Park in the morning.

Simon has taught Lillian to push him on the swing. She tried it on the slide too. What a good sister!

Simon Says Part 6

Simon [at 5:45]: Daddy, I have a weird smell in my nose. I think I need to read books.

Simon [getting dressed]: You know why I like underwear?? Because when I sit on the ground it keeps my butt warm.... and the carpet is bumpy and it is nicer with underwear.

Zoo Keeper [at Meet An Animal talking about mammals]: What special thing does a mommy give her baby that daddies can't give their babies?
Simon: PEANUT BUTTER!

Daddy [during post-bedtime meltdown]: Simon, you don't have to cry.
Simon: Daddy, I have to cry - there is just too much sadness.

Alan: Simon, Do you think I'm old?
Simon: Oh no, Daddy, you are not old.
Alan: Is Mama old?
Simon: Oh yes.

Simon [to Alan during dinner]: My body is different from yours because it needs more desert.
Alan: Haha!!

Preface: Hamilton is Simon's school and they recently sold shirts with their crest on them (we each got one). Simon has started looking at signs when we drive and he really likes the hospital
Simon: Daddy, I like it when you wear your hospital shirt.

Lillian Says

Lillian is so verbal and saying so many fun things that I am starting to log them....

Alan and Lillian were walking down the street and saw a lady walking two biggish dogs.
Lillian points to them and says: "AH! So much doggie!"

When she wants you to pick her up or take her from someone else she'll look at you and say: "I take you"  (which is what you'd say if you were going to take her!)

Running to you after hearing thunder: "I scared!"

Quick Visit to Arizona, Long Kid Weekend in Chicago

I took a quick trip to Arizona this weekend and visited Dad and Kiki. While I was gone Alan, Simon and Lillian had an amazing time. They went to a birthday party on Saturday with face painters, ballon shapers, spoorts and water slides! Sunday Simon went to a baseball game with Joe and Lillian played in the water with Amy. Great weekends.

Playing Catch Simon's Tongue

Sooo-Man!! (Translated: Suuuuper-Man!)

Dr Haircut

She is a climber!

Tired Simon.

Tired Lillian.

Sunday morning grocery shopping with a little love tossed in.

Baseball game with Joe.

The girls! 

Many more weekend pictures after the jump...

Jenn & Simon date

Hi all! I have posted in a long time but I had a lovely date with the big 4 year old Simon last night and wanted to share some photos! 

We went up to Andersonville (my neighborhood) and stopped into a toy store then on our way to ice cream we ran into this little puppet show. 

Simon loved it! He tipped the puppets and danced along. 

Then it was time to eat all the red ice cream in Chicago. 

The ice cream place had some hopscotch for us to exert some of that ice cream energy. 

After ice cream we stopped by the farmers market to sample every thing they would let Simon sample, a local book store to read some books, and found these lions to hug on. We had a great time and spending time with this sweet boy is one of my favorite things. I need to take Lillian out for a girls day soon :)

Bagel Breakfast

We went out for bagel breakfasts this morning. Both kids enjoyed the breakfast - Simon loved his Cinnamon Raisin with Plain Cream Cheese and Lillian pulled the egg and sausage out of her Egg, Sausage, and Cheese on a Plain Bagel. She ate the egg and sausage and left the rest for last. 

Watching bagel making in action.

Making sense of the world

Simon amazes Alan and I with the connections he makes. He listens (sometimes more than we expect) and just has such brilliant connections.  Some examples:

• Yesterday Jenn was talking to Simon and she said something was Ridiculous. He said, I don't think you meant to use that word. That word means funny. She had to explain that there is way to use that word where it means something just shouldn't happen that way. 
• He is sitting in the room playing and ignoring everything around him (we think) and then two days later he will look at you and repeat verbatim what you said.

I was going back and reading the last couple weeks of the Pre-K blog which is still interesting and found a section from Ms Zairel on Simon and a couple of the other boys learning from play. There were some interesting comments on how kids piece together everything in their world to better understand the rules around them.

Post from Ms Zairel about kids learning after the jump....