Juliana's Birthday - Part 1

Our day was far too busy to fit into one blog post...way to many pictures to tell the story.

Scott and I woke Juliana up together.  As she sleepily opened her eyes, she realized it was her birthday and smiled.  When asked how old she was she was happy to display 4 fingers.

While she was getting dressed Scott was at the other end of the hallway with the camera.  As she tried to hide behind the door (apparently tired of pictures by 8:00 am), I would open it and Scott would snap a picture - she thought this game was amazingly funny.

A quick picture in front of the house before school.

Scott and I went to her classroom at 10:30 for snack time with her cake.  It was a cake of cupcakes - perfect for splitting up with the class, yet it could have standard cake decorations.  They sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed cupcakes.  And then Juliana lounged for a few minutes before we left.

Juliana came home with us and then we went out to lunch with Nonni and G.  Juliana loves cooking shows, she is just as happy to watch the Food Network on Saturday mornings and she is to watch Playhouse Disney.  So I thought she might enjoy a Japanese Hibachi lunch.  She was very excited that we were going to have lunch at a place where they cook right on our table.  However the fire right in front of her was a bit too much and she jumped on my lap and later hid on the floor.  But she did enjoy the flashing lights and music for her birthday.

Random Happenings

I love Juliana's summer childcare program. It is at the same school she attends during the year so she is around familiar teachers and kids. But the best part is how much they play outside which is what summer should be all about for children. They have creative time to draw and color and play with toys, but spend the majority of the day outside. On hot days, they set-up pools and sprinklers and play in the water. But Juliana's current favorite thing at the school is the sandbox - apparently she spends entire days in it. I'm glad that she loves it so much, but I don't love that she comes home with sand in her hair and we can never get it all out and the bathtub has a sandy residue each night...sand caught in the bath toys, washcloths, shoes, clothes, bath mat... I do not love sand in my house.

My mom bought some size 4 shirts from Target this past week for Juliana. 4, not 4T, size 4 as in the department where you buy clothes for older children...how did this happen?

Recently Juliana has been fascinated by rocks; not just any rocks - small, round, smooth rocks. She comes home from school with a new one almost everyday and sneaks as many as possible into her room (they are really fun to step on when walking down the hall in the dark, in the middle of the night to feed a baby). At a softball game this past weekend, she spent the entire time looking through the dirt for small rocks and found some she was quite proud to show everyone.

One morning last week:
J: Is it my wake-up time?
M: Yes, time to get up
J: ok, then it is also my rock's wake-up time, and my rock is thirsty, let's get a cup of water for it
M: Rocks don't drink out of cups, they are supposed to live outside and they get all of their water from the rain
Juliana proceeded downstairs and outside and left her rock to live in the basil and parsley pot. Tuesday night she went outside, found her rock and announced that it had gotten bigger from the rain.

Last Night
M: I think these PJs are getting too small for you
J: Actually Mommy, I'm getting bigger and the PJs are staying the same size

This Morning
J: I don't like when it storms
M: The rain waters the plants and helps them grow
J: rain, rain, go away, come again no other day...and people can water their own plants

First Day at New School

Juliana started at a new school on Monday this week. The new school is around the block from our house so it is a quick walk - that is going to be so nice in the winter instead of clearing the snow/ice from the car and driveway just to drive a few miles and back to work at home. The first few day went very well, but the last two have been a bit more difficult - she is struggling with the transition and change to her established routine. She will be in the 2-yr old room until she turns 3 in October and then she will transition to preschool.