Preschool

Carter started preschool on September 10th and we're ecstatic to report that he is loving it! He has classes three mornings a week, M-W-F, for 2.5 hours. On Wednesdays he will be going straight from his preschool class to the Kinder Care Program (right next to his preschool room) for an afternoon of group activities, lunch, and of course, more playing. He stays here until we pick him up after work. It’s basically a daycare service provided by the school system. This is perfect for our work schedules (Dave is home on Monday and able to shuttle him around, I’m home on Friday and able to do the same, so Wednesday is our only day we cannot pick him up after class). I think this is perfect preparation for when he starts going to school all day.

Here is a shot of his school (when did Elementary Schools become so gigantic?)

He has already made a few friends and loves his teacher, Mrs. Bailey. He tells us a lot about the stories they read and play time on the playground, these seem to be his favorite activities so far. He also loves the full day with the Kinder Care Program. The program director has them doing all sorts of neat activities and he has an opportunity to interact with kids from his age up through 5th grade.

One thing we were leery of was lunch time on Wednesdays. If you've ever shared a meal with Carter, you know he is not the quickest or most eager eater. Lots of prodding and encouraging by Mom and Dad.  We figured lunch with other kids in this new environment would be incredibly distracting and cause less eating than normal. We were right! They usually send home his entire sandwich and other items. I guess he's too busy to eat.

We’re so proud of Carter, he has adapted so well and seems to really enjoy school. And we love all the cool new art work we get every day.  Our fridge has never looked so vibrant!

Carter and Mia Stats

Carter went to the Dr. recently for his 4 year check-up. He weighs 32 lbs. (17th%) and is almost 38 inches (7th%).  His nurse always calls him "peanut" and the stats seem to back that up.  He is very healthy, has normal vision and hearing, and his Dr. thinks he is "incredibly smart for a four year old."  Dave and I definitely agree with that!

Current Carter favorites:
Elmo and Chicky (stuffed animals)
Drinking with straws
Fruit Snacks
Phineas and Ferb (tv show)
Riding on the tractor
Play-Doh
The "7,8,9" song by Barenaked Ladies
Playing on the playground at school

Current Carter dislikes:
Sleeping in his room
Thunderstorms


Mia also went to the Dr. for her 18 month check up.  She weighs 22 lbs. and 3 oz. (21st %), 31.5 inches (46th %) and is also very healthy and happy.  We're very thankful both kids have such a clean bill of health.

Current Mia favorites:
Saying "no-no"
Her pacifier
Dancing
Copying Carter
Running everywhere
Brushing her 3 teeth

Current Mia dislikes:
Holding hands
Getting her hair done
Dropping Carter off at preschool (she wants to stay with him)

Happy Birthday Carter!

Carter was a lucky boy this year because we stretched out his birthday celebrations basically over the whole month of August.  During the first week of August, when our out of town guests were here, we had a celebration for “Everyone” at our house (everyone who had a birthday in August which included: Gigi, Carter, Elsa, Aunt Nancy, and Abby). That same week Grandma and Grandpa Jernstadt also threw Carter and Elsa a “Toy Story” party, complete with Toy Story decorations, cake, and other accessories.

Two weekends later Dave, Carter, Mia, Grandpa Jernstadt, and I headed to Michigan Adventure for Carter’s first trip to an amusement park. He got a little taste of rides when we took him to the Air Zoo in July (and he loved them) so we had a feeling this would be a really fun day for him. It did not disappoint!

Carter was able to ride on many of the rides (36 inches was the minimum height for most of the kid rides, which he beat by about an inch) including: a mini roller-coaster, some airplanes and cars, a crazy spinning bucket, a swinging pirate ship, a log run, bumper cars, and more.

Even Mia was able to ride on a few rides, including one without a parent (Carter was next to her). Watching Carter and Mia walk over and get on their own ride made me more than a little nervous, but the seat belts were locked and it was barely off the ground.
 

We also hit the water park portion and the kids had a blast playing in the water. Carter and Dave went in the “wave pool” which Carter learned to love after a while. We also went in a smaller kiddie pool area with fountains and small water slides. Mia had fun splashing in the fountains and Carter actually braved one of the water slides by himself!

We hope to make an amusement park trip at least once a summer since the kids seem to love it (and so do Dave and I)! I definitely foresee Cedar Point or Great America in the future when the kids are older and taller.

After the day at Michigan Adventure we had pizza and presents with Dave’s family. Carter told us he did not want a cake this year, but brownies instead. Dave certainly didn’t want to do just any old brownies (Dave’s elaborate birthday cake repertoire includes a 3-D dinosaur, Lighting McQueen, and a bathtub) so he got creative and turned the brownies into a scene from Carter’s recent favorite cartoon, Sponge Bob Square Pants.

To round out the month of celebrating, I took the kids to Grand Haven to swim in Grandpa and Grandma Baldwin’s pool on Carter’s actual birthday. It was a gorgeous day and we had fun swimming and playing.

Whew, who knew turning 4 was so tiring!