Jaden,
I remember counting your age by the month as if it was, well, yesterday (like when I took this picture of you). I am in shock that it's time to plan your fifth birthday party. It certainly is a rollercoaster ride, being your mom. Who needs Disneyland?! It's true what they say about being a mom though, my heart is not in my body but out there walking, nay galloping, around the house, park and neighborhood. Not to mention bouncing off the inflatable walls at the now-weekly Pump It Up parties, which I do apologize for finding them so cliche. I am a challenge myself, I know that sweet boy. I am not a lot of things (easy-going, loosey-goosey, tooty-fruity, silly-nilly, CatWoman) but there are a lot of things I am (in love with you).
Love,
Your Sicilian Mama Mia
Seedlings from the PJCC Ladybug class
Close up of Jaden's famous parsley
(C) Lotus Head
8 weeks of summer camp at the PJCC: $2225
8 weeks of summer camp in San Carlos: $756
Holy Savings Batman!
Granted, the PJCC price includes an additional 10 hours per week of coverage so we must make some allowance for that; however, I do not work 30 hours per week so the idea of having to pay for it regardless was, well, hello high blood pressure.
Now we have a huge financial burden about to be lifted and a more improved schedule in which Jaden is free in the afternoons for playdates with his buddies in San Jose or fun classes or swimming and days at the beach with me! Not to mention, Jeff can do a drop-off here or there for me, something I have missed SO much since we moved up here.
San Carlos: The City of Good Living AND Good Pricing!
At this year's Tour of California Prologue on Sunday, there was a kid area with a rock wall for climbing. Jaden hadn't been since he was two and tried it at REI. Of course, he acted like it's all old hat for him. Right before he got harnessed up, he said to me, "I'm scared but that's okay" and then just marched over for his turn.
"Just planning my route"
Mama and this guy both said, "Do NOT undo the clip."
Mama zooms.
Mama un-zooms.
"I can see the finish line from here!"
Rappelling.Today while we waited over an hour at Longs for my antibiotics (they said "15 minutes"), I decided to get Jaden a new Color Wonder notepad so he wouldn't self-combust in the toy aisle.
I know it doesn't scan that well, but trust me, it was $4 well spent. He is all into writing words and sentences now (with spelling help of course) so I gave him the shorthand for skate. Too rad.
We could all see in our rear-view mirrors that they were clearing the freeway behind us. A few folks were seriously jumping the gun here and although it happened before my very eyes, I could not tell you how that van and the car next to it made U-turns at that point in time.
And this Range Rover? Don't even get me started. She was one of the worst drivers on the planet. Various emergency vehicles used the space between her lane and the one to the right as access to the accident. The whole time she was diagonally parked in that lane, blocking what precious little access they had.
Finally one tow truck driver got out of his truck, walked over and said "MOVE YOUR CAR!"
DUH! Me and my grandpa buddy in the white truck (you can just see his bumper there) cheered after that! We had watched stupendously for an hour as she blocked the way, so cluelessly.
"Jaden," I said, "You definitely don't see this every day!"
This CHP officer made his way to each and every car
Driving southbound on northbound 101 to Woodside Road.
The line of cars waiting to make another U-turn
Freedom!Jaden and I were 20 cars behind this massive accident today. We were at a standstill from 1:50 p.m. until nearly 3:30 p.m. when we got our turn to reverse our car and drive the wrong way back to Woodside Road and exit the freeway.
The nice older man in the truck next to me was good company and he's the one who counted the cars so that's how I know.
I will upload cell phone pictures later, right now we just got home and we are hungry, exhausted and I am on deadline for work.
We are grateful we weren't five minutes faster leaving Los Gatos today and so happy to be home safely. Jaden was an amazing trooper!
"The best part of eating fried eggs is licking the oaks off your fingers after, right Dada?"
-- Jaden
Again, I'm in the car and party to another interesting thought process from Jaden. This one happened yesterday which means, here at least, I'm catching up with my life.
Scene: It's been cold and rainy for days. I was cruising at a comfortable temperature which means my boy(s) are usually roasting (or whoever is riding in the car with me).
Cue Jaden in his Naartje red zipper sweatshirt which was recently found after being MIA for several weeks.
"I'm hot! I wonder why they call them sweatshirts Mama. I know why. I think it's because they make you sweat."
Last Friday we drove Jeff to work due to the Big Storm. On our way to pick him up at the end of the day, yet another fascinating conversation with Jaden took place.
Mama, back in the olden days, did they have raincoats?
What do you mean by "olden days"? Do you mean when Mama was a little girl?
Yes.
Well then yes we had raincoats.
But not umbrellas, right?
Yes, we had umbrellas too.
But not engines, they definitely didn't have those yet.
Baby, what do you mean by olden days? Do you mean before Mama was on this planet?
Yes totally! When you lived on that other planet!
Being in nature any time of year is soothing to my soul, but something for me about braving the elements in winter makes it more so. I guess because I have to sacrifice a lot of body heat which takes enormous energy to obtain in the first place, it makes the air smell that much sweeter to me.
While our visit to the area between Half Moon Bay and Pescadero yesterday was healing (for me) and emotional (we lost Opa on January 6, 2007), it was also a perfect place for my boys to be themselves.
"Look at me, I know how to run in nature!" -- Jackson
Yeah, the San Carlos Charter Learning Center has its very own Wikipedia entry. Who knew?
Now we all know that they were the first charter school in California and only the second charter school in the nation. Neat!
Motto: The SCCLC is a collaborative public K-8 school community that educates, nurtures and inspires learners to be independent thinkers as well as socially and personally responsible citizens. We pursue academic excellence guided by research, innovation and continuous review.
Public = Free.
Socially & personally responsible citizens = Right Up Our Alley.
Eight more months of preschool bills.
Eight more months of preschool bills.
Eight more months of preschool bills.
Neener Neener Neeee-ner!
So all through the holidays, on the back burner of my brain, I've been hoping to remember to look into the kindergarten enrollment process at the school of my choice for Jaden. Basically, I thought I was being so "organized," "efficient" and "ahead of the game" by thinking about this so early in the Year of Kindergarten. Ha!
Check this out, from the pdf about important enrollment dates:
Jan. 26 -- attend the orientation where you sign up for tour,
(You must attend both in order to apply, and you receive your app at the tour)
Feb. 14 -- applications are due by 5 p.m.
Mar. 4 -- lottery at 9 a.m.
So in two months and 3 days, we'll know if Jaden is going to be a charter kid or not.
And look, if you turn it this way, it's a table!Art for the big-hearted, radiant woman who is ready to immerse herself in beauty.
