time to sit back and unwind

Spring is here and we’re living it up! This week Sammy crossed the hurdle and can swing by himself. He’s so proud. “Daddy told me to kick my legs every time I get all the way back.” Two down, one to go!

Despite passing his eye exam at his 5 year well check, Steven didn’t pass one given in school in late March. Tuesday, also Aunt Sara’s 40th birthday, was our long awaited eye doctor appointment.

Steven did great. I could tell, pretty early on, that his vision in his right eye wasn’t great. He’d be unable to read a letter with his right eye only to be able to see it immediately upon uncovering his left.

He was prepared for eye drops and was so brave until the first dilating drop went in and then it was tears and arm holds for the 2nd. Poor guy. We recuperated with a trip to the vending machine.

Meeting with the ophthalmologist. Steven asked question after question after question. He was particularly interested in the angled drawer toward the left of the picture below.

Verdict: Glasses. U of M eye center has been watching an astigmatism in his right eye for a while now and it’s reached a point where he’s over compensating with his left eye enough for it to be weakening his right eye. No patching at this point and it’s possible he might outgrow the need for glasses but, for now, spectacles it is.

Squinting in the sun. I didn’t think to bring sunglasses.

Madison took Sammy and Amaya to a “new to us” park while Steven was at his appointment.

As a treat, we wrapped up the big day with our first s’mores! Sammy and Amaya are huge fans. Steven prefers marshmallows that aren’t melted.

Thursday was Madison’s 23rd birthday. Amaya celebrated by drawing a picture of Madison as a gift.

Pre-school smiles!

We’re winding down the school year and our time at the Sarah & Irving Pitt Child Development Center. (SOB.) That means that there are a number of end of year events to attend. First up was Journey Binder Night and the end of year picnic.

Fall of 2017 their school started making Journey Binders for every child in the school. The binders move from class to class with the kids for as long as their students. We have two years of amazing memories to look through for Steven, Sammy and Amaya. So many photos and experiences that we’ve never seen!

Picnic time! There was pizza dinner, popsicles, crafts and playground time. The whole night was bittersweet for me and lots of fun for SSA.

I’m not so sure she was happy with this position. 🙂

“Before you can pass you have to say, ‘I love you, Amaya. You’re amazing.'”

On the drive home we talked about Steven’s new glasses. Steven suggested he might want black Batman glasses. Amaya burst into tears and said, “If Steven’s glasses are an ugly color I won’t be able to look at his face.” This child. <3

Friday was the big day! True to his fashion, Steven tried on almost every pair in the shop. We created a “maybe” pile to help him narrow it down.

Support from the cavalry.

Eventually he picked two pair of “flip” glasses that have rotating color options on the temples. Both sets of frames are blue so Amaya is safe to look at his face.

He got to look in the employee’s eyes, too.

The plan was to stop and pick up Steven’s glasses on my way home from work. Around 4pm I realized I needed Steven with me! Ack!! Madison quickly got things together and brought Steven to my office where he waited for me to finish my work day – but not before hanging out with my boss, Sean.

Stud.

Amaya wanted to pose for me. Hahahahaha.

T-ball day! Go Scrappers! We got to the field early so the kids could play on the playground for a while first and have a picnic lunch.

Major League.

Coaching third base!

After tap we rushed off to the dance studio, where I had been for tap practice earlier in the day, for make-up classes for the kids. It’s almost recital time!

While Amaya and Sammy were in tap class, Steven got down to the business of making friends. First stop was the dance teacher from the room across the way.

Next up was a group of teenage girls on break. I walked out of Sammy and Amaya’s dance room to find him literally holding court with these ladies. It was hysterical.

He brought Amaya and Sammy into the mix.

This to his friendships, the dance instructor offered SSA ice pops while the older dancers had some. The kids were so excited! (And I can’t say enough about how attentive and engaged these dancers were. It was really sweet.)