Auto Pitching T

We finally got batteries for one of Simon's birthday presents - a T that pops the ball up in the air for him to hit. He was totally into it but it was totally foreign to him.  The first three pitches the ball hit the ground before he even swung and I wondered if it was too advanced for him. The 9th ball he hit into Mary's yard. By the end of the afternoon we had set up home plate and talked about where he should hit the ball and where to stand so that he was consistently hitting one or two out of every three (we have 3 balls, so after 3 you have to go collect and reset). We used all the batteries that one afternoon.  It was quite peaceful for me though, I just watched from the shade and read and drank tea for almost two hours while he played.  

Popped right up, one of the first and he didn't know yet what to expect.

Maybe the 3rd pitch, he is swinging at the ball that is resting at his toes.

Jenn Goodluck Dinner

We all got pretty to head out to dinner with Jenn to wish her luck with school!

TWO NANNIES!

On Saturday we went out with Jenn to have a fun goodbye dinner and Jessie watched the kids. That made for some great pictures with all four of them!

Saturday Morning Pictures

Simon learning to run into the swing. 

Who is the tiredest?
(She has not been sleeping during nap time.)

Perked right up when she got to yell into a balloon!

LOVE BALLOONS!!

Doesn't need anyone anymore, she's got this.

Simon's First week of preschool

The first week of Simon's preschool was a transition time for everyone. Jessie and Lillian got to spend some quality time together and work on getting into their own routine. Alan and I had to get used to not being able to check on Simon during the day or be as intimately involved in his activities. And Simon, well he had the biggest change!

Simon did great his first week. He was fine getting dropped off in the morning and the first three days I had to drag him out of the sand box to go home because he didn't want to leave. So far he will not answer many questions about school, though he will sometimes jump into conversation with something random that we realize came from school (ex: "Turtles like pizza!" Ah, they must have read about teenage mutant ninja turtles).  Friday was the only morning he had trouble getting dropped off: He got caught up in the morning routine and I started to leave with just a wave and a 'bye' and he came running after me yelling "You forgot to give me a hug!"  Even on Friday when I picked him up we had a disagreement - I told him he was coming home with me, he told me he was going to the playground with his friends (and the sandbox). 

The drop off routine: When he first gets to school at 7:30 he is one of the first kids there. He washes his hands (make a soap glove, then rinse and dry), moves his attendance magnet to 'in school' and his lunch magnet to 'school lunch' then get gets to play while the rest of the kids come in. Everyone is at school by 8:30 and they start their class. They do classes with other teachers: music one time a week, art two times a week and gym once a week. In addition they have playground time two times a day (in the gym if it's rainy or cold), they have a library and reading times, they have so many toys and paints and colors. It's a pretty great classroom. The teacher sent us some pictures of the first week. Here are the ones that have Simon in them.

Breakfast, lunch and snack are part of the pre-k tuition
so Simon will often have second breakfast when he gets to school. 

They have nap time every day and kids that don't nap have quite play.
He took his first nap on Friday and was such a happy boy Friday evening.

More after the jump:

Simon serenades Lillian

Some happy sibling time. He sang her songs and she clapped and clapped for him. 

Simon's first day of PreSchool

Simon is going to Hamilton Elementary for preschool. They teach PreK-8 so if all goes as planned he will be at the school across the street for eleven years. Pretty amazing to think about. Today he was awesome. Jenn and Colleen came to see him off and we all took pictures on the front steps. On the walk to school he told everyone we passed that it was his first day, he was so proud! When we got into the classroom we dropped his clothes off in his cubby, put a picture of the family on the window sill and then hung his back pack up on a hook (that he chose!). The whole time we did all the getting ready tasks I had to keep pulling him away from playing. When I finally stopped restraining him he was off to the sand table! I went over to say goodbye and while he definitely knew I left he was much too interested in the sand to be sad. He will have a great day!

Full Size, for folks who want to print it out.