Random

We're back in Connecticut, and I'm happy to report that we are settling into our new home superbly. Blogging during our stay in Kentucky went completely out the window, but we're in a new year and ready for a fresh start. Come to think of it, we're in a new decade, too. While Brian and I were children of the "80's", this decade...the decade of the "20-teens" (I suppose that's one way you could say it) will belong to Jaydon and his peers...so strange to think of it this way. Let's hope it's the decade known as something like "The Recovery Years". Anyways, here's some random things to start off Schuler Central 2010.

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First up...some random, silly pictures. These were taken at our friend Reilly's Dress-Up 4th Birthday Party. Jay came dressed in his Dalmation costume (from Halloween), but towards the middle of the party he changed into a dragon costume (yep...it's a dragon costume...not a devil costume...he is, however, lookin' mighty devil-ish in it).

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School Update

Jaydon started at a new preschool on January 5th and all is very very well. A positive vibe is definitely emanating from Jaydon with regard to his new school - a vibe that I didn't really feel present at his two previous schools (the "Playschool" last Spring and the preschool program he was enrolled in last Fall in our old town). He hasn't once told me he doesn't want to go to school (which happened with his two previous schools) and he's cheerful on his way to school and when I pick him up. I was worried that he would have a difficult time settling in because he's been so clingy with me over the past two months or so (I blame the clingy-ness on our move). Despite my concerns, he's transitioned beautifully. I know we have Andrew to thank for helping with the smooth transition. Andrew is one of Jaydon's oldest and best buddies (they've known each other since they were less than three months old). Andrew started at the preschool in the Fall. I also have every confidence in his new teachers and I can see that other kids in his class have also given him a friendly welcome.

He has school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am to noon (or 1pm if he stays for lunch bunch). He's been staying for lunch bunch on Thursdays (I love having that extra hour all to myself and I know he really enjoys having lunch with his classmates - he's told me so), but for Tuesday afternoons our playgroup is doing a series of gym classes at My Gym (through January) that starts at 12:45pm. The gym class is great fun...really poops Jay out by the end of the day. Once the gym class ends, hopefully we'll start lunch bunch on Tuesdays as well. Here he is at My Gym.

This is a good time for me to pause a moment to say how immensely thankful I am that Brian is so supportive of me staying home with Jaydon. I am the luckiest Mom and Wife in the world. I get to be there 100% for Jaydon, and now I get to have 7-8 whole hours to myself each week while he's at school!

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Measurements

Jaydon has grown a LOT this year - by our estimate he's grown at least three inches. And I believe most of this growing has happened over the last six months - it's crazy fast. He isn't packing on the weight, though. It's definitely vertical concentrated growth. As of the New Year, we measured Jaydon at 42 1/2 inches and approximately 37 pounds. We'll see exactly where he falls at his four-year checkup which is on Jan 27th. At his three-year checkup (in Mar 2009), he measured 39 1/2 inches and 33 pounds. Here's a photo taken this morning just before heading to school.

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Random Conversation from Today

Brian is working late tonight (it's past 10pm and he's not home yet), but he took a break to have dinner out with Jay and I before heading back to the office. This conversation took place as Brian was saying goodbye to Jaydon before heading back to work.

Jaydon: Why do you have to go back to work?

Brian: When you have a job, you have to work really hard.

Jaydon: When I become a man, I will work with you, Dad.

It's moments like these that, as a parent, you think to yourself, "my child does like me...so much so that he can see himself hanging out with me (Brian in this case) waaaay into the future". And maybe it's just me, but I thought this was such a sweet thing for Jaydon to say to his Dad.

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Story Time

Jaydon and I went to our first Story Time session at our town library. The storyteller was fantastic, a lot was squeezed into a half hour, and we are both looking forward to next week. We've visited this library many times in the past, attending various family/kid-oriented shows, performances, etc... or just dropping in to play with their huge assortment of kids toys (they have a great kids play area), but this is the first Story Time series we've signed up for (now that we're town residents we can - woohoo!). I assumed the Story Time would be in one of the rooms we'd been in before. Turns out it's in a special room just for Story Time and it's beautiful. Our hometown library is so cool. What's also very cool is that we can easily walk to the library from our house! Yay!

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Finally, I'm thrilled to report that Brian has found a pickup basketball league that's just down the road from us...literally it's a 5 minute walk from our house. It's also where Jaydon will be starting in his first basketball program at the end of this month (he's very excited about this!). And I've started running again...cold weather clothing rocks! Most importantly, we're doing the things we said we'd do once we moved into our new house...let's hope we can keep it up.

The move has been the hardest on Ellie. She's having a difficult time settling in...new sounds, new sights, new home...indoors and outdoors...she can't keep still. Hopefully over the next few weeks the sounds, sights, and such will become familiar and she can be at ease. One of the sounds she's still getting used to (as am I) is the sound of our mail being dropped through the slat in our front door...it's very noisy. On a good note, it feels like a luxury to not have to go outdoors to collect our mail (quite a difference from the walk to get our mail at our old home). It is a little odd to me, however, that we actually have a slat in our door.