Abel age 5+

I started writing this right after Dina's intro post but I don't recall what happened after that.... Anyway, Abel is 5 years old (six in TWO MONTHS!!!!), his favorite color is green, and he is a curious little boy.  Abel was 14 months old when Dina was born so he has always been used to sharing the spotlight.  He learned how to walk at 11 months, so when Dina was born he was at the "I can walk all by myself so get your hands off me" stage of toddlerhood, which, of course, came as a blessing.

My little baby Abel on the day after his first birthday

Abel loves animals

Abel is in kindergarten and, academically, is doing well.  However, his behavior is on a completely different boat.  Since the end of the first week of school, I have received bad reports from his teacher.  At my parent teacher conference, his teacher started off like this:
"Abel is the sweetest boy... but he just cannot stay still."

reluctantly doing his homework

Abel loves his baby sister

On the second week of school, his teacher asked me if he spoke English.  Um, of course, he does, that is all he speaks.  It turns out, she thought he didn't understand her because he wouldn't listen.  This came somewhat amusing to me because there was a time, a few months ago, maybe a year ago actually, where I was having a similar concern.  I thought maybe he had too much earwax or something that was preventing him from listening, but no.  According to Abel, HE wants to stay still, but it is his body that wants to just be moving all the time.  My response was, "Well, get it under control; you need to tell your body to stat still so that you can be a quality student."

his first bike

Abel loves taking weird selfies with my phone,

iPad, or any camera he gets his hands on

 The last week of school before winter break, I told him if he gets five purple cards (= excellent behavior in kindergarten) we would take him (and the rest of the crew) to Chuck E. Cheese.  And he did!!!  On Wednesday, his teacher said to me "Whatever it is you are bribing him with, it's working." Yay bribes.  A few days ago, I heard Abel tell Dina to stop sticking her tongue out at him or she was going to get in trouble. She said that her body just wanted to be bad all the time, to which Abel responded: "Well tell your body to stop it.  Say 'body, you need to stop being bad or else I'm going to get in trouble'  That's what I said to my body, and look, I got five purple cards."

getting ready for school, he's usually not 

this happy about going to school

at the LA zoo

Abel loves knowing that he is the oldest and the smartest; he just wishes Dina would know that.  ANYTIME Dina tries to supply a random piece of information like "Abel, mommy bought some cookies" or "Abel, guess what?  We are going to Nini's house tomorrow" or "Abel, look there's an airplane in the sky" Abel responds like this: "Dina, I already know that."  Abel and Dina are always fighting.  When Dina first started sticking up for herself, we would hear Abel and Dina playing and then all of a sudden Abel says "But don't bite me, okay?"