Do Not Disturb

Somewhere along the lines Lily has gone from calling me "mommy" to calling me "mom," which gives me flash-forward visions of what life is going to be like when she's a teenager (yikes!). I still get the occasional "mommy" when she's particularly tired, cranky or if she really, really wants something, but more often than not I'm now "mom."

Along with this development has come another new, and somewhat shocking, one...her need for privacy (or practicy as she calls it).

This morning, just as we were about to head out back to the car, she came running through the kitchen on her way to the bathroom. As is the current practice, I high-tailed it behind her to make sure she was situated on the toilet in time. Once I had her perched on the potty, undies and skirt around her ankles, she turned to me and asked me to leave.

"Mom, I need practicy now. Can you please leave....and shut the door behind you."

Um....hello....what happened to my toddler? Privacy? Close the door? What??

I asked if closing my eyes would suffice. It wouldn't. I had to leave.

I know it's cliche, but holy cow they grow up so fast!!

She's also learning a ton in school. Last week it was pets. This week transportation. For your reading pleasure, here's the most recent Huck newsletter...

Dear Strawberry Parents,

This week couldn't have been more purrrrfect! We really enjoyed talking about all the different kind of pets people have living in their homes. We got started with some pet friendly reads such as, Birds, Your Pet Iguana, A Kid's Best Friend, Pet Show, You're Not My Cat, Not Norman: A Goldfish Story, and Bark George!

Earlier this week we talked about a very common household pet, our feline friends, CATS! Around the circle we discussed the anatomy (whiskers, paws, claws and fur) of a cat, what they feel like and what cats like doing. Our hands-on experience with "Marcella," Ms. Christina's cat, paved the way for quick learning. We compared a cat's tongue to sandpaper and explained why a cat's tongue is rough. Many were shocked to learn that cats clean, or preen, themselves with their tongues. We practiced using gentle hands and taking turns petting "Marcella." Petters and pettee were thrilled to be engaged with one another. We played a number recognition game using silhouettes of cats with numbers 1-15, drawing a number from the grab bag and matching it.

Man's best friend, the dog, came into play next. Check out our fun and cute doggie ear headbands! We learned a lot about what it's like at the pet store through our classroom version of "pet store." Our "pet store" was a doggone good time complete with pets, leashes, brushes and bones to purchase. The Strawberries were great at identifying stripe and spot patterns on cutout dog shapes in circle.

A very popular first pet is the goldfish. We took a dive into the life of a fish and created an underwater art scene for our "pet" fish. We checked out all its cool attributes like the fins, scales and tail. We even demonstrated how fish breathe and used straws to blow bubbles like fish. The science concepts, sink and float, were demonstrated by using different sizes of fish and other objects. Another concept introduced was alike and different. We demonstrated this by picking the odd fish out among a row of others that were the same.

That concludes another week of learning fun. Put on your seat belts for next week when we learn all about modes of transportation! Have long and wonderful weekend!

All the best,
The Strawberry Teachers