Friends

I hesitate to use the phrase best friend since Ally has so many friends and I don't like to show favoritism or put words in Ally's mouth so many the term should be close friend. Below is Ally and Stella (on the ends) and Stella's little sister Violet in the middle. Stella and Ally started as friends in school last year and truly are friends- they argue, they tease, they play, they laugh and they have fun. This year they have been in gymnastics together and swimming lessons outside of school. Next year they will each go to different schools but we are hoping they remain friends. I bribed them with lollipops to sit still and smile for the camera!

I think it was worth it.

A huge aspect of preschool for me was the friends I have made there. Who knew I would make good friends at Ally's school. But Stella's mom is an architect and we have spent 2-3 afternoons a week for the past 2 years talking and chatting (in the basement during the winter and rainy days and on the playground in nice weather). I will miss my Shannon time and we are determined to keep up our friendship. At Shannon's suggestion our two families are going on vacation together in August - should be a fun time!

Last Day of Preschool

So today was it - the last day of preschool. Ally will start (junior) kindergarten in the fall at public school. I have a whole other post coming about our recent open house there it went really well and Ally is quite excited about next year. But first we had to finish this year.

Last day of preschool

First day of preschool - September 2009

First day of school this year, September 2010

Last day of school, June 2011

Grandma Barbie was here! She came for the beginning of school 2 years ago and was able to come today and be there for the very last day. It was pretty special for my mom, to be here for both milestones. She could not believe how much so many of Ally's friends had changed and grown up. And she got to meet new friends from this year.

Walking to school with Grandma Barbie

Huge surprise as we walked into school was seeing a baby bunny in the church garden!

Of course Ally stopped and watched it for a while.

Helping her teacher Jill with flowers.

Ally had a bit of a hard time today - at one point she told me she needed a break and went into the "feelings space" in the classroom and took a break by herself. Jill helped her get out of her funk. Ally told me when we got home that she was sad it was the last day of school. We talked about how she would see many of her friends at school this summer during camp, and her teacher Tracy would be there. "But not Jill" Ally said with a frown. But then when I told her Jill might babysit some night next year when Ally is in kindergarten she got all excited, clapped her hands and felt much better at the knowledge that today she did not say good bye forever, just for a time.

Ally and her teacher Tracy. Tracy has been Ally's teacher the entire time we've been at preschool. They are very close and we are very glad Tracy will be teaching camp and so Ally will still get to see her every day for 8 more weeks this summer.

The table for two! Of course Ally got to sit here the last day - and such a treat to have Grandma Barbie sit with her.

Easting Popsicles after school.

It was a very hot day and as soon as the Popsicles were done Ally was ready to go. We said a quick goodbye and left.

I took Grandma and Ally home, got Ally settled for nap (she was asleep in record time) and I went to work. Grandma Barbie is here for a few more days and then Grandma Debbie comes to babysit Ally for a whole week, until Becky's school gets out.

All in all preschool has been a fabulous experience for our whole family.

Drawings

Ally's current favorite movie is Monsters Inc. This is her latest creation. Its a Monster book of all the characters and things from the movie. This was her idea to create and put together in book format. Becky helped her by spelling out all of the words and taping the pages together for the book, but Ally made the pictures and taped them down on each page.

Monster

This is the cover- she ran out of room for the Inc and decided it was fine as is.

Sulley and Boo.

Sulley is the blue and purple polka dot monster. Becky drew the outline for him while they were waiting to get haircuts. Then Ally took the idea and ran with it. Boo is on the left above Sulley's shoulder.


Mike, (the green one eyed monster who is short and round and Sulley's best friend) Randall (the evil chameleon in purple) and Fungus (Randall's side kick the red drawing).

The machine -if you don't know the story. Randall creates a machine to extract screams from young children, like Boo to power Monstropolis. Sulley and Mike save Boo and Sulley realizes that children's laughter generates 10 times more power than screams and he transforms Monsters Inc into a laugh factory.

Close up photo of the machine.

Door Ride

A critical scene from the movie is when Mike, Sulley and Boo are on a roller coaster ride on the doors in the door vault trying to avoid Randal and fine Boo's door so she can go back to her room.

Building of Monsters, Inc

I love that she even wanted to comma after Monsters! Again she came up with as a picture all on her own.

Mr Waternoose

He is the evil head of Monsters Inc when it uses screams to power the city.

I hope I never forget the look of glee on Ally's face as she sat in the stroller drawing this picture. She was so proud of herself.

Mike and Sulley Building

A couple of scenes take place in Sulley's apartment.

George

He is a very funny Monster who in the beginning is afraid of children.

For the record the actual pictures of the monsters.

This is a picture of Curious George. To his left is a car and on the right is his house in the country. After she drew this she brought it over to me with a huge smile. I asked her to tell me about the picture, she did and then she said "I'm good at drawing now" as I bursted with pride and smiled back and told her yes, she was good at drawing and as she gets bigger and older she will get good and better at lots of things.

Monkey Bars

Unfortunately Ally still cannot reach the monkey bars by herself at the park. We make a HUGE pile of wood chips to act as a step for her and she jumps as high as she can, but no luck, still not tall enough.

