Whoopsie

Can you tell school has started? Yikes! I'm really behind in my updates. School is in full swing for me - and for Marley. That's right! Mars started "school" on Tuesday. I will update with pictures (I have to take some first). Marley didn't cry when we dropped him off on either day. He simply waved and said, "Bye!" I think it was because we had been looking at photos of all the kids (and learning their names), the teachers, and the classroom beforehand. Jena was quite amused when, on the first day, Marley began saying the names of all the other kids:) His teachers, Jena and Carrie, send parents an email update every day on his group, the Beetles (1-2 year olds). The Centipedes are the 2.5-4 year olds. Here's what she said about Marley's first two days.

Day 1: Tuesday, September 15

Naps:
Marley went home to nap
Eli 1:15-3:30
Layla 11-1pm

Today we welcomed a new friend, Marley Franklin, and his parents, Dawn and Jeff. We had a small group today. Grace had a stay home day with her mom. Finn is out visiting with his grandparents. Marley, Eli, and Layla were exited to get out for a neighborhood walk in the buggy. We stopped and played at the pocket park, visited a construction site, and walked through Thriftway to see the sights and share a bagel. Upon our return we played in the yard in the sensory tables (still filled with birdseed) and practiced blowing bubbles. We came in and sat for a short circle time and learned some new songs. Marley was still really interested in the new environment so we had some more free play before lunch. Eli and Marley chased each other around the climber and underneath it, colored with markers, and drove cars down the ramp with Carrie.

We will really be focusing on self-help skills over these next few weeks. Specifically we are taking extra time for training in hand washing, fastening and unfastening shoes and coats, and cleaning up our toys and dishes.

Day 2: Wednesday, September 16

Naps:
Marley 1:05-3:00
Reid 1:10-3:30
Layla 12:45-4:00
Grace 1:10-2:35

We have temporarily altered our daily schedule a bit so that the Beetles and Centipedes are not using the classroom for circle time together, which is a bit too distracting for my group right now. Until both groups get acquainted with class time we will be taking our walk first from 10-11 and then having our class time before lunch from 11-12 while the older kids are on their walk.

We headed out for a walk to the Lincoln Park Pea Patch this morning. Reid, Marley, Grace, and Layla really enjoyed running up and down the paths and hiding from each other in the tall plants. A nice man playing tennis nearby gave each child a tennis ball to play with. We found a potato bug and took turns holding it and watching it crawl around on our hands.

For circle time we sang our hello songs again and then turned some music on for dancing w/ scarves. We practiced jumping, clapping and stomping. After lunch the group read stories with Carrie and then all went off to sleep. It was Marley's first time sleeping on a mat and he had no issues, hugged his bear and was the first one asleep.