What we're going to do tomorrow

Here's the neighborhood pink flamingo that Alice referenced.

Also, I looked it up, we really were at the zoo almost exactly two years ago, so Alice would have been Simon's age, and she at least appears to still have some accurate memories of it.

This child of mine

Simon brushing his teeth

Because we got home so late from the kindergarten visit, we decided to skip baths. Zac just brushed Simon's teeth at the table after bednight snack, then let him "brush his own teeth."

Alice visits her Kindergarten

On Thursday night, Alice's soon-to-be Elementary School held an open house for new kindergartners and their parents. I'm not very emotional about the kids growing up in that I'm really looking forward to free public schools and the kids becoming slightly less high-maintenance.  But yet, showing Alice her new school still made me tear up a bit, just because it was a "moment," you know. She didn't fully realize it, of course, but she was going into the building where she could possibly spend the next six years of her school life, building lots of friendships and memories. One way or another, this place was going to contribute to her formation.

Zac and I had toured the place earlier in the year, without Alice, just to make sure it seemed OK (no cages, broken glass, those sorts of red flags). So although it wasn't new to us, it was certainly different standing there with Alice, showing her the cafeteria and library...

They had a meeting in the library where the principal, counselor, kindergarten teachers and teaching assistants all made little speeches. Alice squirmed a lot, but miraculously made it through. Not so for Simon--Zac had to take him out after a few minutes. The theme of the speeches was that the teachers would all love our children and take care of them and the kids would have a good foundation for a great future. So that's taken care of.

After the talking part, they split us into groups to go to a kindergarten class and look around. We don't know which teacher and which class Alice will have yet, and all the teachers seemed quite different. I was trying to decided if I got to choose which one I would choose, and I just couldn't tell based on their little speeches. What I really hope for is a teacher who will understand her and know how to challenge her.

Alice took to the classroom right away. She was especially interested in the class pet (frog), the bean bag chairs (where she quickly bonded with another girl who was plopping on them) and the ample supply of books.

We're both pretty confident Alice will do well and enjoy school, as long as she doesn't drive her teacher nuts. Her daycare teachers all seem to love her, but then again, it's a business and we're paying them, so you can never quite be sure.

Alice at preschool

Thursday was a very exciting day for Alice, since she was the line-leader at school that day. She loves to plan out her clothes and wear her fanciest outfits on the special days.

In the morning, when Zac dropped Alice off, Ms. Georgiana offered to take a snapshot of Zac with Alice in her fancy clothes. It got off to a rough start.

When Zac picked Alice up, she was working on some art with a her friends at a table. We have felt so happy to have Alice at such a wonderful, kind daycare. We are perhaps getting a little prematurely nostalgic as we think about her last couple of months here before going to daycare.

Typical conversations with Simon

Simon: I want a pickle.
Sera: Ok, get in your chair and I'll give you one.
Simon: I don't want a pickle.
Sera: Ok.
Simon: I do want a pickle!
Sera: Ok, sit in your chair and I'll give you one.
Simon: No! I don't want a pickle.
Sera: Ok.
Simon: I want a pickle.

See how tedious and redundant this is already? This conversation repeated at least a dozen times.  This nonsense is a special form of torture for me.

Here is another example:

Simon says he's cold so I get a jacket to put on him. When it is halfway on him, he complains and says he doesn't want a jacket because he's not cold. So I take it off. Then, he says he is cold and he wants the jacket so I put it back on him. A minute later he notices it is not zipped up and he asks me to zip it up, but specifies he doesn't want it up to his neck. I zip it to the proper height. He wears it for a few minutes then wants it off, saying he isn't cold.

It's like this all the time. It must be so confusing to be this age, to not know what you want.

However, sometimes things in life are perfectly clear to him. Consider this recent conversation:

Sera: What's this all over your shirt?
Simon: It's marker!
Sera: Oh? What were you coloring at school?
Simon: My shirt!

Picture Day dress rehearsal

Picture day is tomorrow. Last year I didn't really plan anything until I picked out the kids' clothes that morning. I didn't realize the photographer would take a picture of the kids together, so their outfits clashed. I was just thinking of head shots, so Simon's shoes didn't match either. As luck would have it, the best picture of the bunch ended up being the one of the kids together, full-body shots including Simon's shoes.

2015 picture (last year)

So this year I was prepared and we did a dress rehearsal the night before. Their outfits do not clash. The shoes match.

*And when we got the the proofs back, of course the best picture was one that was just a head-shot of both of them. Oh well.

Sunday afternoon picnic and play

After naps, Alice declared that she wanted to have a picnic snack in the front yard. Zac obliged and carried the little picnic table out there. Then they played outside while I made supper and Zac practiced his photography.

 

Lake Crabtree

For Alice's upcoming birthday party, we rented a shelter at nearby Lake Crabtree County Park. We'd scoped it out for last year, but it was already reserved on the weekend we would have wanted it. So this year, I reserved it online early enough. We went there today just to check it out so we could plan the party better. It was a cool, beautiful day and we had a lot of fun at the waterfront and playground.

The kids sneaking up on a heron

Sometimes we like to say, "Alice, give Simon a hug" just to see what will happen. It usually makes them both smile a lot.

Simon really liked this kayak train!

Alice had a lot of fun going down the "fireman pole" at the playground.

Simon really liked climbing up and down the ladder.

And no trip would be complete without some vigorous tree shaking!