Dear Max,
I know, late again! I am completely swamped with the class I am currently taking. This information does involve you, so be patient as I explain. My current class deals with ESL and bilingual programs. One of the main reasons we moved to this house is because the elementary school that you and Jake will go to offers a bilingual program. The class I am in has inspired me to do some research about the program offered there. What I have found out is that the program is from 1st grade to 5th grade. Starting in first grade you will be taught all core subjects (math, science, reading, social studies) in Spanish. Your enrichment classes (PE, music, art) will be in English. As you progress through the program you will end up being taught your core classes in English and Spanish equally. You will learn to read in Spanish first, which I think is amazing. I have learned that when you learn to read in one language you don’t have to learn to read all over again in another language. The ability to read transfers from one language to another. I also think that it will be much easier for you to learn to read in Spanish. In Spanish all the vowels only make one sound, as opposed to English where vowels make more than one sound in different circumstances. Anyway, I am very excited that you and Jake will have this amazing opportunity to be bilingual and biliterate.
I have really slacked off on taking pictures this month, but I did take some pictures when we went to Sesame Street Live a few weeks ago. I told you weeks before we were going that you were going to Sesame Street on Friday. It’s so funny because now if you hear me say anything about Friday you say, “I get to see Sesame Street on Friday!†I was so glad I bought the tickets to take you because you had a blast! That morning Nona came over to watch Jake and we went and ate breakfast at McDonalds before the show. We both wore Cookie Monster shirts and we had great seats. I bought you a little souvenir toy that has Elmo on it and when you press the button it spins around and lights up. We bought it at intermission and you sat with it in your lap and then you asked me if you could press the button every few minutes. Haha, you are so funny. You absolutely loved the show and we topped off our outing by getting (Taco) Bueno for lunch, your favorite! You are still talking about when you went to Sesame Street and you ask me if we are going back again.
For the most part, you are potty trained. We were doing pull-ups for the first few weeks, but now you are in underwear all the time. I still try to take you to the bathroom regularly, but I completely trust you not to go in your underwear. We have gone on errands and even been at church all day and had no accidents. I’m really proud of you. I think you really got motivated when I started using a sticker chart and incentives. After you used the potty you got an M&M or a Smartie and you also got to put a sticker on the chart. I told you if you kept your underwear dry all week you would get a surprise. I got you a little set of blocks that builds a truck that carries Lightening McQueen from the movie Cars. Even though you haven’t seen the movie, you really like all the Cars characters. The incentives worked great and now you have no problem telling me when you need to go. The other good thing is that if I take you to go (even when you haven’t told me) you will still go. You can pretty much pee on command. It is also great that Dada taught you to stand up, especially when we have to use a public restroom. You aren’t quite tall enough so we just have you stand on our feet and then you are the perfect height not to make a mess. Thankfully, you don’t insist on taking your underwear and pants completely off when you stand up, like you do when sitting. It is definitely an advantage of being a boy. We are still putting you in a diaper for nap time and bedtime. I don’t think you are ready to go all night yet, and even naptime is a long time because you usually sleep for at least 2 hours, sometimes closer to 3. I have no problem with you wearing a diaper to sleep and you don’t seem to mind too much. The only problem, well it’s really not a problem, just a timing thing, is that you still usually go #2 in the morning before getting out of bed. I guess I could go in your room at like 6am to take you to the bathroom, but I’m just not that dedicated yet. I’m hoping we can manipulate your “bowel schedule†so that you can go a little later in the morning. When you don’t go first thing in the morning you have no problem with pooping in the potty, it’s just a matter of timing. Okay, enough potty talk. I write with so much detail to help myself so that I will remember what I did with you and what worked and what didn’t so that it will make it easier when I start potty training Jake.
You have been getting in trouble a lot for talking mean. You are learning to talk nice by being polite and using a kind tone. Sometimes you get in trouble for being rude to me. For example, “Get my cup!†I make you say it politely, “Can I have my cup, please?†before doing anything. Now that you understand the difference there is a zero tolerance policy. If you talk that way to me, or anyone, you go straight to time out. You are also not talking nicely to Jake all of the time. You are chiming in when I tell him “no†and I have explained that I don’t need your help. I have also had to lay down the law as far as obeying the first time. If I ask you to do something or not to do something and you don’t obey the first time then you go straight to time out. I have also told you that if you cry or have a melt down when I tell you “no†then you will go to time out and then you get privileges taken away. Often times that includes getting to watch TV or going to the park, or getting to ride your Power Wheels. Today we went to Babies R Us because I had a coupon to buy diapers. We went in the toy section because you wanted to look and I wanted to let you pick out something to give Jake for his birthday. When I told you not to pull something off the shelf you had a melt down and started crying. I immediately put you back in the shopping cart and told you that since you can’t behave we have to leave now and you aren’t going to get to look at the toys anymore. You were very upset and once you calmed down you apologized and told me you were going to be better.
Even though you test your limits, you are a good boy. If I tell you that I am sad because you didn’t obey, or I tell you that you made Jake cry because you were being mean to him, you will always take the initiative to apologize without me making you do it. If I tell you I am sad you always give me a hug and ask me if I feel better. You are very loving and caring, but sometimes you act like a 2 year old. Go figure.
I have been talking about Jake’s birthday a lot and you are really excited. You ask me if you can have a piece of Jake’s cake, haha! I think you are getting the idea of sharing a lot more. You got a new car today for not having any accidents this week and Jake really wanted to see it. You didn’t want to let Jake see it at all and kept telling him it was your car. I told you that Jake is going to get toys for his birthday and I asked you if you would like for Jake to share his toys with you so that you can play with them. After that, you said that you did and then I told you if you wanted to him to share with you then you should share with him. A few minutes later you handed your car to Jake and let him play with it. He didn’t play with it long, but he was very happy that he got to see it. I think you are a great big brother and you and Jake really do love each other. When you go to time out Jake heads straight for you and sometimes if you cry Jake will start to tear up, too.
You bring so much joy to our lives and you are such a smart and sweet little boy. I’m so proud to call you my son!
Love,
Mama
