Happy Halloween 2013

oh yeah, and these guys, who are old enough now to veto the family theme and decide on their own costume

"Little Miss in the Sunlight"

Beaming!

Yesterday, Dace brought home his very first report card.  It was fantastic!  His teacher's comments made me beam with pride, warm my heart and brought tears to my eyes.  We went for our parent teach conference this morning and she had nothing but rave reviews for our firstborn.  She explained his test scores to me.

It is a national test that students do 3 times a year to mark their progress.
Math - the national mark for above average is 149.  Dace scored a 170.
Reading - national mark is 142.  Dace scored a 159.

She is amazed at his writing abilities.  He is starting to use punctuation on his own and she can always count on him to set a good example or explain to the rest of the class how he worked out a problem.  The class is at an A reading level.  Dace has advanced to a C level.  She had no concerns or complaints, just looking for permission to continue to push him so that he is stretching and learning and not being bored because the rest of the class is well, average and he is above.  By their standards, he is 6-8 months ahead of the class and is in the top 3 for marks for the class.  He is very social, has lots of friends and is a great helper.

This is one proud mama.

Mr. Baseball

It's a classic family division of talents.  Dace is the smart one.  Zade is the athlete.

His latest love is baseball.  I got this bat yesterday in preparation for Ammon's costume and we have been practicing baseball ever since.  he has a great throw and a really good swing that is quickly improving.  He just hit 6 in a row!!!!

Smartypants

Dace was the first Kindergartener in his class to be moved up to 1st grade words for flash cards.  Some are 7 letters!
He was also the first to move up to the next level of nightly take home reading books.

We are all very proud and excited.

Birthday cake and a trip to the Zoo

This is very overdue so let me post this while I am thinking about it.

Compliments of Gramma, we took the kids to the Jacksonville Zoo for their birthday.  D and  I are both all about buying experiences and memories over "stuff" and since there is really nothing the twins need at the moment, the zoo was the perfect gift.  Everyone loved it.  It is the best zoo I have been to.  It was perfect overcast weather with a few sprinkles of rain and not overly crowded.  It was so much fun!!

Do you see the Lion under the tree?

Petting sting rays!!

Train ride!!

Butterfly conservatory.  This was my favorite.  It was so magical with fairies and gnomes and classical music playing.  I could have stayed all afternoon in there.

Kumodo dragon.  Miss wasn't sure what to think....

Dace has a thing for maps.  I think he almost spent more time looking at that than at animals.

And this!  This is one of my favorite memories with my boys.  This was so cool!  -

And then on their birthday, we had a few close friends over for chocolate cake.  Let the terrible twos begin... times two....yay....so excited....   ;)

Miss' Modern art Masterpiece 1 and 2

We have some really great artists on our hands.  And Miss has quickly joined the club.

They have been coloring for a while now in nursery and the other day, she wanted to color at home.  I got her paper and crayons and Dace joined in, wanting to teach her a little bit.

Here is the finished product.  For some reason, it really spoke to me.  Serious.  I don't know what it is, but it really looks like it could be one of those modern pieces in a gallery, on a huge canvas:

Then this one is from this morning.  A different style but still intriguing just the same:

there's a really good chance I am just bias.  ;)  What is your critique?

Lil Miss Sets a Family Record

Now we know.  There's a reason we call her Lil Miss.

Today was doctor day.  Yup, how fun for me!  2 vs. 1.  double checkups.  Double vaccines.  Double cries. Double whiny day.  awesome!

Here are the stats:

Ammon - 30.2lbs (73%)
                36 inches (87%)
           
Nev -   24.2lbs (15%!!!!!!!!!!)
            34 inches (54%)

We at the Dean Team grow our boys BIG.  After 5+ years, we are used to and somewhat take pride in the high percentiles.  We are used to the usual 70-90%, sometime dipping down to a 50 or 60.  Boys should be tall and big.  They will be great "Spartans" when they grow up.  That's how I want them to be.  Not fat, but tall and muscular and fit.  Football players.  Basketball players.  Potential models for real-life scripture heroes.

Then comes along lil miss.  She's been little her whole life.  She was a tea cup baby when born, left the hospital at under 5lbs and spent a good 3 months in the womb being sat on by big brother, who also 'stole' more than his fair share of nutrition, hence the difference in size.  She's little.  I love that she's little.  She probably always will be that way.  But when she charted at only 15% for her weight, I was amazed!  I didn't think she was that little!  I think her height throws me off.  She is still decently tall.  She's long and lean.  Like me.  Other than pregnancy and post-partum, I have been 'underweight' according to chart definitions my whole life.  Wherever that gene came from, I will always be thankful for it.  Looks like Miss inherited it.

But don't let that fool you.  She is still the alpha-male in the twinship more often than not.  The little weight that she does have, she certainly knows when and how to throw it around, giving these big brothers of hers a run for their money.  I'm sure she'll be little her whole life.  But she'll be scrappy too.  And tough.  And strong. But still feminine and soft and beautiful.  But no matter what, I am sure we will always call her our little miss.

PS- Zade did his checkup last week- 75% for both height and weight.