Twos Preschool Picture

Apparently the photographer was pretty funny.  I LOVE this.  I just pulled out last year’s picture, and I am shocked at how much he has changed.  I didn’t realize how ‘big boy’ he has become in just one year.  He wears size 4T and looks like a four year old! {until he throws a two year old tantrum in public}  Slow down on the growing, sweet baby James!

This is the Bible…

I could watch James read and talk about the Bible all day.  He read through the Bible saying “This is the Bible, God’s written word” for about an hour.  It absolutely melted my heart.

He talks mostly about Jesus and Moses.  In this next one, he says “Moses eating an ice cream cone.”  We still have much to learn about our Bible stories, but I’m proud of my baby for loving and caring for the Bible at such a young age!

First Day of Twos

James had his first day of twos preschool today.  He grins ear to ear when we talk about all the “big kid” things he’ll get to do at school this year.  Like drinking out of “big kid cups” {aka dixie cups},  walking in a line with his class, and joining a class with friends that are also using the potty!

Taking pictures before we got in the car was about the only thing I managed to get done for school.  We’ve been in Florida for a week, which means I hadn’t given school a thought until last night.

We missed the chance to meet our teacher at the class drop-in last week.  I haven’t had time to buy his school supplies yet.  And James is in dire need of a haircut.  While watching Mickey Mouse last night, I {for the first time, and probably the last} gave James a little haircut of my own.  Poor kid.  Can’t pick your mom.

I was nervous about how he would adjust to a new room, new class and new teacher.  Especially after missing the drop-in and having such a long week.  He ran right in, gave his teacher a high-five, said “it’s Mommy’s biwfday!” then, started playing.

My baby is growing up so fast.  It seems like just yesterday I was dropping him off for his very first day of school.

Ms Emily  said he had a great morning!  She gave us the go-ahead on wearing underwear to school so, goodbye pull-ups, we are officially done!  ..Gulp..

James and his best bud Connor on their first day of Twos.

James, you are such a big boy, and I am so very proud of you.  Here’s to another great year at our wonderful school!

James’ prayer

A couple of weeks ago, James and I were talking about school during lunch.  He he put his hands to together and said this prayer:

God is great.  God is good.  Let us thank him for all this food.  Amen.

It was so sweet that I actually started crying.  I didn’t even know he was learning a prayer at school.  Just one more reason why I love his school!  I got it on tape yesterday.  I love how he says “God is grape.”

James’ first class picture

James loves to name each person on the picture.  He loves his friends and teachers.  Our school and church has been such a blessing to our family.  James has learned so much, but most importantly he’s learned to feel secure when he’s not with Mommy.  Ms. Stephanie tells James at each morning MWF drop-off “Mommy always comes back.”  He’s a child that needs to hear that reassurance.

But my first thought when looking at this picture was, “Who is this photographer that put an angelic smile on my child!?!”  James’ Easter class picture was a little more typical of my shy boy…

Monday is James’ last day of school.  We are going to miss his teachers so much.  James’ first preschool class has set the bar high.

Dying our eggs {first time}

Anytime I do anything holiday related as a family or with my baby, it makes me feel sentimental.  The fact that this is James’ THIRD Easter makes me feel really sentimental in itself.  Although, in dire need of yet another haircut, I declare James Wallace mature enough to dye Easter Eggs.

In the backyard, of course. :)  Looking at these pictures, I’m sure Daddy would point out that James is left handed.  And Mommy is proud that James has officially learned his colors.

The first thing James did was squish the eggs.  Once we got past that, I considered these eggs nothing more than a toddler sensory project.  Well, and an Easter memory.

James had an Easter Egg Hunt at school last week.  We opened all the eggs on Friday to get his goodies.  When he opened a real egg, he was not happy to get yolk instead of jelly beans.

He almost started crying.

I love that James has a favorite color.  For as long as he has known what colors are, green has been his favorite.  His teacher always has him do green projects at school, and I love it. :)

This is his latest school project, and it’s one of my favorite things in the whole world.

When James concentrates so deeply it’s hard to get a smile out of him.  I could hardly get him to look up, but I was determined to get something.

After all the playing outside, we decided to wash up and take a break.  Missing a few spots.

I don’t know how I will ever throw these away.  They’ll probably stink my whole house up before I finally let go. :)

Happy Easter!

James’ Bug Birthday Party

We celebrated James’ 2nd birthday with a bug themed backyard party.  He has a serious love for bugs that he didn’t inherit from his Mommy.  I find myself hoping time after time that he doesn’t get stung or bitten by a bug.  Not simply because it would be painful, but that I think it would really hurt his feelings.

I ordered the invitations from Etsy, while adding a few of my own touches.  I printed the invitations at home, which helped us to stay on budget.

One of the best things about the bug theme is that most of my decorations included dirt, twigs and twine.  To anchor my food labels, I rounded up some mason jars and filled them with some soil and twigs.  I tried putting fake bugs in them, but just couldn’t stand the creepy crawlies on the food table.

We enjoyed Caterpillar Kabobs

Ants on a Log

Chicken Salad Snail Shells

Leafy Green Spinach Dip

Sausage Roly Polies (Mammy serving them fresh out of the oven!)

And Spider Web Cookies!  {I was pleased with the look of these, but I made them entirely too thick.}

I also made some cupcakes and marshmallow pops (bug bites).  I used burlap as table cloths and tied the ends with twine.  I strung a banner with twine, as well.  If only I could theme all birthday parties around twine.  It’s cheap, easy and one spool is never ending…

I served “Sweet Nectar Tea” and water with lemon for the adults.

We had a wheel barrel of Capri Suns for the kiddos.

Inside we had a banner hanging for the birthday boy.

Cousin Harper bravely let us borrow his bouncy house.  I think he was happy to have it at the party. :)

While cousin Olivia stayed away from those crazy boys.

Last year’s Rubber Ducky party had several play stations, but it seemed like all the kids cared about was the bouncy house.  So this year, all we had was the bouncy house and a sandbox filled with fake bugs.  I never intended on having so few bugs at a bug party, but the more I saw them, the more they grossed me out!  Disliking bugs must be innate in girls.

James’ preschool had an outbreak of Hand Foot Mouth Disease the week of his birthday.  So most of his class canceled the day before.  We appreciate their responsible parents, but we missed our friends!  The attendees did a good job of making up for the fun, though!

{Whose kid is that on the left?  Diving head first…}

Boys and their wheels.

My hungry little caterpillar.

As usual, the marshmallow pops were gobbled up.  They never get old.

Which is exactly why I made mini cupcakes.  To send these kids home on only a slight sugar high.

We sang Happy Birthday to the two year old, and then played The Beatles Yer Birthday as the kiddies ate their cupcakes.

James had been requesting candles.  I was just happy no one ended up in the emergency room.

…sneak-attack when no one is looking…

As some kids ate cupcakes, Callie tried to figure out how bugs had taken bites out of her napkin…

There were goodies for each little guest to take home.  I had to warn the moms that there were a few fake bugs in the bug catchers.  As well as gummy worms, ladybug bubbles, candy, and squishy frogs.

Thank you for everyone that could make it!  And thank you, Erin, for taking most of these pictures so, I could enjoy my baby’s second birthday party.

We survived another year and party, Justin.  I am so thankful and blessed to have you boys in my life.