Magic Marker Monday: Rainbow Me

I am just now getting around to unpacking James' take-home packet from summer school. There was some good work going on there. I love how James is able to express more and more about what he is thinking. I love seeing his drawings and bursts of colour.

I really like all the information going on in this exercise:

I think it's interesting that he sees himself with brown hair, when I see it as a mix of brown and gold, with some reddish-gold highlights. I am betting the orange food that he loves is cheese puffs. Cheetos, in particular.

The upright bodies, long legs, and explosion of toes tickle me no end. Is that a crown on the right hand figure? His sister is rubbing off on him!


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Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Feeder

Since last Fall, James has become interested in hummingbirds. I know this because he started asking to go to his grandparents' house to see them from the back porch. I would have thought their unnerving speed and loud buzzing chirps would upset him, but no. He's charmed (just don't let them buzz too close).

It was fun to see his excitement and hear him talk about the birds and ask questions about them. We all seized on this new interest at Christmas and birthday times. James received a nice book about hummingbirds ("It's a Hummingbird's Life," by Irene Kelly), a hummingbird bookmark, and his CATS student presented him with his Very Own feeder, which we've hung in the backyard.

Gorgeous, but the birds aren't coming down low enough to feed. Next week: the front yard! I've seen hummingbirds try feeding from the low-lying sage shrubs out there. Stay tuned ...


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               and ... Wordless Wednesday

That Sinking Nap-Time Feeling

James is having an exciting and challenging school year. He is also starting to give up naps. I am so not ready for that. All those in favour of mandatory nap time until the age of, oh say 21, raise your hand *both hands raised*

Okay, that said, James is starting to initiate speech by coming up with the names of things he sees and wants. Sometimes its a word I didn't know he really knew, such as "rabbit" (I usually say "bunny" anyway).He still needs to be pushed to say "I ... want ... ____", unless he is being ignored; then we get the whole thing, LOUD AND CLEAR!

James is starting to get playing with and alongside other kids. His teacher said that on the way back out to the bus one day James asked, "Where is Jason?" Jason was his bus-buddy last year and has been one of his most consistent classmates. Jason was absent that day. Way to go, James!

He knows and can sort and say his colours, basic shapes, numbers up to 13 (especially the number 2), and is starting to fixate on letters. We are working on cutting skills, sitting in his chair, and drawing circles, and H & V lines. Also, we are working to get him to ride a trike.

James will now swing in the classroom swing and asked to swing on our swingset outside with his sister. And then did it for about ten minute!!! This is huge!

Favourite things right now: Popsickles. Especially rrrrrrrred popsi'lles. Think of Tony saying "Redrum" and you'll know how James pronounces "rrrrrrrred." Kinda cool, in a spooky Halloween way. Also, Cars, WALL*E, Thomas, and long-sleeved shirts striped in red, white, & blue. Playing Mine Sweeper on his Daddy's Sidekick. His teaching assistant. His big sister. Swimming. Playing in water. Looking at animals. reading books, like "Caps for Sale," Baby Einsteins, and "Maisy Goes to Bed." Curious George. Cars. Shaking his blinds. Saying "GOOD BYE!!!!" to people he likes. You can almost always cheer him up with watermelon, especially if it's cold. James still adores music, specially if its live.

Does NOT like: Nap time. Potty training. Potties in general, unless I am using it. Then it is fascinating.