6 Years, 9 Months

Following the trend I started earlier in this year, Steve turned 40 in May.

Sassy and silly boys show off the cards they made for their Dad:

Since Steve is impossible to shop for, we went with just getting one of his favorite desserts (strawberry rhubarb pie) and loading it up with 40 candles: 

The last day of kindergarten was May 25th. 

Heading off to their last day, stylin' in their track suits (Jack left, Henry right):

Henry's year-end report card comments: "I have enjoyed having Henry in my class this year. He consistently does his personal best in all his school work. He has met or exceeded kindergarten standards [and] is ready to move on to first grade." 

Jack's year-end report card comments: "I have loved having Jack in my class this year. He is a good student and I have enjoyed watching him learn and grow this year. He is a kind and empathetic friend to his classmates. He is all set and ready for first grade."

Discovering the Toys R Us section in our local Macy's: 

My dad got our old video game systems working and brought them up to our house for the boys to enjoy. The vintage games have been a huge hit and the boys prefer playing the old games to watching TV or using their tablets. 

Frogger on Intellivision: 

Super Mario World on Super Nintendo: 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time on Super Nintendo: 

The boys particularly like playing the TMNT together, so that's been nice. And I make sure to kick their butts regularly in MarioKart to keep them humble.

Jack, the one-boy band:

Tapping out a melody:

I really need to get that kid into piano lessons. I've got to get my act together and find a teacher.

Henry was excited to receive a rainbow assortment of press-on nails from Aunt Jessica. When I asked him to pose with them, however, he went with... dramatic. 

Sigh.

The boys are finally tall enough to go on the ridiculous Cave Train Adventure ride at the Boardwalk by themselves so I don't have to go on it anymore! Hooray!

They were pouting that I didn't go with them. Tough luck, kiddos.

Dragon riders:

Beach swing with a fantastic view (it looks out over the beach and Monterey Bay):

Though this swing doesn't attract a lot of attention from Boardwalk patrons, the boys say it's actually really fun.

New kiddie ride that the boys found entertaining:

The cars just drive in a circle. I'm not sure the appeal, but they were probably just interested because it's new.

Hot rod Henry:

Glimpse of the beach and ocean beyond:

We really do live in a stunningly beautiful place.

The main Boardwalk attraction as far as the boys are concerned is still the arcade:

I recall when I introduced the boys to skeeball recently, I cautioned them that the game could be tricky and it would likely take awhile to get it. Jack stepped up for his first skeeball roll ever, and promptly launched the very first ball perfectly up the ramp so it hopped into the highest value cup. I'm not sure why I bother talking.

The boys got to go to several fun birthday parties to kick off summer.

At Rowan's party (a friend from preschool), her parents rented a claw machine, which was brilliant and was a massive hit. 

Jack was determined to win (he did eventually pick up a cute stuffed animal keychain, as did Henry):

Classmate Bettie's party was advertised as a "reptile party." The kids got to learn about and handle a variety of creatures. Henry was particularly delighted.

Henry with a little (corn?) snake:

Henry petting a big lizard (skink?):

Jack eyes the Mexican Beaded Lizard suspiciously: 

Henry and friend Avery (with the fabulous red hair) watch the beaded lizard wander by:

Listening to the reptile expert: 

Jack was more reserved with the creatures, but he did pet the chameleon: 

Kids watch the chameleon: 

Henry meets a cool orange lizard:

I love this picture, communing with the lizard:

Henry is very excited to hold the big snake:

Oh, wait, there's an even bigger snake!

Jack and friend Avery step up to pet the giant snake (undoubtedly at Henry's urging):

We've been to a lot of creative birthday parties for the boys' friends and classmates. Unfortunately for Jack and Henry, Steve and I are very much not party people, so our current plan is to bribe them not to have a party with promises of unlimited arcade games. 

Poor kids... it's hard to have antisocial, exhausted parents.

6 Years, 8 Months

Easter

I didn't really feel like putting together Easter baskets, but when I came across these giant golden eggs at Target, I knew filling those with a few treats would be an alternative the boys would enjoy. 

And they also double as a hat. Handy.

Jack with his Easter card from Grandma and Grandpa:

Jack, celebrating upon realizing said card contained a little spending money:

Henry with his card:

The boys open a box from former nanny Kasey:

Jack attempts to read his card:

I wish these pictures weren't fuzzy, but I wanted to include them because Henry had so much fun playing with his little hopping chick from Kasey:

Jack with his hopping chick:

Jack coloring one of the gifts from his golden egg:

The ball is inflated with a straw, has the feel of a mylar balloon, and was advertised as safe to play with in the house without breaking anything (and, as a bonus, you can decorate it with markers). So far, so good... nothing's been broken with it yet. 

Henry made a necklace at spring break camp and put it in a little plastic Easter egg for me. I think it's fantastic and I wear it frequently. 

I pose with proud Henry (and bonus over-the-shoulder Jack): 

Miscellany 

At open house night at the boys' elementary school, I was able to tour the school garden.

Unassuming entrance:

Jack posing in the center path, class garden beds on either side (the portable building on the right side of the picture is the boys' kindergarten classroom):

Jack posing by his class' garden bed:

Another picture of the garden Steve took earlier in the month at the school's plant sale fundraiser:

Since the boys were only 3 1/2 when the pandemic began, and Jack has proven to be sensitive to depictions of peril on screen, we hadn't ever managed to take them to a movie theater. But we finally took the boys to see their first movie in a theater. 

Jack left, Henry right:

The boys made sure they were properly equipped; Jack had his Mario squid that he'd won at the boardwalk (a character officially named "Blooper" apparently) and Henry's bag is full of Hot Wheels MarioKart cars.

The Super Mario Brothers movie was a perfect choice: big, silly, loud, colorful, not too scary, and with enough references and musical cues relating to the old games to keep Steve and I amused.

The boys' kindergarten teacher lets the class watch TV shows while she tests the kids individually on their sight words. This week the boys came home excitedly exclaiming that they'd watching the "coolest show" and they'd asked the teacher write down the name of it so we could watch it at home:

Jack

Goofy Jack with his new hat. Well, it was supposed to be his dad's new hat (a gift from a friend who visited the World of Coca-Cola in Georgia), but Jack took a liking to it and that was that.

Pictures of our kitchen from Jack's perspective:

I thought these pictures were interesting; things really look different from a few feet lower.

Jack in our bowling alley of a bathroom, lining up bath toys on a cold morning in front of the heating vent:

Henry

Henry often doesn't want me to take pictures of him these days, which I try to honor. 

In a fit of frustration with all of us, Henry asked me to write "No Jack, No Mom, No Dad" on this card to make a sign for his room. I guess he decided it seemed overly harsh, since he subsequently decorated it with hearts and added "love Henry." 

One morning, when Steve was leaving for work after a frustrating morning of Henry being generally malcontented and claiming he was going to get himself a new, better family, Henry passively accepted a kiss from Steve and then deadpanned, "Goodbye, soon-to-be-former Dad."

The teen (and pre-teen, for that matter) years are going to be... interesting.