well. "Being good" you might say. He loves books and movies he can relate to. For example we got a book from the library a couple months ago about a dinosaur who did not hear everything he was told. He was too busy, in his mind and physically, to pay enough attention to know what he was told to do.
Another example; When Sophie Gets Angry. A book about a girl who has to share with her sister but doesn't want to so she throws a fit and runs outside. She runs away to a tree. Climbs the tree and has some time to herself to calm down. Then she goes back home where her family is waiting for her. Where her family loves her. And everything is good again.

Right now Tiberias loves Lilo & Stitch 2. Not the first movie but the 2nd. It's about Stitch trying to be good when something in him makes him misbehave.
I have not sat down and watched it but I think that's the jist of it. And that's why Ty loves it. Because he has that struggle as well.

I have struggled with Tiberias' behavior for a couple of years. This Summer our biggest problem is his desire to argue. He wants to argue about everything even if he is totally wrong.
I am really surprised at how hard it is not to argue with him when I set a goal not to.

About a month ago in the van I said something and Ty , as if trying to repeat what I said, rephrased it to be the opposite of what I said. So I corrected him. Then he said it again but opposite. He does not seem to be trying to be silly or make me upset. But for some reason he gets mixed up in his head.
He then said "Mom, I am just learning. okay?!" That's when I realized he is trying. He's not just being difficult but instead he is trying and having a hard time.

It also makes me wonder if he has some kind of learning disability.

Doing Preschool 2014-2015 with Martha and her two sons will be really good for all of us. He will get to interact with other kids and another teacher. He will start learning how to be in a classroom/learning environment/schedule/routine. I will be able to see how he does through the school year to know if he will be ready for Kindergarten the next school year.

Lachoneus 1st Grader
Next week is our last week of summer. Lachoneus will be in 1st grade. I am so proud of him.
We have done homework throughout the summer to help him with his writing skill and reading ability. And of course we have had tons of reading, me to the kids, all summer.

I plan to walk to pick up Luke from school every day that the weather will permit. I've just started working out to get back in shape after the baby was born.