Warm Enough for the Porch

By the time Clara was up from her morning nap, it was warm enough to be on the porch. She's had some pretty awful looking diaper rash off and on all week (no sooner will it clear up, then it's back), so Julie let her roam around there sans diaper while Julie folded some laundry. Clara helped.

Spring? Close Enough.

Spring is taking it's sweet time coming to the Great White North, but we decided it was spring enough to pack up the puffies. Joe is again sporting his green fleece and green striped hat--quite matchy-matchy. But Bird is mixing and matching patterns this season with her bird hat, her faintly tropical-esque (and yet faux fur trimmed) hoodie, and her polka dot vest. She is very fashion forward.

Da Da | Bird's First Word?

We had a big moment on Saturday that we have been woefully remiss in reporting to you, the Bird Brigade. Some of you may have noticed in the previous post that we told you after Bird is deposited in her crib at day's end, she just gazes at Julie as Julie leaves the room. Just over a week ago, it was not always so. Then, Clara would sit right up after being placed in her crib and wail with increasing intensity as Julie left. It has tempered a bit, but last weekend, found Clara's affections very much tethered to Ted. In fact, when he and Joe returned from the Little Gym and grocery shopping wilds late Saturday morning, Clara--who was crawling about in the kitchen as Julie made lunch--crawled over to the back door, popped her head around the rolling butcher block, sat right up and said, "Da Da!" Full out. She's not said it again, but this is the first word we have heard.*

*Allegedly, she pointed at Julie's picture at school and said "Ma Ma." Allegedly.

Birdie Tucking In

Clara will be in her infant room until mid-summer, but she is, suddenly, so big. She still loves to wad herself up and tuck into wherever she can, but Julie has noticed the tucking is more cumbersome. Clara winds down for the night quickly. Her bedtime is 6:45pm, and after she is done with her ever-so-efficient-nursing, she does. Not. Want. To. Read. Books. She is done and done. She will wad herself up on Julie's chest, pop her two fingers in her mouth, and doze until she is carted downstairs to her crib. (Once there, she flips over to her belly, reinserts her fingers back into her mouth, and gazes at Julie as Julie leaves.) This past week, Julie has noticed, with some sadness, that keeping Clara all tucked up is a little like tucking up a leggy colt. But, happily, Julie thinks Bird will always be one that likes to snuggle in.

Big Days Ahead For Our Big Boy

Yesterday was a big day. We received a memo (festooned with the multiple exclamation marks that are de rigueur for all KinderCare communications!) alerting us to the fact that Joe will begin his transition to the next room at KinderCare: Preschool C (or "Pre-C" as it is known in intra-C lingo). Pre-C is the "transitional" pre-school room! Meaning children in it are not yet potty trained!

However, it's a tiny bit confusing in that if a child is potty trained, he or she will still have a stop over in Pre-C, before moving on to Pre-A or Pre-B. The transition can take anywhere from no time at all, to two weeks. In the preschool rooms, the units are two weeks long, instead of a month, and a new letter is introduced every two weeks, as well. Joe's new teachers will be Mr. Adam* and Ms. Jessica. The memo did not highlight the following, but we know from those who have gone before us that at pick-up and drop-off, the preschoolers are mixed with the pre-Kers, in the Pre-K rooms, and apparently, the Pre-K rooms have some pretty sweet toys. So, settle in, Fans. This next chapter promises to be a rich one.

*Among the KinderCare parents, Mr. Adam is know as Mr.-Adam-Did-You-Know-He's-Ms.-Bethany's-Boyfriend? Really, that choo-choo train of words follows Mr. Adam's name about 95% of the time you first hear about him for any reason, until you and the other parent with whom you are talking have that foundational fact well laid from past conversations. Ms. Bethany is a teacher in the other "Twos" room and she and Adam are, apparently, an item. Ms. Bethany has a good head on her shoulders, and seems like a catch. So we have high hopes for Mr. Adam, Ms. Manisha and Ms. Marjorie being a tough act to follow.