Tale of the Broken Ball Ornament

The tree wasn't even up for a full day before the first ornament of the season was broken.

I thought I was careful about only hanging the ornaments that could withstand a 2-year-old and 5-year-old. Nevertheless, Atticus found a red Ohio State bulb ornament that I bought the first quarter of my freshman year in college.

I gathered the broken pieces on the ground, had a bit of a cry and set them aside. I wasn't ready to throw them away.

Ebay and other Google searches for the same ornament didn't yield much. The next morning I decided to give fixing it a try. What did I have to loose.

The 13 pieces came together like a puzzle. With Elmer's Glue, a toothpick and lots of patience, it started to look like a remnant of its former self. When I noticed a tiny14th piece was missing, I even found it too under the tree.

It's still fragile, and I still have one tiny piece to add on. But I salvaged it. Never to be hung on the tree again!

Edith Turns 5

Aug. 29, 2017

How is it that my little baby girl, born the day before Thanksgiving in 2012, turns 5 years old today? Even I have to admit, however, that Edith is no longer a baby.

She's a preschooler who loves to learn, please her teachers and play with friends. She's easy to make laugh and eager to smile. She's an expert at pretending, puzzles (100 pieces by herself and 300 with help) and even passing the time with her 2-year-old brother, Atticus.

Who is Edith today? I asked her the same questions as last year, and added a couple more at the end.

5-year old Edith's favorite ...
In her own words / [what I guessed]

• Food: macaroni / [macaroni and cheese and pasta]

• Toy: dress-up stuff / [kitchen]

• Book: Fancy Nancy / [anything Fancy Nancy or Pinkalicious]

• TV Show: Doc McStuffins / [Doc McStuffins]

• Movie: Frozen / [Frozen]

• Playground activity: swinging / [slide]

• Color: purple / [purple and pink]

• Animal: giraffes / [dog]

• Nursery Rhyme: Are You Sleeping? / [no guess]

• Song: Let It Go / [The Schuyler Sisters from Hamilton]

• Game: Super Why / [Simon Says or matching games]

• Fruit: watermelon / [apples]

• Vegetable: corn and carrots / [corn]

• Breakfast: oatmeal / [Life cereal]

• Restaurant: Spaghetti Warehouse / [Spaghetti Warehouse]

• Thing about school: going outside / [playing outside, art class]

Atticus Goes to "School"

When I drop off Edith at school, Atticus is ready to stay, too. During one drop-off, he sat down at a table in Edith's classroom and didn't want to budge. Now I usually keep him in my arms.

Needless to say, Atticus is excited to have his own "school." It's really the preschool co-op I started more than a year ago for Edith and a few other local kiddos. But those kids have now graduated to "real" preschool, so it was time to start the next iteration -- Atticus and three other 2- and 3-year-old boys.

This will mark the new co-op's third week, and so far it is going great. He knows and likes the other boys. He enjoys learning more about the ABCs. But the co-op's goal is far from academic. What I really want is for Atticus to be able to take directions from other adults and to be comfortable away from family.

The three other moms and I take turns hosting at our homes, providing activities and maybe a craft that focuses on a letter of the day, lots of playtime and, of course, a snack. Nearly as important is the 90 minutes of free time the co-op provides the moms that aren't hosting!

I haven't hosted yet, but I'm excited to see how this new class operates and to watch them grow throughout the school year.

Halloween 2017

Sorry so late today - busy week! In may be November already, but we're still eating Halloween candy. Here's our little fairy princess and elephant, dressed for a cold evening of trick-or-treating last Tuesday.