Monday, September 7, 2015

Brody's 4th Year of Preschool {2015}

I can't believe Brody first started "preschool" four years ago when he was just the sweetest little non-talking, toddling one year old.  Man, has he really changed!  Now, he loves to talk and sometimes has trouble stopping.  He can do a pretty good job of keeping up with his big brother now.  For the last three years, he attended his Charlotte church preschool three days a week.  Since before Christmas last year, we started the process of home preschooling.  I love teaching this sweet boy because he is so appreciative and loves to learn.  He begs all the time to "do school."  I fail him many times because of my needing to do other household chores or taking care of his little brother.  Hopefully, we can continue our weekly lessons to help prepare him for kindergarten next year.  I am not worried about him at all academically because he soaks everything up like a little sponge.  He learned to write his name after being shown once.  He knows all the other basics and is really becoming quite the little artist.  He loves to draw which is actually quite different from his big brother at that age.  Evan did not really start liking to draw until much later.  Brody loves drawing rainbows, suns, his family, and other things sparked by his imagination.  I just love the constant little surprises from this sweet little gift and am so glad to get to spend this time with him.  As tradition, I had to take some "back to school" pictures even though we have kept up some of our preschool lessons all summer.

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He does an awesome job writing his name.  He couldn't fit it all on one line on his small chalkboard though.  He also drew and colored in this heart.  I love that he can draw hearts now.  

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Like big brother, I thought we needed a picture with our little inspirational decorations.  Brody is also wearing his new Janie & Jack shirt for the year, and I can't wait to see him and little brother Mattox wearing them together. 

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Brody likes to ask us to draw pictures for him.  The other night he asked his daddy to draw his picture.  I felt that Daddy's drawing did not do justice to my beautiful boy so I attempted to do better.  What do you think?  Is this a decent likeness?  I tried to capture those beautiful eyes which is probably an impossibility (especially with only a pencil).  

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Reading his books. 

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To his class of stuffed animals and friends. 

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Teaching his stuffed friends how to write. 

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Our classroom is in our upstairs playroom.  Brody does his work at his little table. 

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Our morning board.  Now that he knows all of his shapes and colors, I want to add some other things to the daily board like numbers, telling time, weather, etc. 

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Our globe and American flag.  We do the Pledge of Allegiance to start our lesson.  He can say it all by himself now.  It makes me so proud to hear him say those big words (republic, indivisible, liberty and justice).  

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Of course, I had to list his favorites. 

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Oh my, he has grown so much the last four years!  *Sniff*
Brody, we love you to the moon and back!  You are so special to our family.  You become more and more like your mommy everyday.  I know that sometimes we are a little hard to handle, but in the words of Marilyn Monroe, "If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”  Haha!  I love your fiery little personality and your amazing ability to love everyone you meet!

6 comments:

  1. I just can't believe between Natasha, you and me, that we have a bunch of preschoolers on our hands. Where did the time go?

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    1. Except Rachel is in Junior Kindergarten because of the awesome (stupid) Ontario system :( Which is allowing me to work this year. But still...

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  2. I love how intentional you are about doing preschool with Brody and how much he is benefiting from it. I should have pulled Rachel A LOT earlier last year and done preschool with her at home but I loved my kid-free time too much. But really she would have learned more at home.

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  3. That is wonderful that he is making so much progress. Go mama! :)
    I have a rough time getting Lance to sit still and write or draw. It has been a very long road for us with him. We're still trying though.

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  4. You have a pound puppy! Please tell me that is from your childhood, because we have one that used to be my brother Nick's. It looks just like yours. We also have 3 Cabbage Patch kids from my childhood.


    I'm so glad you took beginning of the year pictures even though he's not going to "real" school. You'll be so happy you did that in the future. You know, when you do a 20 year comparison. Which you know you will!

    I think your little pencil drawing is magnificent!

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    1. Haha! It is from my childhood. His name is Fred! ;-) Who knows where all my Cabbage dolls are. I had them stored at my parents' house, but through the years and several moves, they can't be found. :-( It is a very sore subject. Yes, not going to a "real" preschool was a bit of a tough pill for me to swallow, but I am really loving having him home with me so much. I missed so much of his earlier years while I was working full time and going to law school at night. Sigh. Plus, I really think he is learning just as much at home. I really only worry about the not being around other kids and getting to do the socialization part. Hopefully, this won't mean he'll have a rough time next year in kindergarten. I figured of all my readers, you would be the one I could count on for an honest (or maybe not so honest) opinion of my drawing. Haha!

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