Monday, August 15, 2011

First Day of Pre-K

Today was Rachel's first day of Pre-K. She's going to Pre-K at the same school she's gone to since she was a baby, so that part didn't change. Just a new class, new teachers, more dedicated learning, etc. Overall, she was pretty excited about it all.
Jackson didn't start his first day, but it was his first day wearing shoes to school! Ha! No, really, it was. We've always just sent him in with no shoes - he was a baby, no need... But now that he is standing more (he's still not walking - barely does it with us - definitely not on his own yet), I thought he needed to be wearing some shoes. I found him some at a consignment sale on Saturday and thought this was the cutest little outfit.

Rachel is all smiles at this point...

This is our last year before she goes to kindergarten. That seems so far away, but yet it is so soon to me... As I was driving in to work this morning, I passed an elementary school and saw a mom and dad walking to it with their little girl...I have to admit - I teared up! And it's a year away...
On a funnier note, yesterday I was going over an "All About Me" poster with Rachel for her new class. One of the things asks what she wants to be when she grows up. Without hesitating, Rachel answers "A fairy. Or a pirate. A doctor." *laugh* Too funny. Then I told her that I thought she'd say a teacher b/c she loves to teach her babies. So later on when Michael asked her about it she said a doctor or a teacher... But I love that she wants to be a fairy. Or a pirate.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Bathtub Artwork

Rachel drew a picture of Jackson on the bathtub wall the other night. I thought I'd share it with you all. I printed it out and labeled all of the different body parts so you could more easily identifiy with it.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Pool Day

We spent a relaxing day by the pool yesterday with Constance and Jeffrey. We all enjoyed it!

Many of you know that Rachel loves the pool and being in the water. She took swim lessons last summer and again this summer and was more comfortable in the water after that but still seemed a bit timid and wanted to stay on the steps a lot of the time. When she would try to swim, her lower half would sink and it just didn't work very well. Well, something happened about 3 weeks ago - Michael got her to jump in the water without being caught. She can reach the bottom there anyways so all she would have to do is put her feet down and she could stand on her own. She did it and then it was like everything changed. She gained so much more confidence after that. She loves to jump in on her own - even if she can't reach the bottom. She has been swimming better and kicking her feet on top of the water instead of sinking. Yesterday, at the pool, she couldn't reach the bottom at all but that didn't stop her from swimming from one side to the other - kicking her feet and doing her arms and everything. She is getting so much better and we are so very proud of her!

Here are a few pictures from yesterday.












She even likes to be thrown in the water now!