Chuck-a-Puck.

Aidan won a hockey stick!                                                                                              10/29/2011

During the second intermission for the home hockey games there is an event called 'chuck-a-puck'. You pay a dollar for a puck, then throw that puck onto the ice and try to get it to land on a target. Cathy had bought some pucks for Aidan to throw on the ice last night. The first puck he threw actually hit the glass, bounced back, and hit a guy in the face! The guy was nice enough to pick up the puck and toss it back on the ice. Aidan then threw the rest of his pucks out onto the ice. When he was done he was upset because he said that he did not win anything. I asked him how he knew for sure, and he said that he watched each puck and they didn't land on a target. A few minutes later, while Cathy and Aidan were gone getting popcorn, they announced the winners. Aidan's name was called, but we had no idea what he had won. When him and Cathy came back he was carrying a hockey stick that was signed by all the Michigan Warriors, it was the main target! He was so excited! 

He asked me to help him find Derek and Gabe's name on the stick, because they all looked like scribble to him. I told him it would be easiest to find Derek's name because of the O in his last name. Then Aidan asked me what a O looked like in cursive writing lol. I told him it pretty much looks like a regular O, he found it and got even more excited. We had Gabe help us find his signature. When he pointed it out Aidan asked where his number was (each player put their number next to their name). Gabe explained that he used to be number 29 so he accidentally put that number instead of 30, his Warriors number. It was really hard to see, especially because he added the number right into the signature. The stick also has pink tape around the handle, last night was 'Breast Cancer Awareness Night' at the game. We will be hanging the stick in his room. I am so happy that he was able to win such an awesome prize, now he will have something to remember this year forever.

One less 'toof'.

Aidan lost on of his front teeth!                                                                           10/27/2011

Aidan came home from school the other day with his hand covering his mouth. At first I thought that he was covering his nose, like something in the house was stinky. Then he started to tell me that something exciting happened at school that day. While he was talking with his hand over his mouth I noticed that he was talking funny. Then he reached in his pocket and took out a tiny envelope that had his tooth in it. Apparently he pulled his tooth out while he was at school earlier that day. He was so excited and I was so proud of him. The cutest part was that he told me not to message Dan to tell him, Aidan wanted to show Dan himself. I thought that was so precious that he was so excited about what he had done that he wanted to tell his dad himself. The next morning Aidan woke up to find that the Tooth Fairy had left him a dollar for his tooth. He was so happy, he came running downstairs to tell me. "Mara, look what I got for my tooth!" I was worried that Aidan would be disappointed that he only got a dollar, but he was not. It is amazing to me how the minds of children work. I hope that he is always happy and content with the things that are given to him. 

It's all about the cookies.

We need more cookie dough!                                                    10/26/2011
Last night Dan was eating some cookies, not the cookies that I made, but the cookies that Derek's dad made. So, I was teasing him that he would prefer to eat those cookies instead of the cookies that I made. Up until that point Gabe had not realized that I had even made cookies. I explained to him that I had cooked all the cookie dough that was in the freezer. Gabes reaction to that was priceless! He had this look on his face that his entire world just ended and said, "There is no cookie dough left?!" When I told him 'no' I though he was going to cry. He jumped up so fast and ran to the freezer to check (I guess he did not believe me). When he came back he was so sad, I told him I would buy more cookie dough and not cook it all next time. That seemed to make him happier. The fact that I cooked all the cookies did not stop him (or my other boys) from eating all of them. I cooked about 30 cookies, and they were all gone within about 4 days. I will never forget the look on his face when he realized what had happened. I instantly started laughing, it is so funny how the smallest things can seem like such a big deal at that moment.

The Hockey Life.

Last nights hockey game was a lot of fun!                                             10/21/2011

I was not sure how much I would enjoy it since neither of the boys were playing, but it was a good time still. I am not used to having a goalie, so I was surprised when I got to the game to see Gabe wearing his uniform. I guess that makes the most sense though, have him ready in case the other goalie gets injured. He was such a good teammate too! He stood by the door that the players enter through when they come off the ice onto the bench, and he patted each teammate on the back every time :) I know it must have been hard for Derek to have to sit out. His shoulder is currently injured, so he is not able to practice or play for about a week. There is another game tonight, and Gabe is supposed to start. I really hope that he does because I really want to see him play.

I never thought I would get into hockey as much as I have within the last couple months. It is amazing how different it is to watch a sport when you know some the players. It is amazing how much you can care for someone when they have only lived with you for a short time, especially when you never knew them before that! When Ryan left it was very hard for me. He was home with Eli and I all day, it was nice to have someone older than 2-years-old to talk to during the day. I have think about what is best for him though. He loves to play hockey, so he needed to go somewhere he could do that.

Eli is counting.

I am so proud of Eli today!                                                                       10/18/2011
We have been working on counting everyday for the last month or more, and today we counted up to 7! He did have a small mistake, he called number six, three. Still, it feels so good as a mom when you realize all the work you have been doing pays off. I learned that he is most likely to count if we are using objects that he enjoys to play with. He has been playing with some medium size pebbles lately, I can not get the kid to put them down lol. So, when we started working on counting today, we used those pebbles. He seemed more willing to count those with me, instead of the blocks or balls we have been using in the past. Next goal: get him to not say 'purple' every time I ask him what color something is :)