Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Pensive

School has started, and what a lot of changes we've rolled with: physical location, expectations, classroom environment, different classmates, rules (lots of those), hours ... I know James has a lot to process. How I wish I could really talk with him, to find out what he's thinking.

Glad for the quiet moments, and some free time outside.

For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

SOOC Sunday: Waving at Summer

Scenes from the ranch, as we wave good bye and thank you to summer. The kids explored the creek, bounced like jumping beans together on the large trampoline, and used the zip line like a crew of stuntmen. Baths and early bedtime once we got home. And some really nice images as souvenirs:

Singing as they tumble along on the Austrian fire truck.

On safari.

Relaxing after all the fun.

Sundown and gold in the grass.

Beautiful mystery plant.

2012 was a really good summer. Au revior, mes amis.

Linking up once more with Murrieta 365 for some SOOC show and share, where it's all straight-out-of-camera (SOOC).

                                                                 

Tall Guy

Woah! James just tried on a new pair of long pants this morning. My "baby," at 7 years, can fit size 8-10 pants. And his legs are smaller proportions than his top.

See these sandals? The Tevas are size 10. I think his are size 3. When I bought them in March, they were at least 2 sizes too big. He fits them now. I am so not buying school shoes/tennis shoes until the rain's about to start.

This morning I measured my guy -- he's over 53" tall. That makes him 4' 5" tall+ and me rather blue. Where'd my Baby James go?

Howarth Park, about 3 months old

 Sorry, Honey -- Mom's prerogative!

Pick-up Time

Wow, we moms are a swarmy bunch! Waiting for my guy in the shade, admiring the garden and warm afternoon sunshine.

I love these angular windows. They somehow recall TV space and science programs from the early 1970s.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: After School

Both kids are back in school. Big changes this year! Big sister is an upper classperson, with a different start schedule and change-ups at recess and lunch. She is in a room with lots of new classmates. Her school changed to a charter, with emphasis on math and science, which is right up her alley. She is going to be a Big Buddy to some lucky little kid, instead of being the Little Buddy.

James is on a campus he's attended before, but for a special day preschool three years ago. At this second grade level, aides are not available before or after school, so we are coping with being more self-directed at these times. Class is much more structured than he's been used to over the past year; it's not the one I advocated for. And its a challenge to have him use his voice appropriately. I have a meeting tomorrow with his services coordinator. Yesterday I got the notification in the mail about his 3-year assessment, and I am contemplating what this means for James. It's hard to play chess when I am not sure of which pieces I have, and the rules are hazy and not fully formed in my brain.

So after yesterday's pickup, we hit the library and then walked across the Green to Yogurt Farms for a frosty treat. James lost his temper and yelled, almost crying, when I told him he needed to wait his turn in line to get his yogurt rung up. He'd held it together all day so well, but that was one thing too much. He howled and melted right before us all. Thank goodness he was able to get to a seat and remain mostly seated, occasionally stating loudly "I am very angry!" and making his dinosaur noises for the two minutes it took to reach our turn. Then we skedaddled across the street to the park, and life took a much calmer, better turn:

For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.
 





               and ... Wordless Wednesday

A Little Story

James just asked to call his Nana. He's been interested lately in talking to all his grandparents. He was able to tell her a little about his day at school.

He told her his one knock-knock joke. It has now morphed into:
  James: "Knock-knock!"
   You: "Who's there?"
  James: "Big grey sum!"
   You: "Big grey sum who?"
  James: "Eeeeeg-xactly!"

And then: He told her a bedtime story. Because I said we needed to wrap up the call (which was totally free-falling into Dadaism) so Nana could go to bed.

"Once upon a time, there was a princess named Anna. She went to school. And then, she went to hiiiiiide  (runs into bedroom with phone, laughing)!" Long pause. "Uhhhhhhm. And she lived happily ever after. The End."

Such a little thing. Such a big breakthrough, that he can do even this much this now.

It's totally made my day.

Looking forward to the next chapter.

SOOC: Summer Lightbrellas

Just looking through some of recent photos and these umbrellas caught my eye. They seemed to be filled with light, as well as making shade for those of us below. It's a perfect way to capture summer for me, SOOC:

I just wish I'd had an umbrella for this:

Linking up once more with Murrieta 365 for some SOOC show and share, where it's all straight-out-of-camera (SOOC).