10/31/12

Kenzie ate all her peaches and biscuit at breakfast.  At lunch she ate most of her baked beans and all of her roll, baked beans and steamed broccoli.  

Kenzie and Morgan dressed up in the mountain ion and African lion suits today and kept them on for quite a while.  While they were dressed up in them, they were cheering "go, griz go!"  It hit my funny bone because of the whole Bobcat thing!  

Kenzie put her mouth on Morgan's foot and Morgan yelled, "Kenzie bit me!"  Kenzie immediately said, "But I didn't cuz it didn't leave marks!"  Tricky, but also pretty logical.  

Kenzie has asked "is my momma gonna come?" and "when's momma coming to go trick-or-treating?" at least six times so far this morning (10:15).  

Kenzie and Morgan were very engaged playing in the big block building Gary had helped his kiddos make yesterday after we left.  They were putting all of the duplo and plastic animals into it and saying it was their "zoo".  

10/30/12

Kenzie ate several bites of hash browns and most of her waffles at breakfast.  At lunch she ate seconds on shrimp and all of her brown rice, orange slices and fresh read paper bits.  

Kenzie got the big black bear and the little black bear then was searching all over asking, "where the momma bear go?"  Emily started helping her search and they finally found it under the huge bear.  Kenzie just chuckled when they rolled him over and found it!  

As soon as Morgan was done eating breakfast this morning, Kenzie went over to that side of the big room to join her.  They started playing with the food stuff and were very engaged in cutting the Velcro vegetables and fruits apart. 

Kenzie went over to Joslyn and pushed her for no reason so I had her move over to the other side of the room.  She just howled and said, "but I wanna play with Jozzy!"  That just cracked me up and I had a hard time not showing it.

Morgan said she was heading to the baseball game and Kenzie told her, "Okay, I'll meet you there."  Morgan then told Kenzie, "OK, I'll see you when you get there!"  Great imaginative dialogue!  

Kenzie loves this set of dress ups.  She puts on one or another of the animal costumes multiple times throughout the morning.  I especially love the raccoon suit on her.  

10/29/12

Kenzie ate all of her Cheerios and a bite of banana at breakfast.  At lunch she ate about half of her tomato soup, most of her apple slices and all of her grilled cheese sandwich.

Kenzie joined Morgan in fishing first thing after she finished waving at mom.  She also found a back pack and put it on to complete her fisher girl attire.

After she was done with that play, she decided she wanted to be a mountain lion and put on the costume, trying to get the other three bigger girls to put on costumes too.

After breakfast she headed out to do puzzles with Joslyn as soon as Morgan was done.  We only let two be out there at one time or it gets too crazy.  She did four or five puzzles before wanting to come back in to play.

If you see Kenzie trying to get Riley or Cooper to help her, we have been really working on encouraging all of the kiddos to "ask a friend".  I have noticed that both Morgan and Kenzie have been doing it on their own occasionally.  : )

Morgan and Kenzie were walking around the big room peaking into and around different things and saying "not in here".  When I asked what they were looking for, they said "a phone!"

When we went to the back room this morning to play, Kenzie seemed to have it in for Aaron.  No matter what toy he tried to pick up, she raced him to it to try to get there first.  No matter what he tried to do, she got on his case for it.  She had him in tears four times in about five minutes!  Silly goose!  Because of that I took her out with me while I did the final lunch prep and set up.  Riley has been coming with me most of the time also so they were both there today.  I thought it was super cute that they were kind of cuddling Riley's blanket together.

10/26/12

Kenzie ate about half of her oatmeal and craisins.  At lunch she ate all of her applesauce, about half of her pea and pasta with cheese dish and a couple bites of her ground beef.  

Morgan, Kenzie, Joslyn, and Emily were all pretending that the books were money this morning.  They were all setting around the picnic table in the big room and trading books, saying "pay, pay, pay".  They did it for at least 15 minutes and there really wasn't much else going on with their play.  

