Our schedule has changed a lot this year. In previous years, we spent most of our afternoons adventuring - finding new places and exploring our favorite hang outs. But this year P attends preschool until 12:30 each day and we pick F up from kindergarten around 4:30. I'm trying to adjust to life in three hour increments. T and I have accustomed ourselves to adventuring close to home (we spend a lot of time at Longbranch Nature Center and the National Zoo). Some days I miss the freedom that comes with a disregard for the clock. Other days I like the fact that we now have a pattern to our days. I now understand all too clearly how fast the early years of childhood have passed us by. We rarely bring a stroller anywhere anymore. And soon diapers too will be behind us, which seems incredible after 6 years. P has a social calendar that's full through December (seriously, that girl loves a playdate). F can spend over thirty minutes trying on the right outfit, making sure all the accessories match. And T is no longer a baby at all. Odd.
This fall, my favorite part of the day has become picking up F from kindergarten - watching T run to the door as they release the kids, throwing his arms around F's legs. Whereas P plays it more coy, she waits quietly, but as soon as F says "hi, sissie!" P lights up, suddenly telling hundreds of stories about her day (stories that she refuses to tell me). Often all the kids spend a few minutes running around the playground - older kids and younger siblings combined. Or playing hide and seek under the low-hanging trees that surround the school. Finally we all make our way home - listening to F recount the ins and outs of her day - who moved up to "superstar" on the classroom playchart, what children moved down to "think about it", who her new best friend is, new moves from dance class, or new projects in art. And T picks up sticks. And P tries to balance on the curb. Happiness.
WEEKEND LINKS:
*I posted some new pics at Because It is A Holiday, stop by and say hi here.
*A good friend just started a parenting blog entitled The Wise Hummingbird, full of great stories and things to do with children. Please check it out.
*For those of you who live in the DC area, Not-So-SAHM has a great review of the new grossology exhibits at the National Geographic Museum.
*Josh Reames. I love these.
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