Archive for the 'Aidan' Category

First day of preschool

Published on January 6, 2009 in Aidan, Parenting and Preschool years. 6 Comments

The amount of time I have spent trying to decide if Aidan is ready to start preschool is enormous.  Given that he is an August 30 baby he qualified to start in most “3’s” programs this fall.  He just didn’t seem ready to me.  I chalked it up to him being due November 23 and decided to start him next fall.

He has given us signs over the past couple of months, however, that he is wanting some kind of new challenge.  I wasn’t really ready to throw him into a preschool that was for more time than a couple of hours a couple times a week starting off.  I looked into various preschools and found some that were WAY more academic than I even thought possible for a group of 3-4 year olds.  I mean….DESKS?  Seriously?  For 3 year old boys?  Yeah, right.

I had a friend of a friend suggest looking into a cooperative preschool.  Somehow I stumbled onto the Mercer Island Learning Lab.  They have  “3’s”, “4’s” and “5’s (pre-k)” programs.  Aidan and I observed one day in the classroom in December.  He leaped right in.  He painted, he built marble tubes with other kids, and he asked to go back after we left.  I guess the decision was made.

I love the classroom and I love the philosophy.  They follow the Reggio Emilia philosophy which believes that learning at this age should be child led and that they must explore and that too much structure stifles a love of learning.  The two teachers told me that in their minds preschool should serve really only 2 main purposes.  1.  An opportunity to build social skills.  2.  Create a love of learning in a child through self-directed learning and exploration. 

The classroom has 2  full time teachers and 3 volunteer parents each class time.    There are 15 children in the class and it meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30.  Parents are always welcome to stay with their child at any time, but are required to be a class parent about 2 times a month.  I stayed today and Aidan did well.  I think he will be more than fine with me leaving now that he knows the 2 teachers.  Today he built blocks, played with farm animals, hid in a bear cave (kids took a box and made it a bear cave), played in the water table, painted, sat down during story time, joined in group welcome circle and did some arts and crafts.  He had a blast.  At the end of each day they always have outside time.  The playground has a massive “sandbox” and it is amazingly muddy after our December snowstorms melted. 

Note to self.  Go out and get rainboots tonight or tomorrow.  Lots of the kids grabbed shovels and went to town.  Aidan got incredibly muddy and needed a bath when he got home.  He had a blast!

This seems like just the right kind of environment for a 3 year old boy.  I think he is going to grow a lot from it.

And last but not least, here is the eye candy.  :-)

Daddy getting me ready for my first day.

Getting dressed for my first day

Guess who is going to his first day of preschool?  Yup, ME!

It's MY first day of preschool

Daddy and me at the front door.

Daddy and me outside preschool on my first day

Mommy and me at the front door.

Mommy and me outside preschool on my first day

Teacher Judy leading the welcome circle.

Our welcome circle with teacher Judy...we are all jumping

Daddy checking out the classroom.  Ice in the water table today.  And a pretend kitchen! 

Daddy wants a look around the classroom to see what I'll be up toThe water table is filled with ice todayI love pretend kitchens

Outside time!!!  Getting dirty just the way boys are supposed to!

Our big sandbox is very muddy todayWorking hard

How to make Daddy get teary eyed

Published on December 15, 2008 in Aidan, Family and Preschool years. 1 Comment

Aidan,

You have an amazing ability to bring out emotion in your father.  I wanted to write this down so that we never forget it.  One night last week when your Daddy came home from work, you ran to him smiling as you always do.  Then you said, “Welcome to home Daddy!”

Daddy scooped you up and gave you a huge hug and it was then that I spotted the evidence of the effect you have so often on him.  He was smiling and there was “sand in his eye.”  :-)

We love you little man.  You continue to delight and amaze us.

Here are some pictures from early festivities of Christmas 2008. You are so enchanted with everything that is going on. Understanding who Santa is, making cookies and gingerbread, going out in the snow….you are loving it all. The Christmas gift you are getting is so big that we really had to have you open part of it early. We are going to Portland to see family for Christmas and we can’t transport it all. Hint to those looking at pictures….what might go ON a brand new train table? :-) You already have a small Thomas starter set and you have asked Santa and Mommy and Dad for a big Thomas set. So we shall see my little man.

Here you are putting the table together with Daddy.

First part of my Christmas presentPutting together my train tableBuilding my first track on the new table

And here is our first attempt at a gingerbread house. We did pretty good!

Starting our first gingerbread houseDecorating the gingerbread manMe and mommy working on the gingerbread houseOur creationThat didn't last long!

I love seeing the magic of Christmas through your eyes, Aidan. Thank you for this most precious gift. This is my best Christmas ever.

