Hurricanes won, 2-1! Woo Hoo!

Tonight was Noah's first soccer game. EVER. And, while there was much standing and staring up at the sky, and twirling around, there were a couple times that he seemed to be running with the general pack, in the direction of the ball. The coach assured us that he's doing very well--he's the youngest on his team, and the coach said that her oldest was the same way; he's 8 and loves soccer, so we'll see. They got their shirts today--they're the Hurricanes, and tonight they swamped the Storm. Yeah, I'm gonna love soccer season...give me a chance to trot out a few new metaphors!

Enjoy the pictures!


Before the game, modeling his new shirt...


"Which way do we kick the ball?" "THAT WAY!!!!"



Waiting for the ball to come our way....


Running downfield...


Running...



...and time to twirl around a bit. Notice the motion in the background...


There's the ball! I think it went past Noah, but maybe next time!


I see you! (Again, notice the motion in the background...)



After the game, telling our opponents that they played a good game--which they did. For a bunch of 5-7 year-olds, this was a really good game! Not nearly an exercise in herding cats, as I thought it would be. There are some really great players, on both sides!



After the game; I wanted a shot of the #3!

The Map

Today at the library, we found this neat program on one of the library's computers that allows you to color in the continents, place mountain ranges & rivers, as well as points of interest. It's got this cartoon guy in the lower left corner, "Jog," next to an open suitcase. The suitcase produces the names of the various items you're supposed to place--Africa, the Nile, the Alps, the Pyramids. So, basically, you're taking the mouse, grabbing the place names, and putting them where they belong.

I took this video--it's Noah's second time, but I was still awed.

Enjoy!

The PARTHENON

Noah and I went to check out of Costco last night, and usually when the receipt checkers see Noah, they ask if he wants them to draw a smiley face on the receipt (which he's usually delighted by). This night, he told me he wanted them to draw the Parthenon.

We roll up to the door, and, true-to-form, the kid (who's probably NOT a kid, but he looks about 12) asks if Noah would like the smiley face. Noah says, very politely, "Could you draw the Parthenon, please?"

The kid looks at me, then at Noah, "What...????"

Noah repeats, very slowly and plainly, "The PARTHENON."

Again, a blank look from the kid, "Uh, where's that?"

Noah looks at me, and I say, "Go ahead; tell him."

"GREECE!"

No comprehension on this kid's face.

I tell him, "Just draw a square with some lines up & down."

So he does.

He hands the receipt to Noah, who remarks as we're heading to the car, and he's studying the receipt, "He didn't stay in the lines. He didn't draw a very good Parthenon."

Patrick & Noah watching their ShrinkyDinks

Kindergarten?!?!?!

Today was Noah's first day of Kindergarten. Since he's been at the Montessori Academy since last June, it wasn't as traumatic as it could have been (I thought I'd cry, but I was okay...I guess I got most of my crying out last June). He was a little hesitant, since he had never seen his teacher's new assistant, but I introduced them, and he was good-to-go once he walked through the school doors. I think he'll have a fabulous year, and can't wait to see what amazing things he'll learn. In fact, today he enlightened me with this fact: How can you tell an English person? They wear top hats.

Enjoy!






These were taken a little while ago, but I found them when downloading this morning's pics, so thought I'd add them here...
Noah's got a thing for Tikis; Gymboree had a collection, Tiki Chief, that I just went crazy on when they had it marked down to super-cheap. We added the hibiscus shorts, and then of course the camo socks with the orange skull on it to complete the ensemble.

(Better view of the orange skull on the socks.)



We figured that there was no use keeping all of our Lego blocks safe & secure--I mean, they're MEANT to be played with, right? So, we pulled down all the blocks we had, and Noah's been having a great time!


Noah & Lego Boba Fett. (I think that by now, Boba's head is gone to places unknown. What is with little boys that they feel the need to behead all their figures?)




This is one of my favorites. Noah was building on to a ship that Patrick had created. Notice R2D2 in the hatch, and it's Lego Han Solo in Carbonite. With a bat on top of Han. I mean, where do you keep your bat?

1st day of Kindergarten!

The torch has been passed...

Patrick pulled down his Star Wars Lego kits from storage and he and Noah have been playing all morning...