Storytime with Cassius

At Yu Ying, parents and relatives can come in and be mystery readers during a class's library time.  The PK3 teachers waited several months so that the little ones could get their routines established at school and (in theory) wouldn't be crying every day about missing mom and dad.    So I went and read to Cassius's class.

It was ah-dorable.




I brought Room on the Broom to read because it's one of Cash's favorite.  When he saw me waiting for the class in the library, he got all shy and quietly whispered, "Momma....." and came over for a hug.  Once they were all seated - and about 4 of them were approximately 1" from my knees,as close as they could get without touching - I brought out the book for them to see.  Before I could introduce it, Cassius calls out, "Momma! Momma!  These (gesturing around him, dramatic pause, dramatic pause) are all my friends."  


Because apparently Room on the Broom is everyone's favorite book in there, it took me about 20 minutes to get through it. Adorable interruptions abounded!  Spoiler info left and right, which animal was getting on the broom next, what object fell off the witch, shouts of everything, small and large, that happens in the book, basically, well before I got to reading those particular parts.   We spent so much time on Room with a Broom we didn't have time for another book.  Three year olds and time management were never meant to go together. 

Maceo learns about the ways of the world

Maceo was having a hard time the other night, not listening well and getting scolded and having privileges revoked. By the time we went upstairs to get ready for bed, both Kate and I were a bit frustrated with him. In the bathroom, he and I loaded up the app we are using during tooth brushing to encourage getting all the teeth and brushing for the full 2 minutes. Kate poked her head in and said, "The way Maceo has been behaving, I don't think he gets to play the brushing game." "Ok," I said and turned the phone off. Kate left to get Cassius ready for bed. Maceo turned to me and exclaimed with some disbelief, "She tells you what to do, too?!"

Election Day Observations

On the way to Yu Ying on this auspicious Tuesday morning, Maceo, Cash and Nick listened to Story Bots, a current favorite cartoon band (if that is a thing).  But then Maceo said he thought Trump would beat Hillary because "he took all her words." 

Here's hoping some glass ceilings get broken tonight. 

Single Dropoff Nirvana

Well, the time has come for some monetary and scheduling efficiencies in the Manoloewen household.  As of Monday, August 29, Maceo and Cassius attend the same school.  That's right, single dropoff (and pickup) nirvana.  And, gloriously, wonderfully, liberatingly, no more full-time daycare fees!  Nick and I already planning where we'll purchase our second getaway home, perhaps some pied-a-terre in the south of France or, if we are feeling splurgy, something tucked away in the Seychelles.  Not too ostentatious, of course.  Understated, classy.  You know.

But, because the universe has a snarky sense of humor, we've been kept from celebrating fully due to our obstinate little 3 year old's inability to potty train.  So, there's that.  I'm reminded what a great school it is, staffed with wonderful teachers and administrators, many of whom I'm now talking to 2-3 times per day to track Cassius' utter lack of progress on making it to the potty.  I imagine him going to bed each night, snickering just a little in his fox sleeping bag, secretly celebrating how much control he, such a little person, has over our entire family.

Here's the only photo I was able to take of Cassius on his first day.  No kisses goodbye, no eye contact.  Just some total devotion to a train (god bless that train!) that allowed me to walk away with just a smidge less anxiety I had when entering the room.

Et voila, our kindergartner, wrestling with wanting to smile but letting nervousness win.

Cassius is having a little bit of trouble figuring out his last name. And he hasn't even begun to spell it yet. Tonight, when I was changing his diaper, he told me his last name is "Manoslakos-Loewen." "That's right!" I responded. "And you're Manoslakos Loewen, too!" he crowed. "No, I'm Loewen and Mama is Manoslakos." I'm not sure why I mispronounced it, too, but I did. He was a bit confused. Luckily, he knows what dragons and monsters say. Even baby ones.

Maceo's Food Sequencing Rules

When Pat recently picked up Maceo after school one day he asked, as he always does, to go to the gelato store. He and Pat both know it’s a once a week pleasure, but to be sure there are no changes in the agenda, he asks each day. And as usual Pat reminds him that they've been already this week. Then he assumes the fallback position: how about the cheesecakes? (He know that answer too.)

But Pat sympathized with him agreeing that gelato was delicious and it would be great to eat it more frequently. She suggested that when he is grown, he can run his own gelato store and eat it three times a day or more. Maceo, very serious, replied that no, he’d have "breakfast food" for breakfast, "lunch food" for lunch, etc., but he’d have gelato in the afternoon. When you’re supposed to eat it, she guessed.  They agreed that was a good plan.

Parental validation complete:  kids really do listen to what we say.

Cassius turns five along with Maceo

Recently at a playground in Takoma Park on a Tuesday in which Mami/Pat and Maurice take Cassius all day, Cassius told everyone he met that he was five. There were two elderly Chinese ladies on the playground, walking the track. They did not speak English. Cash announced to them that he was five and then launched into his life history: St Anne’s, Maceo, Maceo’s birthday (in which he really did turn five), and so on.  

Later when Nick told him he was only two, Cash shot back: no, I’ve had 4 birthdays! 

So we take it he’s 5. Officially.