Happy “Gotcha” Day Aidan!

Published on December 12, 2008 in Aidan, Parenting, Prematurity and Preschool years. 4 Comments

3 years ago, we brought you home to us.  We were filled with anticipation and excitement and a healthy dose of fear.  You seemed at home right away.

We are all sad and happy at the same timeOn my way homeDaddy carrying me in the houseMommy has her boy home

And look at you 3 years later. You amaze us literally every single day. Even if you do scare Mommy to death sometimes (check out the video at the end of the post…I think we might be in for a few broken bones in years to come!).

Stealing Dad's coffeeIs that what I think it isWho....meI love his silly facesGotta make sure I get under the bed

Mommy got served

Published on December 8, 2008 in Aidan, Family, Funny, Parenting and Preschool years. 1 Comment

Have I mentioned that I think Aidan is pretty smart?  There are a ton of reasons, but at the top of the list lately is probably his sense of humor. 

Funny story…Saturday night the family walked down to the Mercer Island Fire Station for the annual Mercer Island Christmas tree lighting and community gathering.  They were going to light the tree in Mercerdale Park and the firefighters were going to be showing the trucks to kids.  Christmas goodies and hot drinks to be served.  Except…

That Mom got the night wrong!  Don’t ask me why on earth I thought the 5th was a Saturday and not a Friday.  But I blame it entirely on Mommybrain.  Does that give me a pass? :-)

On the way home, I suggested we stop at the Starbucks and get Aidan a hot chocolate.  We sat inside by the fire and he thoroughly enjoyed it.  During one sip, he began doing the swishing thing that kids like to do with drinks sometimes.  I told him politely to swallow it.  He smiled devilishly at me and kept swishing.  I said, “Aidan this is NOT a game!  Swallow it.”

He smiled again and Brandon told him to do what Mommy said.  So Aidan swallowed the cocoa and dealt out the following gem.

“Mommy, it IS a game.”  And he smiled ear to ear. 

Brandon looked at me and simply said, “Mommy, you got served!”

A visit with Santa

Published on December 5, 2008 in Aidan, Parenting and Toddlerhood. 2 Comments

This is really the first year that Aidan seems to have a grasp on what Santa is really all about.  We have been reading him stories.  He has watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.  He has a pretty good grasp on the fact that Santa brings good little boys and girls presents on Christmas. 

We took him to see Santa this evening.  He was quite excited.  He actually told Santa a little joke and then told him very clearly that he wanted a train set for Christmas.  I have been looking at Thomas sets and I feel broke just looking at them :-)   He was pretty happy to be sitting up on Santa’s lap.

Then after we left Santa Claus he seemed upset and told us “I’m sad.”  It turns out that Aidan thought that he went to Santa, told him what he wanted for Christmas, and then Santa would give it to him.  Poor little guy.  So we re-explained that Santa has to go make the toys and that he delivers them while boys and girls are sleeping on Christmas Eve. 

It is so cute to see him really getting into the Christmas stuff this year.  He LOVES snowmen and everything he thinks of that he might want he says to us, “Maybe I can get that for Christmas.”

I found the picture we had taken two years ago on my hard drive, and thought it would be cute to post today’s picture beside the one from two years ago to see just how much he has grown!  It almost takes our breath away…well…in truth, it does take our breath away.

I love seeing Christmas through the eyes of my son.  It is the best gift I could possibly get this year. 

Aidan and Santa Christmas 2008Aidan meets Santa

Even more cuteness

Published on November 24, 2008 in Aidan and Family. 4 Comments

More shots from our photography session this weekend.  We brought his Curious George along since that has been his nighttime buddy for well over a year.  We thought it would be special to get some shots with Aidan and Curious George together.  Enjoy!

Me and my pal Curious GeorgeMommy and Daddy love meChecking out my fire engine shoesI look a lot like Daddy stillCan't believe he is only 3Mommy and I laughing at the photographerGetting his noseBrandon and LoriI love you GeorgeBig boy collage

Happy 3rd “Birthday”

Published on November 23, 2008 in Aidan, Family and Prematurity. 2 Comments

For those of you not extremely familiar with all of the preemie lingo, today is Happy 3rd “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” Day for our amazing Aidan.  Today, November 23, is the day he was due to arrive 3 years ago.  Instead, he had already been alive for over 12 weeks.  I have our family pictures taken every year right around this time because it is sentimental for me.  It is a way of celebrating Aidan’s birthday on the day it should have been. 

