LETTERS FROM STEVO: Parent/Teacher Conference?

Let me just start by saying you should see the ear hair I'm growing! Man, I'm getting old and goin' down hill fast! Poor Amy! What's next? Prostate issues?

We are going to Disney World in a couple of weeks and I've already been telling the kids that if they don't go thru the haunted house, we are putting them up for adoption! Just try me...they know I don't bluff!

As mentioned in my previous blog...Mya has a BIG personality! I just needed to re-iterate that before writing this post. We met with Mya's 1st grade teacher for Parent/Teacher Conference this past week...who I will refer to as X. We enter the classroom at the appointed time...mid morning, yes I'm missing work for this. As per the stereotype, we have to sit in kid desk chairs...Apparently, Mya's personality is a trite too large for her teacher, though she appreciates it, I think she has a hard time managing it. X seems to enjoy Mya's conversational abilities, for example, Mya telling her about hot tubbing in the mountains. However, she doesn't appreciate Mya calling her out on giving out too much work! Or, sighing when it's time to say the Pledge of Allegiance. The trick to Mya is you have to gain credibility with her...she won't just automatically listen to you because you are an a-dult! Inherently respecting authority is not an inherent trait in our little family. So if we respect you...consider it a major compliment!

So, we've been "counseling" Mya to be a better listener to X. I use the word "counseling" losely...it's more like threats of violence! I think it's sinking in too! She's making a concerted effort to behave appropriately in 1st grade. For example, X uses a "behavior ladder" to gauge good behavior. Today, Amy asked her where she ended up on the ladder. Mya responded to Amy that she ended the day at "Super Choices"...meaning she was good. She then tells Amy that X hadn't noticed how great she was all day, so she made a point of reminding X of how good she was today...bartering for some good placement on the "behavior ladder"...some politicking if you will.

Mya then convinced us tonight that we needed to go to Chick Fil-A because all the kids from school would be there and she could see all her friends. So, we go and find out that Chick Fil-A was having some sort of event partnering with the school and of course EVERYBODY was there! Mya got her chance to work the crowd and hangout with her friends...there is no introvert in this girl!

LETTERS FROM STEVO: The Miseducation of Mr. Peet!

It's no secret that Mya has a BIG personality. She is a girls girl, feminine to the core. I love this about Mya and would never try to take her extreme girlishness away from her. However, being the little brother of Miss Mya can be a daunting task! There are times I feel Peyton gets lost in the madness and we don't let his personality shine enough...and then you add the clingy mama's boy factor that boys his age are known to show and I'll admit, there are times I have a hard time knowing how to handle him. I am not a kid person and will never pretend to be one, so this stuff definitely puts me out of my comfort zone!

Well, tonight was a step in the right direction. We have Peyton in soccer this year for the first time. I took him to his first practice...he did fine. Amy took him to his second practice...he was clingy. We took him to his first game...clingy. So, we decided I'm going to take him to practice from now on. I took him tonight...once again, he was fine.

Peyton is also a total shrimp! I don't think he eats enough food of substance...i.e., protein! He's typically on a diet of empty carbs. After practice, I drove thru Wendy's and bought a cheeseburger and chili. We shared the meal of good growth oriented protein and much to his surprise...Peyton actually liked the chili! I then let him take a bath and after the bath, I let him chill out with me and watch some TV. Now, typically, Peyton only gets to watch Mya's girly chick shows...Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, etc...gag me now, I'm nauseous! Do you think we turned it on to Disney? NO! As I was flipping thru the channels, he would give me his opinion as to whether or not he wanted to watch whatever we stopped on. I flipped to Spike TV and Ultimate Fighting was on...he wanted to watch it! I swear he did! I'm not making this up! "They're punching each other!" "They're wrestling!" I explained to him that it is a game and he got a kick out of it! After the bloody clash, we watched some Cartoon Network until the girls got home.

It's times like these when he makes me proud!