A few nights each week, Braden has homework assignments. He complains about having to do them, even though each assignment only takes 10 min. (Poor guy, he doesn’t realize he’s got 17 more years’ of homework coming!)

Some of his homework is paper-based, and others are conducted online. Braden seems to be doing a good job learning Mandarin. He can identify and pronounce the characters for older sister, younger sister, older brother, younger brother, mother, father, paternal grandmother and paternal grandfather. Sometimes we catch Braden singing some sort of counting song in Mandarin.

In addition, we have to record the books we read with Braden. So all in all, there’s a lot of parental involvement, too.

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Braden is getting more used to school. Brian wakes him up each Tuesday-Friday morning at 6:15 a.m. (funny, Braden used to wake up well before that time on his own, but now that he has school, he can’t get up!).

He’s less shy around the other four kids at his bus stop, and he has even acted a little goofy around them (a sure sign that he’s warming up to them).

Fortunately, the breakfast and lunch items served at school are peanut-free and within his tastebud boundaries, meaning items like chicken tenders and hot dogs. Braden has even enjoyed the tacos.

Braden seems to have fun at his after-school program when we pick him up, although he’s excited to leave when we arrive. The first thing he does is chug a lot of water at the drinking fountain, as if he hasn’t drank all day. He then eats his after-school snack in the car, rather that at school, which was the whole point of packing an after-school snack.

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Carson is having a difficult time with drop-offs. Just like before, he holds Brian’s leg until a teacher pulls him off. Carson then proceeds to kick off his shoes for some reason. Luckily, he gets over his tantrum fairly soon after Brian leaves.

Carson apparently is getting along really well with a girl in his class. According to the teachers’ notes, they spend a lot of time playing together and sometimes cuddling.

Journal kindergarten, preschool

Today Braden officially became a kindergartener. We had been trying to get him mentally ready for the past few weeks. He seemed fine when he picked out new shoes, picked out a new backpack and attended the school orientation last Thursday. Regarding that orientation, it was the third time Braden had been in the school, and he seemed eager to show us where his classroom was.

But this morning was tough. Braden tried to ignore the fact that the big day had finally come. He watched videos of Minecraft while eating breakfast, like he normally does, but was hesitant to brush his teeth and put on his shoes (typically the moments right before we leave). He didn’t want to put his backpack on, either, but eventually did so with reluctance.

Getting Braden out the door was another challenge. He sat on the floor and said he wanted to stay home. We finally got him outside and took some photos; as you can see, he was pretty upset. That anger carried forward as we almost had to drag him to the bus stop. There, he demanded to go home before sitting down and lightly crying.

When the bus came, he fought us. Brian tried to get him on until Braden asked for Kristin. She then had to carry him onto the bus and put him into a seat. The bus driver smiled at us, as he’s probably seen this same scene countless times.

Carson was upset, too, as he wanted to go with Braden. We’re worried how Carson is going to be at this preschool now that his big brother isn’t there, in addition to having a full day instead of a half-day.

***

We didn’t mention this earlier this summer, but Braden did get accepted (won the lottery) to attend Verona’s charter school program, known as Verona Area International School (VAIS). He will be learning the normal curriculum, except half the day will be taught in Mandarin. He will be in the program through fifth grade, with kindergarten and first grade held at Stoner Prairie Elementary (where he would have gone anyway), and second through fifth grade at Savannah Oaks Middle School.

Since school lets out so early, we are putting Braden in a YMCA after-school program at the same school. The program allows us to pick him up as late as 6 p.m.

It’s a lot of changes for Braden, and we’re worried how he’s going to fare: will he make it to the bathroom on time? will he eat his lunch (we purchased the hot lunch)? will he make friends? will he remember his after-school snack in his backpack?

Journal school

Video talking

Carson and Braden have always had completely opposite levels of thirst. At meals, for example, Braden may have a sip of his beverage while Carson will have two glasses.

The other day, Carson chugged two cups of milk in front of Kristin, who remarked, “wow,  you must be really thirsty.”

Carson replied, “I am thirsty.” That was stunning, as his ability to make sentences and use pronouns is more advanced than Braden’s ability at the same age.

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Carson has regressed in terms of drop-offs at preschool. Since early March, he often clings to Brian’s leg, and the teachers have to pull him off and hold him so that Brian can leave. Carson will make a face like he’s about to cry, and a few times he has. Fortunately, he gets over it quickly.

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Braden was excited for his Easter egg hunt. We hid eggs in the living room and in parts of the backyard for him. Carson’s eggs were much easier to spot; we hid them in the dining room and the deck.

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It’s been a few months now, but Carson is permanently out of high chairs, much earlier than when Braden stopped using them. It can be difficult at restaurants, as sometimes Carson will get up to walk around, plus he’s a little short to eat over the table.

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The boys often fight over the same toys. Any particular toy isn’t popular until the other is playing with it. Braden is getting better at sharing, but Carson is not.

Journal holidays, preschool, talking

On Monday, Feb. 3, Carson started preschool at the same Montessori school that Braden is attending. Kristin previously took Carson on two “trial” days, but this week, he was on his own. First, it was an odd feeling (like traveling back in time) to bring a lunch for him–required for the toddlers–but something we haven’t done for Braden for two years.

Carson did cry the first three days when Brian tried to leave. However, Thursday and Friday he walked right up to the teacher and didn’t make a fuss at all. So, hopefully that means he’s adapting (we’ll see come Monday).

The two brothers will only be at the same school for one semester (plus the summer), as Braden will start kindergarten in the fall.

