Yesterday afternoon, I brought Finn down in the basement so I could fold laundry. Aidan was down there playing Halo, the mega block variety-not the video game. He came over to "show" Finn all the different guys, as one fell out of his hand, Finn tried to grab it first. I said, "You're to little, you can't play Halo yet." Aidan said, under his breath, "I wish."
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Saturday, December 29, 2012
All you need is Love
That was the tag line on this picture for our Christmas card this year.
It's been a long, tiring, sad, fun, eye-opening, exciting, crazy year. 2012 came with it's good and it's bad... we had some celebrations and some devastation.
As you can see, we've got a lot to be thankful for.
So CHEERS 2013, here's to a new start!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
What's new....
Wow, It's been awhile....Here's a little taste of the happenings in the Healey house.
Aidan has really taken off with his reading. He's also becoming slightly obsessed with a little game called Minecraft on the iPad. So in all my infinite wisdom (after several hours of arguments) I decided he's got to "earn" his time on the game. For every minute he reads, he gets a minute of game time. It took a week or so but it's finally sinking in. The kid who's arm you had to twist to open a book, is waking up in the morning and asking to read. Ah, another small victory for Mom. I might just be getting the hang of this parenting (bribery) thing.
Clare is just starting to read, so she constantly asks what things say and is sounding our everything. She has a new room now (the boys share) and she loves it! She has a little desk that she keeps very organized and she loves playing school with it. She recently went to the ballet with Aunt Patra (a little Christmas tradition) and she loved it. At least she didn't fall asleep this year! She's quite the social butterfly, always going to a friend's house after school. We gave in this year and got them both Advent calendars with the chocolates in them, Aidan eats his piece the second he wakes up in the morning, Clare gets a marker and circles the number each day. She doesn't like chocolate. So guess what Mommy is going to do on December 24th...yup I'm going to snuggle up on the couch and start peeling back little cardboard doors.
Finn is rolling and bouncing around! He loves to bounce in his little exersaucer. He laughs and smiles so much. He loves to be outside. The poor kid still has no personal space. We are all constantly in his bubble. But he's so daggone cute we can't help it.
Sean and I are slowly coming out of the newborn haze. He's been super busy at work, so with me being home now, at least we've been able to breathe a little easier. We finally had a night out (actually 2) and boy did we need it. It was nice to be together with no kids for a little while. This place is a bit chaotic at times but we're still laughing our way through it. Hey, it beats crying!
Aidan has really taken off with his reading. He's also becoming slightly obsessed with a little game called Minecraft on the iPad. So in all my infinite wisdom (after several hours of arguments) I decided he's got to "earn" his time on the game. For every minute he reads, he gets a minute of game time. It took a week or so but it's finally sinking in. The kid who's arm you had to twist to open a book, is waking up in the morning and asking to read. Ah, another small victory for Mom. I might just be getting the hang of this parenting (bribery) thing.
Clare is just starting to read, so she constantly asks what things say and is sounding our everything. She has a new room now (the boys share) and she loves it! She has a little desk that she keeps very organized and she loves playing school with it. She recently went to the ballet with Aunt Patra (a little Christmas tradition) and she loved it. At least she didn't fall asleep this year! She's quite the social butterfly, always going to a friend's house after school. We gave in this year and got them both Advent calendars with the chocolates in them, Aidan eats his piece the second he wakes up in the morning, Clare gets a marker and circles the number each day. She doesn't like chocolate. So guess what Mommy is going to do on December 24th...yup I'm going to snuggle up on the couch and start peeling back little cardboard doors.
Finn is rolling and bouncing around! He loves to bounce in his little exersaucer. He laughs and smiles so much. He loves to be outside. The poor kid still has no personal space. We are all constantly in his bubble. But he's so daggone cute we can't help it.
Sean and I are slowly coming out of the newborn haze. He's been super busy at work, so with me being home now, at least we've been able to breathe a little easier. We finally had a night out (actually 2) and boy did we need it. It was nice to be together with no kids for a little while. This place is a bit chaotic at times but we're still laughing our way through it. Hey, it beats crying!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Brotherly Love
Little Finn has no personal space, his bubble is invaded at any given moment. Sometimes by me, sometimes by Sean, sometimes by others but mostly by his siblings. Sean and I have been cautious not to poo poo the big kids every time they get in Finn's face. It's sweet to see them loving all over him, but at times I do feel for him.
The other day Aidan told me, "Mom, when you first had Finn I didn't really like him, but now, I LOVE him!" And that pretty much sums it up!
The other day Aidan told me, "Mom, when you first had Finn I didn't really like him, but now, I LOVE him!" And that pretty much sums it up!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Mellow Yellow
The first month of 1st grade (for Aidan) and Kindergarten (for Clare) is coming to an end. Everything is going GREAT! Now anyone who has a child in public school in the state of Maryland is aware of the behavioral chart they use. It's essentially based on a traffic light. Some schools add more colors but it's basically all the same concept.
Here at Mayo Elementary we use the standard tri-color light, kind of like the peppers in the grocery store. You know:
Green = GO (good behavior)
Yellow = SLOW (verbal warning)
Red = STOP (principal's office)
So far both of them have been on green everyday and then- bam! Within 4 days they each were on yellow once!
