Halfway to TWO!

This is how much fun Seth had on his 1/2 Birthday --Happy 18 Months Seth

What could be better than a children's museum with CARS!

Vroom

A place where you can touch everything and climb

Playing together

Seth Exploring

Savannah coming down the slide

Savannah and Seth's little friend Oliver

Seth's buddy Matty

Seth playing in the soft play area

Savannah playing with the boys

Peek a boo, I see you

Bye Seth!  This was one of his favorites.

I can't hardly believe that Seth is 18 months already.  It feels like yesterday he was 18 days.  The time is going too fast and I would like to slow it down, but this boy is roaring to go, grow, learn, explore and discover, so I don't think I can do so.  To celebrate his 1/2 birthday we got together with Seth's two Itsy Bitsy Yoga buddies and went to KidCity, which is a fantasic local kid's museum.  Since it was 59 degrees and raining, we opted for an inside activity.  We also went to lunch at It's Only Natural, a delicious vegatarian cafe.  We had a wonderful time with friends and our big boy had so much fun at the museum that we got a season pass so we can go again and again.

A Day On the Farm with the Apples of Our Eyes

Pretty Picking Pears

I have a pear

Peek a boo Seth.  He did not understand to put his head through at first and just kept peeking around.

Look who is walking like a big boy.

My new favorite photo--so sweet

At the petting zoo

Love this tire swing horse

Ride em' Savannah

Walking around the farm

I don't want to wear my hat

Finding apples

Got a red and juicy one

Pull Seth, Pull

Got it

Reaching for more

Walking around the orchard

Over here.  I found pears

Seth will no longer sit in a highchair.  Trying the big boy booster at a restaurant.  He did pretty well.

Walking around with Daddy without holding hands.

Loving the hay

This is fun

Wow! A window in the hay maze

Finding my way through the hay maze

He was so proud of himself making his way

That pumpkin is bigger than you

Who is that?  It's not a scarecrow, is it?  Is that Savannah? YES!

Cutuest pumpkin in the patch

In the Fall spirit we went to two local farms and went to a petting zoo, hay maze and then to the orchard to pick apples and pears.  There were supposed to be pony rides and face painting, but I guess since it was opening day for the Fall Festival, they were not totally set up yet.  We had lots of fun and the afternoon was enjoyed on a glorious September day. 

Savannah's First Day of PreK

Savannah started PreK as a BIG almost  4 1/2 year old this week at Oak Grove Montessori.  She had phase in where only half the class goes for half the normal time so they can adjust and have special attention with only 8 children there instead of 16.  We attended parent oritnetation, Savannah's orientation and an ice cream social too.  I LOVE the school, the teachers, the administration, the sense of community and how much they care and nuture not only your child, but make you feel important and part of your child's education and life at school.  They welcome parents to be involved.  That is definitely what public school is lacking.  She did wonderfully at her first three days with no separation anxiety and enjoyed her days to the fullest.  Monday starts 3 hours a day 4 days a week from 12:30 to 3:30.  She is going to do amazingly and I can already tell the growth and maturity that is going to come from this year. 

A few friends on Facebook shared this wonderful list of what a 4 year old should know and needs and it is SO true and I thought it appropriate to share here on the first week of school.  I also put it here so I remember this and can share it with my children as they grow, because I think it applies to all ages with some variation, not just 4.  Sometimes we forget the obvious and as I read this I said to myself that this is why she is going to Montessori because this exactly what they nurture in children.  Pictures of her first day of school are below in between two sections of the article. 

What should a 4 year old know?
I was on a parenting bulletin board recently and read a post by a mother who was worried that her 4 1/2 year old did not know enough. “What should a 4 year old know?” she asked.
Most of the answers left me not only saddened but pretty soundly annoyed. One mom posted a laundry list of all of the things her son knew. Counting to 100, planets, how to write his first and last name, and on and on. Others chimed in with how much more their children already knew, some who were only 3. A few posted URL’s to lists of what each age should know. The fewest yet said that each child develops at his own pace and not to worry.
It bothered me greatly to see these mothers responding to a worried mom by adding to her concern, with lists of all the things their children could do that hers couldn’t. We are such a competitive culture that even our preschoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn’t be a race.
So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know.


1.She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.


2.He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn’t feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.


3.She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.


4.He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he’ll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.


5.She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she’s wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvelous. She should know that it’s just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that– way more worthy.

But more important, here’s what parents need to know.

1.That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.


2.That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high ACT scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.


3.That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children “advantages” that we’re giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.


4.That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children’s toys and they wouldn’t be missed, but some things are important– building toys like legos and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too– to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it’s absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.


5.That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That’s not okay! Our children don’t need Nintendos, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US. They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 MPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they’re a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.

Summer in September

Seth playing with our new block-ball-balancing toy

Careful placement

Proud of her accomplishment of getting it to balance

Seth trying hard

Where's Seth--in the walker wagon with all the stuffed animals

Making a train out of the cases of water

Having fun

Total cuteness

Cookie Monster taking a break from playing.  Look at that mouth and he piled up all the cookies from the box.

So sweet

True love--she just kissed his head and said, "I love you."

Then I asked her to look at the camera and smile.  And she did.  Seth hugged her on his own.

Back to his cookie pile

Playing and eating

I can barely believe it is already September and Labor Day is upon us.  We are having a September heat wave and it has been in the 90's all week.  The kiddos are just so cute and love being together and playing together.  Seth is going to miss Savannah when she is at school, but hopefully if my nap transition to one a day goes well.  So far, not too successful, but I think it takes a couple of weeks.

Just some cute pictures of my darlings before we head out for Labor Day weekend and start the school routine.