I will take some time later on today to post some more of the beautiful photographs taken of us at our photo session this weekend, but for now here are a couple of pictures that make my eyes well up with amazement and gratitude. (The first is Aidan on his due date 3 years ago, and the second is Aidan today.)

We love you Aidan.  You are truly amazing.

Sacked out on dadOur little miracle

Another growth spurt is coming

Published on November 14, 2008 in Aidan, Parenting and Toddlerhood. 4 Comments

Aidan is already so darn tall!  I love it that he is going to be a tall guy.  His pediatrician thinks he will most likely be taller than Brandon (who is 6′2″).  He figures Aidan may end up somewhere around 6′4″ to 6′6″.  Crazy! 

Other people pretty consistently ask me if he is 4 or 4 1/2.  They are blown away to find out he just turned 3. I figured his growth may slow down some soon, but it doesn’t seem to be letting up. 

Over the past week or so, he is sleeping 11-12 hours a night and taking a 2 to 2 1/2 hour nap.  I have had to go into his room everyday this week to wake him from his nap lest he sleep too long and turn bedtime into an ugly matter.  This is a LOT of sleep for a 3 year old to be getting.  (I’m NOT complaining, mind you.  It is great!)  He has also been eating like crazy.  He has been asking for a LOT more milk.  Like double his normal amount.  Brandon told me that milk was one of his “growth foods” when he was a kid.  Brandon’s mom confirms that. 

So Brandon and I were looking at him a couple of nights ago and both commented that he looked bigger.  We backed him up against his growth chart and sure enough.  He has grown 1/2 inch in less than 2 weeks.  He is about 41 1/2 tall. 

I can’t tell you how amazing it is to watch him grow this much.  Back in the NICU three years ago, the neos were a little concerned with his length.  He was so IUGR and even when he reached his due date was only 19 inches long.  I guess he is making up for lost time.  :-)

His language skills grow every day.  Lately he is really into experimenting with adjectives.  Describing things as large, small, happy, sad, beautiful, cold…etc, etc.  So darn cute.  He tries his hand at huge words and almost always gets them right.  But even the little mess-ups are amazingly cute.  He tried to say “Boa constrictor” when I was reading him the book “Little Gorilla” the other night.  It came out as “Boa consnicknor”.  Too darn cute!

We were visiting our friend Catherine on Wednesday and he loves her dog Bela.  Suddenly he looked at Catherine and said, “Catherine, Bela is a Vizsla.”

Here he is playing with and feeding Bela.  So far 3 years old is absolutely my favorite age.  Aidan is so much fun right now!  :-)

Getting Bela's food readyGood job CatherineLook what I did MomCome and get it Bela

The first vote for my child’s future

Published on November 4, 2008 in Aidan. 2 Comments

Today I cast my first vote for my son’s future.  I have voted in every election since I was eligible, but this was the first where I took a whole new set of priorities with me when I darkened in the circles on my ballot.  Today was the first time I voted in the interests of a child and not just my interests.  It really felt wonderful and patriotic.  I can honestly say that the excitement of voting today beat out my excitement of the first presidential election in which I could vote—1992. 

We are having a very small election night gathering here this evening and I hope to be going to bed with a feeling of peace in my heart and hope in my mind.  Cross your fingers, everybody. 

Cutest little firefighter ever

Published on November 4, 2008 in Aidan, Parenting and Toddlerhood. 1 Comment

This was really Aidan’s first Halloween that he seemed to fully grasp the idea of trick or treating.  The day started off with a Halloween lunch at Brandon’s office.  They wanted the families and kids to come in, share lunch, and trick or treat around the office.

Daddy's building lobby on HalloweenDaddy with his lil' firefighterShowing James Bond my trick or treat bagMe and the mermaidEating some of the lootHitting on girls already

It was a cold, rainy day here in the Seattle area and we opted to do the Halloween Trick or Treat Event at the local mall (Bellevue Square).  We spent some time trick or treating.  Aidan was much more interested in looking at everybody else’s costumes than getting candy.  At the end of the evening, we went up to the children’s play area where he got to wear himself out.

The Dow Family Halloween 2008Aunt Catherine trick or treating with meHe thought this one was so funnyPlaying up in the kids play areaI love climbingKing of the hill

Then we finished up at Red Robin.  He loves french fries and ranch…just like Dad.  At one point we ran out of fries and used his finger as a “Ranch Delivery Device.”  It was too cute.

No fries...I'll just use my fingerWhat are you looking at...I needed my ranch

He had a great time and I love that he is really going to be so much more into the holidays this year now that he is 3.  Every day brings something new and exciting through the eyes of a 3 year old.  I absolutely LOVE my job. 

I made Halloween cookiesThis one says Dad