This was a bizarre summer for sure. The pandemic kept us home. With an awesome new backyard to play in (and no more dirt outside!!!) we had plenty to be thankful for, but we still went a tad stir crazy. I'll keep saying it, but our neighbors really saved us. That and our beautiful California weather that kept us able to go outside, while the rest to the country was gearing up for fall weather.
We also went to the beach a ton. We went with Isaiah, Noah, the Seeleys, the Blakes, and maybe someone else in our bubble I can't think of. Anyway, we went to the beach a lot. Mostly because it was one of the only places you can go and hangout outside without a mask.
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| Making slime with Katie. |
Keeping the monthly photos alive. Look at that long quarantine hair! Your dad too!
Then it was time for you to start school! Ethan, what a huge deal. My little boy is starting big boy school. I mean, yes it's only Kindergarten, but still...my little boy is growing up too fast. Because of the pandemic the state rules said school still couldn't be in person, so you started school online via a conference system called Zoom. It's not ideal, but wow, your teachers did a great job at making the most of it. I think you had a lot of fun too.
Before your first day, we had a drive thru to pick up your worksheets and first laptop from your teachers. They had the students make a sign with your name so they could take photos with each student and get to know their faces. They also sent you this sweet postcard welcoming you to school. You have the best teachers.
I should also mention, your school is a dual emersion school, so you spend half of your day being taught in English, and the second part of your day being taught in Spanish. Pretty awesome, right? There is an elementary school right next to our house (our neighbor kids go there), but when we heard about the program at your school, we just couldn't pass it up. The principal came from another very successful dual emersion school in San Clemente, and you can see why it was so successful. Dr. Nelson is so amazing. She is smart, has a vision for the school and knows how to get there, she's very involved, and you can just tell how much she cares about her students and staff, and how much she loves what she does.
We live in Southern California, with a very large Hispanic community, very close to Mexico...and since we travel to Mexico all the time too it was a no brainer in choosing this program for you. Learning another language is something your dad and I just couldn't teach you. Well, we've been teaching you simple Spanish words for years now, but nothing like what you'll know after a few years at this school. Being bilingual will be such a valuable skill you can use your whole life - in travel, in business, and with everyday life. I'm so excited for you. I hope you teach me things along the way...including how to roll my R's.
Mrs. Paradise is on the left and she teaches the English part of your day. Señora Brannam is on the right and she teaches your Spanish half. The first week they had a crazy hair day hence your awesome hairdo.
Katie loves to come over and do "art and school work" with you.
We got a new whiteboard and you had asked me to make you a maze. My first couple were simple squares, but then I decided to make them a tad more fun. Here's a sample one.
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| It's like you two are on vacation. |
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| It was finally time for a haircut. |
Trying to come up with as many activities as we can to keep you kids busy. Cornhole, painting random boxes, lots of bikes, scooters, chalk, swimming in our pool, etc.
There are videos you watch each day for school. Some have songs that you just have to get down to. I LOVE it.
Get it, son.
Couple things going on here. Halloween is a month away, but they had costumes at Target so I figured we better get it early so we don't miss out on options. You were sooo excited for this Batman mask and wore it around for a while.
In the other photo my sweet baby had his first kinked neck. I felt so bad for you. For at least three days you couldn't straighten it. When I'd try to prop you up with pillows you'd cry and said it hurt so you'd just sit on the couch looking so pitiful. We had to do Zoom class with the camera off, so the class didn't have to see you not getting up to dance or participate much. You were a trooper and watched everything you needed to though.
You may have noticed more fluffy friends hanging out with you in these photos. When you were little (er), you could care less about stuffed animals. Over time you slowly took interest in bunny and doggy. They slept with you every night. But then this year the crew started to grow. You now sleep with maybe 8 or 10 stuffed animals every night and at least half of them come downstairs with you each day. Sometimes it can be tad annoying when one is forgotten downstairs at bed time and we have to go hunting for it, but on the other hand I think it's so sweet that you find comfort with your buddies. Stay young baby. Sleep with as many stuffed animals as you want little one.
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| Still not Halloween, but still loving the costume. |
Good news! In late September, Coronavirus numbers had gone down enough in our area that schools were allowed to open for in person classes! To prepare, your school made time for parents and students to come see the school before the first day in class. You got to see where your classroom would be, where you'd hang your backpack and stand each morning, where your desk would be, etc. To keep things safe for students and teachers, no parents are allowed in the classrooms during school, so I was very excited to get to see everything before you started. I'm sad I can't be a room mom, or something, but hope to in years to come.
Another blessing during this time is your buddy Eva Luna and her family. You had been going to preschool with her at Mariner's before it closed and we had several group playdates over the years. It was nice that you both had a familiar face for your first day in class. The photos below are actually from the orientation day. Eva lives down the street from the school so we all went to orientation together then we went back to her house to play. We decided to ride scooters to the harbor, then picked up burgers for lunch on our way back. You two had the best time, and we've had playdates with them every week since.
You stole my phone and decided to become a photographer. They were a fun surprise to find.
We discovered Art Hub For Kids on YouTube and I have to say, it's pretty cool. They teach you step by step how to draw various things, and even I like to follow along and do them with you. It was quite a hit for a while that all you kids would sit and do these for quite a long time. I was impressed you all had that much patience and interest.
You were ready for your first day of class in person! What a handsome boy. PS. I didn't think I would like you having to wear a uniform at school, but I actually love it. I also like that you pop your collar.
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| Posing with your principal, Dr. Nelson. |
2020 is definitely a year for the books. Most folks would probably rather forget 2020 altogether. Just pretend it never happened. It's been hard being home, not free to do regular activities, not being able to see friends and family the way we'd like. Not travel. Having to wear a mask everywhere you go. So many people sick and even dying from the virus. Businesses and individuals having financial hardships. I could go on, but just lots of yucky stuff. It's not been the best year. But for us, it's actually not terrible. We completed our yard renovation and have been enjoying it a ton. Dad still has his job and his company is actually doing really well. We live in an amazing, big house (many people are stuck inside in very, very small apartments), on a great street with neighbors that we could "bubble" with, in a beautiful city with plenty of outdoor places to walk and hike...which we can still do because weather in Southern California is warm and wonderful. You are able to go to school in person and have some friends we can still see. Overall, we have been very blessed. I miss friends I haven't seen, I miss my mom (your Grammy), but it's not all bad.
2020 is a year filled with not many great things...and then it happened. Something to celebrate. After 10 years the Lakers finally won another championship!!!! The last time they won, your dad and I were still a fairly new couple. Not married yet. We got to see the Lakers beat the Celtics in game 7 live. Kobe played that game. We were at Staples, watched from 12 rows back and screamed our heads off that night. Pretty sure I lost my voice the next day, but it was worth it. Your dad was ecstatic. But then there was a drought. Nine years of watching the Lakers play awful, lose, and lose, and lose. There were times your dad didn't even care to watch the games because the team was so bad. But this year was fun. This year it was exciting to watch Lebron and AD dominate.
I don't know how much you'll remember when you're older. This celebration was nothing like being at game 7, but like all things in 2020, we made the most of it. Your dad was hollering, screaming, and spraying champagne everywhere. It was an exciting night. Go Lakers!
As always, I love you, sweet boy. Thank you for being my pandemic buddy and making it so fun.
Love,
Mama
P.S. I found this video on your dad's phone. He says he takes random videos of you sometimes just to capture you being you. Sometimes it's nice to go back years later and see what you were up to. Here's you guys hanging out in the spa soon after the renovation was finished.
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