Swimming Lessons

Not the greatest pics, but did my best to document. Samuel is really swimming. And Sergio is a great teacher.

Growth

Shira's language continues to grow in leaps and bounds. She now speaks in complex sentences, frequently with completely correct syntax and grammar. Her fine and gross motor skills have been developing similarly. She can truly run, as well as gallop, jump and hop. She loves to paint and draw and use all sorts of utensils. And can I talk about pottying, or will I jinx it? Her bladder seems to have grown recently, as well as her bladder control. I have many days where she doesn't need a change of clothes at all (and I don't have to race her to the bathroom every 22 minutes - or is that seconds?). I have dreams of being done with all manner of diapers within the next year, but that is probably fantasy. Since naptime seems to becoming old hat, I do have my hopes that we will be down to just night time diapers in the near future.

Have I mentioned that we have been reading a lot about kindergarten readiness for Samuel? That was the topic of our most recent preschool "class meeting". And as these things go, all signs point to Shira being ready for kindergarten. No joke, not a typo. Which might give you a sense on where I have landed in terms of the "redshirting" in kindergarten issue. For all my concern about whether we should send Samuel to kindergarten or not, it's becoming absurdly clear that that is just noise. He's ready for kindergarten, no question, and I'm a little embarrassed about getting sucked into this "it's much better if they're older" nonsense. That's not to say that some kids don't benefit from a little more maturity. I just have realized that it's silly to think of waiting just so my kid is older than everybody else.

Samuel has been making some big advances himself. Just last week he began to express an interest in sounding out words, and our spelling adventure has begun. Grandma Susan should be acquiring us some flash cards to work on letter and sound recognition. Samuel is super excited (as are Steve and myself). Reading has brought us so much pleasure in our lives, we wait expectantly as that world begins to open up for Samuel.

The garden continues to grow as well. After a recent rainstorm our tomatoes stopped producing for a couple of days, and I didn't realize how accustomed I had become to freshly picked tomatoes on demand. Winter will be hard to get used to, but since it was 80 degrees again today, it looks like we'll have tomatoes again for a little longer. I just hope they hold on until next week so Grandma Susan and Grandpa Tom have the opportunity to enjoy them.

Our lettuce has not been faring so well. The red leaf became bitter and bolted almost immediately, and though the romaine is slightly better, between the lettuce and the broccoli, our garden has begun to attract snails. I might give up on the lettuce all together, or try again when it gets cooler. Definitely would plant more than 4 broccoli plants next year, but they take up a significant amount of space. Our radishes, carrots and onions are coming right along, I keep telling Steve and the kids they should do another planting, but we never seem to be able to take the time. The pumpkin, watermelon and cantaloupe plants have shockingly all decided to put out new flowers, I can't wait to see if they actually produce something - the pumpkins have already set 2 new gourds. And the raspberries are producing a few berries a day; next year promises to be prolific. Cauliflower hasn't shown up yet, we'll see if those go anywhere. The apple tree had most of its leaves turn brown and drop off the tree. Not a good sign. I might go back to the nursery and ask for a replacement (although I doubt they still have one).

Our new camera should arrive tomorrow or the next day, at which point I imagine the blog posts will pick up again.

No more pacifier

The dentist mentioned that he could tell that Shira used a pacifier or sucked her thumb based on the shape of her teeth.

The next day, I experimented with the end of the pacifier. So far it has been a week or two, and we haven't back slid.

So I think I'm ready to say, we're done with the pacifier. One less thing to keep track of. One less thing to wonder about how/when we're going to end it.

I hate to say it, because I don't want to jinx anything, but it was remarkably easy. One day, at naptime, I just told her we weren't going to use it anymore because it is bad for her teeth. She asked for it at bedtime and naptime for several days, but wasn't upset when I said no.

Huh. Not every parenting issue is a teeth pulling challenge. Go figure. I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I want to quit.

Shira's first day of preschool

Each time we mentioned to Shira that she would be going to her first day of preschool soon, she responded with an excited, "Me wear purple packback" Clearly. Everyone who goes to preschool must wear a backpack.

We gave riding to preschool with both kids a test run today. I'm going to try and ride with the kids every Monday, at least until it gets wet and yucky. So convenient that Samuel's preschool is 40 feet away from Shira's.

Shira was a little nervous when we walked in the door*, but cautiously allowed Teacher Mindy to put her name tag on. I don't know why I thought Shira would just walk into preschool like she owned the place. She warmed up quickly, but remained close to me most of the day.

It was a unique experience to be focused solely on Shira. I didn't really think it would be that different, but it was special to experience this preschool with just her. Quite different from the last time I attended Parent Observation, juggling an infant and a first born 2 year old.

