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Nick was back on the Atlantic Ocean this month with a trip to Jacksonville for a week. We had all of four hours of sun the entire week, and made the most of it on the beach, digging in the sand and chasing birds (I bet him $20 he couldn't catch one... Brandi jumped into the game for a $100 payout. No winners.) We had a couple nice meals for Brandi's birthday week, at Barbara Jean's on the water was Nick's favorite. One afternoon I took him to the Museum of Science and History, which was kinda like school; we saw an awesome science show about air (there was fire and pressure... anything that explodes is in Nick's interest sphere.) There was still schoolwork to be done, and I helped Nick each morning with flashcards (he can do them upside down, too), and geometry. We got back a day early for Nick's 'Producers and Consumers' day at school, where he sold roughly 30 small clay charms/figures (which he made by hand) to other second graders. He was the 'Clay Polishing Pioneer' (he named his company.) At one stop in our travels, he's with me in a public restroom, and I hear him flush the throne and say, "That was anti-climactic." I had never thought about it.
Earlier in the month we spent a weekend on Knoxville, just as a getaway for a few days. We visited a local recreation park called Ijams, which was mostly a small nature center and some muddy trails. Dinner later was at Calhoun's along the river downtown, where we had an awesome table, and a nice walk along the riverwalk afterwards. Nick is heavy into the game Hangman now, which we play often in restaurants while waiting for our food. It's his turn, and he has to create the word... he looks at me and says, "Move your arm I can't see your shirt," as he takes the word off my shirt (which said Bowling Green). Ha! And we returned to the hunting and fishing store Nick loves, to get him a large stuffed shark pillow, which accompanied us everywhere.
- Jason
Nick's school held a Sweetheart Dance, and he took his mama as his date. He danced with his friends, had some refreshments... the usual dance thing, this being his first time.
He's had access to text or FaceTime us since he first got his iPad, but he rarely contacts us, unless there's a picture of a shark he must share. The first time he decided to FaceTime us, when we were both away from him, it was poorly timed. Let's just say he was supposed to be asleep, and we weren't in a position to take his call!
We went to Stone Mountain one sunny afternoon with Thatcher and Nick, but there wasn't much to do with the indoor playground unexpectedly closed. We got more fun from the trusty old YMCA for a swim, and a pizza afterwards at Johnny's. Overall, it was a quiet month. Although, after a year in Georgia, I'm starting to notice a southern drawl on a few words (similar to Seth.)
- Jason
Nick was assigned an 'extra credit' project at school, and Brandi pulled me in to help out during our week together. It was the perfect setup -- asking questions and building a graph of results -- what I do for a living! Nick selected the topic, which was, "What is your favorite weapon?" which I thought was a great topic for public schools, especially give the school nearby had been locked-down for some kid bringing a weapon to school the week before. We softened it to a military theme, and he got credit. It was a great lesson in planning ahead and aligning all the pieces.
He began referring to himself as, "The Nickster" one day as he got the best of a point during a conversation. It's like we've hit the age now where school is inceasing its influence, and I can understand him even less. He uses abbreviations like 'LOL' as a word when he experiences something funny. More than words, Nick seems focused on understanding numeric relationships. Most conversations involve Nick reaching for the highest, longest, fastest, biggest concepts and trying to put measures to them ("more than 200 miles" or "holds more than 50 gallons" he'll say.) He's told me I can start swearing when I turn 42... I'm pretty sure he picked that number at random, but I intend to let loose in a couple of months when he clears me to begin exercising my creative vocabulary again.
We went to the skating rink one evening, which he and mama do often to skate, play laser tag, or climb the indoor jungle gym. I looked up, and he appeared to be battling with another kid, and the lady next to me was the other boy's grandmother. But the two were just wrestling, and no one got hurt. Good to see him able to grapple and control himself where no one got injured.
Nick's favorite new food this month: sushi. Really. I don't even eat this stuff, but somehow Nick decided he likes it.
- Jason
We spent half the month in a hotel between Toledo and Cincinnati, and it was great being together. Nick got to hearken back to his childhood... nearly all his requests were met back here, from breakfast at Al Smith's, to an afternoon playing with Jack from the old neighborhood.
We had Christmas morning in Temperance, with a wonderful home-cooked meal, and plenty of toys: a 3' Godzilla, a 3" Godzilla, some rubber characters that looked like Godzilla, a Godzilla mask. You get the idea. He assembled a Lego Technic plane for ages 12+ with relative ease. Then onto Cincinnati, where he played well with the kids, as they ran free around the house for two days. Many 'missions' were accomplished where they competed in whatever challenges the adults set for them, such as stealing socks or finding items. We went to the archery range for an afternoon, and we both need practice in that arena. I got to play euchre for the first time in years... and Rob taught me new way to express being 'in the barn' (can't wait to milk my next opponent. Yes, ironic as I was raising an eyebrow last month about milkshakes in the yard.)
OK, this is an awful transition, but I don't have another. :) At school, the first 'female interest' has surfaced. Now, it's not simple (never is, may as well learn that lesson early before unrealistic expectations set in.) There's a little girl that chases him, and wont leave him alone, be he avoids her (she tags him and runs, yelling to be chased in return... he doesn't get it.) Then another girl that he likes, but he's still figuring it out. Second grade society.
Pictures here.
Don't feel bad for Nick being the odd guy out in the photo without a bow... he shared with Mason, and had to wrestle a little to get back the bow he liked best.
- Jason
Oh, the things kids say.
He runs into the room and says, "I need a weapon!" (He needed a sword or something to fend off the other kids who had sticks). And the obsession at this age with farts and burps extends to body parts, where he loves the words, 'ball crotch'. "Did you know that we are mammal like reptiles? Because we can control our body temperature."
"Do you have a spoon? I want to get all the nutricious ice out of my water cup."
His crutch this month is starting so many sentences with, 'Besides...'
We took a weekend trip to Stone Mountain in Georgia before Thanksgiving, a couple days away for activities like train rides, playgrounds, and fireworks (the last one sucked... like 4 minutes long? Really?) We shot his first game of billiards (not just messing around, a full game, no wager... because he's now into, "I'll bet/give you $X if you can..." Don't take the bet... he can't pay up.) And we played chess on a life-size board.
Nick's artistic skills are getting stronger, now more into clay than drawing or painting. So we have clay figures all over the place, from dinosaurs to birds to snakes. Still nothing trumps the iPad, which like most other kids, he rarely lets out of sight. Always in search of a new App, when he's not feeding Dinosaurs on his Jurassic Park app. Anytime he gets a free buck, he's thinking about a new App (but when he gets a twenty-dollar-buck, he's more careful with it.)
School makes it harder to hide kids from pop culture, like when he comes home singing, "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard..." I had to Google it. And no, he hasn't seen the video (I just watched it with one eye open.) Can't we just shelter kids in traditional experiences, like his first time eating with chopsticks was exciting, right?
Pictures on Flcikr, link here.
- Jason
