with Mickey's best friend

mom's compost maker or jarrett's hiding spot?

So, I bought a compost maker so I can make my own compost, but instead Jarrett decides to use it as a great hiding spot and a spot for him to chill and use the iPad, since then I feel bad throwing coffee grounds, old oranges and old lettuce in the maker.

isn't he just so handsome?

climb, climb, climb

Jarrett is in such a climbing phase. Climb on me, climb using the door knob, climb trees (given), climb using the bathroom towel rod (this won't happen again as he broke it while on it, need to make/build him something to climb on.

drumstick v. airhead popsicle

Funny story.

Lately, I've been on this long term craving for drumsticks (and I've gotten Jarrett into it also). Jarrett and I are constantly looking to buy drumsticks everywhere we go (we especially love when they are on sale). Well, today we come home and I notice there are only 3 drumsticks left, which would mean if we each had one today, there would only be 1 left for tomorrow and that would mean one of us couldn't get the drumstick and I didn't really want it to be me.

So I thought, let me try to get Jarrett to take a Airhead popsicle today instead of a drumstick so we can each have a drumstick tomorrow. I brought in a drumstick and a popsicle and he immediately says he wants the drumstick. I use my negotiating skills to explain to him why the popsicle is better and he takes me up on my offer saying "Mommy, you can have that one" referring to the drumstick. I'm so excited because inside I know I've manipulated my 4 year old into eating the popsicle I want him to have and he doesn't even know it, he thinks he's being gracious in letting me have the not as good drumstick. I was so proud of myself!

As I take my 3rd bite into the yummy nuts, he looks at my drumstick and says "Mommy you should eat the popsicle, it's really good and yummy" the same words I used previously to manipulate my way into the drumstick. He took the next bite right out of my mouth and enjoyed the drumstick as I sadly watched and realized that I lost. My negotiation skills got me nowhere with the four year old. Once again, he has won! Funny because I was so proud of myself and then to realize that I got nowhere in the end just made me laugh.

Just a day in the life of me with my little 4 year old Jarrett, lol!!!

'graduation' from Preschool Level 1 to Preschool Level 2

4th birthday party

can't get over jack and the beanstalk

Jarrett still LOVES the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and is always trying to pretend that he's Jack. He loves climbing up trees to find a castle. So far, he hasn't found one yet, but I have a feeling he's going to keep trying.

baking a cake

Jarrett loves pretending to bake cakes except for the fact that he uses REAL ingredients. Here he is making a cake that he wants to put in the real oven. At least the 'cake' is healthy. He has apples, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries in it. Now that I think about it this was a pretty expensive cake for pretend play.

a day in the flowers of Carlsbad

how polite

Conversation between Jarrett and me:

Mommy: Jarrett, it's time to go to sleep so you can go nite, nite

Jarrett: No, thank you

ice skating lessons were a flop

We decided to try ice skating lessons in preparation for future ice hockey classes but that did not go well. Putting on the ice skates took approximately 10 minutes but Jarrett initially went on the ice with no problem. I was suprised at how well he walked on the ground with the ice skates actually. He went on the ice for about a minute before the teacher checked the laces and said they needed to be tighter so Jarrett had to come off the ice for me to redo them. Thinking back, it sure would have been nice if they had told me in the beginning that they needed to be really tight. By the time I relaced them and tried to get him back on the ice, Jarrett had lost the fearlessness and excitement he originally had. The teacher got him a chair by the entrance for him to sit on so he could just feel the ice, he did that for a second and then told me he was all done and ready to go home. He told me the skates were too heavy and he was ready for me to take them off. I asked him to continue to try and he repeated that he was all done. I was sad, brought him off the ice and asked one more time and he just wasn't going to do it. Oh well! Time to find another sport!

Jarrett on the ice for the minute that he was on.

Telling me he's all done. Unfortunately, these will be my only 2 pictures of Jarrett on the ice, at least for now.

resiliency

Jarrett has been amazing over the last few weeks. I'm so proud of him. First he went to his new 2nd school with no problem, he fit right in, and is enjoying it loads. Then I realized that even when he had to go to a new Sunday School class he's fine going right in and fitting right in. I'm amazed at how flexible he's been with the changes and I'm just a very proud mama. Love you Jarrett!

no more discovering at KinderCare

Last Thursday was Jarrett's last day at KinderCare. I guess their budget is not doing so well either. The company decided to consolidate this center into their others and that ended Jarrett's year and a half run at KinderCare. We loved the facility as they had caring people taking care of Jarrett and they were flexible when we needed it and the facility was at a great location. Now that era has come to an end and Jarrett will be moving on. Thank you KinderCare for being Jarrett's first daycare facility.

jarrett and the beanstalk, part II

So, this week in preschool they are reading Dr. Seuss books and I think great, it's a good week to read those to Jarrett as a bedtime story. As I'm searching for the Dr. Seuss books I find "Mickey and the beanstalk" you should have seen the smile on Jarrett's face, he was so excited to have the book in hand. I had already planned to buy it for him from Amazon but I could never find enough items to qualify for free shipping so I hadn't done it yet but my find yesterday night made Jarrett the happiest little boy as he drifted to sleep (you can see the book tucked in his arm even asleep).