Austen Famous Rodey

First Day of Summer Camp

2009-06-30T09:24:00.001-05:00

Drop off went well. We met Mrs. Jarvis and found Austen's cubby. At the end of the day, Austen was red faced and hyper. She ran out the door, chasing her friends ... and can't wait to go back tomorrow.

Gumball

2009-06-28T17:08:00.003-05:00

"But it's not going down into my throat!", exclaimed Austen after
much chewing. She accidentally ate a gumball, thinking it was candy.

"Have you ever seen the stockings of great shoes?" asks Austen.

2009-06-28T09:35:00.002-05:00

Austen is into picking her own clothes. She likes fancy shoes, dresses that poof when she spins and stockings in June. Hair accessories are not in favor but Mommy tries to push them.

Austen's in the local newspaper

2009-06-27T23:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906270346

Metuchen Pool with Friends

2009-06-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

Little pastry chef.

Katie & Josie's Birthdays

2009-06-12T19:58:00.003-05:00

The wacky weather didn't affect all the beachfront fun at Katie's 4th and Josie's 2nd birthday parties.

Video:

Click to see all pics from Katie & Josie's Birthdays 2009 06 12

Celebration of Song

2009-06-09T20:21:00.000-05:00

Austen and her preschool mates graduated today and entertained all the parents with a song recital. We're a little sad that the class has ended; Austen made so many friends, learned a lot and loved her teachers.

Click to see all pics from Celebration of Song 2009 06 09

Preschool Graduation

2009-06-09T20:17:00.001-05:00

Austen sung her heart out today at Preschool Graduation, A Celebration
of Song. Mommy, Daddy and Gage sat in the front row and videotaped.

Gone Fishing

2009-06-06T16:38:00.002-05:00

After serendipitously finding a fishing for kids booth at a local Metuchen street fair, Austen took her newly purchased Princess Fishing Pole for a spin. Using canned corn nibblets as bait (neither Mama or Dada wanted to handle worms), we came up a bit short, though some fish managed to eat the corn off of our hook without getting caught.

We might need to recruit Grandpa Earl for better results...

Video

Today's Reading and Art

2009-05-24T20:48:00.004-05:00

Hop on Pop, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Llama Llama Mad at Mama.

Art projects include hammering holes for brads (first time assisting Mom with scrapbooking), watercolors, connect the dots 1-15, color by letter, and stickers.

Young Artist

2009-05-11T19:19:00.002-05:00

Austen is currently working on connect the dot drawings and color by letter drawings, although her favorite medium is plain white paper and crayons, markers or paint. Two of her teachers have recommended we sign her up for a special art class (including her Gymboree Art teacher). She painted Mommy's toe nails on Mother's Day -- better than Mommy could have done it. What do you think about that, Auntie Heather?

Mommy is amazed by some of her recent drawings: A Mother's Day card done at preschool and a bug drawing done at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

It makes Mommy think of her grandfather, John Lloyd, who did sketches while on tour in Europe during WWII as a medic and painted pictures of his daughters, Judi, Janet and June.

Best Mother's Day

2009-05-11T15:09:00.005-05:00

Woke up to breakfast in bed of star and heart chocolate chip pancakes and milk in my Jane Austen mug. Gage in his swing. Austen eating pancakes at the desk next to my bed.

A Mother's Day card scrapbook with drawings by Austen (and Dada). "What you do best ..." was a picture of a Tetris screen; Dada always has to get in his digs.

Getting all dressed up to go out. Austen wears her blue silk from Chasing Fireflies. (Gets compliments all day long.)

Mommy drives to Queens (a first for me) to dropped Gage off for a day with Grandma Mindy.

Carmine's in Times Square for Spudini, Rigatoni with Broccoli, Shrimp Cocktail and Chocolate Canolis. Mommy's favorite restaurant, period.

The Little Mermaid on Broadways. Sebastion the Crab was the best (and had the best songs to sing)! Got Austen a pearl-colored shell purse (which she later filled with nail polish, sunglasses and hair clips).

Back to Queens for time with Gage, Grandma, Grandpa and Chacha. Keema Mattar with Poori. Drawings with oil pastel arts supplies. AUSTEN PAINTS MOMMY'S TOENAILS!!!!

Drive home in heavy traffic but Mommy and Daddy have time to chat.

