Good Day Circus

Today Eliza graduated from preschool!  I can not believe it.  She has grown up so much these last two years.  For their graduation they had a circus.  It was so cute!

The all sang a few songs together

The tigers did tricks

The tightrope walkers performed

The clowns jumped out of a train and sang a silly song

Then the graduates got their diplomas!

The costumes

Proud mom and dad!

We love Eliza's preschool and her fantastic teacher.  There was never one day in two years that she didn't want to go to school.  She has learned a ton and is so ready for Kindergarten!  Eliza is such a happy, smart, sweet hearted, special girl.  We love her and are so proud of her!

Field trip

Eliza's preschool took their last field trip of the year to Wheeler Farm this week.  Jackson and I went to help/tag along.  The kids had such a good time.  They were so funny and kept asking if the animals would eat their fingers if they stuck them in the fence.  The answer was always YES.  

I hadn't been to Wheeler Farm forever and had no idea they had such an awesome new playground.  I thought walking around the hot, stinky farm and then playing on the playground would guarantee Jackson would take a nap.  No luck.

But that's a whole other post...  

I can't believe Eliza will be all done with preschool at the end of the month.  CRAZY!

By the way...I'm trying out a new font/look for the blog.  I'm sort of a techno tard but it seems easier to read now.  

Mother's day

Instead of posting about my Mother's Day (which was awesome), I want to post about my mother.  Her birthday is always around Mother's Day.  This year, it's the day after.  I feel like sometimes it all gets lumped into one.  Which I'm sure she is fine with but I wanted to tell her happy birthday (because I know she checks my blog everyday to see if I've updated - which isn't very often).  

I am the only girl in my family so I feel like my mom and I have always been pretty close.  But as I've become a mother myself, I don't think we've ever been closer.  We talk nearly every day and she is the first person I think to call when I need advice.  I honestly don't know how I would have made it through pregnancy and beginning to raise children without her.  She always makes time for me and my kids.  She is a good listener, generous, easy to talk to, loving, nurturing, talented, smart, and beautiful.  There is no one I'd rather go to dinner, go shopping, or just hang out with.  

I admire my mom for so many things.  First, she raised me and my three brothers in the gospel.  My dad was either the bishop, in a bishopric, or on the high council and yet she got us all to church every week and made sure we always went to our activities.  When I was about 10 years old she went back to nursing school.  I will never know how she did that, raised a family, and got straight A's. She is a great teacher and has patiently taught me so many things in my life.  

I don't want to make this so TOO sappy so I'll end by saying I love my mom.  She is my best friend and I hope that Eliza and I can have the same relationship that I have been blessed to have and that I can be as good of a mom to my kids as she was to us.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!  

Progress!

Today Jackson went to class for the 5th time.  First one was bad.  Second one was worse.  Third and fourth were pretty much the same.  He cries the minute we pulled into the parking lot.  BUT today when we picked him up, his teacher said he only cried for about 20 seconds and was fine the rest of the time!  What??  I pointed to Jackson and made sure we were talking about the same kid.  I was so relieved to hear how well he had done!  I wonder if the progress will transfer over to nursery.  Probably not...I'll just focus on one issue at a time.  I am so proud of him for being brave in school.  Now I'm just worried that he's going to end up doing so well in this class then it will end and we'll have to start over from scratch when he goes to a new preschool.

I am so thankful for good teachers who know what they're doing.  I really think this class and his preschool will make all the difference in the world for him.  I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Next up is potty training and moving him to a big boy bed.  Oh, and trashing the binky.  I know...it should have been done already but we're trying to not overwhelm him with changes.  Love that boy.

First day...

Jackson's first day went pretty much how I thought it would.  :)  Eliza and I dropped him off and literally ran out of the room.  We hung out in Riverton while he was in class because I was expecting a call any minute telling me to come rescue the teachers from him.  So while we waited we had a good time shopping and worrying.  We got back to his school with about 10 minutes to kill which we spent hiding from the classroom door so he wouldn't see us.  But let me tell you, we HEARD him.  The poor kid was crying his eyes out, and from the sounds of it, he had been doing it for a long time.

When I talked to the teacher she said he didn't cry the "whole" time.  Yeah, that probably means when he had food in his mouth he didn't cry.  When I came into the room to get him he was on one of the teachers laps crying in between bites of cinnamon toast.  Big old tears and the kind of crying where they sort of inhale sharply every couple of seconds.  They told me not to worry...he was very typical for a first day.  I really hope he can adjust and know that I'm not abandoning him.  He needs to just enjoy it!!  It's so cute and the teachers are great!  We'll get there...

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and advice!

Maybe I should send him with a package of bologna next time?  That seems to help...

Speech update

Jackson has been in speech therapy for 6 months.  He has done awesome!  When we started, one of the goals I set for him was for him to be able to say or sign at least 5 words.  Right now, he is saying at least 40 words.  He is not putting two words together yet but I can't believe how far he's come.  He is learning his colors also.  His speech therapist has helped him (and me) so much.  Since he is 2 1/2 now he can go to a toddler class at the child development center.  It's like a pre pre-school.  His first day is TOMORROW.  I am so nervous.  I know he's going to scream and cry the ENTIRE time.  I just know it.  He has major separation anxiety.  He'll probably like his class for about two seconds until he realizes I'm not there.  I already warned his teacher.  She said it's fine - lots of kids cry but eventually they get used to it.  Um, we'll see...  I KNOW this will be good for him if he can just get over his issues with being without mom or dad.  Who knows how long that will take but I'm sure the teacher is going to deserve a HUGE raise by the time that day comes.  Oh my word...she has no idea what she's in for.

Fishing

Who knew there was a fishing pond like 10 minutes away??  It was perfect weather and the kids had a blast.  Too bad we're not as good at catching fish as seaweed and sticks.  Maybe next time!