First Day Of Preschool 2013

Sebastian started his first day of preschool at his new, wonderful school today.

With his traditional "big smile"

He dictated what he likes and wants to be

I'm in love with this picture and the subject

He had a great day. He is now in there trying to nap, but re-creating his entire morning. I can hear him singing, "Sebastian's here today, Sebastian's here today, let's all clap our hands and say Sebastian's here today." It's an excellent school and I feel really good about our choice. I am excited for this new chapter of learning and discovery in his life! He is so ready for it.

A Day Out With Thomas And The Funniest Kid Alive

Yesterday, we took Sebastian to see the real-life Thomas the Tank Engine, who was visiting Fillmore, about an hour north of here. It's really sweet. They get to ride the train and take pictures and stuff. We had taken him last year and he had loved it, so were really excited to go back. You get to take pictures with the engine, so he got to the front of the line and...well, here's how it went down.

Feeling shy for the photographer.

"Oh my. OK, honey, it's ok. Can you look up?"

"Uhhh...ok...that's...interesting, Bela Lugosi."

"Can you at least try to smile?"

And that's when this happened.

THIS IS ME SMILING, MAMA.

MY MOUTH IS OPEN VERY WIDE TO EXPRESS EXTREME EMOTION.

THIS IS NOT A ROAR.

I AM NOT GROWLING.

I AM SMILING.

WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? THIS IS DEAD SERIOUS.

I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY.

We were dying. Here's what the photographer caught:

Unbelievable.

Can't stop laughing.

We succumbed and joined him.

 I can't even imagine where he got the idea that that's how to express excitement.

Oh.

First Day Of Preschool

I can't believe I'm writing this, but today was Sebastian's first day of preschool. He's going to a sweet little place in Hollywood that is focused on the fine arts and seems to be filled with very loving, caring teachers.

We had these great plans of doing this great photography project with him this morning, but it went awry. But this photo sort of sums up a 2-year-old, so I will always cherish it.

Sebastian in a nutshell.

27 Months Old, 1st Day of Preschool

He's so proud of his fox lunchbox.

He'd already gone to a trial day, so he knew somewhat what to expect.

If there's one thing we've learned about Sebastian, it's that he is an observer. He has to do lots and lots of watching and processing before joining in to activities. He got rather distressed at the start because he didn't know the routine and didn't want to stop playing with the cars, but I can guarantee in a couple more visits, he will have it down.

His very kind, very loving teacher Miss Dalila helping him with his tricycle.

Several of us parents hid in the bushes to watch our kids as we left. It was hilarious. We were all freaking out together. I think I took this picture at the exact moment he caught us spying on him. He did not appreciate it. There were many tears.

When I went to pick him up, he was absolutely joyous and had no intention of leaving. "MAMA!!!", he lit up when he saw me, "Where's Dada?" All smiles, no sadness. It was such a relief. In the car, he told me, "I want to go back so I can not see you." Oh gee, thanks! He told me so much about his day, it was unbelievable! We feel so lucky that he can talk so well and share his feelings with us. Some things we learned from his recounting of the day's events: he ate a waffle for a snack, he picked tomatoes in the garden, teacher Lidia helped him use the potty, he loves MISSSS ARRRRIAAANNNNAAAA ("she has BLUE HAIR!"), "the teacher moved back and forth with the shaker," "I put my right foot in, and put my right foot out!", he has a friend named Haskell (!!!). Overall, I think day one was a success. Two mornings a week, this will be his new place to play.

So much is going on, so much shifting and changing in his little being. The whole of the world begins anew every day in my bright, beautiful boy.

My magical changeling boy at a faery birthday party. He'd just seen a statue of Puck the faery at the Huntington museum and he was totally into it.

2 Years Old

My sweet son is two years old. I can't begin to catch up here. So I'm just going to start where we are. Which is here today:

His first haircut. His beautiful, precious hair has gotten all sorts of out of control, so I just took a few unruly locks out of it today. There's still plenty of crazy hair mayhem on his head.

Here he is on his 2nd birthday, on the tram to Disneyland, where he had simply the greatest day ever.

And here he is at his birthday party at Wallaby, his little school where he goes.

He was VERY SUSPICIOUS of everyone singing the birthday song to him. It was unbelievably adorable.

My sweet family.

18 Months Old Today

I'm already so behind on this blog, I feel it's impossible to catch up. So I'll start from where we are today, which is the 5th of December, 2011, and my sweet son is 18 months old.

How to describe him? His wit and sweetness, his humor and warmth are constant founts of joy for us. He is a very early talker (I hear it runs in the family) and has a massive vocabulary, speaking two and three-word sentences. Last week he even said, "Dada, can I have pasta?" He MUST be related to me. He's learning his ABCs and numbers, shapes, and colors, and most of it has been with the help of sign language, which I believe has really facilitated his talking skills. He's starting to make jokes with words and find his own humor in silliness, which is just delightful.

