Mom! Take a Picture of Me!

And like this!

 Okay, like this...let me see...

 and this...

How 'bout this!

 "how about one nice smile, honey?"

sigh.


More Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Best Size for New Adventures

I admit, sometiimes I miss this size (but not necessarily that sleep deprecation that accompanied it). 

But, oh, look at what this size can do! 

 

 

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he went from this (into the wading area)...

To this...

 To finally this!

Each time he tired something new down the water slide, he squealed with delight. He got a couple bumps and adjusted, he came out of his tube one time and landed in the water only holding on to it - but again, he didn't panic. And after of five hours of swimming in the deep end, he went off to swimming lessons this morning with a new found confidence in the water.

So why wasn't I nervous about Harrison's new adventure in the water.



Because I was happily standing near this guy most of the time!

This summer is about BIG {boy} steps. About trying out new things, going places with new people and making what was once impossible (due to mere size) - possible! So I was delighted when Tracey quoted one of my favorite stories, "Alice in Wonderland", today. It is perfect right now.

Visit Tracey's beautiful post today and see more Best Shots.



Happy Monday!

Already?

He started [big kid] day camp!

You know, the kind where he gets on a big yellow school bus and rides off to fun parks and places...

{without me along-side him}

He was giddy at seeing the bus ready for him to board.

And he didn't even blink an eye.

His first big field trip - to the Long Beach for a guided boat tour around the harbor!
Next week - a trip to the California Science Center for a scavenger hunt.

{I blinked several times realizing just how fast the last five years have gone.}

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He also started swim lessons in the morning before camp, five days a week. Phew, what a schedule! I'm even tired at the end of each day. We're busier now then we were during in the school year!

(at least the karate lessons are over with for a while, we were doing those 3x a week through the month of June...)


Summer.

Has.

Begun.



Only...
the living ain't so easy.

Take it away Ella!

Well, I can always fantasize about lazy summer days, drinking iced tea and cool lemonade; but heck, even the weather hasn't been agreeable - we've had 65 degree days for the last couple weeks. That's not Summer.

Harrison asked his dad the other day, "Why is it so cold in the Summer?"


That's what we want to know.



Hosted by Cecily

Wordless Wednesday | Toy Wars

When Wooden People and Lego People disagree...

"me and my three ninja friends can take all of you wooden heads... including the little bald baby in the back!!"

More Wordless Wednesday here.

Wordless Wednesdays | First Times.

Harrison is five years old now so he's had a lot of firsts; thankfully there are many more yet to experience...

His first pair of flip-flops and...

His first solo ride down a Fun Slide on Memorial Day weekend.

(well, sitting next to me anyway) 

More Wordless Wednesdays here.

A Bittersweet Ending

Today (Friday) is Harrison's last day of Preschool.

The. Last. Day. Of. Preschool.

I can't believe it.

I started this blog when Harrison was just pushing two and half and just starting to go to preschool while I worked. Now he is finishing up his Pre-K year and he really is very excited about Kindergarten.

But as fast as the Toddler years were left behind, now the Preschooler years have all but vanished as well and it is [once again] - bittersweet.

What makes it even more melancholic is the loss of a very dear teacher last month. Miss Maureen or Teacher Maureen, as Harrison referred to her.

photo courtesy of Teacher Chris Anne

Very unexpectedly Miss Maureen, who had been a part of Harrison's school years since he first started, passed away. We loved Maureen and she loved - well - EVERYONE. I have never met someone with so much love and such a powerfully positive outlook on life. Even in the frustration of her most current, on-going health problems she kept smiling. This year had been extremely challenging and, sadly, she was out more than in the classroom the last few months. Only weeks before I received an email from her saying hello to Harrison and I and saying how much she missed everyone and hoped to be back soon. I can't delete that email now. It's my last communication with her; how sweet she was.

She often shared the funny stories with me of how Harrison would bring up Jesus into the classroom or a school event {at his Jewish preschool} - especially around Christmas time. She loved him.

As I sat at my computer yesterday sorting through pictures after Harrison's End of the Year Program and pot luck lunch at school, he got up on my lap and said, "I love Teacher Maureen".

The program had been dedicated in her memory so she was fresh in his mind again. I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I responded, "Me too Honey, me too."

Then we talked about how she is up in heaven keeping an eye on us and, in Harrison's words, playing with Dukie-Dog and keeping him company.

photo by Harrison

We'll miss you Maureen and thank you Chris Anne for teaching and loving our kids!

This year during the special programs Harrison  quite often decided not to sing instead he would run to me and cling - I don't know why; but Wednesday he gave it his all - one. last. time.

Preschool Days

If you get this by email and can't see the slideshow click here.

It has been a good run, preschool. I'm going to miss seeing his little face in the hallway on the way to movement or music or Shabbat; but for him, the adventure is still only just beginning.

There is so much more to come.

Wordless Wednesday | Have I Mentioned We ♥ Books

And I mean LOVE.
The weak-in-you-knees type of love when we walk into Barnes and Noble and spend two hours easily.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating.
but only a little.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!