Book Club...For First Graders

With the birth of H.G., working from home during maternity leave and now back to work, I'm afraid I've been lacking in volunteering in Lolly's first grade classroom.  It's difficult to bring a baby to school during the day as it's very distracting for the class. 

Not too long ago, Lolly told me that one of her friends was reading a book, said it was really good and that she would like to read it too.  This got me thinking about a first grade book club.  It's time for the kids to be reading outside the classroom (which the already do for homework) but on their free time and then get together and discuss in a fun setting.

So, I started the first grade book club for her class and the first club was a blast!  I had nine kids and we read the first book in the Magic Tree House series.  It was called Dinosaurs Before Dark. 

These kids were on the ball!  They remembered every detail of the book and we completed several exercised including self expression (i.e. what would you do?) and memory questions.

For our next club, we are going to read the first book in the Boxcar Children  series, appropriately named The Boxcar Children.  Lolly already read this book over Christmas with Granny but she's excited to read it again and discuss it with her classmates. 

I've also had many more kids sign up this time around after hearing how much fun our first club meeting went!

If you know of any great First Grade books that would go well with a book club, I'm open to suggestions!  We have two more meetings after our March meeting before the school year ends, so I'm looking for two more book ideas!

Happy Monday Y'all!

First Dip in the Pool

Yes, it was February 8th, the day of H.G.'s four month birthday and she took her very first dip in the pool.  Sorry northerners ;).  But I will say it was very difficult finding swim diapers this time of the year, so we only went for a very quick dip since she was without a diaper.  

I had to pull out Lolly's twelve month bathing suits and as you can see, this one fit H.G. just perfectly (in height anyways, it was just a tad big around the middle).  

 

Lolly showing us her 2014 perfected dive.  The next dive....well let's just say it stung her just a bit.  She sure is having fun working on the perfect dive though!

Happy Friday Y'all!

Four Months Old!!

H.G. turned four months old on February 8th!  Wow how time flies when you're having fun!  It's amazing to see how much she's changed and growing.  She's now grasping bigger items with her hands, laughing and chuckling out loud and she just loves to hold conversations with both other people and herself when looking into a mirror.  She still insists on being swaddled for every nap and sleep time and she's growing some mommy-attachment issues (not that I'm complaining!)  She's loving school.  She's apparently really enjoying art, music and Spanish lessons when she's not practicing tummy time or sitting.  ;-)  She's in Montessori school so I guess it's pretty progressive even for a four month old!  Though I have to say....if her first word is "Hola," I'm not really sure how I'll react!  Haha!

At her four month appointment, she weighed 14 pounds 7.5 ounces and was 25" long!  She's in the 95th percentile for height!  No wonder I think she looks so much bigger compared to other 4 month old babies I know. It's not due to weight, it's height!

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Weekend Update

Lolly LOVED her desk on Friday for Valentine's Day!  Thankfully her teacher took pictures.  Apparently, she was so stunned that she forgot to put down her backpack and lunch box for quite some time and had to prompted to do so.  :-)

Sunday was a beautiful day!  Lolly spent nearly the entire day outside riding her new bike.  If we had been up north, as my MIL pointed out, she probably would have been sledding!  

A beautiful bouquet of flowers Lolly made for me for President's Day.  Better than any real dozen of roses any day, hands down!  :-)

Happy Tuesday Y'all!

Tea Party!

Lolly was SO excited to participate in a High Tea fundraiser for our local Children's Museum in which I'm President Elect of the board.  She received a pink parasol and was tasked with collecting donation cards from the attendees.  She was excited to wear a frilly dress and socks.  The most exciting part of her day though?  Getting to walk underneath an umbrella with the valet to our car afterwards as it was pouring down rain!

 

Happy Monday Y'all!

Happy Valentine's Day

Photo shoot on the fly this morning in horrible lighting, so not the best pictures but the sentiments are all the same!

Daddy says Cupid threw up hearts all over you.  :-)

Lolly is going to be SO surprised when she gets into her classroom this morning.  I wish I could be there to see her reaction.  The parents all went and decorated their desks for Valentine's Day last night after school.  I thought I was bringing too much and I was actually the least decorated!  She will walk in to see a bouquet of Tulips, two balloons, a banner on her chair, stickers and gel stickers all over her desk!  Needless to say, that classroom is going to get nothing done today!

And last but not least, I love my boss.  Every Valentine's Day, he gets me a BIG box of Godiva chocolates.  I really do have the best job and though sometimes stressful, it is rewarding and very family oriented.  

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

And now we're caught up!

Here's a few pictures from the last few days.  Thankfully it's warm again (sorry, I'm not saying that to be mean to my northern friends), but H.G. has SO many southern frocks, Lilly outfits and sweet little onesies to wear before she grows out of them!  She's already 14.5 pounds!  She's an EATER!  She's been eating anywhere between 32 and 36 ounces of milk a day!  And due to GERD reflux (yes, she's been diagnosed with it and it hurts if she doesn't take her medicine), she's on rice cereal in her bottle at night since three months.  I kid you not, I complain about her flying through outfits, but at least she gets a chance to wear them all as she changes clothes no less than 6 times a day due to spit ups (and drool....I'm pretty sure she's starting to teeth).  

Anyways, with this warmer weather, bring on the smocked frocks!  :-)  OH, and the big bows too of course!

 

And monogrammed dresses and rears (gotta monogram the diaper covers!)  I can't wait for her to fit in her Lilly outfits that match Lolly's.  See Lolly in the background?  H.G. has a dress that matches. 

 

This one....it's already too tight around her chunky little thighs!

 

And of course, like mommy like daughter.  We're gettin' our pearls and Chanel on!  ;)

 

Happy Friday Y'all!