Is there a magic hair growth pill

It is sooo short!! I went in for a trim today and this is what happened.  In my stylist's defense I think I totally confused her.  I told her that yes I still want to grow it out but can I have a long bob just like Jennifer Aniston?  I don't think the long part of my request is happening here. So, I guess I will be growing it out all over to just get it barely to my shoulders all over again. Why do I sabotage this hair growing thing every time and go back to the same mom bob?

View from the back.  Look how short.

And also, strangely greenish in this light.  I am going to eat some ice cream and go to bed and see if it longer in the morning.

I'm back?

It has been forever since I have posted anything.  It is going to be my goal to try and keep this little blog updated because I have really missed it.  I realized though how much I was stressing myself out over it.  I have a lot of blogs I follow and man there are some funny, well written blogs out there.  I was (still kind of am) beating myself up for not being just like them.  Not having the most interesting funny things to say or buying fun exciting things or decorating my house all cute.  But I do have memories I want to document and even if I am the only one who ever looks back on this blog, that is a good enough reason to keep it.

I had a funny video of Charley but it got deleted Saturday night when drinking at Polaski days and picture taking were mixed.  I am so bummed because my little 5 year old told me the other day that he wants a wife so that he can go shopping at the mall with her and have lunch and then play at the treehouse.  So cute, that little guy.  He comes out with the best statements.  He is having a little bit of a hard time adjusting to rules and structure at Pre-K.  I think we are doing better this 2nd month of school but I still get a little bit anxious every time I pick him up at school.  Whenever, I make eye contact with his teacher I am praying silently that she will say he had a good day.  I have had enough bad reports of him not listening and being too rough with the other kids.  But, I think last week we had 4 out of 5 days with good reports.  When they are good and listen they "fill their bucket" if they are not doing as they should they have to empty their buckets.  His bucket was full most of last week.   If he doesn't have a full bucket then he doesn't get his beloved Nabi that day.

 

Jack is in first grade this year and I seriously love his teacher.  Which is kind of funny because when I met her at the open house I was really worried that she wasn't right for Jack and that I didn't have warm fuzzies about her.  Turns out she is exactly what I prayed we would have for his teacher.  I have been in constant contact with her this year to make sure that we help Jack have the best year.  She is concerned about his inability to focus at times. He gets distracted way too easily.  For instance we worked on his spelling words a ton last week but when it came time for the test on Friday he only got one right.  I know he knew the words but she said he had a hard time staying on task.  I think there are still some sensory issues going on with him and we have his well child check up on Wednesday and I am going to bring it up to his pediatrician.  John was looking up a few of the things Jack does and he is concerned about some spectrum stuff.  I am not sure....... he does do the hand licking and the hand flapping but I think he is outgrowing it a little bit.  His teacher said that he is more of an observer of his peers but when they engage him he is more than happy to join in.  At the end of her last email she said she had more tricks up her sleeve to help him stay focused and at the end of her email she said "we are all on team Jack and please give him a hug for me and tell him he is awesome."  HOW awesome is that???  

That sweet boy wanted to hold my hand all the way home from school.  I even said at one point, you don't have to hold my hand if you don't want to.  He just held on a little tighter.

sick day or pj day debacle

So does the little boy in these pictures look so sick that he can't stay at school?  He was fine in the morning especially if you consider how much of a morning boy he is not.  But they didn't have school on Friday so he was excited that Thursday was his last day for the school week.  Both he and Charley did have runny noses for the last couple of days and a little bit of a cough......but you cant keep them home for every runny nose, right?

10 minutes after I dropped him off I got the dreaded phone call from the school.  The secretary said "Jack has a runny nose and he is pretty upset about it."  WTH, Okay, I will be right there.  When I walked in the door by the office I saw several kids walking around in their pajamas.  PJ day and we forgot/didn't know.  (I looked at the bulletin and did not see it anywhere)  As soon as Jack saw me he smiled and said "you dressed me in clothes!"  So we just went home and had a pajama day here.  Little faker was just mad that he was missing out on pj day.  It is so normal!

like getting back on a bike?

I have never been a very prolific blogger but even for me it has been a super long time between posts.  If I want this to be a diary/memory book of sorts, I am not doing a very good job.  So, I am going to try and get back into this little blog.

