I think I will always remember this summer as one of my favorites. Summer with a little kid is...hmmmm....well, insert cliche here. It's just really, really GREAT. That seems like a boring word, but really it is so fun. All the parks, splash parks (where are my pictures of the splash parks!? How did I miss that?), play dates, zoo visits, lake house visits, our trip to Vermont, messy crafty fun with Levi in just a diaper.....A common plea around our house now is, "Front!?", as he runs to the front door and begs to play with the hose. It makes me so happy that he learned all his colors this summer as we splashed and played and got messy. Yes, it's one of those moments you want to pause time and just enjoy their little selves.
Okay, enough mushiness and my trying to avoid parenting cliches about pausing time. Ha! Perhaps I'm getting all philosophical because the other big event to end our summer was Levi starting preschool! Just 9:00-11:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but it feels so big. To think, when we brought him home it was recommended (and we followed it) that no one else even change his diaper, hold him, or give him a bottle for months until we were sure he recognized us as parents. And now he is going off to school on his own, even if it is just 5 hours a week. And he LOVES it. His brain was just so ready to soak it all up. At Faith Montessori in Noblesville his bed bud, Jacobi, is in his class, and his teacher, Mrs. Williams, was in choir with me at Butler. He talks about "Willwums" and "Bee" constantly and asks when he'll be going back. I love that all we work on at home is being reenforced, and I'm so proud of how well he has done away from home. And so it begins.....
Month 20 (August - September)
- Thinks Brad works construction thanks to saying that trucks are "working" (Because, you know, Dad is "working" and he drives a truck to work, so logically....)
- Finds colors independently while we are out
- First sight word - Kroger! Ha!
- Foot obsession - loves to tackle them on everyone and say they are "dirty." Gee, thanks.
- Completely obsessed with gas stations and things that run on gas
- Wanders around singing, "No, no, no" in a sing-song voice. Ah, 2 years-old.
- Luke is now called "Gee Gee," but he now sometimes calls Cal "Cal" instead of "Ga Ga."
- Big screaming fits in public - had to leave music class, restaurants, parties, Target all in one week. Oy!
- Loves the idea that going to school is his "work." Just like Dada.
- First dentist appointment!
- Words are becoming very clear to understand
- Still loves to hold hands while I'm driving. My arm is getting sore from reaching back.
- Runs to get a towel while yelling, "Towel! Bug!" when he sees a fly. Then tries to hit it.
- Backseat driver with Green/Red meaning Go/Stop
- Listens very well about things that may hurt him. My fall at the park obviously made a BIG impact.
Showin' off the adorable Swiss Mountain Dog T-shirt from our Swiss friends
Still enamored with his Luke
And a new infatuation with Lucy Metzing
Preschool Open House at Faith Montessori!
Perusing The Very Quiet Cricket, which he and Dada read every night before bed.
What happens if I don't get his PJ's off fast enough before his morning bath.
The "Tunnel" to his room
Painting with everything BUT a paintbrush
The "advent calendar"-style poster we made to countdown between school mornings.
Working on our letters and words by labeling EVERYTHING with chalk.
Levi's absolute #1 favorite activity: paint in condiment bottles and then squeezing them out. Fun for learning colors and also color mixing.
For all our crafty fun, Levi is NOT a big colorer. When I get out his crayons he primarily enjoys reorganizing them back into the box.
Fantastic weekend with the Brummetts and Sowinskis in Ann Arbor. The Brummett family were brave enough to take on 6 adults and 5 kiddos for the weekend! We were blessed with great weather, beautiful parks, great company, and even a fantastic babysitter on one night so that the adults could hit the town!
This was NOT a planned activity for the day, but it became clear that trying to keep the boys out of the water was more trouble than it was worth.
And the tears when we finally made him get out.
We clean up okay, I'd say.
A new haircut! Spontaneously chopped it off.
GREAT, cheap activity - pipe cleaners in a colander or straws, anything to develop fine motor skills.
Best cheap entertainment (other than Petsmart)? Tractor Supply.
Thank you, Miriam, for suggesting the iPhone photo class at Homespun! 3 hours of fantastic info.
Enjoying the trail at Asa Bales park with Dada.
School!!! Waiting to be picked up with his best bud, Jacobi.
Jacobi's Mom, Angela, walking Levi out after his first day.
Ready for picture day at school! (Yes, I promise I had him wear shoes.)
Easy, fun bath time craft - food colored ice boats. Great science experiment as they melt, too.
Holiday celebration at the Ethiopian church where we all wore our tradition Ethiopian attire.
Messy play date with the Motts! I had been wanting to do this all summer. We snagged one of the last really warm days for it. The boys had such a blast together.
Closing out the summer with Labor Day weekend at the Todds' lake home. The whole family was there and all the cousins were together for the first time.
Emma called me "The Lady Who Brought the Cake" all weekend. A girl after my own heart.
Not much boat time thanks to the lake flooding with rain! The boats had to be rescued. The guys are actually standing on the dock, which is covered by at least a foot of water!
Golf cart rides were a big hit in lieu of boat rides
Messy fun with the cousins. One of Levi's favorite activities: baking soda and colored vinegar.
Even the big kids got into it
Next up? Shaving cream fun.
Hayden and Mandy were fully covered by the end.
Running down the hill to wash off in the lake.
Cute brother/sister moment.
So, I sang a bit this month too! It was one of the most challenging projects I've worked on (especially having broken two ribs exactly one month earlier!!!): singing the title role in Holst's Savitri for Intimate Opera's submission to the Fringe Festival. Really amazing experience and a fantastic production. Was very impressed with all my colleagues.
Chair Picture, Month 20
Favorite Videos of the Month:
If you have not already seen this on Youtube, you will DIE. A video from China demonstrates an easy way to separate an egg and it WORKS. The best part is how hard we are laughing. I don't know why I didn't think it would work. We were all amazed.
And then putting the egg back together...seriously.
Levi loves leading his doggies around by their collars. Seeing a 2 year-old pulling 75 lb. German Shepherds around is always a site. They will do just about anything he says though.
Excited for the first day of school in the bathtub!
Walking him to his classroom on the first day. We've since moved our goodbye routine to the main entrance, but it was fun to see him into his classroom that day.
A recent favorite from music class, A Drumming Party, with a bit of silliness thrown in.
