Arantxa's school work

We recently had the conference with Arantxa's teacher and we got some of her projects back. Here is what she has been working on at school for the last couple of months.

in Technology, she made this self-portrait.


This is a patterned Anansi the Spider. She usually enjoys doing more complicated patterns, but for this she kept it simple.


This is word problem/story they got to create as part of their SALMON unit. She dictated the story to the teacher, after having created its visual representation.


Here is the story.I guess it doesn't work with the picture, so I am typing it over.
6 big salmon were ready to come home to the river. They started. After a while, they heard some roaring noise. A bear was looking down at the salmon. He got 1 of them., but the others kept swimming.
They swam for one hour without anything happening to them. But then they saw a fish net. 1 of the fish just went up to it. He wanted to explore the fish net. He had never seen one before. he got caught in the fish net. But the other four kept on swimming.
Soon they would reach the hatchery. Three of them were so excited, they started to swim extra fast! Then they were back to the hatchery. They were making nests for their eggs. The other salmon was still not in the right place to lay its eggs. It swam and swam and swam until it reached the others, and it began making a redd, too!
How many salmon survived the journey back to their spawing grounds?
6-1-1=4.

This is another word problem/story. Arantxa's work is easy to spot in her classroom because her stories are the longest. Her teacher says she can barely keep up with her dictated stories. She continues to be an obsessive story teller. Some other kids have more complicated equations. This was Halloween themed.


This is her story. Can it be read? Do I need to transctibe it again?




This is a mirror image Jack'o-lantern.


This is another Technology project, "things I like". That includes our home and family, mermaids, painting, unicorns and castles, reading, etc.



Finally, a collection of SOME of the various items she makes during "choice" time. There are a ton of assorted magic wands, fans, crowns, boxes, inventions, etc.

A few things, including Ax's hang glider

A few weeks ago, Arantxa came back with a piece of fabric from school that had some wood sticks taped to it. She told me she has made a hang glider and I did not give it a second thought.

This is what it looks like.

Some days later, she announced that she wanted to try it out. She went out with Pablo, and got her helmet on. Pablo was just following along to see what she would do. He says she suddenly had a disappointed look in her face the moment she realized that the hanging frame was too small for her. Phew!

He quickly suggested that they try it with a bear instead.

Here is the video showing the brief flight.

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She is really thinking about this flying business. We have talked about it and we have to remind her from time to time about our conversation. For any attempt of trying to fly, she has to start from ground level, and essentially don't jump down, not even from a chair. (She jumps off chairs/sofas all the time but that is not for flying).

Halloween Costumes

Lorena decided some time ago that she wanted to be Little Red Riding Hood. We bought a cute costume on Ebay, and complemented it with a basket. Before the first Halloween party, she had already undone the cape's ribbons. Other than that, all was set. She was especially excited about her red (á là Dorothy) sparkly shoes.



Of course I had to be Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother. A quick trip to Value Village was all I needed. I asked Lorena to help me find a "white" wig, and she kept pointing to those super blonde ones. When I finally found a grandma one, she pointed out that it was gray, not white. I think too many people are dying their hair now!!!

So:
Wig, $7.00
used flannel night gown, $4.00
Baby powder/cornstarch, $0.05
Getting this look: priceless!



I must have looked really odd, as Lorena did not want to be in the picture with me. I had to sneak from the back. Oh, and when Agnes (neighbor) came in she quietly asked Lorena if I was her mom.


Arantxa's costume was easier than I expected. She wanted a unicorn that was also a pegasus. Apparently many girls want both, because we were able to buy this, again from Ebay. They don't make this one anymore.




Both of them, before our 6th annual Halloween Playgroup party (which we hosted for the first time. It'd always been at Cathia's).


Arantxa had also wanted to have a WALL-E costume. She really enjoyed the movie, and has spent a lot of time playing WALL-E and even making creative Wall-E and things from the movie out of Legos.

