Sunday, September 28, 2008







Fall is always my favorite time of year. It is a time of school and class starts, fall festivals and spooky events, apple picking, and crisp fall weather (unless of course you live where I do and then you get an additional summer month for September). This Fall is off to a great start. Natalie has started preschool and at the same time, a gymnastics class through the Y. This is not yet a perfect arrangement for her. She is going to take a few months at least to adjust to a new schedule and to listening and following directions from a different set of people (other than from all the playgroup Mamas and her own parents of course!) I am happy though that she genuinely enjoys going to school. Noelle has also started school- her very first school experience! I take her with me to a Mommy and Me one year old program one day a week. Even though she has only been once, she seemed to really embrace the fun of playing with new toys, making messes in a new location, and clapping with the new songs at circle time.

Speaking of Noelle, she is 15 months old now! My little baby is growing up so quickly! She has about ten "words" now. She can say Mama, Dada, no, uh-oh, and ball. She also says "duh" for duck, "wrap" for giraffe, "es" for yes, "nguh-nguh" for thank you (used at the appropriate times), and "mmm mmm" for yum yum. Noelle is a fairly independent soul like her sis. She often insists on doing things herself (like holding ice cream cones and using the spoon). She wants to do everything that her sister does. Noelle is very playful and loves getting tickled and chased. She is also very affectionate and often gives hugs and kisses, even to older sister who usually grumps about it. These days Noelle would rather race around and climb than read a book but she will still grab one eagerly when her sister is doing the same.

What Noelle loves..
1. Tickles
2. Starbucks blueberry coffee cake
3. When Dada comes home
4. Running around with her sister

What Noelle dislikes..
1. Getting splashed in the kiddy pool
2. Coming in from playing outside
3. When her sis swipes toys from her

Natalie is now 34 months old or two months shy of 3 years old. She is very eager to learn new things, especially about animals. Her favorite animals are giraffes, frogs, pigs, ducks, and orca whales. Lately she loves drawing and building with duplo blocks. She also loves jumping which is why I put her in gymnastics since they have a trampoline. While Natalie can be a handful these days with transitioning and cooperating, her excitement about learning and her silliness and playful nature make her a lot of fun. She has keen insights about things and loves to make up simple stories that usually involve her giraffe or meeting Diego.

What Natalie Loves...
1. Animals (especially orca whales and giraffes)
2. Jumping
3. birthday cake
4. drawing and painting

What Natalie dislikes...
1. Having to get off the swing
2. Having to share with her sis
3. Holding hands