Morgan and Kenzie were dressing up in the rain boots, camp hats, and shirts.  Kenzie then informed Morgan that she was Dora and Morgan was Boots.  Morgan liked the idea and played along with it.  

Later they were playing house and putting the babies to bed in the box bedrooms.  I asked them if they wanted me to put on so soft music to help their babies sleep better and both of them just beamed.  They kept telling us and the other kiddos, "shhhhh! Our babies are sleeping."

When they were playing in the back rooms with the duplos, Morgan and Kenzie were saying they were "doing surgery".  To me it looked like basic duplo building.  Just goes to show my lack of creativity!  ; ) After they were done with 'surgery', the exact same set of blocks turned into a sail boat.  Now that I could see a little.   

10/25/12

Kenzie didn't want to eat breakfast this morning.  At lunch she ate all of her green beans, most of her turkey burger and bites of kiwi.  

Kenzie asked to do puzzles after she came. As soon as one of the two who were already out there were done she went out.  She stayed out doing puzzles until breakfast time.  

Kenzie bit Morgan two different times when they were just playing with the huge bear.  They weren't in conflict or anything, just playing,   Neither time was hard enough to leave teeth marks, just a general red mark.  After both times, she tried to talk her way out of it by saying she just "bumped it".  It didn't work either time though,  because I had seen the incidents.  

All of the kiddos were watching the big flakes of snow out the window.  They were pretty big for a while.  I don't know who was most interested in them, the kiddos or Matt, who has never lived outside of Louisiana. ; )

Kenzie and Morgan spent about 20 minutes building with Legos in the back room when we went back.  Kenzie kept telling Morgan to "put the other wheel on".  There are no round ones, so I guess they are square wheels.  After Morgan had built it pretty tall, Kenzie kept asking "shall we break it in pieces?"  They played great with them together.  

Kenzie was really into both story time and singing today.  At story time we did two books that she really liked--one is The Very Quiet Cricket and the other one counts down caterpillars until the last page where all ten butterflies pop out.  She also enjoyed sitting on my lap and helping me show the kiddos the motions after Riley left.  She especially liked it when I helped her do the motions with big exaggerated gestures.  

10/24/12

Kenzie ate all of her peaches and a bite of her jelly toast at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her tropical fruit, most of her beef and bean burrito and a bite so sweet potatoes.  

Morgan asked first Emily, then Joslyn, then finally Kenzie if they each wanted to "do laundry" with her when they came.  No one was interested at first, but Kenzie changed her mind within a minute.  Morgan was thrilled.  They soon had all of the soft toys and many hard toys in the box to wash.  I vetoed the hard toys and had them help me take them out.  They left the stuff in there for a while then started "folding laundry" when they determined it was done.

Kenzie was feeding Nora with the little spoons and the ice cream cups again today.  It is very cute because Nora likes it, anticipates the next bite and puts her head forward with her mouth open for it.   After a while she started to get tired of it and turned her head away when Kenzie tried.  Kenzie respected it.  

Kenzie was collecting ice cream scoops today.  She had a cone with eight scoops on it.  We let her use all of them until someone else wanted one then she could choose which one to share with them.  She did pretty good with it, only needed help one time in choosing.  

Kenzie was between the wall and the jumping balance beam deal like it was her counter.   She was asking both Riley and Aaron "what would you like?" and "what do you want?"  She wasn't getting the usual interested  responses that she gets from her peers, so she dejectedly climbed out and started playing a hiding game with Aaron instead.  She is pretty in tune with her audience.  

10/23/12

Kenzie ate about half of both her cinnamon roll and her prunes at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her waffles, most of her scrambled eggs and a bite of both cantaloup and hash browns.  

Kenzie really likes the goggles and especially likes to gather them all or at least as many as she can.  She usually hooks them over her arm like a purse, but today she had them all draped around her next.  She then couldn't get them off so I helped her.  I counted them as I took them off and there were 10 of them!

