the daily grind

On Scarlett's second day of preschool, she played outside in the sandbox, and met another kid named Forrest in her class.  And since we're on the subject of school, here are the jobs Scarlett says she might have when she's older:

"Work at Mr. Plywood!  Drive the big machine!"
"Work at the zoo.  Feed the frogs."
"Take care of frogs"

Preschool

On Scarlett's first day of preschool, this is all the info we were able to squeeze out of her:

Played on:
Jungle gym
Slide
Swings

Ate:
2 apple slices
2 crackers
1 piece of cheese

Other:
Teacher had a blue dress with an orange scarf
Sat on the blue rug, sang the itsy bitsy spider
She used the potty once, pee only

When we picked her up after two long hours, the teacher gave us a thumbs up and said, we had a great morning.   Charlie and I went out to breakfast, even though we just wanted to stand outside the school and peek in the windows.

Vikings Reunite

Charlie and I and the Nordic Trek have survived another Hood to Coast.  I love my Vikings!

But especially this cute mohawked one...

Scarlett goes to school

Dear Scarlett,

Today, we took you to visit your preschool for the first time.  You picked out a green dress last night, but this morning you decided on blue with white polka dots.   Before we left, you said 'I'm so excited!' and I said I was too, but I'm also sad and nervous.  I am excited, some days.  From now on, you will always been a school kid, you won't be our baby at home anymore, that's hard for mama to handle right now.

Yesterday you looked at pictures of your teachers, Katie and Whitney, and wondered what their favorite animals and colors are.  Today you got to meet them in person, and Katie watched you walk all around the room with wide eyes.  Your picked out a pig sticker to put on your water cup, did a puzzle with a frog, played with some cylinder blocks, and read a book. 

There are more partial, orientation-type days over the next few weeks, where you'll get to meet the other kids slowly.  I looked at all their names, written over hooks by the door, and wondered which ones would be your friends.  I will miss you so much when you're at school, even though I'm usually at work anyway.  Right now, I can get a picture of you anytime I want, and I get to hear all about our day from dad, and that will be changing. 

Watching you sit at the little chairs and talk to your teachers, you make me so proud.

Today:
Me: "I love you so big!"
Scar: "I love you so wide!"
M: "I love you so deep."
Scar: "I love you so fast."

I could have that conversation for hours.  You are the best, my big girl.
Love, Mama

Overheard

Scarlett and her cousin Esther are playing in the bedroom, we hear:

"I'm gonna knock you over, ready?"

"Wanna play with bandaids again?

"Does it look like the baby pooped?  There's a big lump in her diaper.  Smell it!" (shoves baby diaper in cousin's face)

Scarlett, age 3.5

My best guy

Happy birthday to my wonderful Charlie, who I'm proud to be married to.  We had friends over for a BBQ yesterday and it rained- for the first time in weeks- but still, we are Oregonians so we soldiered on.  Then today, we hit up two of our favorite spots:

"the new park" which isn't new anymore, but that's its name now and forever:

the Edgefield:

Welcome to age 33...

August in Portland

 Scarlett's favorite game lately is any version of Three Little Pigs.  We three are the pigs, or she and I are pigs and daddy is the wolf, or she and Arnie are pigs and the wolf is invisible, etc.  Sometimes she plays pigs with her blocks, and she builds houses and talks about which are the most wolf-proof.

Second is playing Goldilocks, which I don't fully understand, but it involves running to a corner or platform at the park and saying she is a bear, or she is Goldilocks, and pretending to hide.

Ever since Charlie ran an obstacle course run a few months ago, she's been into finding obstacles on our walks- climbing a tree, jumping over a piece of trash on the sidewalk, climbing up some stairs real quick.  She also wants to run the marathon, because sometimes there's Jamba Juice or chocolate milk at the end. 

She stayed the night at her cousins' house last Saturday, for maybe the 3rd or 4th time ever.  She was excited about the trundle bed.  She ate popcorn.  When Charlie and I got home from a birthday party, I was sad to see her empty bed.  She is big enough to be other places, with other people.  Soon, she'll be spending a few hours of most days at preschool, with people we don't even know.  Sigh.