139 months old

Look at that smile!  I don't get to see it much lately, because Britton is 11 years old and a preteen and angsty.  But I've found that in the moments where I get off my high horse and make an effort to connect, that the same kid I've always known is still in there.  She's at the age where she's starting to find her own way, who she wants to be and what she wants to think, and while it hurts my own nostalgia-heavy heart, I have to remind myself that this is a GOOD thing.  Because someone who isn't allowed to determine who she is will one day have no choice but to be told by others who she should be.  

I didn't mean to start off this month so serious!  Britton is ready for spring break, to be at the beach for a week with cousins and family, to be in the water and sea breeze, to sleep in and get ice cream every night for dessert.  Truth is, we all need spring break!  Once we get back, Britton starts a theater class online, and will be a part of a production of "Alice in Wonderland"! She's missed theater so much, and if online is all we can get, well, we will take it.  She's also starting swim coaching, to focus on strokes and time.  I'm pretty sure that swim team will be happening this year, so both Britton and Barrett have had a year off of training.  

Likes:  playing clarinet, hoodies (this colder weather has been perfect for her), Nella

Dislikes:  her bike - it's only a year old and so clangy and squeaky!  And of course, bikes are impossible to find right now

 

barrett: 93 months old

Doesn't Barrett look so much older with his glasses?  After his teacher reported that he couldn't see the board in class, and knowing our entire family needs glasses, we knew Barrett would soon be bespectacled.  He needs them for class, but doesn't have to wear them at recess or PE, which helps immensely with the fogging up on his lenses when he's wearing his mask at school. 

Today was the first Super Bowl where Barrett actually watched some of the game!  He then proceeded to spend the rest of the evening wrestling the hubs, riding him like a pony, and trying to get some game time on the Switch, but we enticed him to watch a bit of the game.  Barrett may not have much interest in football, but he is interested in the other football, soccer, which he starts after Spring Break!  It's been a year (well, since everything ever was cancelled) since he played soccer, and we're trying out another league this season.  He's pretty excited!

Likes:  wearing glasses, corgis, reading all the "Stink" books, riding bikes with Memaw, running the mile at school (he voluntarily joined the "running club", which runs at recess!)

Dislikes:  putting away laundry, getting up for school on Monday morning (letting go of the weekend is hard for all of us)

 

138 months old

If Britton looks a little different, well, she's been having some fun with makeup lately!  She got a special effects makeup kit for Christmas, and has had a blast creating open weeping wounds on her and Barrett, and they are so realistic.  But I've also caught her upstairs doing fun character-type makeup looks, including her look today.  Note, she doesn't wear makeup to school, just plays with it.  

Speaking of school, Britton has been killing it!  She's in all advanced classes, and is currently earning all As and one B.  Band is going so well that she's signed up for concert band next year, continuing with the clarinet.  We're inching back into activities, though her theater group isn't doing any productions this spring, and we think swim team will likely be cancelled again this year.  There's a local swim academy that works on bettering race times and stroke technique, so we'll probably look into starting swim lessons after spring break.

Likes:  strawberries with balsamic glaze, frying her eyeballs with her LED lights around her room

Dislikes:  the frequency of tests in middle school

barrett: 92 months old

Look who got a haircut!  Barrett headed back to the classroom this week, and he desperately needed a haircut.  Not because I care if he has long hair, but he was starting to chew on it while he mindlessly played Minecraft and I needed to get that habit nipped in the bud.  Being back in the classroom has been an adjustment, but Barrett has no problem wearing his mask all day.  I made him a ton of cute ones!  

We did find out from his teacher that Barrett is having trouble seeing the board.  This wasn't a problem with six months of virtual school because there wasn't a board!  So, we're headed to the eye doctor to see if this kid needs glasses.

Likes:  Ruby - he's totally smitten with her again since he doesn't get to hang out with her all day anymore, telling us about his school day

Dislikes:  waking up earlier to get to school on time

137 months old

I know, I know, I'm 2 days late here.  I'll even give myself a shred of credit in that I even remembered this photo at all.  The two weeks of Christmas vacation is a weird alternative universe for us, especially the week between Christmas and New Years.  The hubs and I take off work for the same days the kids are off school, and we all quickly descend into staying up too late, sleeping too much, not getting dressed, and too much screen time.  Some people go out and get things done and that's awesome - we do so little that we make sloths look athletic.

So, back to Britton - ready for 2021!  She's excited that she won't be the only new person at school anymore (in middle school there's so much angst), and that unlike everyone else, her schedule wasn't completely changed.  The school has about 80% of students face-to-face now, and they had to rebalance the classes.  It's time to get back in the swing of things, and for the first time since last March, starting tomorrow both kids will be back in school.  It's bittersweet, but I'll report on their first day on the 7th (assuming I remember Barrett's picture on time).

Likes:  Britton is back into painting, not having to practice her clarinet over break (though she did begrudgingly play "Jingle Bells" for us on Christmas Eve)

Dislikes:  having to get up for school and wait a whole 2 months for spring break

 

barrett: 91 months old

 

You see that dabbing Christmas pug in Barrett's picture?  Barrett dabs anytime he is celebrating - a right answer for his homework, extra time to play Minecraft, absolutely anything.  And Britton cringes because dabbing was cool like eons ago Mom but I cannot help but dab with him.  The celebration is contagious!   This kid regularly cracks me up, because he's so sweet and good and just easy to love.  Can you believe how long his hair is getting?  He needs a haircut like months ago, and it's so long now that I can (and do) put it in a man bun on top of his head.

Barrett finally learned to ride his bike this weekend!  We've been trying since May, but he wasn't feeling it, and then even if he made it 20 feet he'd get anxious about falling and then fall.  But PawPaw put him at ease, and taught him to ride while they were camping this weekend.  PawPaw taught Britton to ride too (me thinks the hubs and I aren't especially patient teachers), and the tradition continues!

Likes:  Minecraft (it's all I hear about), corgis, being able to ride his bike, dabbing

Dislikes:  anything we make for dinner lately (he'll eat sides like salad or veggies, but takes one bite of the actual main course and says nope)

136 months old

                                   

A day late, because in this never-ending Groundhog Day pandemic life, it feels like every day is the same day.  And for the most part, the date doesn't matter.  Well, that's true for me, but not for Britton!  She's back in school now, and the change has been remarkable.  Not only is she doing better in school, but she's happier.  She's back up to making As (the hardest online class for her was math, because she couldn't ask questions via Zoom) and is making new friends, and all in all, it makes the hard decision to send her back feel right.  She's also enjoying learning the clarinet.  When she went back to school, I knew I'd miss having lunch with her every day, but I didn't realize how much I'd miss hearing that clarinet every afternoon.  Now I get to hear it when she randomly practices, and she's picking it up really quickly. 

Likes:  wearing hoodies, wearing skirts with petticoats, experimenting with fun makeup/costume looks (at home, not for school!)

Dislikes:  not being allowed to pick her seat for lunch (the kids are assigned seats and must stay there due to covid rules), being told that come January she's riding the bus