Clare's behavioral chart came home last Friday (which means I didn't look at it til Sunday) and it had a yellow check on it for that day. Under the check mark was a note that said, "Clare stuck her tongue out at the boy next to her because she didn't like what he was doing." After a nice little chuckle, I approached Clare about said yellow check mark. It went a little something like this, "Clare why did you get on yellow?" She immediately starts crying and says she's sorry! he he!
Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon, Aidan's chart comes home yellow. The 1st graders have to color in the daily box themselves. When asked WHY he was on yellow, he responded, "Oh I was fooling around with HF." UGH! "Great well now you miss the dance party on Friday." The 1st grade gets a dance party the last 5 minutes of school on Friday for everyone who stays green all week. His response, "That's okay, the dance party isn't that long anyway." (Great so now he's adopting the I don't care-i-tude."
At dinner that night I simply said, "Okay guys, you both know how the behavioral charts work right?! Well, you each got your one and only time on yellow. It won't happen again this year!"
"Okay Mom!"
Here at Mayo Elementary we use the standard tri-color light, kind of like the peppers in the grocery store. You know:
Green = GO (good behavior)
Yellow = SLOW (verbal warning)
Red = STOP (principal's office)
So far both of them have been on green everyday and then- bam! Within 4 days they each were on yellow once!
Clare's behavioral chart came home last Friday (which means I didn't look at it til Sunday) and it had a yellow check on it for that day. Under the check mark was a note that said, "Clare stuck her tongue out at the boy next to her because she didn't like what he was doing." After a nice little chuckle, I approached Clare about said yellow check mark. It went a little something like this, "Clare why did you get on yellow?" She immediately starts crying and says she's sorry! he he!
Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon, Aidan's chart comes home yellow. The 1st graders have to color in the daily box themselves. When asked WHY he was on yellow, he responded, "Oh I was fooling around with HF." UGH! "Great well now you miss the dance party on Friday." The 1st grade gets a dance party the last 5 minutes of school on Friday for everyone who stays green all week. His response, "That's okay, the dance party isn't that long anyway." (Great so now he's adopting the I don't care-i-tude."
At dinner that night I simply said, "Okay guys, you both know how the behavioral charts work right?! Well, you each got your one and only time on yellow. It won't happen again this year!"
"Okay Mom!"
Saturday, September 1, 2012
And she's off...
to Kindergarten that is!
I can't believe it but Clare started Kindergarten this week. She jumped out of bed at 6:00 Thursday morning, did a little victory dance outside the bathroom door to the tune, "It's the first day, it's the first day!"
She ate breakfast right away and was dressed and ready by 6:32. She then proceeded to ask repeatedly when we could go to the bus stop until 7:12 when we finally gave in and went out. The bus comes at 7:20 so she had a few minutes for a photo op and some mingling with the other kids.
When that bus came rolling down the road, I snuck in a quick hug and kiss and before I knew it she was off running. She never looked back. Part of me was sad, but most of me was happy for her. She's been waiting a long time for this and she was totally ready.
I realized something this week, sending your kids off to school is a true test of your parenting. This is your chance to let them out into the world beyond your safety net to use the skills you've been working on with them for the last 5 years. As far as I'm concerned we've done a pretty darn good job with these kids and it's time to share them with the rest of the world. We are very proud of them both and the cool little people they've become. I honestly think being a parent to Aidan, Clare and Finn has made me a better person.
I can't believe it but Clare started Kindergarten this week. She jumped out of bed at 6:00 Thursday morning, did a little victory dance outside the bathroom door to the tune, "It's the first day, it's the first day!"
She ate breakfast right away and was dressed and ready by 6:32. She then proceeded to ask repeatedly when we could go to the bus stop until 7:12 when we finally gave in and went out. The bus comes at 7:20 so she had a few minutes for a photo op and some mingling with the other kids.
When that bus came rolling down the road, I snuck in a quick hug and kiss and before I knew it she was off running. She never looked back. Part of me was sad, but most of me was happy for her. She's been waiting a long time for this and she was totally ready.
I realized something this week, sending your kids off to school is a true test of your parenting. This is your chance to let them out into the world beyond your safety net to use the skills you've been working on with them for the last 5 years. As far as I'm concerned we've done a pretty darn good job with these kids and it's time to share them with the rest of the world. We are very proud of them both and the cool little people they've become. I honestly think being a parent to Aidan, Clare and Finn has made me a better person.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Avalon
Last week we went to Avalon, NJ with the whole McDonough crew.
Here are some highlights:
23 people in one house
Finn's first trip to the ocean
watching Aidan and Clare surf and boogie board
seeing multiple dolphin in the ocean
a shooting star
meeting Rory Smith
dinner on the deck watching the ocean
trip to the candy store
getting all 23 of those people in one picture
Here are some highlights:
23 people in one house
Finn's first trip to the ocean
watching Aidan and Clare surf and boogie board
seeing multiple dolphin in the ocean
a shooting star
meeting Rory Smith
dinner on the deck watching the ocean
trip to the candy store
getting all 23 of those people in one picture
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