Natalie Lauren, Age 6

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Time has gone by so quickly

I was working on a photo collage for Natalie's sixth birthday and came across this one from her 3rd birthday. Cute to see!

This free digital scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

An excellent weekend away

Santa Cruz beach fun

We had perfect weather in Santa Cruz. It was in the low 70s and lovely. It was wonderful to see Zoe, Melody, and Daphne. Matthew didn't like the sand at first, but once he got into it, all was good. He and Brian had a lot of fun.

Trying out Picnik

Our poor little Peanut

Speech

I am the last one ever to quote George Bush, but the speech that he made after the 9/11 attacks was powerful and well done.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil -- the very worst of human nature -- and we responded with the best of America. With the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Dance is starting up again!

The girls started their dance classes this week. They were very excited. We were bummed out that Ms. Angela won't be teaching this year, but considering the fact that she is due to have her own baby girl this week, we understand. =) Their lessons are back to back, which means that I pretty much camp out at the rec center for two straight hours, but that is okay. This week we didn't have to bring Matthew because Andy got home early from work, but it will be trickier when we have to bring him.
We went over to our friends' house this weekend. Garrett is one of Andy's closest friends and I love his wife Mayme. When we first became friends years ago Natalie seemed so much older than Adam, their son (she is 8 months older.) Now, though, they are both new kindergarteners and got along perfectly. Meagan amused herself with their very nice playscape and Matthew was in heaven. They had a million toy cars! I am surprised that we were able to get him to leave at the end of the night.

Feathers...I finally gave in to the girls' constant requests

Old Friends are the Best Friends!

Meagan and Natalie came with me to pick Matthew up from his first day of school. They were bouncing up and down in excitement when they saw Faith (as in the Faith of Faith Montessori. People are always surprised when I say that my kids go to Faith Montessori, thinking that it is a religious place, but it is just the director's daughter's name) arriving with her dad. They initally didn't recognize the other girl with Faith, but it clicked soon enough. Kirti was also in Meagan and Nati's class a few years ago and they loved playing together.
Natalie attended her first assembly today. She is definitely becoming a little Patsy Sommer advocate. She already tells us, "Ms. Erickson said this or that", and she uses all of the proper kindergarten jargon. Meagan has already started complaining about the homework. We find this sort of funny, as they have yet to have any homework. I guess the teachers are preparing them!
I listened carefully to what the second grade teachers said at Back to School night (Andy went to Kindergarten) because as I think of heading back into the classroom I want to know what elementary teachers are responsible for every day. Wow. There is a lot. As a special education teacher, I am no stranger to differentiated instruction, but this is a whole new ballgame. I so admire elementary teachers. I can't imagine all of the assessments, problem solving, writer's workshops, etc that they are expected to do. I hate to go off on a tangent on America's lack of prioritizing education or teachers, but I can't help but think that unless we begin to pay teachers a bit more money, the problems our schools will continue. I, along with all of my teacher friends, knew that I would not become rich by my choice of a profession, but teachers in the past truly were not asked to do all of what they are expected to do now. I can tell you that there is absolutely no way that any of those teachers at Sommer are working 40 hour weeks. Luckily, the elementary students are very cute and sweet.

Matthew's first day, part two

Well, first we tried to get some photos at home, but the one of him in the chair was all that I could manage. He kept on running up to me and yelling, "Huggie!" rather than posing :). Then, off to school we went. The first thing that he saw was a big bin of trucks and cars. The boy made a beeline to them! He was in seventh heaven. He also happily sat at the table, but you can see in the later photos, all of the other kids went over to the teacher for circle time. I sat him on my lap to encourage him to participate, but he was not so interested in circle time. He just walked right back on over to the amazing bin of trucks and cars. As I left, he was going through the box and eyeing the Montessori tools. He grinned at me as he left, and when I called to check on him (I said that I would wait until naptime, but I couldn't hold off and called at eleven of course) they said that he seemed a bit confused by the routine but that he wasn't crying! I am proud of my little guy. I got a little bit sad out in the parking lot after I left him, but my total confidence in the school made it so much easier for me. I know that before we know it, he will be doing circle time just like the other kids! I am so excited that at the end of the month, Ms. Maria, Natalie's teacher when she was in the toddler room, will be back from being with her little guy. Between her and Ms. Erica, the other teacher that Natalie had, Matthew is in good hands.

Matthew's first day of school