Kenzie and Morgan were pretending that they were "getting ready for the baseball game".  Kenzie was getting her "base hat" and "base shirt" for her to wear then got some for herself to wear also.  They then started giving each other a "stamp" with the button from their shirt buttons.  

Kenzie was scooping up pretend ice cream and feeding it to Nora today.  Nora liked it and was grinning at her.  Kenzie must have fed her twenty bites of so.  

Kenzie has told me "I'm still sleepy" multiple times today.  Almost every time it was either after she was reminded of a rule or after someone had done something she didn't like.

Kenzie called Gary, "Hey, Grandmpa!" today when she was trying to get his attention. After she did it, she got a really cute little silly grin on her face.  

10/22/12

Kenzie ate all of her fruit and about half of her Kix cereal at breakfast.  At lunch Kenzie at second on mandarin oranges and steamed broccoli and all of her ham sandwich.  When she was done with everything before she had seconds she announced, "I ate evryfing!"  : )

Kenzie didn't really want much to do with her friends for the first half hour, but started playing with them great after that.  She initiated "swimming" with the goggles on, which everyone had to copy.  After she was done, she said "okay guys, the water's over".  

Morgan was feeling social during breakfast this morning obviously.  She first of all asked Kenzie what she did at the farm.  Kenzie chuckled and told her she played with grandma.  After that Morgan was asking everyone at the table what their last names were.  Kenzie and Joslyn were the only ones that seemed to know what that meant because they both said their first AND last names.  

Kenzie picked up right where she left off in pretending that all of the kiddos (and the stuffed animals today) were her babies and her children.  She would take them over to the mattress to "jump" then back to the igloo to "go to bed".  It was funny!  Nora really enjoyed watching her and the others jump.  

Morgan, Kenzie and Emily played in the igloo for about 15 minutes then they started pushing and pulling the huge bear around.  Sometimes one of them tried to ride while the other ones pulled him, but that obviously didn't work very well.   When Morgan started laying and pushing on her, Kenzie did a great job of moving away from her and telling her she didn't like it. 

Kenzie immediately started to build a "choo, choo train" with the big interlocking blocks in the back room  when we switched rooms.  Kenzie asked, "who wants to bring me blocks?" And when Morgan, Aaron or Riley handed her one, she was very good about telling the thank you.  It was very cute!  

10/10/12

Kenzie ate a couple bites of her toast and a taste of berries at breakfast.   At lunch she ate thirds on ham and bean soup seconds on saltines and all of her kiwi and ham.

Morgan and Kenzie played on and around the huge bear a lot after breakfast.  They were using the little farm animals as their babies and using the big bear for what looked like the family room and the igloo as their bedroom.  

In the igloo Kenzie and Morgan are playing and Kenzie told Morgan "just a minute and I will get them all lined up" talking about the animals.  Morgan then had to line Kenzie out about how they needed to be done -- "not on top of each other, silly".

 

Almost every book that Gary read at story time was either about the Farm or about going to grandmas.  Of course that got everyone talking about going to their grandmas or grandpas and Kenzie especially loved it because she was doing both -- farm and the grandparents.  

They were also using the balance beam as a counter for their store.  Kenzie was the store keeper and Morgan and anyone else that wanted were the shoppers.  The picture above is of Morgan paying for her purchase.  

10/9/12

Kenzie ate a few pieces of her dried apricots and about half of her bagel thin at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her applesauce, most of her noodles and peas with shredded cheese on it and a bite of the tilapia. 