Fortunately Ally does not seem bothered by this predicament. All of her friends can reach and she still is not bummed or upset about it. I often think what a gift it is to be so comfortable with one's self as to never be upset by our physical appearance or limitations. But she truly never is. One of my favorite lines this year at school from her was when one of her friends said "I am bigger than you" and Ally's reply was "well I am bigger than Finn" Finn is a tiny 2 year old in the youngest class at school. But Ally has the most incredible positive attitude about size. I think the fact that she is growing and she does get bigger and better at things so she can see her own progression helps. And her size has an advantage in some things. We carry her more than if she was a larger child. I can swing her way up high like she is flying and I can't do that if she was 10 or 15 or 20 pounds heavier like some of her friends. It's easy for us to boost her up to the bars, afterall at the gym I am lifting 40-50 pounds regularly and a fully clothed Ally is about 31 pounds!

I think gymnastics helps. It gives her confidence a boost that she is in the big girl class and her friends are not. And she is good at it. She has been asked to be in an advanced class. Becky and I debated about it and talked with our parents, and with their support (thanks mom and dad) we decided to sign her up. She starts the end of June going twice a week for 90 minutes for the summer session. We'll see how it goes. For now she is excited at going to gymnastics 2 times a week instead of 1. As long as she likes it, gets something positive from the experience and we can manage it we'll do it.

Swinging on the monkey bars. In typical Ally stubborn fashion she insists on doing them up hill so she goes from lowest to the ground up hill to the higher bars.

And her form is unbelievable - she one arms for almost a 5 second count then reaches for the next bar. It's not really a swing like most people do it.


She loves it!

So much fun to swing.

Fun Filled Holiday Morning

On Memorial Day we actually had nothing major planned. The weekend had been filled with play dates and a trip to the zoo, lots of fun already but we had no specific plans on the actual holiday. After breakfast Ally told Becky she wanted to "make something" they decided on cookies. Oh my - Ally made the best ever chocolate chip-raisin-oatmeal-pecan-butterscotch chip cookies I have ever had. Becky kept aside some batter and made her own, but I had to say Ally's are AMAZING. I am as usual trying to watch what I eat but these cookies are making it tough.

Getting ready to bake - she even got out the apron all by herself.

Once the cookies were in the oven Ally went with me on a walk. I am trying to exercise at least 5 days a week. I am doing pretty well with it. I am doing my best to show Ally that exercise and eating well is important. I want to show her and model the good behavior and not just tell her. On our walk we spotted baby geese so Ally hopped out of her stroller to get a closer look.

When we got home, mama had the garden ready to plant. Ally donned her boots and garden gloves and was all ready to plant the seeds.

A girl always wears a pink and purple twirl dress, butterfly necklace and matching boots to garden right? In the end Becky said Ally looked for rocks and snail shells and let Becky do the planting.

Holding the worms they found. I think the girly-girl pink and her no fear of bugs and creepy crawlies is awesome!

To end the weekend we bought Ally her bery own noodle for the pool. We're lloking forward to the city pool opening at the end of our street and thought Ally would like her own noodle to bring with us when we go.

Eyes Closed

Lately Ally likes to swing with her eyes CLOSED. It is a little terrifying to watch. She pumps herself up so high and then closes her eyes and holds her face to the breeze with a huge smile on her face. I watched for a while one evening before I got out my camera and by then she started posing so I missed the pure joy on her face. But I really wanted to capture the memory.

Such sass this one has.

And sporting her Jessie T-shirt because she went home with a friend after school- a first for us and her friend Stella and Stella's little sister Violet love Jessie so Ally wore her shirt for them.

First Zoo Trip of 2011

Over Memorial Day weekend we headed out the zoo with some friends. Our first trip of the year. Ally was so excited. Several times the day before she said to us "I am really excited to go to the zoo tomorrow" She wanted to see the giraffes - since its finally warm enough here for them to be out. And of course the gorillas were something she was looking forward to. All weekend her stuffed animal gorilla has been a favorite toy and has accompanied us in the car on all of our outings and even one trip to the park. We renewed out membership and plan on going several more times this summer.

First up was feeding the budgies.

The giraffes.

After our picnic lunch we waited for the carousel.

Off the African Savannah to see the lions and tigers. Here is Ally with her friend Carly.

It was getting late in the day so we said goodbye to our friends and headed off to the gorillas.

Here is Kiki the mom (Ally's long time favorite animal at the zoo) with her new baby Kambiri. Ally sat on my shoulders and we watched the gorillas for quite a long time. Here the mom is balancing the baby on her feet.

Baby Kambiri stretched her legs and distance from mom and dad.

Such a happy family.

At one point an older sister brought the baby right up to the glass and Ally was standing on her own and just pressed her hands against the glass. She loved it - we wandered back and forth between the viewing areas and observed the gorilla baby and her family.

In the morning Ally worked on a picture of the gorilla. Becky drew an outline and Ally colored it in. Her gorilla is watching the whole thing.

After we left the zoo Ally said she wanted to "draw a picture of the gorilla" and we ran out of time on Sunday to do that, so in the morning it was the first thing she did - no TV, no breakfast just the picture, which when completed she hung it up in her room.

It is so fascinating to Becky and I how Ally's interests change. She is not in to puzzles anymore, and its been about a week since we played a board game. She wants to draw all the time.

I'm going to do a post soon on some of her latest projects.