Blue Skies and Puddles

There really isn't a lot to report this time around, other than over the last two days we've moved on again in the potty training. (If you don't want to know about potty training, don't finish this paragraph) Peeing has been great for our little man. 99% of the time he'll tell us that he needs to go and start heading for the bathroom. The other end has been more of a challenge. Frequently, he'll go 4, 5, 6 days without going. The last week has really shown some progress. Not only has he actually been going more often, we're down to two or three days in between, but he even had his first BM at the babysitter's house! The same day, somehow the little blue "pee pee cover" fell off and didn't make it to her house, which meant Eli had to do his business standing up. Since then that's all he does to pee! It's just a funny picture. He's barely tall enough to reach, but he hasn't missed a drop yet. I wonder how long THAT will last....

We had a very pretty Pacific Northwest afternoon today, the sun was shining, it was warm (especially for being Feb. 5), and Eli wanted to play outside. Out we ventured. I decided I would take the camera and see what kind of pictures we would end up with. The two from today are Eli's back, but both Jess and I like the pictures.

We both love the splash in this shot. The droplets of water surrounding his ankles. What a truly boy moment. At one point walking down the sidewalk, he turned around and went back to the smallest puddle ever, I'm not sure you could even CALL it a puddle, and he stated, "I missed one!" then he proceeded to jump "in" it.

Mr. Speedy was having a great time running outside today. He wanted nothing to do with actually walking with us. He had to be 50-100 feet ahead at all times.

This picture is actually from earlier in the week (last week maybe?), but I love it. This is his wonderful car. He likes to take it for a spin around the block, driving both Mom and Dad off the sidewalk or running over our ankles. If we walk to slow, he'll inform us that we need to follow him and to move out of the way.

He sure is a cute and humorous kid. We are very lucky.

YAY

I got my new camera lens today, let's just say I am now in CAMERA HEAVEN!

I. LOVE. IT.


It is taking amazing pictures and the zoom. Wow. Once I get something worth posting, I will. So far, I've just been playing around the house. You know, zoom through the trees to see how close we can zoom in on the houses down below. Zoom way in on ears, eyes, noses. Zoom way in on tree branches to see the individual pine needles. Yes, I'm playing. Like a kid in a candy store. HAHA

On a side note, my students and I started a classroom blog. We're stretching out into the 21st century and using technology to share our learning with our families. This is our primary goal: to share our learning with families promoting more beneficial talk at home. We all know how the conversation goes, we were all part of it not too long ago, and soon to be - in a few years, "How was your day?" "Fine." "What did you learn today?" "I don't know." or better yet, "Nothing." Let's just say, now that parents know what we did, and even student voice on the matter, there are no more excuses - unless of course someone was absent. Anyway, today we posted twice about our learning. The first time was pretty, shall I say, lame. They really didn't get the idea, but I still went with it because it was THEIR words and that is what I want to share. The second post was more thought out and more clearly written, but still needs some work. I know as we continue down this path, it will continue. It was a tough day for everyone. I think tomorrow will be better and we'll get to try our blogging again. :) YAY! If you are so inclined to take a peek, you can find my wonderful class here.

PUNKED! By a Three Year Old

Today we spent the day out and about, wandering Seattle. It was wonderful.

This morning we decided to head to Seattle to go to the Bodies exhibit. What an amazing exhibit. Eli was interested in many parts of it too, wanting to know more. Still, fascinating! Afterward, we wandered around Westlake, then had lunch at Fox Sports Grill. Yummm!

After lunch, we decided to head home because we could tell Eli was getting tired - and we were tired of carrying him around. The only other thing we had thought about was walking down to Pike Place Market and seeing what they had. Didn't quite make it there. We were only a block from the car and had to drop leftovers there anyway, so we decided to jump in and head home.

I started keeping a small camera in my purse for those spur of the moment pictures. Here we are having lunch together at Fox Sports Grill.

On our way home, we went across Lake Washington. Eli loves the "tunnel game" where you have to raise your arms high while you're in them (at least it's not the hold your breath game!). Every tunnel or overpass we came to, he would yell at me "Raise your arms Momma! Raise your arms." Being the good mom that I am, I would raise my arms. He'd have a huge smile on his face and laugh. So, we were driving across Mercer Island when he said "Raise your arms!" So I did. (There was no tunnel or overpass mind you, but I did it anyway) He started laughing really hard and said "I WAS JUST KIDDING!" Ohhhhhh. Ouch. We were all laughing pretty good by then though.

Hilarious Boy Story

Eli has been potty trained for a month now, no pull-ups, no diapers, just big boy underwear. Well, today, being the funny boy that he is, he kept pulling his pants a little farther down on his hiney. You could see those cute little Incredible character designed underwear hanging out the back - gangsta' style. I started chuckling to myself but thought, whatever.

Anyway, pretty soon I look over and they're just low enough for his 'boy goods' to be hanging out. I laughed and said, "What in the world are you doing?"

His reply? With the most serious of faces, "I just like it out."

Oh my gosh. The things kids say.....

And yes, he put the goods away before we left for the babysitter's house this morning.

