Preschool - September 16

J started preschool today. I probably don't have to tell you how excited he was. He didn't even want to leave the toys to say good bye to us. 

I didn't get a very good picture his first day. I made sure to get a "make up" photo on day 2. 

Sometimes - September 8

Sometimes, I wonder about J. I wonder how his little brain works so hard and retains SO MUCH information. 
Sometimes I wonder if he has a photographic memory. 
Sometimes, he can go above and beyond and I wonder more than normal. 
Like today, we were watch PBS. There was a mini 10 second spot for a webisode that kids could watch online. The show? Fizzy's lunch. The website? PBS.org
I hadn't ever seen the commercial before. Never. I'm pretty sure neither had J. 
Then, about 2 hours later, while "spelling" at his table, I came across this. 

Hubby C has been teaching him addition and subtraction, just to keep his little (big) mind working. 

It's amazing how well he is picking it up. 

I need to learn to stop being surprised. He's amazing. 

Salisbury Dutch Auction - Sept long weekend

So, I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before- but the people who owned our house previously were NOT yard people. All that was here was over grown bushes, dead grass, weeds and *gasp* fairy rings! 

Yes, we were "that yard." You know, the one on your block you steer clear of, hoping their weeds don't migrate over to your yard. 

It was pretty tough, coming from a yard we had created from scratch, with our own hands and that we cared for diligently. 

But, I will try to fix this one.

So the long weekend in September, I took a break from unpacking, enjoyed the unseasonably hot weather and I set out to replenish this garden and make it ours. 

Salisbury Greenhouse was having a Dutch Auction and so that weekend everything was 40% off. I loaded up my cart, not once, but twice. 

I was careful to pick plants based on their exposure, and height and potential size. I have never had a south facing perennial garden before. I'm used to shade plants. I love shade plants. 

I am going for a "tastefully full" garden this time around. I want the plants to be full and touching without much space in-between them. I'm hoping it works out. 

Here are my plants as babies. I dug out the tall and very big day lilies (the only things alive) and donated them to the boulevard in front of my in-laws house. The hostas were theirs too, out  in the sun, poor things. I haven't created a shade flower bed yet, so they remain in the front. I moved one to a shadier location towards the door but it is still pretty well full sun. 

I'm so excited to see how these all look in the spring!! 

Kim

My "real weekend - Sept 9

Well, it's come. My last week of maternity leave is over and my first "real" weekend in a year begins tonight. 
I'm not sure what I will spend it doing. Nothing much, I hope. Someone tell my kids I want to sleep in. Late.
I must admit, I'm not dreading my return as much as I expected. Definitely not as much as my last return. 
There have been some big staff changes since I left and I'm kind of really interested, almost excited to see the consequences. 
I only work part time. A 0.5 FTE, Mondays, Tuesdays and alternating Wednesdays. It is a nice compromise. I'm a mom more often than an employee. 
I enjoy my job, the drive is tedious but the work is rewarding. I think it is easier, returning, this time around because I know what I'm getting into. 


Well ... here we go. 

Shoes - Sept 2

We like, no LOVE kids shoes around here.
It makes me a bit sad to see them outgrown, an inanimate objects that shows the wear & tear and growth of my children at a specific period in their lives. 
I have most of J's old shoes still and I can remember certain events in time based on the shoes he was wearing. 
I saw a growth chart on Pinterest using old shoes. I think I'm definitely going to try that. Such a special idea. See link below.


Shoe growth chart

Walking, kind of - Sept 4

E seems to be getting the bug to walk, finally. 
J was much more interested in walking by this age. He was "finger walking" early and was "finger running" well before he could crawl. 
E has been different. More content to sit and watch J play, participating if he comes to her. Mainly, he always comes to her so she's really had no reason to try to be more mobile. 
I realized, now at 11 months, that she was a bit behind in her opportunity to walk. I have been so busy moving, I hadn't realized I hadn't been encouraging her to walk the same way I would have been encouraging J at the same age. 
I looked out our fire truck walking toy, wiped it down (it had become an outdoor toy once J was able to walk) and showed E. I held her up to it and she took off, walking, and walked the full length of our main floor. 
Amazing. She loves it. You can tell she is so proud of herself. I'm impressed, she is really good at controlling it's speed. She can't steer it yet but I think it is just a matter of time. 

Crazy to think my baby is becoming a toddler.

Birthday play house

Grandma and Grandpa 21 bought the kids a play house for their joint birthdays. They bought it in the summer but since we were moving, we chose to wait and bring it out once we were moved. 
Grandpa 21 and J built the house in our basement. We've decided to leave it in our basement for the winter while it is still clean. 
The kids LOVE IT. Even E. I'm surprised how much she loves it. 
She crawls over, rings the doorbell, squeals with glee and then goes in and talks on the phone. ADORABLE!
J likes it for different purposes. He wants to climb on the roof, he wants to jump in and out of the big windows. Silly boy stuff. 
They really like playing peek a boo around the house and in and out of the windows. 

I love watching them play together. 

Know it all - September 2

J has suddenly decided that he will try most foods. Great news after he was a bit of a picky eater for the past 18 months. 
J's first really attempt at eating cauliflower went like this:


Me "Would you like to try some? It's like trees, but snowy trees. I think you'll like them" 
J "Okay" 
Me " Well?" 
J "I like these pause sunflowers"
Me "No, not sunflowers, CAULIFLOWERS" 
J "Oh, collyflowers,  I like collyflowers"
Me " I thought you might" 
J (under his breath) "I do like theses pause night flowers"
Me "No, it's called Cauli-flower"
J "Oh, how do you spell Collyflower?"
Me "C-A-U-L-I F-L-O-W-E-R"
J  (spelling it in the air with his finger) "No, it's C-O-L-L-Y F-L-O-W-E-R" It has two O's in it." 
Me "No, the A-U makes the O sound in cauliflower"
J "No, you are wrong. It has two O's in it."


End of conversation.
This boy is amazing. Stubborn, but amazing. 

Science Center - August 24

C and I took the opportunity, while he was on vacation and the painters were fully occupying our house, to take the kids to the Science Centre for the day. 
There was a Sesame Street The Body exhibit on I thought J would enjoy. 
It was a really great exhibit and the kids had a great time. My sister and her kids joined us and all the kids (with maybe the exception of E) had things their level to enjoy. 
J enjoyed playing the pretend gameshow, dressing Elmo for the changing weather, the obstacle course and Hoopers store. We even got to see a star show in the Margaret Zeligler Theatre.
E was a bit too little to enjoy it, mostly she hung out on my back for a ride, watching the other kids. Cousin I is just 3 months older and because she can walk, she was able to explore on her own and seemed to have a great time. 

Looking very tall in her stroller.

C & L taking the kids through the exhibit.

I & E visiting.

Dressing Elmo.

Hands on fun.

J pumping the heart.

Chewing

Digestion

E watching from above.

Hoopers store.

If you haven't gotten a chance to go, I'd highly recommend it. The kids loved it and it was very age appropriate and interactive. We went during the week and were pleasantly surprised at how few people there were. 

Really, if you can (I know it was ending soon) I'd go. Take your kids or a friends kids, it was a great time.