***

That same Monday, Braden turned five. We went to his class at 11 a.m. to do the annual celebration; we brought zucchini muffins for his classmates. Several of them thought it was amusing to see us two days in a row, as we hosted a birthday party for Braden at Madtown Twisters on Sunday and invited his classmates, about 10 of whom came.

It was super cute to watch all the boys crowd around Braden as he opened his presents. Many comments were about how much they wanted the same toys. And of course, the kids had a blast going through all the gymnastics equipment and bouncy fort.

***

We gave Braden Braden a Nintendo Wii game, and he picked it up super quickly. It’s fun to watch him play and see his level of hand-eye coordination.

Journal birthday, preschool

Brian spotted a big, fat rabbit living under a tree between our backyard and the neighbor’s yard. The other day, Brian showed the kids the rabbit, telling them that the rabbit was eating food. Carson repeated it, saying “rabbit eat food.” We guess that is technically his first sentence, as he probably did understand every word he said.

Otherwise, Carson’s vocabulary continues to grow, and he’s quick to repeat anything he hears. He knows to say “more please,” he says he “Thomas” when he wants to watch Thomas the Train and he says “choo choo” to watch The Wiggles (the opening song has the lyrics, “choo choo chug-a-chug-a”). The latter is reminiscent of Braden saying “bow wow” to watch a different Wiggles DVD (that opening song had “bow wow” in the lyrics).

For some reason, Carson’s pronunciation of “no” has turned into “not.” We’re not sure how this happened.

***

As expected, Braden loved Christmas more than Carson, even helping his brother open his presents. The kids helped Kristin decorate the Christmas tree, and Carson only periodically tried to remove a few ornaments in the month of December.

We think the most popular gift was a foot-powered (like the Flintstones) car with roof for Carson. Both he and Braden battle over who gets to ride it.

To make room in our playroom, Kristin packed up most of the infant toys, as well as some of Braden’s toys (that formerly belonged to Brian, much to his dismay). Brian also had packed up some infant toys after removing the gate that we used for a playpen for Carson.

For a while, Carson did play throughout the playroom once the gate was put away, but now he primarily plays with his toy cars on the staircase. He started doing this one day a few weeks back, and he hasn’t stopped. We have to be careful when we talk down the stairs and not trip on any of the cars.

Journal holidays, playroom, talking

We took Braden and Carson to see their second ever movie at a theater on Sunday. If you recall, their first movie was an IMAX film about the space shuttle, which we watched at Kennedy Space Center last November.

This time around, we saw the 10 a.m. matinee of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.” Of course, Braden enjoyed it, along with all the candy and soda he consumed. Carson did well for the first hour or so eating popcorn and candy and drinking tons of soda. However, for the final half-hour, he walked around the aisles, but at least he was within arm’s length of our seats.

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Carson’s breakfast habits have changed. He doesn’t like Multigrain Cheerios anymore, often electing to eat Ritz Crackers or something else. He also doesn’t like sitting in his high chair at breakfast time, preferring to sit with Braden in the living room and watch TV.

Speaking of Ritz, it’s funny to see Carson hold onto a stack of crackers (sometimes other things like Wheat Thins) for hours, eating one every now and then. He’ll play, watch TV and move about all while holding onto the crackers. He’ll even move the crackers to his other hand when he needs to free up that hand.

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Carson certainly knows the word “no” now. For example, as he’s coming down the stairs, if we try to help him, he’ll yell “no!”

Journal going out, talking

Carson screams all the time, and it’s always at the top of his lungs. Although Braden usually plays nicely with Carson, sometimes Braden takes away Carson’s toys, and Carson then lets out a piercing scream.

Other times Carson gets clingy to one person, and if another person tries to hold him, he screams.

Carson also has begun kicking and screaming when his clothes or diaper are changed. Braden did the same thing at the same age of18 months, so we know we have a while to go with Carson.

***

Carson is still not speaking but at least he’s beginning to repeat a lot of words. It’s cute when Braden tries to teach him to talk. At least Carson usually understands what you’re saying to him.

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Whenever Carson realizes we’re about to go somewhere, he runs to the door to get his shoes. He also will hand you your shoes. He still kicks his shoes off in the car but at least not as often now.

Journal talking

We drove to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in mid-July. We were worried if the kids could stand a 12-hour drive, but it turned out okay. We had scheduled to stop every three hours or so, which helped. We also had plenty of activities for the kids, and I think Brandon was perfectly occupied. Carson, on the other hand, would watch a DVD for a little bit before trying to play with it and then ultimately stopping the DVD. Carson is not known for sleeping in the car like Braden does, but on the trip he finally slept to help pass the time.

As you can see from the photo album, we did a lot of things from going to museums to mountain climbing to shopping to amusement parks and so forth. One day we went to a petting zoo and both Braden and Carson fed a lot of the animals, including goats and deer. On another day, Braden rode some roller coasters at Dollywood. We also spent a lot of time at the pool at our resort.

Typical of our vacations, neither Braden nor Carson slept well. They shared a bedroom together and when one woke up in the middle of the night, he would wake up the other. We drank about three cups of coffee each every morning to fight off the effects of a terrible night’s sleep.

Journal vacation

Poor Carson stuck a Cheerio deep us his nose. We tried to get it out with a thin straw to no avail, so Brian researched methods on the Internet. We then tried to use suck it out with a tube-device, but that didn’t work either. Finally, Brian plugged Carson’s other nostril and blew in his mouth to try to force out the Cheerio. It didn’t work the first time, but the second time yielded success! All of sudden there was a wet Cheerio on Brian’s arm.

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Our streets were under construction for two weeks for repaving. Carson loved watching the construction vehicles, constantly pointing at them.

Journal accident