So, here is the video showing how we got it together. It was a real family enterprise, even Lorena helped looking for the right box. Arantxa had started the idea by using her yellow binoculars as WALL-E's eyes. If you have no idea who WALL-E is (robot in futuristic Pixar movie), then click here to see a Wall-E trailer.

Here is the video.

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And here she is, as WALL-E ready for her school's Halloween Parade. The costume was a huge success, by the way. We heard a lot of excited kids point at her and say "WALL-E" with Wall-e's characteristic robotic voice.

Country Dance

There was a hoe down at school a couple of weeks ago. The 3rd graders (I think) have a big pioneer/Lewis and Clark unit, and starting last year they will have this as an annual event for the whole school community.

I had scheduled long before we knew about it, a mom's night out with the playgroup moms; so I was unable to attend. Pablo said he'd take the girls. After careful review of their wardrobe, it was clear that we did NOT have anything remotely appropriate. Luckily, I ran into Krystyna at Costco that morning, and she came in with some clothes later on.

Lorena, decided, by just glancing at the clothes, that there was nothing girlish enough for her to even consider wearing. Luckily, she had come home with a HUGE stash of clothes, hand me downs from our neighbors (her teacher's kids). I guess I have to go into those. Terri had set aside some clothes on Thursday for the families to look at. By the time Pablo picked her from school, Lorena had already picked a ton of outfits (some went straight to Arantxa's drawers). Thanks again Terri. Lorena then settled on a dress.

Arantxa, as usual, gets into everything, and she goes full speed ahead. She asked me if she could wear the flannel shirt, from Nicolas (2.5). It did fit her, and she was even able to close the buttons, the sleeves, naturally, come 3/4. She also got Agnes's dress on.

here go the pictures. Arantxa, all ready to go.



Pablo, looking super handsome and even wearing boots.


I just love this picture and I am not sure why. I think it reminds me of Patricia (my sister) as a little kid, wearing a green cowgirl costume, with a similar hat. We had so much fun when we got a big trunk of costumes from Tía Laurita (sibling fact checker???). anyway, outside of the party place.


and her, the girls in action. Pablo says they could barely follow the instructions, but both of them have shown me some of the moves, and explained the name of the dances.




Mostly, he says, they had a good time running around, and they got to have a good dessert.

Stuck in the bathroom

Pablo was on a trip. Lorena had had a bad night; she'd kept waking up so I finally let her come to our bed. Arantxa had had nightmares so I had to go to her room to soothe her (but she never woke up). I was unable to fall sleep again, so I was awake from 2 to almost 6, and then fell asleep. I woke up again, later than when I usually start. I had to get going fast since it was a school day. In fact, we had to leave a bit earlier than usual as I had to drop off Lorena at her friend's house (close by) since I had to take the other kids to school and had to stay for a class.

She wanted to take a shower with me but I did not let her. She resigned herself to being with me in the bathroom. As I was getting in the shower, she started kicking the bathroom door (it is one of those pocket or sliding doors, it slides into the wall when open). I asked her to stop, she said, "OK, mom" and did with no complain. A little while later she tried to get out but she couldn't. I instructed her to unlock the door (a bit tricky, twisty lock). She still was unable, so she had to wait for me.

As I got out of the shower and tried to open I realize that her kicking had stuck the door, moving it off its rail. Getting on my serious mommy voice I told her that we were stuck in the bathroom since her kicking had stuck the door. Well, I did not expect that to be totally true, but it was. I tried pulling the door, but of course I had little leverage. I tried pushing it back in place, but after 5 or so minutes I realized that I couldn't.

I called Arantxa who was sleeping (I was not sleeping mom, I was playing in my room and making a story). She came running into the room (I was expecting to get my big morning hug) but was surprised to find nobody ("hey, where is everybody" I thought, why did my mom call me if she was not here).

She came to the bathroom door and I explained what had happened and what she had to do. Now, Lorena is naturally strong while Arantxa is more like Bruce Banner and can only be super strong when angry, so just in Hulk mode. She kept trying though, but unable to get it.

