Life School this week!

Since I wasn't really officially planning on starting Tot School until the fall (then I got impatient and did it anyhow one day - and Silas loved it!) and since there are quite a few wrap-up activities in the few community organizations we participate in, this week has been way too busy for me to get anything formal going. We went to StrongStart twice, to Rotary Park once, and spent two mornings trying to help my mom clean out her shed without even really doing it! I did write out the plan for this coming week however and I intend on setting up six activities for a week over the summer with ongoing evaluation to decide if I need to tweak our system a bit.

Here are some photos of our week:

Rotary Park in our town is quite a popular place, but this morning we had it all to ourselves once a HeadStart group had left. We usually bring a dump truck or two as well as trikes and bikes since we're pavement devprived at home and there's just no better way to drive fast (safely) than on pavement!

Oliver had a great time, I'm not sure he quit smiling for a single minute!

We also spent some time at the river this week as it fi nally got hot enough to justify a bit of wading. There's a tiny little side stream over a bulky sand bar where the kids (even Oliver) can wade and explore without danger of being swept away in the (still spring swollen) main river. The water was even fairly warm as a lot of it came from sun-warmed puddles and ponds in the flood-irrigated field nearby.

I try and make all of our baking at home - as in no store bough cookies or bread. I'd like to work up to making my own hamburger buns, bagels and crackers at home as well just because then I know exactly what is in each thing we eat (and let's face it, I'm cheap!). Bread is done on one day, cookies and muffins on another. Oliver got to help with the cookies this week - a fascinating process apparently! I love the little swell of his frog belly - one year olds are the most adorable.

Shame to say it, but this is where I really start to enjoy babies. The newborn and helpless, super-dependent infant stages are just too exhausting and intense. Now I have a little room to breathe and he's learning so much!

And that's bits and pieces of our week. Coming up next as far as Tot School goes will be real live, actual Tot School!