Today we went strawberry pickin'.
It was another one of those days... 32°C. And even though we got to the strawberry farm at 9:15am, it was still around 27°C with a burning sun to boot! Have I mentioned I don't do well in very hot heat, I wilt like a flower - not that I'm complaining or anything! Anyway, with the unusual early start to a very hot summer this year, the strawberry season was much earlier than usual. In fact, today was the last day, and the leftovers were just that, leftovers! But of course we went for the experience and that's what really matters! Lilah had fun picking and eating.
And what we picked will be delicious on top of vanilla gelato this evening! Yum Yum! No complaints here!
We also bought some strawberries at the cart, because they were delicious looking and tasting!
I can hardly believe 9 months has passed already, since Lilah started Junior Kindergarten.
I remember my husband and I gushing in our first interview with the teacher about how much Lilah had learned and how much she was growing, even though she had only been in JK for 3 months at that stage. Her teacher, Diane, told us that Lilah's first school year would be a huge 'learning' year, probably the most dramatic year, where we would watch our child grow at an incredible pace.
It's true. Not only intellectually, but socially, emotionally and physically we have watched Lilah grow, alongside her peers. Here are a few things on her report card that jumped out at me, they are so definitely our girl...
: Social Development: Lilah is a very eager student who demonstrates a positive attitude towards learning. She is eager to please. She is exceptionally self-motivated and self-reliant. She occasionally requires reminders about the appropriate times to socialize with her friends! (Ha!) She has very strong opinions. (Oh man!) She independently selects and completes a wide variety of learning tasks with care and attention to detail.
: French: She demonstrates excellent focus and enthusiasm.
: Science: She consistently demonstrates curiosity and a willingness to explore.
: Art: She greatly enjoys creating her own masterpieces.
There was a lot more on the report card, more about the different things she can complete, identify, etc.
Lilah had a pretty tough teacher this year too. We thought she was tough, but Lilah simply adored her and thrived under her style of teaching - even though Lilah is in the public school system, her teacher is somewhat an alternative teacher and puts more emphasis on independence and nurtures the children's strengths. She is a no nonsense teacher and she definitely calls things as they are. So that being what it is, I was pretty thrilled with the report card. I knew there certainly wouldn't be any fluff in it!
Lilah most certainly had a very happy first year of school.
I'm pretty sure Lilah and her after-school Kindercare group sang this to the seniors at the senior residence last month. It obviously hasn't left her mind yet, as she so adequately puts it these days! Somehow I find myself singing it around the house too - the tune is just so catchy. Oh my!
I imagine the seniors got a kick out of it!
Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie 'em in a knot?
Can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Lilah celebrated her 5th birthday at 4Cats Art Studio, yesterday.
I know what you're thinking - Wow, it's been almost 4 weeks since her ACTUAL birthday! I know I know, however, when Lilah decided on this art studio and I called (2 months ahead of her birthday), this studio was booked solid until today - that's how popular it is - and now that we've been there, I know why! Basically it's every child's dream... well, every child that loves art and paint and getting messy... which I imagine is a fair percentage of children out there!
I booked a "Splatter Paint" Party. First, each of the children make their own individual canvases - to take home. Then they moved on to the large canvas... I think it's a size 6ft x 3ft canavas, and I can even get it stretched and ready to hang... if I feel the desire. I just might too, because it turned out lovely. The children chose 4 colours of paint. First they used brushes to splatter the paint all over the canvas. Then they got jars of paint and syringes to squirt all over the canvas! And finally they got balloons, filled with paint, that they squeezed with their hands until they burst, which of course made the paint splatter all over the canvas... and themselves.
I won't even talk about the amount of paint that ended up all over them - the pictures speak for themselves! Every childs dream? Oh yes!
There were high fives all around with those beautiful paint filled hands and then it was time to wash their hands and have snacks and cake. Our Baba Boy pulled some silly stunts when the children were having their snacks. He was blowing up the balloons, not tying them in a knot and letting them go - he had the children in fits of giggles! Speaking of the children, (Lilah's friends), there were a few from school and a few from Kindercare, and we drove away from the party feeling so proud of our girl for choosing such beautiful friends to invite (some we didn't even know that well). They were all so calm, shy, sweet... really really lovely children. She's very blessed to have these beautiful friends.
It was a fantastic day... Lilah was beyond excited to have all her friends around her. And needless to say, her first stop after it was all over... the bath!!
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Finally, the snacks and cake!
[ the flickr set is here ]
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You can read all about Stefanie and her beautiful family,
and check out more Sunday Snapshots at Ni Hao Ya'll.
Ahoy there me hearties, Captain Feathersword here... Anyone that has watched 'The Wiggles', will know exactly what I'm referring to here.
It's been a long time since our little monkey has watched 'The Wiggles', however Lilah's class has been learning about pirates recently. They made a pirate ship out of cardboard boxes and painted it with rollers last week! Lilah has been coming home with all sorts of information about pirates - I think most of it is from story books that are being read - things like peg legs and eye patches and pirate loot! Oh, and she's told us that her name is now Don - because that sounds more like a pirate name!
Not sure if this pirate phase will last another 4 months, until halloween!
PS - Popsicles have been mandatory this past two days, yesterday was 32°C with a humidex of 43°C and today was 34°C with a similiar
humidex as yesterday. The only thing you can do in this weather, is sit in the house with the air conditioning on, eating popsicles!
My girl loves to whirl and twirl and make herself incredibly dizzy. I think there is something built into every child that makes them want to do exactly that! When Lilah puts a new skirt or dress on, she will always twirl in front of her bedroom mirror to see what sort of a full effect it has. Well the first morning she put this skirt on, I could tell she was just thrilled when she saw how wide it was and how far it flared out.
Anyway, whirling and twirling aside, I was genty reminded recently that ya'll need another shopping fix... so here it is!
I'm not sure how I stumbled upon One Good Thread children's boutique, but I'm sure glad I did! They sell several lines of children's designer clothing, but two in particular that I positively adore... AND they ship to Canada! I know, sometimes I find a beautiful clothing store, and then it turns out they won't ship to Canada or the shipping costs are just more than I care to pay.
So my two favourite designers are 'Persnickety Clothing Company' and 'Swanky Baby Vintage'. The outfit Lilah is wearing in these pictures, is from the Summer 2012 Persnickety line. Oh, and they have a sale on right now - who doesn't love a great sale!
Happy Father's Day to our Baba Boy! We love you so so much.
In the words of Lilah, from earlier today: "I love you to the spaceship and back!"
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So many precious, happy, loving moments captured over the past twelve months, with his little girl.
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I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection. ~ Sigmund Freud
My Father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~ Clarence Budington Kelland
