New Friend

Connor has a new friend. He is in prekindergarten at Connor's preschool. He is also our neighbor and just turned five. As you can see, he is educating Connor in the ways of boys, teaching him how to play in water and examine fascinating pieces of trash.

I Love It!

Monnie and Jack- Connor says: Thanks for the jam!

Do You Know Scooby Doo?

a new chair for Connor, just in time for spring! (Now, if only the sun would come out...)

Connor keeps calling him "Snoopy" -- wrong cartoon dog. But he has difficulty pronouncing the /sc/ sound.

Conversation

While I was preparing dinner and Connor was eating his, we shared the following conversation (sparked by my pouring his glass of milk):

Connor: Some people get two milks. [meaning, he has observed people at grocery stores purchasing two gallons]

Me: Yes, some people buy two. It may be because they have more children. Children drink a lot of milk. Milk is good for children.

Connor: I'm a children!

Me: You're a child.

Connor: I'm not a child! I'm a kid!

Storytime

Connor and Emily chat before the stories begin.

Connor and Mia enjoy some refreshments after the stories. Mia is one month older than Connor, and her parents and Connor's uncle are good friends.

Story time is over. Connor plays on.

"cheese!"

in the "Northwest Passage"at the Memphis Zoo, Saturday


Jessica shows off the photos she's taken.

Connor at School

Blocks

I played with this set of wooden blocks as a child. My godmother, Aunt Marian, found them for me at a craft fair.

Saturday

Backyard

Saturday Connor helped his dad mow the yard.

Preschool

Connor completed his first full week as a real Preschooler! His teachers report that he adjusted with no problem, and though tired, he seemed really happy too.
Nearly every day he's been excited to tell us about one of the day's activities. The first day, he found it amusing that his teacher said, "Don't eat the cookie!" when she passed out animal crackers for an art project. (They are studying habitats.) Another day he told us about drawing a picture of our house (his habitat).
The Preschool program is typically for 3 and 4 year-olds, and yesterday afternoon I got to spend some time talking to his classmates. Most of them are much larger than him, and some of them can spell their names.
Connor was happy to see me, but he didn't rush over with the teary expression as he would in his former classroom. He sat and finished his snack, and then made his way to claim me before I decided to take another child home.

Connor 2.5

For those of you who are counting, Connor will officially turn "two-and-a-half" this week. That milestone comes with some news: this week he will be transitioning from the Early Preschool program to full-blown Preschool. His current class has grown too large, so the directors began looking at which kids were ready to move up. According to them, Connor was the first obvious candidate, until they realized he was already one of the youngest in his class. However, together we all decided that it would be a good move for him, so next week he will be in the Preschool room full time. I know he has the analytic, motor, and verbal skills, but it will be interesting to find out how he does with the older kids socially.
He was in dire need of a haircut, so he got one.
Before (yesterday afternoon):

After (this morning):

He appears much older (I think) with some of that hair out of the way. Or maybe it's the oversized bathrobe that adds the years ...

A Birthday Party

A few weeks ago, Connor attended the birthday party of a classmate. It was held at a place called Jumpin' Jax. There were various inflatable play areas for the children to enjoy.


This is Connor and the Birthday Girl.

My Pet Rock

"The Connor on the Bus Goes ... ???"

???? What's your answer?

Perhaps understandably, Connor seems to have a fascination with all things school, school busses among them. They are frequently sighted and he's been asking for a ride on one for a while now. I'm not sure how that's going to happen. Last night, though, he got to step inside a real one (a partial dream fulfilled?) and practice open and shutting the doors. ("The doors on the bus go open-shut, open-shut, open-shut. The doors on the bus go open-shut .... all through the town.")

Good Morning Connor!

Because Connor is not very fond of cereals for breakfast (but instead, for example, asked for first brownies, then chips, this morning), I tried to make it more appealing to him. He loves manipulatives (is that educationalese?) such as these little containers. The ploy was successful. He ate some corn chex and cheerios, which he claimed tasted like cinnamon rolls (they are apple cinnamon flavored). Then he told me that he saw Big Bird outside. (I didn't see Big Bird.)

Cereal for breakfast is not as common in Japan. Cereals featured here, from top, clockwise: corn chex, apple-cinnamon cheerios, cinnamon Life, and vanilla mini-wheats.

P.S. By the way, Connor does actually have plenty of clothes. He just has favorites (of the aka variety) that he prefers to wear again and again.

Candy Land

Joe prepares for his first game (reading the directions) as Connor arranges the playing board (installing crucial bridges). Mr. Potato Head looks on, hoping to be invited to join before the action begins.