A Sunday Walk

I am thankful for going to church with my family.  I am thankful for the beautiful place in which I live.  I am thankful for the beautiful weather.  I am thankful for the health of my children.  I am thankful for the magical walk we went on today.  Today was lovely!

Fiona is 15 Months Old... and ZOO! (Oh and then we went to Stouffville for kicks, actually dinner)

So I realized tonight that I forgot.  I forgot to take the special posed shot on Fiona's day.  BUT we went to the zoo and I took lots of shots of my sweet Fiona!

Fiona and words, being vocal really.  That is what stands out to me this month.  She of course doesn't have very many fully formed words - I think Mom - ma and Dad - da are the only ones that really sound like the actual word.  She kind of says outside (ow-sah), upstairs (uh-seh) and this last week I've noticed she says "I-ees" which is Alice.  (I remember Thomas saying his brother's names - so cute!  Fiona loves her sisters.)  I love watching them - when they play nicely of course!  Fiona is also a bit of a yeller these days.  One day at the end of August we were at friends.  I called out to Kate and Alice to say "five more minutes" and Fiona walked up behind me and kind of yelled to her sisters.  It was cute!  She is such a person now, her own person.  She is little, but she wants to play with her sisters.  She wants to be there right in the middle of the action.  She had so much fun today walking around looking at animals with her sisters and growling most of the time!

So as well as celebrating 15 months... (oops), we had a great little trip to the zoo.  Today was going to be about the Americas and specifically the flamingos, to this we threw in the kids area and Eurasia - to see the Komodo Dragon, and it was good times had by all.  There were also two really fun firsts - Fiona's first time on the carousel, and Kate's first ride on a camel!

We got in the car and we needed to feed the girls.  We'd brought food with us, but it wasn't enough and everyone was very hungry.  Our first stop was Whittamore's Farm for some produce and a treat.  I was thinking we could eat ice cream.  In retrospect, I'm not sure why when they didn't really have a proper lunch, I though ice cream was a good solution?!  Oh well.  It all worked out though.  The girls got cookies, we bought some lovely produce and we hopped back in the van, drove east and then north.  We drove up to Stouffville.  We had dinner at the Fickle Pickle, played in the fountain, played in the park, went to Tim Horton's, No Frills, and then drove home.

On the drive home, we lost Kate and Fiona quickly, but Alice who had napped on the way to the zoo hung on until we got home, but then all three girls were asleep.  We had a long, lovely, full day!  Ken and I love Saturdays.  We love them.  We love spending time with our family.  We are so blessed to have three wonderful girls.  Life is good.

**OH and one more thing.  We'd been to Stouffville before, had a funny meal in a deli type place, and Kate played in a fountain - June 12 2010

Pre-School

Reluctant.  That's me, not Alice.  I don't want to send her away to Pre-School.  I want to keep her home with me forever!  Seriously though, I have asked Ken once or twice, why we need to send her.  I even asked him to explain it to me.  Ken really feels strongly that this will be good for her.  I struggle with that.  Why is sending her away from me good for her?  She's only 3 1/2.

BUT!  I know she'll learn things.  She'll learn to be brave.  She'll learn to play nicely.  She'll learn more about her ABCs.  She'll play and have fun and sing songs.  I will miss her, but she'll be okay and I will be too.

She didn't have a good night sleep last night and was a little out of sorts this morning.  Ken had to talk her into going to school.  (Last night she was super excited.) When I dropped her off she hugged me and smiled.  She was a little concerned about the kid who was crying, but otherwise, she did really well.

When I picked her up she was good.  Mrs. Jandl, her teacher told me that she didn't like to be told what to do.  I found out later from Alice that she cried when it was story time because she didn't want it to be story time.  She added that she cried but then her eyes got dryer and dryer.  She is excited to go again on Monday.

Happy first day of pre-school Alice!  I love you my sweet, crazy monkey!

Oh, and here is her art from her first day.  Blue, from Blue's Clues and a painting made from driving a car!

SK

Kate is now an SK!  I was calling it senior kindergarten, but she told me just to call it SK.  (This was the other day, before school started.)  She's been very excited to go back to school and see her friends.

This morning she did not want to be late.  She was super co-operative, the morning went very smoothly really.  The whole family walked her to school.  Last year when we took her to school the parents went into the yard and figured out who the teacher was, said hello, then said goodbye.  This year, no parents in the yard.  We dropped Kate off into the yard we dropped her off into last year.  When the bell rang all the kids were told to go to the other side of the school, that the kindergarten students would be going in through their own doors.  We didn't stay to see Kate go into the school.

When I got home I felt upset.  I didn't know who's class she was in.  I wasn't sure if the kids would be released early, or where in fact they would be released.  The more I thought about it the more irritated I became.  It is very interesting being on the other side of the fence.  I think about the times that I've acted high and mighty to a parent and I feel badly.  (Truly, I don't think I've done it that many times... and the first day of school is a kind of stressful day...)

I called the school and found out that Kate is in the sk/one.  Her teacher is Ms. Ibscher.  The secretary wasn't sure if they would be released early, or where they would  be released.  ARGH!  I went after school and Kate came out with her teacher.  When she finally saw me, she came over, she wasn't actually released like last year.  Last year the kindergarten classes all lined up and the kids were individually released to the parent/guardian/babysitter.  I could see the other SK classes lined up outside their doors and they were released individually, but not the SK/One.

Kate said she had a good day.  She said the day was long.  She liked her teacher.  She was happy that Madison, Natalie and Abby were in her class.  And cool stuff, she played with a monarch butterfly.  It crawled up her arm and landed went on the bow on her shirt. I love my Kate.  I'm so grateful that she had an awesome first day of school!

Labour Day

Today was a great day!  (We'll talk about the evening later...)  We had a fun BBQ with the Lim-Andersons.  It was Emily's due date today.  I'm excited to meet their new little girl and I hope she gives her Mom an easy time making her entry into this world!  The kids had fun, the adults had fun, the food was great, it was great!

Next up was a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's and a swim.  We had so much fun as a family swimming in the pool.  The girls love the water.  Kate wouldn't take off her life jacket at all today.  A few weeks ago she swam a little without her life jacket.  I know she'll do it again when she's ready - whenever that is!  Alice tried to swim without her floaties.  She sank.  I was right beside her so she was rescued instantly.  We celebrated her bravery, and put the arm bands back on!  Fiona would like to try swimming, but I didn't let go of her.  She just loves the water.  After our swim we had a yummy dinner and the girls played.  We left after dinner, I suppose we could have left sooner, but we didn't do too badly.

When we came home we had snack, and read a story.  Then Ken gave the girls blessings for their new school year. 

Kate was blessed:
- to show others that she follows Jesus by the way she treats them
- to be a good example
- to always choose the right
- to understand the things she learns
- with health - that she won't get sick this year, and if she does it won't be a lengthy illness

Alice was blessed:
- to have understanding of her teachers - that there are lots of kids in the class
- that she won't be sad
- that she'll do good things.

Kate might have had a tantrum after that.  She might have been really upset about her privacy (about singing songs and being caught singing to herself on the couch in the middle of the family room).  It might have been a really random, crazy meltdown.  It might have been because she's been so excited all day.  She might have gotten to sleep a little late tonight.  She might have cried a lot before she went to sleep.  I really hope that she has a wonderful day tomorrow. 

I'm so grateful for the wonderful summer that I've had with my girls, and with Ken and with my friends and my family.  I'm so grateful for the blessings the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to my life.  I'm grateful for a wonderful husband that blesses my life and the lives of my children.  I'm grateful to be a wife and a mother.  I'm so grateful to be home.