A marvelous day.

-By Mom

Timid?

2009-05-09T11:40:00.002-05:00

Austen often experiences a panicky shyness when she first meets adults, especially when they talk to her out of the blue. (In this sense she's like her mom.) But then when she gets to know people, particularly her adult teachers, she's excited by them, so thrilled at the prospect of seeing them that mommy can get her moving by reminding her who's she's going to see at class. (In this sense, she's more like Grandma Judi, the people person.)

The initial shyness period can be painful and uncomfortable -- sometimes the person thinks Austen doesn't understand what they're saying or doesn't like them for some reason. Mommy tries to be the middle man but Austen often withdraws to herself and refuses to engage. This "warming up" period is followed by the wild and crazy period, when Austen is animated and a really exciting little person to have around. When she talks, her feelings are so sincere and joyful. Her laughter is contagious. She loves to remind people of things: "Remember! Remember when the scary monster was at the window. Boo!" Or she talks about something she's recently seen or done. "We saw Dean and Timmy and ... and we played on the merry go round and ..." It's very cute when she talks about Gage, laughing at the things he can do and making pronouncements about the things he's not allowed to do, such as eat apples or play with "Big Girl" toys.

Austen's always exciting and feisty.

Homonym

2009-05-06T10:58:00.004-05:00

Austen discovers Mommy playing Tetris.

"I love it. I love your game. I played games in London." (Austen played games on Dada's Iphone while in London.)

Mommy loses. "I lost. I lost the game."

"I'll help you find it."

Mommy smiles. "No, I mean I didn't win."

"Oh, Okay."

Austen runs down stairs to eat some food with Grandmom. "Mommy said she lost the game."

Sous Chefs

2009-04-27T22:05:00.002-05:00

Helping Dada make spaghetti.

From 2009 04 27

Champion Speller

2009-04-26T22:09:00.001-05:00

(just don't ask about the letter "S")

Dolls and Dress Up

2009-04-24T19:41:00.002-05:00

Austen loves to put on dresses (her NYCB tutu, her pink princess dress from Disney, her flower dress from Halloween and her Snow White dress). She sort of plays at dressing a couple of princess barbie dolls -- Mommy makes the dolls sing. Usually, Austen's focus is pretend play: pretending to be a princess or ballerina. It's not really like she's "playing with dolls;" she ends up talking to her imaginary friends, pretending she's their mom and carrying princess accoutrements from room to room.

What's in Austen's purse?

2009-04-15T15:20:00.002-05:00

She carried her pink and purple purse into Barnes and Noble, which amused her friend's mom, but what's inside? Coin purse? Keys? A mirror?

Nope.

Plastic nuts & bolts. Magnetic rocks. A pink wooden percussion instrument without its stick. Kids' glue. Plastic flower barrette clips from our trip to London.

Always the pragmatist.

Bathroom Independence

2009-04-14T21:41:00.004-05:00

Austen, always the independent spirit, wants complete privacy when using the potty. She closes the door and even locks it sometimes. Mommy has noticed that this is not the norm for kids her age, who usually like some assistancee.

Mini-FCC

2009-04-14T20:43:00.002-05:00

Recently, Austen started using the word "stupid." Mama & Dada quickly discouraged use of this word and it stuck. Accidentally say "stupid" in any conversation within Austen's earshot and you'll quickly get a firm reminder of your violation in a dissapproving tone, eliciting an immediate apology by the offender. Fortunately(?), this is the only word on the mini-FCC's list at this time.

Two Video Baby Monitors

2009-04-13T16:12:00.003-05:00

Mama has to keep her eyes and ears open and monitor two little video screens now. One for Austen and one for Gage. It's the best way to determine who's sleeping soundly and who needs some attention. When Austen is upset about being in her room Mommy can keep track of what she's saying and whether she's calmed down enough to talk out the problem.

Grandpa Earl's Birthday Gift

2009-04-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

Unionized Easter Kitchen

2009-04-12T22:36:00.001-05:00

Two supervisors and one worker.

Hotel Stay

2009-04-12T22:33:00.002-05:00

Austen enjoyed staying at the hotel during our visit to see her cousins for Easter.

The room had two queen sized beds as we requested and we brought a pack-n-play for Gage but Austen decided she wanted to sleep in it so Gage got the queen-sized bed instead...go figure.