This fall and beginning of winter has gone fast.  I can't believe Jack is pretty much halfway done with kindergarten already.  Crazy!  He is doing good and everyday I notice that he is a little more mature, more of a big kid.  There have been tears a few mornings but overall he is resigned to the fact that he has to go in the morning and seems to be okay with it.   Charley hasn't gone back to pre-school since September.  I guess we will just keep him home with me until next Fall and then send him to pre-K.  I am really okay with that and enjoy our alone time during the day.  He is so funny and sweet even if he is a turd sometimes.  He never went through the terrible 2's or 3's instead he was a cute,sweet little munchkin.  But 4?  Kind of a different story.  His big thing lately is to say, "I love my daddy, I don't love my mommy."  I know he is just letting me know that he is a daddy's boy right now.  Big time :)

 My sweet friend Jessica was home for the holidays from Texas. I haven't seen her in at least 2 years.  I also got to meet her very nice husband Brandon.  I have missed this girl so much.  I hope we don't let it go too long before our next visit.

 We also made it to New Jersey for a visit with my parents and my little sister Brooke was there from Florida.  We had such a great visit even if it did go way too fast.  John and my dad cooked the best dinners for us.  We had prime rib one night that was one of the best things I have ever eaten.

 Speaking of good food!  John and I like to watch Man Vs. Food sometimes and on one episode he was in Philadelphia at the Reading Station and was talking about this sandwhich.  Since we were so close and all we had to try it.  That place was very cool.  Just a huge indoor food market.  Think of the worlds best food court.  I love this picture because it has all my favorite guys in it.  John, Charley, Jack and my dad.  Pretty cool.

 Just a fun picture from instagram on my iphone.  They are doing cute hugging wrestling instead of scratch your brother's eye out wrestling for a change.  And I have evidence now that sometimes they are cute.

All 3 of them on Christmas Eve.  Sigh  What a fun night and even more fun morning the next day.  Now that Mackenzie is 19 and living with her dad, I don't get to see this very often.  I had some tears Christmas day when she left to go back to her dad's.  We don't have enough sleepovers since she moved out.

Well,  that kinda sorta catches me up a little bit.  Next time on kookas I will probably get more serious and about my baby fever or something else super exciting.  hmmm no wonder it is so long in between posts.

No morning people around here

It is only October but I am already looking forward to a holiday or in service day or....even a snow day. Although, I hope the latter is off in the future a little bit.

We are getting into a routine and haven't been late once. It is just so slow going. At least this year Jack is darn right easygoing compared to last year. Still some whining but no serious meltdowns. It feels like he accepts that he has to go. It just feels somuch better than putting a dragging,kicking, and screaming Jack on the bus. THAT broke my heart. I can totally take slow moving Jack....I just have hard times staying on track myself when I just want to cuddle with them.

P.S. Ummm yeah, they totally started head butting about 2 minutes after I took this picture.

iLove iPhone

OMG! I can't believe I finally have an iPhone and I totally get what all the hype is about. My mom has been raving about hers since the first model came out. I still have so much to learn but .....so excited I found the blogger app.

Kindergarten Krazy!!

Jack started kindergarten today, regular kindergarten, all day kindergarten, I am freaking out kind of kindergarten.  I am so excited and nervous for him.  I have had butterflies in my stomach since yesterday.  If you asked me a year ago if I thought he would be in regular kindergarten I would have a hard time answering.  Last year he wasn't even in pre-k for the whole day, still having to get pulled out for special ed parts of the day.  We had him looked at again for autism or something on the spectrum but he still doesn't fit on the spectrum.  He just does some things that are quirky and sometimes he doesn't know how to handle social situations.  He gets nervous..makes funny faces, or weird noises at other kids sometimes.  I don't know if some of his things he will grow out of or if he is just always going to be a little bit different.  Probably more of the latter and I am okay with that.  I just hope the other kids understand and he makes some friends.  I want him to fit and make some friends and I fear that he will always be on the outside looking in a little.  But I guess that is normal to wonder what the future holds for your little (big) kindergartner no matter who they are, right?

He is still going to need some help with occupational and physical therapy.  So he will get pulled out periodically for that and they also have a room that they can bring him when he gets overstimulated which will probably happen.  I am hoping not very often but it is there for when he needs it.  He gets frustrated easily, especially when he is being asked to do something that is hard for him to do.  Like writing and coloring and cutting and lots of the things they do in kindergarten daily.

I think we are in a good school though and I will just have to believe and trust that we are in the perfect place for us and so far it feels good.

 One of Jack's first words was apple and he freaking loves that word apple.  He likes to google it lately.  He also carried a wooden apple around a lot when he was like 2.  Right above the doorknob in that little yellow apple is the name Jack.  I think that is a good sign right?