I was naturally, ready to go to plan B, have Arantxa call the neighbors, get her to unlock the door, and embarrassingly wait for Nacho to come. Her only phone experience has been when we pass the phone to her, and we've showed her how to dial 911.

Altogether 10 minutes had passed and it was getting really late. Finally, Arantxa was our heroine and was able to push the door back in place. We rushed through breakfast and Arantxa got to buy lunch at school instead of taking from home. We got Lorena to Mia's house. She was SO excited, they were still in PJ's.

We were a bit late for picking up our carpool buddy, but still on time to arrive punctually at school.

All is well that ends well.

Who is making that noise?

Lorena is clicking her tongue frequently. Her teacher says she does it as a happy sound, when she is working on something else. For us, she mostly does it in the car. Oh, and she does it very loudly. Pablo and I don't like it, we can live with it though, but it gets on Ax's nerves, especially as it interferes with her car reading.
Yesterday, we were driving home and Ax was reading (I know, what a surprise!), Lo covered her mouth with one finger and began the clicking. She would stop and say, "Arantxa, stop making that noise, Arantxa, why are you making that noise with your tongue?" Pablo told her that we knew it was her, "no, it is not, it is Arantxa."

It was similar to last week. We went to one of those new water park/hotels (awesome!!), and we had to separate the girls into 2 beds since Lorena was not letting her sister sleep. The room was pitch dark, and we start hearing this big noise from Lo's side (thumping the mattress with her leg). "Who is making that noise? I can't sleep with that noise! Can you please stop that noise?" We told her to stop kicking the mattress. She then starts moving in the bed saying "what is that swishing sound? I can't sleep with that swishing sound?" I must admit she was right, the sheets were noisy ;).

The last 2 pee accidents

I know, who wants to hear about those? On the other hand, you really are no parent of a young child if those don't form part of your consciousness whether your kids have them or not.

TWO.
Lorena had been begging to have a play date with her best friends from school, Vivian and Grace for months. We finally got that to happen yesterday. She was even thrilled to have Blake (G's brother) over; she really has come a long way in accepting that boys form part of everyday life whether you like it or not.

Some of the kids were playing outside as I was making tea, I heard them running and screaming. At some point I realized Lorena was screaming, "I NEED TO GO POTTY!!!!" (in English). I came out puzzled and wondering why she called instead of coming. I found her sitting in one of those push cars, all buckled in and unable to free herself. By the time I got to her, she just said, "it is too late; it's coming out.."In no time she was back playing with a new set of clothes; clearly not the end of the world for her.

ONE.
A few weeks ago, we had returned home from school. I reminded Arantxa to go to the bathroom and off she went. I was washing clotes and running around doing things. Quite some time later, I hear Lorena frantically crying, "!!!Bañito, abre la puerta, necesito ir al baño!!!" (Potty, open the door, I need to use the bathroom!!!". I came running down, knowing EXACTLY what was going on. I asked Arantxa to unlock the door, and by the time she did, Lorena could not hold it and she had an accident in front of the potty.

So, what, you are wondering, was Arantxa doing and how did I know? She was lost in a story. This is the way I describe when she is making up a story and telling it aloud. She went into the bathroom, started thinking of a story, and, like the Energizer bunny, kept going and going... She just recently began locking the bathroom door. I ended up making one of those, not quite rules, but expectations. One of those you imagine is so specific, no one has ever needed to make that rule. Arantxa, from now, you can't lock the bathroom door and tell a story. Oh, and yes, you are supposed to make those into positives so it can go like this, Arantxa, if you are in the bathroom telling a story, the door has to remain unlocked. Pablo wanted to add that this only applied to the downstairs bathroom; it really is easy to make it to the other bathroom if you are upstairs. I say this is already too narrow as it is.

We lose Arantxa to her stories frequently... she is having dinner with us, and suddenly, she is off in her world, mumbling and so happy. Other times she goes to put socks on, and 15 minutes later, she is sitting in the floor of her room, folded socks in one hand, blah, blah, blah-bbing....