Yes, Ivan, and you wear them well.

Upon opening several of his favorite Christmas presents this year Ivan exclaimed merrily, “FINALLY!” These were not gifts he had actually been requesting. But every time we passed the magnetic dart board display at our local bookshop he played with it and has for the past 3 years. So, Santa brought him the magnetic dart set this year even though it wasn’t on his list. “FINALLY!” smiled Ivan.

Many times over break often when we were walking and I was holding his hand, Ivan would ask, “Amanda, is this a good day?” I’ve realized when I am particularly happy spending time with my children I tell them, “This is a good day. I like that we’ve gotten to do X (play, walk, snuggle, read, eat-out, what-have-you) together.” Ivan was noticing that we were enjoying time together and asking me to notice too.

Ivan and Ezri went to a park district lead day adventure on a day school was off but the parents were working. Ivan has trouble with new people and places but having his sister with him meant he was able to adjust more easily to going to the park district program. Ezri when talking about the day told Ivan he would get to spend the whole day with her. She knew his worries and stepped in unprompted to reassure him.

Later we talked about how he will go to the park district’s adventure day camp with his sister this summer when school is out. He was commenting on the return to school today that he wished he could go to summer adventure camp instead. I asked why. He said, “Because I get to go WITH Ezri.” They go to the same school, of course, but completely separate classrooms. It is nice that after two weeks off school and much time together my kids still want to be together. As an only child, I wondered sometimes about raising two kids but I’m glad I decided to have two. They squabble but they love and care for each other.

Here’s Ivan celebrating New Year’s Eve in the best way – having a friend over and sharing things you love with them. They are building a bad guy prison tower here for Star Wars bad guy figures.

After school in the snow, they don’t let the cold stop them from playing.

This snowman may not melt, but he still didn’t last long when brought home from the last day of school.

So long, snowman.

62 inches according to Ivan.

Ivan loves reading the “Go Cubs” that is scrolls on the marquis of our local Pace Buses.

He rediscovered that his dad had bought him a cubs hat this weekend and wore it proudly.

There’s a steep set of stairs to their front door, so they ran a PVC tube out the window.

Ring the bell and a butterfinger candy bar will come sliding down through the tube into your bag.
SO MUCH JOY!

I also learned Ivan loves butterfingers. This Halloween he was all smiles telling me he was going to eat his second butterfinger.
You already had one? I asked looking at his bag of candy.
Yeah, Ezri gave me one when I was a chomper plant.
That was his costume last Halloween. He remembered that first butterfinger candy for a year. He was so excited to get several trick or treating. He’s eaten two so far this Halloween season and finds they live up to the memory.

Ezri was invited to her friend Josie’s birthday party at the LEGO Discovery Center, so the whole family went for fun.

Everything is AWESOME

Which one is the REAL Batman?

Inspired by LEGO visit, Ivan designs his own LEGO marble maze.