It’s time again for my favorite iPhone photos and kid quotes!  Without further adieu… I present… my favorite moments from the last few months…

Sam: “I’m thankful for dinosaurs and cities.  And OMSI… and the zoo.  And our house.  And you guys.  And school.  That’s it.”

Clare: “I’m thankful for everything!”

 

 “Zip zip zip!”  – Said by Sam to Grandma, while waving his hand as if to shush her.

Grandma: “Uh-oh.  You’re squished!”
Sam: “I’m not Squished!  I’m Sam!”
 

 

 

 We missed the obligatory trip to the pumpkin patch, but fortunately Grandma and Grandpa were able to pinch hit for us.  In general our Halloween was a little more low-key this year (only one trip to the pumpkin  patch, no pumpkin carving, etc.) but it was still fun. 

 

So I signed us up for a Ladybug Walk with Portland Parks and Rec.  They provided a very knowledgeable naturalist and ladybug backpacks complete with magnifying glasses and we provided seven very excited Walkers. We also provided seven parents and three grandparents to celebrate along with him.

Holes were dug, slugs were observed, centipedes and millipedes were held, worms were discovered, birds were listened to and puddles were stomped in.  In short, Sam loved every single minute of it. 

 

Dear Sammy,

Happy Birthday to our sweet little three-year-old!  One of your teachers asked you how it felt to be three, and you said it felt “soft.”  I’m not sure exactly what you meant by that – comfortable? content? Not hard?  You were smiling when you said it and when I ask you if you like being three you always say that you do. 

This has been a big year for you.  You’re reaching out more into the world – meeting new friends, doing new things, moving into new “big boy” roles.  You’ve started school and just love being one of the kids in the classroom.  You’re making new friends, learning new tasks and revel in new-found independence.  It’s a wonderful to watch your confidence and you’re going into new experiences and finding success. 

You’re a busy guy – usually on the go.  You’re not so much a watcher as a do-er.  If you’re outside you’re engaging with everything – touching every plant, running your fingers through the dirt, climbing on the rocks, testing testing testing.  How does it feel?  How does it smell?  How does it taste?  You’ve become a little scientist who always want to gain the answer to questions. 

Your scientific discovery has lead you to bugs and animals as your new favorite topics.  Any time you’re outside, you’re looking for spiders, ants, worms, centipedes, caterpillars, slugs and snails.  For your birthday party we arranged for a Ladybug Walk, which is an event that Portland Parks and Rec does.  A naturalist lead a group of you and your friends on a “hike” in the park looking for bugs.  You found several bugs, touched moss and lichen, dug in the mud and generally had a wonderful time. 

This year you became a “big cousin” when baby Frederic was born.  You are the proudest big cousin that’s ever been seen.  When Freddy is around then you are close by him – asking to hold him, talking to him, snuggling him and handing him toys.  Your sweetness and kindness with the baby has warmed the hearts of the family.

We’re watching to see what the next year brings you.  You are the heart of our family and lead us on new adventures.  Your thoughtful contemplation is a reminder to all of us to slow down and watch life’s details. 

Lots of love to our wonderful little Sammy-Boy!
Your loving Mama

Preschoolers are fun.  I knew this back from my baby-sitting and preschool teaching days, but it’s really fun to have a couple of preschoolers in the house.  Here’s my list of the Best Parts of Having “Big Kids”:

– A full night’s sleep.  This can’t be overstated – we get a full night’s sleep most nights.  Sure, there are nightmares, colds, the stomach flu and the odd night when the kids just wake up and want to play at 3 am but more nights than not J and I get uninterrupted nights of sleep.

–  Taking a quick, unplanned shower.  I can jump in a quick shower with the kids in the house without putting the kids in front of a TV show or strapping them into a bouncy seat.  Sure, unplanned things happen (like the time that I was in the shower and Clare somehow gave herself a bloody nose with her knee while “kick jumping” off the bed… what the heck?) but for the most part I find things more or less the same as I left them.

– Imaginative play and games.  There is nothing more interesting than the games that are played in our house.  Animals go on wild adventures that defy time and space (and physics… and logic).  Bears are followed to pirate ships and then go on mystical voyages past mermaids until there are birthday parties with green cake. 

