Spring Break

I decided to take the week off for Spring Break like many of the schools in our area. We had a very busy week, so it allowed us to have a little more freedom with our days.

One day we went up the church office because I was having a “meeting” with the office manager about our early childhood education department (we, along with our spouses, are temporarily heading it up until the end of summer). Nicholas colored, ate candy, talked with a couple of the pastors, played with one of the pastor’s sons who was also in the office. We were there for an hour and a half. Either he was well entertained or being four has made him able to occupy himself better.

On Wednesday we spent several hours with Nana. Our Bible study did not meet this week because of Spring Break, but we still got to go to lunch and a mall together. While my mom was shopping for some new outfits for her upcoming trip, Nicholas and I walked around the mall. He has wanted to make his own stuffed animal for months, but accepted “no” whenever we passed by the store. Since he had been so patient and he is into stuffed animals right now, I decided Wednesday was the day. He chose to make a brown dog.  He had fun stepping on the pedal to stuff it and added its heart.

Then he “washed” and brushed it.

His name is Puffy. This is the first original name Nicholas has come up with by himself. In the past, he would have been “Puppy” or “Doggy”. I hear he’s now training him to roll over. According to him, training isn’t going so well and Puffy isn’t going to get a treat.

Wednesday we met my cousin, Lisa and her son Saxon for lunch. They live out East so we do not get to see them very much. Saxon was also adopted, so it is nice for Nicholas to know (someday) that someone else was also grafted into our family.

After lunch, we headed to the mall’s play area. Saxon is a couple years younger than Nicholas, so Nicholas didn’t play with him too much. However, I am trying to teach him to be kind to younger kids. I’ve seen plenty of older kids being mean to Nicholas when he wants to play with them, or just feel included. It always makes me smile when an older kid realizes that he’s little, and tries to include him anyway. I want Nicholas to be that kind of kid.

Nicholas did make sure to hug Saxon good bye. On the way home he said that he had a lot of fun with him. However, it did not sway him from wanting a younger sister. For some reason, he always chooses a little sister, unless he thinks about the fact that we only have boys’ toys in our house. Then, he says, “I guess I can have a brother. I don’t have any girls’ toys.”


Finally, today we met Kristy and Anthony at a local bounce house/play land. Nicholas proved to be more adventuresome than normal. He tried everything and had a lot of fun. I can always tell when we’ve been somewhere for awhile though. He tends to become a little more mischievous. We went to McDonald’s afterwards and he and Anthony seemed to have a lot of fun together. The change of venue must have helped rejuvenate them.

Well, we really did take advantage of having a car this week. I know not every week is going to be this way, but it was a nice change.