Preschool X 2

Seriously, how cute are these two? They have been SO excited to start preschool.  I opted out of traditional preschool when I realized how much money it was going to be (X2!!!).  All I would be doing when they were gone was probably just cleaning and/or hanging out with Jane.  Which is fun and all, but I have a teaching degree.  We decided it would be better to pay someone to clean (after we pay off the van) and I would just do a homeschool preschool.  It has been so easy and fun. 

We are doing a letter of the week preschool. We've currently covered A is for Apples, B is for Bug, C is for Cookie, D is for Dinosaur. We usually do preschool 3-5 days/week for about an hour. We read books, talk about our letter/subject of the week, practice writing and cutting, sorting and patterns, counting, and sometimes even a craft.  

I even got smart and laminated everything so it's easy to re-use for both Caleb and Lily, but William sometimes does some worksheets during naptime. I will probably even use them for Jane. It's been a good project so far. 

I've slacked off a little the last few weeks because I caught a stomach bug AND a sinus infection, but am now on the mend.  I'm excited for the next few weeks for Halloween and Farm activities.  

Jane: 4 months

Sleeping: 

While the boys were gone, I dropped Jane's 4th nap. She does well with longer wake times and would wake early from naps and play, so I figured it was time. Now, we usually get two 2-hr naps and a shorter nap of 30-90 minutes. Life is happier for everyone!

Night sleep has been a little more sporadic. Occasionally, we get an 11-12 hr stretch, but more often, it's been a 5-8 hr stretch, and maybe a 3-4 hr stretch after that. Jane isn't putting on a ton of weight (she's just a shade over 12 lbs), which is normal for my babies, but it means I should still probably feed her at night, no matter how tired I am (I'm very tired). 

Movement: 

Jane rolls over! She is also trying hard to figure out back-to-front rolls, but that still eludes her at this point. Jane is getting better at reaching and grabbing, though she can't hold items for long, and she still can't make her hands do what she wants all the time. She is very frustrated by this.

I'm not sure why, but for my babies 4 months has always been a turning point. They are more social, sleeping better, and life feels a lot easier all around as we are now feeling adjusted. Jane

has been no exception...though in many ways she is my easiest baby, she is also my most difficult in others.

Kindergarten

William is in Kindergarten! He started half-day morning Kindergarten last week and so far, loves it! It makes the mornings a little more chaotic, but let's be honest, they couldn't get much crazier. And Jane usually naps for 2 hours at that time so it gives me a chance to focus on the twins.

 I've been running at 5:30 or 6 to get back in time to feed Jane and get everyone ready for school. William lucked out and has his BFFs, Max and Charlie, in his class with him. He also has several neighbors and friends from preschool in his class, which is super fun. We walk to school every morning with Max, and They walk home together with Max's mom. It's been a great system so far and I'm loving the extra calorie burn due to the daily walk. Plus, those boys can't get enough of each other.

But my favorite part so far is his teacher! A friend fromy teaching cohort up at the U, Sheila, happens to teach Kindergarten at our school and we lucked out to have her for a teacher! William so far is a big fan. And I'm a big fan, too. Mrs. Jorgensen is a FANTASTIC teacher.

William quote of the week: they were playing a game where each child says a food that starts with the same sound as their name. William choose "Wootbeer"! He's had some speech issues and we've gotten him tested (looks like he's ok for now), but it luckily makes for some great stories.