He has a lot of kisses to offer, but he is becoming shy and a bit wary of the world. I've learned he needs lots of observation and lead time before plunging into a new experience. But after he's done it, he'll talk about it nonstop for weeks.  For instance, we took him to the carousel in Griffith Park and even though he'd been on it many times before, he's now afraid of it. He spent the ride sobbing and clinging to me in fear. When it ended, we spent some time just looking at it and talking about it, and we walked away to do other things. Some time passed, and then he asked to go back, so we tried again, and he LOVED it. Now this is all I hear all day: "Carousel! Lights! Ceiling! Music! Fun! Acka (Grandpa)!" This is his personality starting to bloom. He's a thinker. An observer.

 

Everyone is his friend right now. Every guest that comes to visit is later talked about for days, even weeks. "Tiffy! Paul! Friends!" He keeps naming everyone that came for Thanksgiving. He asks for his neighborhood friends almost immediately upon waking and has plenty of suggestions as to how I should be filling his time "Water Fountain? Play? Wash Hands? Signing Time? Play Water? Carousel?"

Sebastian is very gentle with his friends. He's not the chaser, he's the chasee, and always wants to get caught (he calls it "GETCHU!", as in "I'm gonna get you!"). He's not the most physically adept child just yet. He's still very enthusiastic about anything with wheels but seems to be moving more towards trains now (what in the WORLD did little boys play about before there were trains?). He loves anything to do with water and I am loving the swim classes we are taking together at the YMCA.

I have probably stated this a lot before, but he's an absolute giant. He physically looks like a 2-year-old, and I am looking forward to finding out his stats when he goes for his 18 month checkup this week.

He makes our heart ache, we love him so. Every day is a precious gift.

I'm posting this so I will remember. So that there is a record. So I can look back and feel what this time was like. We are at this moment waiting for his new cousin to arrive, and then he'll have another playmate in this life. Very exciting indeed. I cannot wait to take him home for Christmas to see his family, and for them to see him. We are so often alone in our little apartment together, and I crave the community and communion of loved ones who are so far away. Soon!

August 2011

My oh my, the time is moving swiftly. August was fast and strange, as Augusts often are. The gallery of pictures from August is here. This little guy just blossoms day by day. He continues to astound us with his words and his signs! We have been showing him Baby Signing Time and he LOVES IT. His vocabulary has expanded tremendously and he is very able to express himself using signs along with speaking a word, which makes things very helpful and clear when he's trying to tell me something. And wow, does he have a lot to say. It's amazing to get a window into his world.

14 Month Birthday

Loving his tractor ride at Underwood Farm

We went to a farm this month and he had a wonderful time riding the tractor and seeing animals and eating warm, fresh strawberries we picked ourselves.

Discussing philosophy

Coxsackie! Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease! HERPANGINA! Doesn't that sound delicious? Those have been the keywords the last two weeks. Sebastian managed to get Herpangina from someone in his playgroup, which made for a very sad week where he had a high fever and pox all over his body and in his mouth so he was unable to eat without crying.  He is now doing much better and managed to pass it on over to me, which is super fun. But I'm getting through it, and I at least have a better idea of what he was going through, poor guy.

My little buddy

It is already one whole year ago that we spent the month in Albuquerque with our little newborn. One whole year ago that David went back to work and I have been home with him, being a stay-at-home mom (WHAAAT?? WHAT? Is that what I am? Never in a million years would I have predicted that one).  I don't know how that year passed so quickly, and now I have this tall boy walking by my side. I can't wait to see where this path takes us next, little friend.

14 Months

The original nose, before The Incident

 Sebastian had a great July. A few pics to recap.

The beach with Gramsie

He had a lovely visit with his grandparents. Lots of clowning around. As a new walker, he got a little overconfident walking in the park one day and took a faceplant, resulting in cutting his nose up and it still hasn't healed up, so his pics all feature his Rudolph nose.

14 Month Birthday

 Please explain to me how he could be 14 months old.

The kid is talking up a storm. He has quite a lot to say, apparently. I started a word list but couldn't keep track after 35 words. It astounds us. He astounds us every day, in so many different ways. He's really blossoming and happy and alive and sweet and wonderful.  I've been thinking about last year at this time in Albuquerque (how can there already be a "last year at this time?") and the incredible difference between now and then. We were all so raw, so exhausted and terrified and he was in such discomfort. His stomach woes are now fading away and he's happy and mostly not in pain (OK, he has managed to teeth all four molars and four canines at once, which is clearly not pleasing to him but he's really taking it well).  He's such a blessing to our lives and every day we are filled with wonder at him and how he's transformed us.

Please pray for his little nose, that it will heal up and not leave a scar.