Field Trip

Grace had field trip #2 last Friday.  The first trip of the school year was to Dow Gardens, where the kids learned about seeds and got to pick and eat veggies from the childrens' garden.  This time we boarded the bus again, this time  to Baby Acres, a place we visit every year with Grace.  Fortunately it did not rain, but it was very cold with the wind.  As cute as the kids and the baby animals were, I could not wait to get back on the bus!

Grace was a bit more brave this year with the animals, although she was still not a fan of the large sheep and goats.  Most of her time was spent with Rocco, the little boy who sits across the table from her at school.  They are BFFs it seems and it's so cute.  They even sat together on the bus ride home (with Rocco's mom).

Picking out her pumpkin

 Just before she freaked out

Grace and Rocco (and little sister Hannah & goat)

The class and teacher, Mrs. Romig

Celebrating a birthday with cupcakes

Her First Week

I have been slacking in the blogging department, but could not miss a report on Grace's first week of school!  Besides a cold with very bad timing, the week has gone very well and I already see big changes in our little girl.  She has a great teacher (Mrs. Romig) and a class of nine (four girls, five boys) students, and so far she loves it! 

 The girl that never liked to draw or color much, now says that's her favorite part of the school day.  Her drawing board has replaced her kitchen, and now she spends much of her time drawing "Mommies with pregnant bellies," Minnie Mouse, or princesses. I am so excited to finally get to display some art work!

 
Tracing and writing letters and numbers is also big stuff right now, too - which often leads to an impromptu math lesson, which is a little scary for me (as math was never my subject).  As she practices activities from her day at school, she'll sing the song that she learned that day, too.  It's amazing to me how fast children learn at this age and what they are capable of when they have an encouraging home life and parents that love them-something Dave's students rarely have. 

I think the transition to school has been harder for me than for Grace, which I expected.  Although she spends time away from us at church a couple of  times per week, it's different dropping her off and having to find something to do with myself for three hours.  But, at least for now, I have plenty of work to keep me busy.  Not sure what I'd do without my business right now-probably just sit around and cry :(

 So proud of our little Pre-Schooler!

Four

Has it really been four years?  It can't be true...but it is.  Grace turned four years old today!  She has been asking when her birthday is ever day now for the last two weeks (or more).  It was a little anticlimactic being that she had her party on Sunday with her neighborhood friends, but she still woke up excited, eager to finally hear "Happy Birthday!"

Every day I look at Grace she seems to be taller and more grown up than the day before.  And, though I miss the little toddler (and baby) that she used to be, I love where she is right now- our conversations, her sweet, spunky personality, her questions.  I'm grateful that she still asks me if we can do "a ittle bit of snuggling" at least once a day.  I love her giggles-especially the ones where she draws air in at the end and makes the strangest sound. I love the kindness she shows to others, her compassion, her pursuit of justice.  I love that "please" and "thank yous" are said more often than not, and tantrums are infrequent.  I love her sweet voice singing, the songs she comes up with on her own, and her sometimes inappropriate-for-her-age dance moves. 

I'm so grateful that I get to be your mom, Grace.  You are our present and we love you so, so very much.

 

 Happy Girl

She loved her Minnie and Mickey cake 

Neighborhood friends

Grace was so excited to open her presents (and so was everyone else)

 Playing "shark"

Grace wanted her picture taken with Rockie in their matching outfits

 and in her new Minnie outfit from Grandma

Cousins

We had our annual cousins day with my Mom and my Aunt Sue last week.  Sue came with cousins Emily and Kaylee, and later we met up with more cousins-Nicole, Emma and Addy.  Just like last year, we had a delicious lunch at Cafe Zinc and then went to the spray park.  After more fun at Dow Gardens, we ended our day with pizza at Pizza Sam's downtown.  So glad we have been able to do this every year.

Kaylee and Emily made the little girls letters.  Aren't they adorable?

Picking grapes with Emily

Cleaning the pig with Emma

And now with Addy and Emily

Cousins on the rocks