– Car trips without screaming.  Yes, there is whining (my personal hell may involve a stadium full of whiny toddlers) but there is not hours of screaming.  We can drive to Bend, the coast, or up and down the freeway without screaming fits.  We may have to sing some songs, play “I Spy” or “Guess the Animal Game” and we have a repertoire of podcast stories that we pull out – but road trips are infinitely, infinitely more enjoyable. 

– Seeing our family become Team McPherson.  I try to teach the kids that we need to look out for each other, that we are a united team.  This is a hard lesson to teach and I don’t expect it to come quickly.  But there are moments when I see genuine caring, kindness and consideration either between my children or between the kids and myself.  Clare will set up two pillows for me on her bed at bedtime, because she’s notice that I like two pillows behind my head when I read her a bedtime story.  When Sammy heard the story of the first time that Clare dunked her head under water he ran over to her, grabbed her hands and said “Oh Clare!  Was it scary?” 

– The beginnings of Team Work.  They build forts together, make block towers, build tinker toy structures and elaborate dinosaur habitats.  Recently their teamwork is getting more complex.  For the last few weeks Sammy has been regaling us of tales about the Rainbow Bear on the way into school.  The Rainbow Bear is a very, very small bear who lives in a cave.  It eats Rainbow Jelly Fish, snails and slugs and occasionally chases Sammy from the front door into the car.  I asked him to draw me a picture of it, but he said “I’m not a very good drawer yet.”  Fortunately, his sister is a very good “drawer” and she was willing to draw a Rainbow Bear for Sammy. He was very specific, giving detailed directions about the order of colors, the placement of the eyes and exactly how big the Rainbow Bear is.  Clare was very patient and followed his directions well.  I loved watching them work together on a project – bringing Sammy’s vision to life.

Last week was a big, huge, major, extra-large with toppings week at the Mac house.  It was the week that we’ve all been waiting for – especially Sammy.  It’s the week that he began school at the Montessori school where Clare has been going.  He’s been asking to go to “school” for several months now.  His buddy A left nannyshare a few months ago to go to a preschool at her father’s work, his buddy G goes to school and Clare talks about school every day.  He’s enjoyed his time at nannyshare, but he’s been anxious to join the adventures of the “big kids.”

So last Monday was the day!  We spent the summer preparing him for it, starting with potty training and moving onto getting his shoes and coat on and off by himself, visiting the school periodically to get him familiar with the teachers and kids and buying a lunch box.  We’ve hung out with some of the kids at the school camp-out, playdates and when we’ve run into them in the neighborhood.  We tried not to make it such a big deal, since Sammy seems to get a little bit reticent under pressure, but we did try to prepare him for it.

On the morning of the big day, Sammy woke up in his usual quiet, snuggly, slightly cranky self.  Clare started singing to Sammy “Happy School Day to You” over breakfast and he whined “don’t sing to me Cla-are!  I want to wake up slow-ly!”  By the time we got in the car he told her that she could sing to him.  She sang, he grinned and we all made our merry way to preschool.  Sammy bounced out of the car and made his way confidently into school.  He leaned against me for just a moment during our good-bye hug.  His teacher came to the door and he looked at her and said “I’ve been waiting for you!”  Then took his teacher’s hand and walked into the classroom without a backward glance.

He came home happy, confident and exhausted.  He told stories of painting, eating lunch and playing on the playground with friends (mostly Clare’s friends, who took him under their wings in a really sweet way).  He talked about the fish and the frog and playing with trucks in the sandbox.  He talked about not napping and then crashed in an exhausted, whining heap at the end of the day.  In short – he loved it.

It was hard to leave our beloved nannyshare, our nannyshare partners and our wonderful Adam.  It’s been wonderful, a huge relief, to have it go so well.  The teacher reports that he’s fit seamlessly into the classroom.  He’s the youngest child by a few months but he just follows along the other kids with his usual easy-going nature so he’s been an easy addition. Clare adores having Sam at school with her.  She has complained a bit that “the other kids want to play with him!  So I don’t get a chance to!”  I couldn’t be happier that this is the biggest complaint.

Welcome to the world of Big Kids, my sweet boy!

 This one sleeps in a big boy bed now.   A twin-sized bed with dinosaur sheets and a Grandma-made dino quilt, a grown-up bed without crib rails (though he does have a temporary rail to keep him from rolling out). 