It is funny to think that 2 years ago Shira attended this same preschool as a 3 through 11 month old, but was usually sitting in the Maclaren, or perched in the carrier, watching Samuel and the other 2 year olds doing all of the activities.

She spent her first day checking everything out. Painting interested her, but typically, the hand washing station for after painting was a far bigger draw.

She found the bounce pads enchanting

Unfortunately, my photos stop there, as a little boy walked by me and kicked my camera, and it is once again broken. I'm not bitter. (Speaking of which, I need a small, reasonably priced, point and shoot that takes decent photos, if you have any recommendations.)

Shira also enjoyed her whirl on the tire swing. With all of our other activities, recently, we have spent precious little time at parks (as evidenced, yesterday when we went to Samuel's preschool's picnic in the park, and when we pulled up, Shira enthusiastically yelled, "Playground!") I've forgotten how tuned in Shira is to every swing in a 2 mile radius, and if they are occupied or vacant.

Shira did not want to leave the playdough table when it was time to clean up and head to circle time. Tactile sensory activities are a big draw for her.

She was in observation mode during circle time, quietly taking it all in, watching everyone, but not yet ready to participate (Silberman or Kafka trait? Both Samuel and Shira have it, though I'm betting Shira will begin to participate soon, I'm not sure that Samuel participated in any of the circle activities, until perhaps April or May.)

Shira enjoyed snack time, eating her own, and checking out what was on the menu for other children. When she saw that someone had not finished their cheerios and pretzels, she pointed them out and happily offered to take care of them. Definitely not a shrinking violet.

Once the water table entered the scene, all else was forgotten. Shira even ignored me at that point, and went to work filling up a watering can, just to empty it all over her shoes. Note to self: bring an extra pair of shoes in addition to change of clothes. I'm lucky it was a hot day, or I'm betting I'd have heard a lot of conversation regarding the cold wet state of Shira's feet on the ride home.

Shira was exhausted by the end of preschool, at which point we headed over to enjoy story time at Samuel's preschool before hopping back on the bike home. Pretty sure Shira thinks Teacher Rachel is as much her teacher as Samuel's. And when they sit next to each other at story time, and Samuel puts his arm around Shira, I always hear at least one "ahh" sigh from a mom who hasn't seen it before. Gosh I'm lucky.

*As a side note, Samuel was very disappointed when he learned he could not be the "work parent" at Shira's preschool. That said, he is enjoying his preschool so much, that when I gave him the option of coming to drop Shira off with me (his preschool starts 15 min earlier and we went there first) he declined the offer as he was having far too much fun of his own. He did say he would drop her off "next time."

Goodbye Bubbas, nnfing and gulp

Hello Brudder, Samuel, nursing and water.

Shira is losing her baby talk.

It started with Samuel insisting vehemently, "I HATE being called Bubbas. My name is Samuel." Shira listened carefully, and proceeded to almost instantly drop all use of the name "Bubbas" in favor of "brudder". Within the last couple of days she has begun to call Samuel by his name, on occasion, as well.

Not long after the end of "Bubbas", I also noticed that Shira had started asking for water rather than making her gulping noise.

A week ago or so, she stopped asking to "nnf" (mainly because I would tease her and say, "What's nnf?") and began asking to "nurf." Now within the last day or two she has begun to say "nurse."

She does still insist that she is my baby, though. Whenever she is called a big girl, or even little girl, for that matter, she responds with "Me baby, Mommy" and "Me, Daddy Baby" and will also tack on "Me Brudder Baby" as well. Which in Shira speak means that she's my, Steve's and Samuel's baby. And most definitely NOT a big girl.

Firsts at the Dentist

Shira had her first dentist appointment today, and Samuel had his first teeth xrays.

Samuel insisted on Shira sitting next to him. In fact, he really wanted Shira to watch him have a turn with the dentist first, so that she would know what to expect and not be nervous.

The waiting room rocking horses are always a hit.

We didn't know about the xrays, and Samuel was nervous, but he pushed through it, and even managed to smile by the end of it.

And the most important part - the "prizes" at the end. They took home two big bags of booty - stickers, mini skateboards, pencils.

Trees Planted

Last weekend we bought three trees that we have been thinking about for awhile, and Steve, Samuel and Shira planted them this Sunday.

This is the 4 in 1 stone fruit - Santa Rosa Plum, yellow nectarine, yellow peach and Blenheim Apricot.

Adding redwood compost on top.

Samuel and Shira show how they are almost as tall as the tree and we try to decide which will grow faster.

We also planted a 4 in 1 pear and a dwarf Fuji Apple.