Celebrating our last ECFE class

 

Last Tuesday, May 21, 2013 I took the boys out to celebrate the last day of our spring ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) session.  We enjoyed some chicken nuggets, fries and water. It was simple, but so special for the kiddos. {And me, too!}  Quinn was practically bouncing all the way to the booth, and was so pleased when I told him he could choose our spot. I never do this sort of thing!  We go on 'field' trips often, but I always pack a healthy bag lunch. This was a 'treat.'

 

On Wednesday (the day after our lunch), it occurred to me that this was Quinn's very last ECFE class. He is registered for Preschool in the Fall, and ECFE is education for young kiddos before Preschool. We have been doing this activity since Quinn was six months old. I have met so many wonderful friends and educators. I have watched Quinn's development and milestones through this experience in the last three years. I almost cried when this dawned on me. I am so glad I gave in to that feeling that we had to celebrate our last day. It's an end of an era, in a way.

 

...But, with endings come new beginnings. He is going to make such an awesome Preschooler next fall. And I am already looking forward to receiving our new ECFE catalog in the mail so that I can start this special memory for Jack and I, come September!

 



My Two Boys

 May 2013

Love these guys!  

Quality time with daddy!

Looks like we now have officially {TWO}little boys who love to read!

Memorial Day Weekend 2013

 

Our family had a great holiday weekend up north at the cabin! It was the first time we have been back since August 2012, and it was a lot of fun!  The boys had an absolute ball. They are both on the go, go, go.... From the time they wake up (even if that time is 6am), they want to be loud, play, explore.  What better place for little boys to do just that than at the cabin?! 

 

Thanks so much for having us up, Jan and Stan!

 

We are already looking forward to the next time we can  make more memories at the cabin! 

Professor Quinn

 Tucker needs to check out the new accessory that Quinn is sporting.

 Happy boy. Running wildly around the house because I am trying to

take a picture of him in his new glasses. Typical!

For Quinn's three year wellness check, the pediatrician had him take a routine eye test (to prepare for preschool). He tested at about a 20/80 for both eyes, and so they recommended that I take him to an Optometrist to get a more thorough eye exam.  

 

We did this last Thursday, and it was tough taking a three year old to an eye doctor and have eye drops used, to dilate his eyes. I could tell he just wasn't 'digging' it. And that's putting it mildly. Luckily, when they had us go back to the waiting area to give his pupils time to dilate, I was able to explain why we were there and what was going to happen. When the Optometrist assistant came back out to check on us, I asked if she could bring an eye patch for us, so that Quinn could check it out, feel it, play with it (basically just show him it's nothing to be afraid of).   We made it through the rest of the exam somehow, and then the diagnosis: astigmatism in both eyes and also, he is far sided (hard to see close up).  Both of these issues can (and usually do) correct themselves in children.  So then came the fun part! Picking out the glasses.  We went the day after the exam, and this time we brought along little brother Jack and Grandma Jan. It was a much more enjoyable experience for Quinn!  And I think he looks just like a mini professor.  He's doing great keeping them on for the majority of the day. I'm just so glad he can see more clearly now. 

Worldless Saturday Morning

The boys are growing

These two little boys are growing fast!  Having a three year old and 15 month old are fun ages.

 

Language skills are going through the roof for Quinn. He is able to have an impressively long and detailed conversation with us now. He has a knack for story telling, he can remember events in great detail and his interests are becoming apparent. It's great! At three years old he is still a huge reader. He can sit for hour(s) and read. He loves to both listen to someone read to him, and he also loves to camp out in bed with a dozen books nearby and read to himself.  Going to the library is a fun outing for Quinn. He is so excited when he sees all the books, that he doesn't understand why he must whisper and not run!  He is becoming more interested in crafts. Craft time around our house is very unstructured. Basically, I give Quinn a huge bin of 'craft stuff', paper, stickers, glue stick, scissors, stencils, markers, pens and pencils and let him 'create.'  I'm pretty sure he is going to be a 'lefty' (like me!) He knows how his name is spelt (cannot write it yet.) Although, he usually says: Q U I N.  He's doing great with staying dry all day and night, and is such a sweet and tender hearted little guy.  He is very kind and empathetic to Jack. Of course, he loves to take toys from Jack and tease him (Ex. here Jack, have this truck!) (and as Jack reaches for it, swipes it away).  He is learning though.  He is getting more confident when separated from me (ECFE helps in this area. It's his early childhood education class entitled: Practically a Preschooler and the gradual separation helps with the transition to preschool for the upcoming Fall school year. ) Steve and I took Quinn to his first movie in a theatre on Sunday. It was such a fun memory for all of us. We had lunch beforehand and than stopped at the bookstore to kill 15 minutes before arriving to watch The Croads.  Lately his favorite show is 'old school Scooby Doo'.

 

Jack is growing and changing daily as well. I just took him in for his 15 month wellness check, and he is healthy as can be.  He's our little peanut, at the 15% in weight and 47% in height. Tall, skinny and most importantly: healthy. I'm so thankful for the boys health.  

 

Jack loves to jabber. He is very good at saying dada and mama. And let me tell you... he gets on a role and can jabber on and on about mama, dada, dada, mama, so fast and with such enthusiasm. Bless his little heart!  He is sleeping well at night. We usually put him and brother to bed at 7:30 and they sleep until around 7-7:30am.  He is a very good eater!  He can sit in his highchair for a very long time and just graze.... :)  He's like his mom in this way.  He is very affectionate with Tucker. He loves to snuggle with mama, throw balls and wrestle with dada and play beside Quinn.  I can see that he is becoming more interested in us reading to him, but he's not quite as excited about it! He is a climber. Lately he has been reminding me of a little mountain goat.  He will climb up on the toy box or his little toy slide (amongst many other places), and look so gleeful and giddy (and PROUD). He has such a cute smile. I'm not kidding, it melts my heart. I think I might say: 'He is just so cute,' about a hundred times a day. And I am pretty certain that his eyes actually sparkle, from time to time.  I think he's going to be blessed with a super laid back, go with the flow personality. He smiles easily and one doesn't have to work too hard to get him to smile!