This one wears underwear now.  He goes to the potty, often times entirely on his own without us prompting him.  It’s been a slightly messy, but  remarkably easy process.  I haven’t wanted to write about it for fear of jinxing things, but I’m pretty sure that we’re about to retire the diapers for good. 

This one isn’t a baby anymore.  I know that I’ve written about this before, boo hooing about no more babies in our house, but it’s final and official.  This one is a full-on big boy.  He will tell you do himself.  “I a big boy now Mama.  I don’t need you to hold my hand when I walk on this tree trunk.”  “I a big boy now Mama.  I don’t want to snuggle.”  “I a big boy now Mama.  I stay up and watch a movie.”  “I a big boy now Mama.  I will go to Clare’s moss-ori school.” 

This one will go to school soon.  He’s very excited to start at school with Clare and all of her friends in a few weeks.  He’s excited about the fish in the classroom, the teacher, the other children and getting his own exciting adventures to share at the dinner table.  Up until a few weeks ago I’d been a bit concerned that he might not be ready to hold his own in the classroom.  Recently I’ve noticed that he’s very comfortable and confident with other kids at the playground and birthday parties.  He engages them with a “Hi!” and a big smile.  He defends himself, nicely but firmly, in conflicts. 

This one is still very sweet and kind, especially with his little cousin Frederic.  He still loves books and animals, but his imaginative play is getting deeper and more complex.  J was chasing the kids the other day playing “monster” and while Clare was running and shrieking, Sam turned back to J, grabbed a handful of bark chips and threw them at J shouting “get back Monster!  I will get you with my powers!”  Whoa!  This big boy plays by his own rules.

 This fall Clare and Sam will both go to the Montessori school that she has been attending.  Clare will be in her “third year” in place of going to traditional kindergarten at the local elementary school and Sam will begin the Montessori Children’s program.  We went back and forth about where to have Clare go to kindergarten, but ultimately she decided to stay at her Montessori school so that she can stay with Sam.  It’s a small school with just two classrooms and Clare will be in one room and Sam will be in the other.  We’ve really liked the school for the small, close-knit community, the loving and thoughtful teachers and the education that Clare’s received.  Sammy is soooo excited to go in the fall and I think his classroom will be a great fit for his personality and interests. 

 Here are a few pictures of Clare’s activities at school (taken by the school).  Montessori has very specific materials and ways of using them to develop certain skills.  I’ll do my best to explain what is happening in the pictures, but some of it will be guessing 🙂

This is Clare and a couple of buddies checking out some Christmas lights in a glass vase.  I’m not sure what the Montessori lesson is, except maybe it’s exploring different lights? 

 In this one Clare is grating soap bars into soap flakes and mixing it with water to “make milk.”  I think they then use the soapy “milk” to wash things, since scrubbing and washing are very big in Montessori classrooms.  Everything that you see has a very specific process behind it – Clare brought over the “soap work”, set it up with the underlays and trays, put on a smock and then did the work.  When she was done she cleaned it all up, put it away in its specific places and wiped up any water and soap spills.  Later in the afternoon it will be a child’s job to wash the smocks and wipe down the tables and chairs. The children are all given quite a bit of responsibility for caring for the classroom.

 

Playing with metal shavings with the magnetic wand.

 

 

Clare is in the middle of the bottom of this picture.  She and a group of friends are listening to a lesson from their teacher. Clare’s teacher is a very sweet, soft-spoken woman who runs a calm and orderly classroom with an incredibly gentle, yet firm, hand.  Clare adores her and has learned quite a bit from her. 

 

 

“We made crowns!  We are a kind and queen!  Take our picture!”

 August found us in Newport for the annual camping trip with Clare’s school.  Camping with the kids (for two nights) was great.  The kids LOVED it and J and I even had a good time.  We went into Newport for the day and went to the aquarium and hung out on the pier. 

While many of our weekends have taken us away from home, we have stayed in Portland a little bit.  There have been BBQs with family, friends and neighbors on the back deck, impromptu movie nights at friends’ houses (in the picture above the kids are watching an outdoor showing of Frozen with friends), visits to the pool and enjoying our Portland experiences like eating outside at watching the Portland Thorns.
 

Ahhhh Oregon, thank you for giving us such a wonderful summer.