Springtime...

DSCN0079, originally uploaded by wendyhitch.

Oh, how I miss thee.

Fall is Fun!

A couple of weeks ago, I took these photos of Ivan, who was admiring the newly fallen fall foliage. He was making sure that I had noticed the beautiful colors all around, which of course, being a lover of autumn, I had. We were in the playground outside of Vic's preschool, minutes after we had dropped off a sad, protesting little boy. Yes, believe it or not, Victor is still having issues with going to school. I thought surely by now he would be over the whole crying, wanting to go home thing, but such is not the case. It is rather confusing to me. He seems to look forward to it when he first wakes up, but right before we leave he starts trying to convince me that he is just too tired to go and as I help him put on his shoes and jacket the sad tears start a-flowin'. He has development this new intense attachment to his "blankie" and the thought of being away from it for three whole hours is just too much for him to bear. The teachers say he is always asking when he can go home,  complaining that he is "so tired" and wants his damn blankie.  This past week he has improved a bit, still emotional at drop-off but not so much during the time he is there. We are having a play date with one of his classmates this Friday. Hopefully, having a friendship with this little boy, Vinnie, will make things easier on him. 

I am trying not to be so worried about it because he seems absolutely normal at home, happily pretending, creating all sorts of fantastic stories, often times too complicated for my dense adult brain to process. It is clear that the trauma of going to preschool is not going to scar him later in life. 

Ivan, on the other hand, has no cares in the world. He is one happy-go-lucky child. Curious and into everything, he keeps me oh, so busy.  I am downright exhausted at the end of each day.  He has really enjoyed this fall season and has taken on the habit of finding a pile of leafs, then plopping down in them with the hopes that either his big brother or myself will bury him up to his neck in the crunchy, crackling goodness. He is such a pure joy and makes me smile, giggle, laugh constantly.

 

Squirrel Fascination

Ivan has developed a love of squirrels.  We often go to our local park while Vic is in preschool so that he can watch their frantic pre-winter hustle and bustle. Sometimes when he is in a more vigorous mood (obviously not at this moment), he may even try to creep up on one... but if he gets too close and actually makes eye contact with the little rodent, then he gets rather nervous and runs back into my arms.  Whenever we see pictures of them in books, he points and stares and wants me to say "squirrel" over and over. Really, the same goes for horses, cows, crocodiles, and dogs. To be honest, I believe I have become quite a successful animal imitator. I could easily make animal sounds in my sleep.  

Playing House...