First Day of School, 2016-2017

School has officially started around here! Mae had her first day of preschool on Friday, August 5th. She will be going three mornings a week from 8-12. She was really excited, as you can see. She has one new teacher and one is her teacher from last year. There is only one child from last year's class in her class this year, but she doesn't seem to mind. She will play with anyone! 

We started our 2016-2017 homeschool year on Monday, August 8th! I intended to start slow this week, but the kids kind of picked right back up where we left off, so we got a lot more accomplished than I thought we would.

For Arabelle we are continuing All About Reading and All About Spelling. We are just over half way through level 3 and 2 in each from last year. She's starting on Singapore Math, level 3A. We are adding in cursive this year and using A Reason for Handwriting C (Thanks Jill!!).

Bo is continuing where we left off in level 1 of All About Reading and beginning Singapore Math 1A. He is also starting A Reason for Handwriting A. We will add All About Spelling in later this year.

Together we are continuing to work through the Story of the World, a fun little My Body workbook, and starting the Scott Foreseman Grammar and Writing Handbook. I am keeping them together on that grammar and writing, even though it's a first grade level. Arabelle hasn't done it yet and it's just easier to keep them together. 

Of course we are also doing read alouds daily. We did a Beverly Cleary series over the summer (Mouse and the Motorcycle, Runaway Ralph, and Ralph S. Mouse) and we have started The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Carlson this week.

I have gone back and forth on what we are going to do for Bible and I think I've found a good one, but haven't settled 100%.

I've got two teacher's pets. ;)

And Zeke....he will be the wild card this year. I hoped to send him to preschool 2 or 3 mornings a week, but they changed the format for the 1 year old class and only offer a 5 day option, so that was a little disappointing! So far he has mastered climbing on the school table and eating crayons and it's only week 1. :p

Can't get over how big the big kids are getting!

I'm sure this year will be one to remember considering there are 2 toddlers in the house, but also praying it will be a successful year with lots of learning and fun! 

Mae's 3 year old check up

Mae had her 3 year check up on Wednesday. I always feel like I'm taking the circus to the Dr office, but it's what we have to do, so we do it.

Mae is healthy as can be! She weighed 33lb 4oz (73%) was 3 ft 4.5 inches (98%). I was surprised to see she is nearly the same size Arabelle was at 3 years old! 

Zeke was OVER IT, so we were all glad to get out of there. 

Mae is THREE!

It seems like Arabelle was just turning three and now here we are....Mae is THREE!!

She had plenty of opportunities to celebrate leading up to her birthday. She had a cake at Sambo and LeLe's the Sunday before her birthday. She chose a Paw Patrol cake for that one.

And it was delicious!

Her party at school was on her actual birthday and the last day of school. She wanted a strawberry cake, so we made a box mix cake together. She was a good helper!

Sambo and LeLe got Mae a bicycle for her birthday and she was thrilled! Here she is the day before she turned three.

 Silly pictures her last night as a 2 year old!

Birthday pancakes for the newly 3 year old!

Arabelle helped me pick out a little toy for Mae's birthday. A Paw Patrol pup. She loved it!

She was so excited to have us all at her party. In the days leading up to her party, she kept saying, "You can come! Bo and Zeke can come! Daddy can come! Arabelle can come!"

I did a little interview of Mae asking her about her favorite things. 

Mae is such a silly, sweet, independent, and spunky little girl. She still sucks her thumb, loves her cups of almond milk with meals, and still takes her nap in the afternoons (thankfully!). She usually wakes around 7ish, naps around 1 for a couple of hours, and goes to bed around 8-8:30. Her favorite foods are blueberries, bananas, strawberries, yogurt, and any kind of treat she can get her hands on. She is a pretty good eater and is growing well! It's finally safe to say she is fully potty trained! She was pee trained a while ago, but was having issues with pooping her pants, but thankfully that's finally over. 

Strawberry Patch

Mae's preschool class took their annual trip to the strawberry patch a couple of weeks ago. It was fun to go with just the little two.

Mae loved the playground.

She really enjoyed the strawberries!! They were supposed to pick 10 strawberries and put them in their bucket, but she probably ATE 10 and put 5 in the bucket. Ha!

Zeke had a couple of strawberries also. This picture was so funny to me. He saw an ant and watched him pretty closely for a couple of minutes.

An attempted picture of Mae and Zeke:

Ha!

Mae's first trip to the strawberry patch, when she was 11 months old and now at almost 3 years old! 

Super Mae

Mae's preschool class was learning the letter S last week, so they had "Superhero Day" on Friday. She went as "Super Mae". 

She has finally started letting me put pigtails in her hair and they are the cutest! 

Mae-isms

Mae is so funny these days. I guess all 2.5 year olds are pretty entertaining!

See?

• Every now and then, Mae will want to hold Zeke. Let's just say he isn't a willing participant, so she ends up squeezing him and wrestling him for some love. While he's fighting back, she will put her face to his cheek and say, "Awwww!". Here's a video of Mae holding Zeke for some cuddles. 

• She still calls herself "Nae" and says "loo loo" for "little". 
• I love how all of my kids have talked when they were two. I try to video them a lot because their voices are always so sweet sounding. Here's a video of Mae singing and talking.
•  Of course, all two year olds like to change their mind, often and have very strong opinions. "Do you want this?" "NO!!!!" and 1 second later, "Give it to me!!!!". Whew! 

• She also still thinks that if she can't see you, you can't see her. I LOVE his phase and we have a lot of fun with it. :)

• I can't get over how big and sweet Mae is! 

Mae's Field Trip--Pumpkin Patch

We have been going to Red Brick Farms with the pre-school for 5 years now. It was Mae's turn this year and she was really excited!

Arabelle and Bo spent a few hours with Jared while Mae, Zeke, and I went to the pumpkin patch.

She loved all the pumpkins on display.

All my kids have loved sitting in the little tractors. Then they get disappointed when they won't GO!

Her little class. She's peeking through the blonde headed hole...

Her favorite was the corn bin.

 And the snack. :)

Zeke slept in the baby carrier and woke up for a picture too.

She also played on the playset (and had a pee accident too....oops!) and we went on the longest hayride in history. ;)

Because I'm a sucker for comparison pictures, here is Arabelle at 2 years 1 mo and Mae at 2 years 5 mo.

And Bo at 2 years 2 mo and Mae at 2 years 5 mo.