Carter's Move To The "4 Year Old Class"

Carter has made 2 moves in the last 3 months of the summer, very similar to last summer. He now is ultimately in Ms. Christine's 4 Year Old Class for this school year. Although we were so sad to see Ms. Sandy's class go, this class has much more of a "classroom feel" and I feel really good everyday when I drop him off as they are usually already in the middle of their structured lesson going over numbers in English and Spanish. Each afternoon I pick Carter up, he has been sitting at a table one-on-one with one of the afternoon teachers practicing writing letters on a dry erase board.... at 5 PM?!?!? WOW... I am super impressed.

Just in the last 2 weeks, Carter has had HOMEWORK!!!! REAL HOMEWORK! The first week, he had to fill out the form below. I am so proud of my baby boy for writing his letters so well.

This week's assignment was all about his family and he again did such a great job staying focused and writing at 3 1/2 years old.

The comments his new teachers have made so far in 2 weeks are:

• "Carter is a great colorer.  He really stays in the lines well. I can tell him to color the 10 alligators hidden in the picture and he has them all colored perfectly."
• "He is very focused and follows directions very well."

I don't want to get to excited but I know that all kids have their up and down moments at school as Carter has had and I want to make sure and remember these great moments now!

Other things about Carter at 3 & 3/4 years old!

HE LOVES LOVES LOVES PUZZLES and he usually starts and ends each of his days putting one together.

We have noticed a recent little growth spurt as many of his shorts and shirts he has worn comfortably since late last summer (when they were big) are suddenly getting tighter. He has evenings of continuous eating.... our little boy is growing and wearing most things in a 4T now.

His main passion at 3 and 3/4 of age is SPIDER MAN and BATMAN. He simply can't get enough. He has some kind of draping head piece (usually a red Elmo or brown horse hooded bath towl on himself for 2-3 hours in the evening.) He doesn't blink while watching a 30 minute Batman cartoon.

He still adores all small babies and rushes over to them to gently play and give them as much attention as possible.

He continues to ask really REALLY good questions like, "How does God make babies?" just last week....

He is becoming "a boy" more and more everyday and Blake and I are trying to balance his need for chasing his sister around wearing a cape and throwing his arms around like massive swords while yelling "I'm going to shoot you!" It seems like we are consistently having little conversations about what and what not is acceptable to say and do... but hey... isn't that what being a 3 years old and 2 young & inexperienced parents is all about?!?!? We are learning and couldn't be HAPPIER to be going through it with such an amazing child as Mr. Carter Brown.

Addie's 2 Year Old Class

Addie is doing really well in her 2 year old class room, the same wonderful room, Carter had 17 months earlier. Mrs. Cissy is the best thing I could have ever been blessed with especially as a new mom with Carter. She potty trained Carter at 2 years old and help me get through the roller coaster ride of having a 2 year old. She tells me when to worry and more importantly, when NOT to worry about certain behaviors or stages!

This is the first class, at 24 months, where they begin to have a very structured learning time every single morning. A few of the morning rituals includes singing "Good Morning How Are You" in English and Spanish, going around the room and she asks each person, "How are you today?" where she waits for each one to raise their hands up in the air and say "Happy!" They practice counting on the calendar to whatever day it is, they go through all the days of the week and even a "special helper of the day" gets to go to the window and report back if it is raining, sunny or cloudy and they discuss the weather. Addison is excelling at all the lessons and we couldn't be happier with her development as she comes home daily singing yet another new song or saying a set of new words. Her newest accomplishments just this week are being able to point to majority of letters when asked where each letter is, saying 1-10 in Spanish and recent new questions of "Why??" all the time and "Whatcha doing????"

This is Ms. Rachel who has been in this room since Carter was there and we were so sad to see her leave to finish her last semester in college. We will miss her as she has made this 2 year room so special knowing she is taking care of both my babies!

"Ella Perkins Wear This Too?????"

This is the question I get every single day, usually twice a day, when we are putting clothes on Addie.

We have created a bit of a monster but taking into consideration that these 2 girls' birthdays are 6 days apart and they have seen each other 80% of all of the days they have been alive (no exageration), 2 dozen matching outfits are not even thought of as crazy anymore for Addie and Ella... actually, it has become the norm. Since late May, the girls have matched every single Wednesday. Here are just a handful of the pics I snapped on my phone during drop off.

This last week, we were even able to coordinate Ella Madrid with the same shirt she had given the girls for their birthday.

I don't think I had ever posted the picture that Kelly Boerckel's sister, Melissa, did for the girls a couple of months ago....

Carter's "Growing Up Celebration!"

Carter's school did a big celebration last week for all the "older" kids that maybe moving up to Pre-K or Kindergarden. I'm not quite sure how Carter's class was involved since all of them are under 4 years old but who's complaining about a a fun reason to dress up and celebrate and as Carter says, "become a big boy!"

I told him not to get used to putting on a cap and gown like this every year. I want, at least at minimum, the 2 times he puts one on for high school and college graduations to have special meaning to it! ;) Oh, and this picture below is HISTORIC! The first picture I have of the two of  my babies looking directly IN the camera, HOLDING HANDS and smiling REAL SMILES!!!!!

Carter danced his heart out to 4 songs while one stage. He took it so seriously and stared at the teachers in front for their direction the entire performance.

Look at those 6 girls work it in the center!

Carter and his teacher, Mrs. Sandy and of course, Cash!

We are so proud of you Carter Brown in the little boy you are right now and the man you are becoming.

Fiesta Parade at Concordia

This is our 3rd Concordia Fiesta Parade and the biggest and most fun event every year!

Addie making her initial appearance and as soon as she saw me (even with the camera in front of my face) she was done and ran and sat on my lap the remainder of the parade.

Carter was awesome and marched around the parking lot 3X waving his flag and yelling, "Proud To Be A Texan!"

Us four girls!

Addie proudly watching her "Bubba!"

What a fun Fiesta morning!