eyes & jewels & photos

Zoe got a lovely package in the mail yesterday that had self-adhesive jewels & googly eyes in it. This morning she made this picture of Daddy.
She has been home for a couple of days with me getting over a cold that we have been passing around. There seems to be a strep outbreak and there are coughs and runny noses galore at preschool. yuck!

 I just need her to be healthy next week because hopefully I will be starting a new job soon...
hooray! I was offered [yes, offered] a job as a Kindergarten teacher at the Y's Kindergarten extended-day program. It is in a classroom at an elementary school 2 miles from our house [bike ride distance for sure]. I'll have about 11 kids from 10:30am - 3:30pm each day to teach after their regular kindergarten class ends in the morning. The best part is that the Y will reduce our preschool tuition and our Y membership will be free, too. And then they are going to pay me, too?! We are all super excited around here that perhaps Pete's paychecks won't be stretched so thin anymore. I'm waiting on the HR paperwork & orientation... patiently.

Speaking of the Y...
A photographer donated her time & skills to take pictures of the kids at preschool on Valentine's Day. The parents were then asked to make a donation to the Partners With Youth campaign in exchange for the photos. I think that they look amazing- especially since Zoe went to school with a terrible cold and cried all morning... She wore the cute outfit that Aunt Tammy just sent.

I made a $40 donation for a CD of all the pictures she took of Zoe. This is a 5x7 she printed. Perhaps you would also like to make a donation and I will send a copy of the CD or have a few of the photos printed for you?

YMCA Donor Drive - Sara Hartman

It's Zoe's first school picture!

small

"mom, can I have a treat?"
no, we're going to have dinner soon.
"is dinner for treats?"
no, dinner is nutritious food that makes us grow big and feel good.
"well, I like being small."

machine

Zoe invented a number of "machines" using stuff that was nearby. This machine has jewels slide down it and then bounce off her hat in the middle and into a boot.

safari explanation

The flamingo talks to me.

safari

Zoe put on her belt, her boots, and her "safari" hat and then her flamingo took her on a ride through the jungle where they collected jewels in a bag around his neck. What did you do today?

Blanca & Zoe

Aunt Connie and Uncle Rick came up to Seattle for a visit with Blanca. Zoe was thrilled to have a dog in the house and to be able to help feed & walk her.

recent artwork

2 hands

I'm so glad this video finally uploaded. I have trouble with anything that is over 1 minute long. I still believe that Zoe is left-handed, but she has been taught at school to write with her right hand. She may also be naturally ambidextrous, as I think that I am too. I looked up the definition & spelling just to make sure it wasn't more complicated than that.

Tomorrow Zoe is joining the "big kids" in the Jungle Room at her preschool. It is the classroom for the oldest children. I was in no hurry to move her from her class when she turned 4 last month because I love her teacher, Ms Margie, so very much. Ms Margie has done so much to understand Zoe's personality and to help her find ways to express herself. But there are some new little kids and Zoe is ready to move on anyway. She is really excited.