I'm Slacking Again

I just can't seem to keep up here.  So let me try to give you a quick update of things happening with The Barnes Bunch.

Natalie
Natalie is in the 8th grade now.  It has been a bumpy start to the year with her being placed in the wrong classes.  I'm still working on getting that all straightened out, hopefully within the coming weeks.  But for the most part she's doing well aside from being bored in these unchallenging classes.

Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn started 5th grade this year and so far it has been relatively smooth.  She is taking on a lot of responsibility in the school helping out with a lot of the younger grades.  She has applied and just interviewed for the school's safety patrol.  We don't know yet if she got it, but even if not she'll still continue to help out with getting the younger kids to their class.  Which of course includes CJ.

Here teacher has been out for a few weeks and that has been tough on her.  She's not crazy about her substitute and I was really hoping to get to talk to him more about what to do for Kaitlyn and middle school next year at conferences, but he won't be there.  So I'll have to wait until he comes back to talk to him.

CJ
CJ is in Kindergarten and it has been a tough transition for him.  He is one of the youngest in his class though so it's understandable.  He was not completing work at school and having to do a lot of extra work at home, but now he's coming home with less incomplete work.  His teacher has been great and super receptive about things.  We have already discussed CJ a few times and what we can do to help him at home and in school.  She has someone who comes into the class and she lets her work one on one with CJ and she has been sending home lots of great resources which we have been working on here at home.  Still, teaching him to write the letters of the alphabet has been hard, but in just a few weeks I have been seeing a lot of growth in him already so I think he's settling in and getting used to his 3rd new school in 3 years.

Alyssa
Alyssa is 20 months old now.  We went to her 18 month check up a couple of weeks ago.  She's still a peanut weighing in at 19 pounds 11 ounces.  So close to being 20 pounds.  The doctor is a little concerned and wants us back for a weight check.  She looked at her and said she doesn't look frail though.  So I think she's just going to be a peanut of a thing.  But she gets all the good fattening stuff added to her food in the meantime to try to fatten her up.  Seriously, this kid is a bottomless pit I don't know how she's not gaining more.

Developmentally she's not doing too bad.  There's still really no words from her.  And the words she does say usually leave out consonant sounds.  She is still getting speech therapy.  That's going okay.  I think she'll just start talking one day.  She completely understands everything that is said to her and she is starting to identify her body parts. 

The Barnes Bunch As A Whole
So now here's what we have been up to as a family.  There has been apple picking, fairs, and The Big E.  Here are some pictures from those adventures.

Apple Picking

Looking for some apples

CJ picking apples

Reach up high

Beautiful view

 Mum Fair

Touch a Truck

A boy in a truck

Now that's one big truck

He could sit right in the tire

In a firetruck

Alyssa in on the action

Making a truck

Kaitlyn's building

Natalie's building

Banging with the hammer

The finished product

Daddy's helpling

Natalie's all done

Alyssa

CJ finished his truck

 The Big E

We met some friends up at the Big E.  It was a very long day, but lots of fun.

Clydesdale horses

Chick hatchery

This little piggy

Mama pig

Alyssa liked the pigs

Alyssa needed to walk

On the swings

Driving

Motorcycle

Rollercoaster

Here come the horses

CT building

The General Lee

A Lego Man

There's lots of stuff coming up this month.  A pumpkin fair, pumpkin picking, CJ's birthday party.  Maybe I'll be better about posting.