Parker's Home Preschool - 8/24

Wednesday:

AM: Water Play - Bubble Snakes http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.c … nakes.html
Number Match 11-20 (Making my own game tonight)

PM: Field Trip - Visiting a friend & evening walk

I followed the link above for instructions about how to make the bottles. I used tape instead of a rubberband for the washcloth and the bottle didn't crumple at all. I also used Gain not Dawn for the bubbles and it worked great!
 

 This was so fun and the coolest thing! Parker was not a fan of blowing after he inhaled himself a mouthful of suds. So I got to do that part. He loved it though!

 He had a blast playing with the bubbles and painting/cleaning the sidewalk and himself.

Overall it was a hit, but probably better suited for older kids who would know how to not inhale the bubbles.

We also did some number recognition and counting fun this morning. I made up these little boards on construction paper. This isn't the finished product since I need some contact paper to keep them from getting all crumpled, but I'm sure we'll use them again. First Parker matched the number card to the boards.

Then I helped him count out beans to put in the box above each number.

He was losing track of his counting, so I drew the number of dots in the empty box to help him remember what he was counting to.

 So far, it's been a great first day!

Preschool at Home

DPS started school this week and something in the air must have inspired me to start our own little "school" at home. Or maybe it's the total lack of structure and routine we've had since oh around July 1st. And school might be too strong a word. It's maybe like a very casual preschool plan...just something to expand what Parker does each day and help us both have a little bit of a routine. Something we both seem to do better with.

So here our plan for the week:

Wednesday:
AM: Water Play (Bubble Snakes - http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.c … nakes.html)
         Number Bean Match
PM: Field Trip - visiting a friend

Thursday:
AM: Field Trip - Park/Sandbox
         Farm Bingo or Painting
PM: Make Play Doh (http://www.rookie-cookie.com/2009/01/je … dough.html)

Friday:
AM: Coloring with markers (http://www.supercoloring.com/pages/tag/ … alphabet/,[ http://www.squidoo.com/eric-carle-color … ramebuster)
          Field Trip - Library Story Time
PM: Finger painting & Outside/water play

I'll be incorporating alot more next week after I get some things set up this weekend! :)

Welcome to the World Avery!

I better get all the craziness of Avery's arrival down somewhere before I completely forget! So here's a little timeline of our sweet girl's arrival.

Friday - July 1, 2011
10:00 AM:
I had a regular OB appointment scheduled. They were going to do an ultrasound to check on baby girl's size and that was about it. Brent was going to be able to come along this time, but almost had to stay home with Parker who was getting over a stomach bug. At the last minute we decided to all go. I'm so glad Brent was there! I asked my dr. to see if I was dilated because I'd just felt like something was going on and had been having contractions earlier in the week. He semi-reluctantly agreed mostly to put my mind at ease. He was pretty surprised to find that I was about 6cm. and told us we were going to need to go to the hospital and have a baby! I tried to argue that we could wait it out and he talked me down from a few weeks to 1 hour to go home and pack. I was pretty overwhelmed and unhappy how things were happening so fast and so early and so not according to how I'd imagined. But Brent was so great and just calm and kept me sane. Our friend DJ came to watch Parker, and Brent and I packed and went up to the hospital. Brent's parents started to head down to Denver as well.

12:00PM:
Settled in at the hospital in L&D, and started my IV's. A while later I got my epidural even though I wasn't feeling anything. I didn't want to risk it haha! They broke my water and a bit after that I was able to start pushing. My epidural was great because the pain was definitely manageable but I could still feel enough to help me push.

4:26PM:
Avery Hannah Byrd was born. Weight 5.4 lbs, Length 17.8 in. She was 5 weeks early and was taken to the NICU after just a few minutes of holding her. That night she "graduated" to the Level II NICU and stayed there for 2 weeks.

So tiny! Look how big that preemie diaper is on her!

July 13, 2011
Avery got to come home! :)

We love her so much. She is a sweet baby and pretty easy I'd say. I can't believe how amazing it is to see her join our family and how she just fits so perfectly. Thank you Lord for my two sweet babies. I'll probably do more details another time of everything that went on during her NICU stay too.

Not Gone!

Seems like when life is the busiest, and you should have the most to talk or write about that's when it's the hardest!

So we're still around :) I have intentions of getting back to posting on the blog more....but we'll see haha. For now, here's some highlights!

- Went new rental hunting. Ugh - not a fun process. But learned alot about God's sovereignty along the way!

- Moved from apartment into house. (With yard!)

- Parker LOVES his new house and yard. 

- Finished babysitting. (Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)

- Brent finished at Starbucks and started his new job. It's busy and has been an adjustment, but he's LOVING it, and doing well.

- Currently 33 weeks pregnant :) Definitely feel like the end is drawing near. So funny how I am NOT rushing time to pass by quickly this time around. 

- Providence is moving to a new location this Sunday. (Manuel  High School) I'm so excited to see how much more space we have!

- With the new move, the kids' classes will shift a little, and Parker will now be in the "2-3" class! :( Sniff. When did he get so big?!

And last but not least, what is a blog update with out a few cute Parker sayings?!

"I sure can!" (Said when he gives himself permission to do something)

"Nest-bird"  (A pile of pillows and blankets that he makes into a bird nest)

"Rabbit-Rabbit!" (What a bunny says)

"Rabbit-Rabbit!" (What a froggy says. Lower pitch than the bunny.)

"Have a great day?" (He asks Brent this when he gets home.)

"I'm big hungry." Or "It's big heavy." (Big = very)

A Dozen Tuck-Ins

Parker came out of his room probably 6 times tonight after his first "goodnight" and tuck-in. Sometimes he's just being obstinant or wild or plain disobedient, but sometimes he just can't get enough cuddles, kisses, and back rubs.

And I'm going to keep going in for one more kiss or one more hug or one more blankie tuck. Because, I know one of these times in the not too distant future, I know he'll say, "It's ok mom, you don't have to tuck me in tonight." And then I'll be the one asking for just one more.

I sure do love that little boy who's growing up way too fast!

Stinker

Wow - two Parker stories! He sure is a character :)

Monday morning Parker was sitting at the table coloring and I had a sneaking suspicion he had a poopy diaper. So I asked him and he actually admitted it. I didn't change him right away, and a couple minutes later I looked up to see him pointing at me and whispering "Mommy stinky...Mommy stinky."

So I said "What? Mommy is not stinky - Parker is stinky." And he replied, "No....crayons stinky. Need a shower." Haha, well ok then.

Oh good, he's getting louder!

It used to be that pretty much only Brent or I could easily figure out what Parker was saying. That actually comes in handy with random thoughts that turn into statements (or declarations) from a toddler's little brain!

On Saturday, we took Parker to Cherry Creek to play in the kid's area and burn off some energy. We happened to go really early so Brent could get his hair cut nearby, and before the crowds and crowds of parents and kids showed up.

In fact, there was only one other little boy there when we came. He was quite a bit younger than Parker, but his parents were probably in their 40's. The dad was running around and playing with is son and acting really silly. Of course, Parker thought this looked pretty fun and kind of joined in. Parker was trying to get a little bossy with the man, but the man just kind of ignored it.

At one point Parker couldn't see the man anymore so he stood up on top of one of the climbing toys, put his little hands up to his mouth as a make shift megaphone, and started calling out... "Grammaaaaa? Gramaaaa?"  Oh my word. I tried to tell him the man was not his Gramma, he was the other baby's daddy - but he could not be convinced.

I suppose it wouldn't have been so bad had we not been the only people in the area! Oh dear.