MLK Day and the week that followed

On MLK Day, Eli and I got to spend the day at home. I love these special days that we don't often get together. Ok, they're much more frequent than other people can have with their kids, I know, but still. I really would like to have more of them! Anyway, on this day, we decided to go for a walk with our friends. It was kind of chilly when we left so I told Eli he could choose any coat he wanted for our walk. Miraculously enough, he chose this one! His puppy dog raincoat. I think he's worn it a small handful of times (is that really a handful then?) but loved it this day. Isn't he adorable in that little puppy coat?! I of course had to take pictures because anyone knowing of this coat would know he doesn't choose it often and probably wouldn't believe me if I hadn't gotten proof.

Later that day while I was cleaning up from lunch, he wanted to play in the sink with the bubbles. He loves the bubbles and didn't want to play in the big bubbles, aka the bathtub, so here he was playing away.

Wednesday brought another opportunity for Mommy and Me time. However, he really wasn't so keen on part of the reasoning in why we got to stay home. He had his 3 year well child check-up. Of course he's doing well, but didn't exactly have a very enjoyable afternoon. He ended up getting 3 shots, his last chicken pox immunization, flu shot and H1N1 shot as well. For the first time, our little boy went on a sympathy quest. After waking up from his nap, his leg was sore, totally expected! But he would stand there whining, "Mommy, pick me up. Caaaan't walk. My leg hurts!" Over and over. And Over. Oh...and over...

Anyway, after Grandma and Papa came over for dinner, all was well and he was a happy, chipper little boy again. Anyway, our little guy is 34.5 lbs (74th percentile) and 38.5 inches (68th percentile). He even learned his right from his left while we were at his appointment! :)

Yesterday Eli and I were just goofing around and took a couple pictures of ourselves. Here we are, saying hi to you and your family! Hope all is well!

It's Amazing: Look At All These Posts

Since Eli is wanting to watch a little Phineas and Ferb up here, I thought "What the heck, I might as well do some more updating!"

I've already shared our holiday festivities and Eli's wonderful news of working on potty training - which is going really well! We're starting to cut back on the car rewards for going potty in the potty. Now we only give them to him if/when he remembers and asks for one. He doesn't do it nearly as often, but about once a day he'll ask for his "potty car."

I snapped this picture today. There's something about it that I love. We tend to just get pictures during his adventuresome, playful moments, but there's something about this picture that I love. Maybe it's the bashfulness? The independence? The "leave me the heck alone, Mommy!" feel. I don't know. Whatever it is, I still like it!

Back in November I went to a training, my class was actually the model/demonstration class during the morning, for GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design). I have since been incorporating many of these strategies in my teaching. Our superintendent and building principals are very supportive in this teaching strategy/model (which is GREAT), and have decided to put 8 people in our district through the Tier II Training - training to become a trainer. I get to go through this training! It will be quite the time commitment, but I am so very excited for this opportunity! Having seen the impact on learning with my students, I am sold. Next year will be intense, but so worth it! I just have to get through the month of February. Granted, this month is short on school days due to Presidents Week off (Mid Winter Break), and being a short month as it is, leaving 15 days that school is in session. Of these days, I will be in an EIGHT day training. Thankfully I have a wonderful guest teacher that I can count on to continue to provide my students with high level thinking opportunities and continued learning.

Now for my next task: get my current Professional Certification assignment complete before Thursday's meeting, fill out the application for the GLAD training, get two required videos created before the first day of training (Feb. 10). Busy, busy, busy!

The Celebrations Continue

2009 came to a close with a few friends coming over for game night. After those with kids left a few hours before midnight, we were left with us, my brother, and Melissa. We were hooked on a Wii game so kept playing until shortly before midnight. (Eli was up until 11ish! That kid slept late the next morning.) I love games. I guess that is the kid in me that loves to come out. If I could, I'd play games every weekend, but that's just a little unrealistic. I didn't get many pictures from New Year's Eve, but here are a few...

Eli LOVES his Uncle Daryl. The entire time he was in town, if we mentioned going to Grandma and Papa's house, he'd ask about Uncle Daryl. When he had to go back to Texas, Eli brought up the airplane and that he had to fly there. It was awfully cute. All he wanted to do while Daryl was in town was play and read books together. Aren't they cute?!

To ring in the New Year, we decided it was time to buckle down and get this potty training thing rolling. While we still had time off, we jumped in full force and never turned back. I downloaded an ebook, 3 Day Potty Training. When Eli put his big boy underwear on for the first time, he also got to throw away all of his Pull-Ups. After three long days, he finally got it and has been going in the potty for 3 weeks now! He still has the occasional accident, but those are also becoming fewer and farther between. I know children often revert and go through phases where they have a lot of accidents, but so far, he is doing a GREAT job. We are so proud of our big boy!

He also ran across a bottle of tempera paint that I had at home. Of course he wanted to paint when he saw it. He put on his art apron and had a great time!

(I'm posting two posts really close together, if you didn't see the first Celebration post, be sure to check that one out too.) There's more to come, but it's time for Grays! Gotta run!

The artist at work creating his newest masterpiece.