The Boys Head Off to School

Gabriel headed back to preschool this past Monday.  He is going 3 days a week for 3 hours.  He was so excited to go back, although he had a few reservations about moving across the hall to what he called last year "the big kid class".  They have fewer toys in that room, and not all of his friends would still be in his class since he switched his days up.  After the first day he was happy to report that they DO have plenty of toys (including a couple of Buzz Lightyears) and that two of his friends from last year are at his table.  He loves going to preschool.

Here are last years pictures for reference.  He's grown so much this year:

I've had mixed feeling about Gabriel and his age as it relates to school.  Since his birthday is in November, he tends to be on the "older" end of kids in things like preschool.  When I briefly did MOPS a couple years ago I was so frustrated because he was in the "1's" class when he turned 2 right after it started.  I understand the need for a cut off point, but at the time he was walking and talking up a storm and none of the other kids were.  I know that this will even itself out over the coming years but sometimes I don't like him being the oldest.  I do think it's better to be on the older end of the class than the younger end though, especially in Gabriel's case.  It has just brought with it some occasional frustration.

Building what he called "a computer" while dressed
like a Power Ranger at the Children's Museum.

Things that Gabriel likes: Legos, Batman, Lego Batman, peanut butter and jelly, banana bread, playing with Corban, "fighting crime", making loud obnoxious noises that hurt his parents ears, coloring (all of the sudden - where did this new activity come from?), reading, listening to Magic Tree House audio books, throwing tantrums over seemingly simple things, hugging his teddy bear, home fellowship group, having pretend slumber parties, taking Mom on dates to Barnes and Noble, Ninja class, the violin, refusing to take a nap when he's clearly exhausted, storytime at the Children's Museum, hanging out with any member of the youth group, walking in the woods behind Nellie's Cave park, the library

Gabriel made both of these, unprompted, at the Children's Museum today.  Anyone who knows Gabriel knows his aversion for coloring or writing or drawing of any kind.  He has colored a lot over the last month and it's really surprising to me every time he gets out a coloring book or a "water wow" and starts working.  The top picture is a card for me.  He said that it is very colorful flowers and he wrote "mom" above them.  The bottom picture is our family.  Looking at the picture starting at the left side it is Mommy, Gabriel, Corban as a baby, and Daddy.  He told me that he wasn't happy about the way that Daddy's face turned out because he looks a little scary.  I know that this is a milestone that should have long come already, but this may be the first picture that he's drawn of all of us where we have arms, legs, and facial features.

Lollipops after a haircut!

Gabriel's most long time friend moved to California this summer.
They met in Romp N Roll class when they were babies.
Gabriel still asks when we can go to visit.  For several weeks
afterwards he was pretending that his toys flew to California too.

It may have rained on the 4th of July, but we still had fun watching fireworks!

First overnight camping away from home with Daddy

Roughing it ;)

Storytime at the Children's Museum

Gabriel told me today "Mom, thanks for giving me a little brother"

Dress like a cow day!

Gabriel was asked to be in two weddings this year.  The first was a couple weeks ago.  He was so excited to dress up and look like the groom!  He wanted to try his clothes on multiple times.  When the actual wedding time came he was nervous, as it was a long walk along to get to the front of the ceremony, but he did such a good job, carrying the actual rings and all!  He also powered through the other wedding events (which, lets face it, aren't always super fun for kids) and had a great time!

That is all that I can really think of about Gabriel at the moment.  He is one funny, creative, loud, talkative, reading boy.  And he can whine and throw a tantrum with the best of them ;)

Loves to dress up!

And he said today that this was his camouflage.  Ok? 

Reading to Corban

Snow cone!

Painting.  Something that they love but I barely pull out.  The mess overwhelms me.  This time Gabriel got paint on Corban's sleep sack, so it had to be put in the washer.  This brings many tears from Corban and has him running back and forth to the laundry room trying to pull the sack out of the dryer.

A couple little things about Corban.   He had his 2 year wellness visit this past week.  He was 29.5 pounds (67th percentile) and 38 inches.  His pediatrician said that his height doesn't have a place on the growth chart anymore, so it's just going to be the 100th percentile.  Big boy.  She also told me that she was reading an article about "Albert Einstein" hair the other day and thought of Corban (put that into Google and check out the images.  It's his hair).  She said no amount of product will help it.  It will probably just change one day.  It fits with the over all picture of Corban though.  Decreased oil production leading to super frizzy hair and super dry skin.

Sensory bin at the Children's Museum

Corban is the opposite as Gabriel as far as age.  Due to his birthday being in August he will tend to be the younger in his class.  The fact the he can start actually preschool next August if we want seems crazy to me.  He will be almost a year younger than Gabriel when he started.

Corban started "school" this week too though (sporting the Toy Story backpack that Gabriel has loved for so long and willingly handed down to his little brother).  I called it "school" to him so that it would make sense and he said many times "I go school like Gabriel."  When I said at lunch today something about Gabriel having preschool tomorrow Corban said "I go school too?!?"  In actuality, Corban is going to a Mother's Morning Out program one morning a week.  It's the same place that Gabriel went for a year and we had a really good experience.  His first day was this week and he did great.  He was a little nervous when we got there, but after about 10 minutes he looked at me and said "bye bye mommy!"  When I picked him up he was all smiles.  He painted a pig and made pudding and played outside.  He didn't want to leave until I told him that it was time to go and pick up Gabriel.  Then he bolted for the car yelling "go find Gabriel!"  Brother love.