Build-a-Bear

One thing on our summer bucket list was to go to Build-a-Bear.  I was going to go there one time when I had both Sydney and Taylor, but then I realized how expensive that was going to be (eek!) for something Taylor may just throw in the corner of her room.  So, we went yesterday to the Mall of GA with Grandmom and Sydney.  Sydney picked out a... wait for it... monkey and she named her Charlotte.  It was a fun little experience, and here are some pictures from it!

Picking out the animal.

Pushing the pedal to stuff the monkey.

Holding its heart.

Putting the heart inside!

Charlotte getting sewed up.

Bath time.

Sydney naming her, officially.

First hugs.

Look, ma, I can stand!

Sweetness.

Treasure Hunt

We did something fun today that the girls loved- a treasure hunt!  Sydney's BFF, Raegan, came over to play, and I made up a quick treasure hunt.  I made about 12 clues on a 4 year-old (with a 2 year-old assistant) level.  Their excitement was contagious!  Ultimately, the treasure was hidden in the guest shower, and they had to figure out the somewhat vague clue to be able to find it.  After several trips around the house (and some clues), they found it!

Here are some pictures from the hunt.

The treasure!! (Looks just like the ones from the old pirate movies, eh?)

Checking out the loot.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Today, we did a fun thing around the 'hood- a nature scavenger hunt!  We had to take pictures of everything we found on our list.  The girls had a good time, and Parker went along for the ride!

They used their duck callers for when they found an item on the list.

Here is what we had to find:

1.  A green leaf.

2.  A rock that's as big as your hand, or bigger!

3.  A pinecone.

4.  A blue flower.

5.  An orange flower.

6.  A yellow flower.

7.  A purple flower.

8.  A stick shaped like a Y.

9.  Something red.

10.  A beautiful rock.

11.  A big leaf.

12.  A funny shaped leaf.
(Sydney thought this looked like a rocket)

13.  A plant that is taller than you!

14.  A big stick (added in by Sydney)



What a year!

Sydney has graduated from Pre-K! 

She has come such a long way this past school year.  I am so excited to know how much she has learned.  It is amazing.  This girl is reading K-1st grade level books!  (with help on big words, like "thief" or "loyal")

Her teachers sent home a big packet of work for Sydney to do over the summer.  They also included this:

First handwriting paper- 8/15/12 (age 3)

Last handwriting paper- 5/13/13 (age 4)

She is also writing our last name- that's a feat for most adults!

Yes, she is!

August 2012- First day of pre-K

New shoes, new bookbag, still sweet and naive.  Let mommy fix her hair, pick out her clothes.

May 2013- Last day of pre-K

Sassy, smart, only wears headbands and flipflops.  Has the final veto of what mommy picks out to wear.  A little tired of the Dora bookbag.  So much older looking!

I'm really looking forward to seeing what her K-5 year brings!

"What's that?"

It has been such a joy having two daughters who are so close in age.  They are best little buddies, and when one is away from the other, you can tell that a piece of them is missing.  Another fun thing that I can easily compare the two, since they are only 26 months apart.  And boy, are they different!
I noticed something today that made me think.  Do you recall that Sydney, around 2-1/2 or so, would always ask, "Why?"  Well, I've noticed that Taylor always asks, "What's that?"  And I think it's fitting with the difference it shows in them. 

Sydney is very inquisitive, and she really ponders things.  She is my thinker, my memorizer, my pay-attention-to-details kind of gal.  She's the one that could spell her name at 17 months and count to 20 by 19 months.  It is fitting that she would ask, "Why?" because she really wants to learn the purpose of things.  She can then apply that knowledge to life.  She is smart but dramatic, and she has the best memory of any little 4 year-old I know. 

Taylor, on the other hand, is just happy-go-lucky.  She is more laid back (she still can't spell her name at 29 months) and is more of a sweet, funny, and loving child.  I think she'd rather make people laugh than learn how to do things.  She is into EVERYTHING.  I mean, if she is playing with something and you take it away from her, instead of focusing on it being taken away, she immediately turns and gets into something new.  She is constant.  So, I think, "What's that?" is fitting for her, because she is so curious about anything and everything around her.

My two different daughters... it's great that they each have their own personality and character traits, and it's so neat to watch them come together and just work. 

I am so very blessed!!!