Joslyn came with four braids in her hair today.  Emily saw it and told me she wanted "french" braids.  I figured she didn't actually know what that was and asked her if she wanted braids like Joslyn's.  She said "No, I want two french braids."  I did her two french braids.  Kenzie saw that and asked for "french braids like Emily's".  I did them and then Morgan asked for "french braids like Kenzie's".  Yes, I did them two.  I really didn't do much other than french braiding hair until 10:00 (except helping with breakfast).  : ) 

Kenzie, Emily and Morgan were playing a hide game on the rowdy side with lots of laughter.  Part of the time they were hiding themselves, but the majority of the time they were hiding different stuffed animals.  What cracks me up about it is that they never wait until they are found, but always have to either show themselves or their animal before the person who is "it" get to them.  : ) 


When we went to the back room this morning, Morgan and Kenzie asked me to help them "build a train".  After we had it built Morgan kept telling Kenzie that they were "going on a 'venture".  Kenzie wasn't sure about that.  She thought they were "just getting water", but Morgan lined her out.  "Yeah, we getting water on our 'venture!" 

10/8/12

Kenzie ate about half of her oatmeal and a couple little pieces of Cranberries at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her fruit salad and her cheese pizza and had her tasting bite of her cauliflower.

Kenzie worked and worked to get on the cow suit with very little help. She was proud of herself (and is isn't easy because the whole thing had to pull on from the feet.  She looked so cute, but didn't leave it on for very long.

Kenzie, Morgan, Emily and Joslyn were having a blast jumping off of the balance beam deal and on or over the huge bear, which was cross ways up close to the balance beam.  They were all really jumping and laughing at the crazy ways they landed.  Their amusement picked up even more when I started doing a play-by-play description of what I was seeing them doing.  : )

A bunch of the kiddos decided that the igloo was a huge drum and were just a drumming away on it with their hands.  Even Riley and Mia had to get in on that! 

Kenzie, Morgan, Aaron and Thomas decided that pulling the huge bear around (on and then off and then back on the mattress again) was a great new game.  They would pull for a while then collapse on it or wrestle with it.  Kenzie kept trying to squeeze some Aaron or Thomas wrestling in there also and when I caught her she said she was "just givin' him loves!"  Tricky, Kenzie!  : ) 

10/5/12

Kenzie came out with me when I was cooking the hot cereal for breakfast.  She and Morgan love doing that because I let them help me push the buttons to set and stop the timer, watch for the steam to start in the pan, and give them a little taste of brown sugar after I put some in the malt-o-meal.  : ) 

Kenzie and first Morgan then Joslyn were playing family with the dolls in the box.  She told me that it was their "room" and she was making it "cozy"!  That cracked me up.  I looked in and all I saw was a lot of stuff, so I guess cozy equates with full to her! 

Kenzie bit Morgan twice today when Morgan didn't want to do what Kenzie wanted her to.  Both of them were very shallow and didn't leave marks, which tells me that she knew what she was doing and (at least kind of) controlled herself. 

Kenzie was jumping on the mattress and singing "No more monkeys jumping on the bed".  She made it looks so fun that soon almost everyone was trying to do it. 

10/4/12

Kenzie ate a couple nibbles of cinnamon raisin English muffins and a taste of blueberries at breakfast.    At lunch she ate all of her canned chicken on saltines, about half of her cherries and a bite of her potato salad.

Kenzie was trying to get an outfit on one of the dolls this morning and having problems with it.  She went over to Joslyn and asked her to put it on for her, which she tried to do.  She was very proud of herself for remembering and came over and told me, "I ask a friend!"  We have been working at trying to build community by helping them see that they can help each other and be helped by each other.  Obviously, Kenzie is getting it!  : )

Kenzie's olfactory glads are definite improving lately.  She has been talking about how different things smell frequently. This morning alone, she asked me "what smells?" or something similar four different times.  One was the potatoes for the potato salad cooking, another was a crumb from the English muffins burning in the toaster and the others were both poop diapers.

Kenzie and Emily played together for several minutes after breakfast.  They were collecting all four of the stuffed animal bunnies.  What made it even cuter was when they started bouncing around, while singing the "Little bunny foo foo".  It was truly adorable.

Today Emily, Joslyn ,and Kenzie were all taking turns being the baby.  They were "feeding" whoever was the baby.  All of them really enjoyed both being baby and caregiver. One of the things that they kept feeding the baby was "tomatoes" of all things - not a typical type of baby food.

10/3/12

Kenzie didn't want to eat breakfast when she came (which we knew was fine because mom said she had already eaten a little).  What she did do was an excellent job of feeding Mia her peaches for breakfast.  : )  I love this!  Kenzie just loved being a helper and was so careful and good at waiting until Mia was ready for a bite, opened her mouth just right and stuck the fork in just far enough.  Mia seemed just fine with having Kenzie do it and actually seemed to cooperate better for her than she does for me many times. 

Kenzie did eat her baked beans, dinner roll, about half of her pineapple and a bite of steamed broccoli at lunch.   

Kenzie brought me two of the dolls to first dress, then wrap.  As soon as Joslyn and Riley saw what Kenzie was doing, they had to bring me some to "help" too.  Joslyn and Kenzie then played with their dolls in the box where the babies "can't get us" for about 15 minutes. 

Kenzie was looking at a story in a chair in the back room and kept asking "what are they doing?"  Morgan finally went over to her and said, "Can you scoot over and I will tell you!"  That just cracked me up.  Kenzie did and they looked at stories together (with Morgan explaining what everyone was "doing").  They also were singing the songs from the books that are songs we sing.  Mia was driving them crazy because she wouldn't leave them alone while reading so I had to guard them from her and use all my skills to try to keep her away and distracted. 

10/2/12

Kenzie had such a great day today -- very few incidents of frustration or aggression with the other kiddos, great listening and cooperation when reminde of something, engaged and enjoying play all morning and just happy and contented acting.  I think the pre-baby was harder on her than post-baby from what we have seen so far! 

Kenzie decided that the square bench attached to the big room picnic table was a type of track and was marching around it talking to herself and singing loudly.  It was funny and quite cute until all of the big ones tried to join her, then it was a little too rowdy and she actually left (probably because of all of the noise and close proximity. 

Morgan wanted to play in the back room today after breakfast and invited Kenzie to play with her.  We have finally gotten our monitor cameras back to work (in conjuction with my iPad), which is awesome because now we can see what they are doing and it is so portable I just keep it with me all the time.  : )  When Kenzie and Morgan were back there they were working very hard to get themselves buried under the big blocks like they do with the bears in the big room.  I am sure the bears work better for many reasons--primarily WAY softer and malable.  : ) 

10/1/12

Wow!  October 1st already?!  Kenzie ate all of her cheerios and a bite of her banana at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her grilled cheese sandwich and her grapes (subbed for apples because we had some that needed to be eaten) and a sip of tomato soup.

When the kiddos were eating breakfast this morning, Joslyn told us that she had Cheerios at home too.  Kenzie gave a big sigh and said, "I have LOTS of kinds at home!"  That just cracked Gary and I up.  I could just picture cupboards full of cereal boxes like her cubby has been full of shoes or slippers at different times.  : )

We had a flood in the utility room this weekend resulting from a side effect of having a plugged drain pipe somewhere between the utility room and the kitchen.  Anyway, the Roto-Rooter guy came today and worked out in the utility room right after breakfast.  Everyone did fine with having him here and the funny noise of him sticking the snake in the line and twisting it around.  They were interested at first, but it wasn't loud enough to hold their interest for long.   

Kenzie came in great this morning and had a very peaceful morning, over all.  She needed to be reminded to listen to her friends a few times, but that was it.

Kenzie and Joslyn were both laughing so hard this morning over playing peek around the climber/balance beam inside.  Kenzie was under the beam and Joslyn on top and they were really enjoying their game.  Later she and Emily were having a good time feeding and playing with their babies in the box. 

Kenzie also cracked me up today when she suddenly must have smelt a yucky smell and started asking kiddos after kiddo, "Are you stinky?"  We finally did find the culprit -- she was right!  : )