Small Blessings

In the fog of morning sickness, time to count the small blessings:

• a surprise phone call from one of my Kindermusik kids because "I miss you, Teacher Sawah"
• a homecooked meal (that I can actually eat!) from my friend Lisa
• a nice long e-mail from a friend
• Noah letting me cuddle with him and not wiping off my kisses for once
• being able to call my mom and dad and cry about being sick even though I'm a big girl now
• an incredible gift of a huge assortment of maternity clothes (really nice maternity clothes) from a friend and fellow mom here in Laredo

This could be what "they" mean when they say to "just take it one day at a time."

Just when I thought all the bases were covered...

Table wiped off...check
Hands washed...check
Healthy food ordered..check

All was well for our impromptu snack time at Target. Or so I thought until I glanced across the table just in time to see my 4-year old (who really does know better) licking applesauce drips off of the table.

My Son, the Boxer

Earlier in the week, Noah was playing with some friends at Vacation Bible School. Well, he managed to bump heads with another child in just the way that caused his eye to swell up (and later turn black and blue).

After the tears dried up (his and mine), he was just a bit proud of his injury and eager to show it off to his dad.

My husband finally convinced me that Noah doesn't have a concussion.

Exciting News!

It's true....I'm pregnant!

We're all very excited. Noah has already put in a request for a "baby sister that is a girl" and is planning how to teach the baby to play ball.

Our little one is due at the end of February.

Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church in Laredo, TX

(5 back-to-back music classes per day) + (110 plus children) + (5 action packed days) = one tired but happy music teacher

Each summer, I have the privilege of leading music classes for the Vacation Bible School campers at First Baptist Church. This year's theme, "Game Day Central," has us singing and dancing to music about being part of God's team.

The music has lots of references to moves a person would use in playing sports, such as throwing a football or being a baseball catcher. This really serves to highlight my total lack of knowledge about sports. My football player husband has set me straight about all the different sports so I think I look fairly convincing. Just don't ask me to actually play any of these sports!

I really don't like writing goodbye posts. And, this is a hard one because I have watched this little one mature from a shy baby to a happy toddler. All the while, I've had the privilege of getting to know his ever-creative, all-around cool mom.

Little friend, we will miss you and mom! Help Mom explore your exciting new city. I look forward to hearing of your adventures, especially when you become a big brother in the near future.

***Picture shamelessly borrowed from Missy Mey's blog .

As many of you know, I was a Kindermusik mom before I became a Kindermusik educator. Noah started his first classes just over three years ago as a baby in the Kindermusik Village classes. We had so much fun singing and dancing to "Aiken Drum," exploring eggshakers, and just spending time together with each other and with other families.

And, that's really why I decided to become a Kindermusik educator when our teacher moved away. Yes, we learned the music basics--children can do that quite easily when young. Kindermusik gave us so much more than a simple music class; we worked on Noah's physical skills (running was a favorite), thinking and listening skills, SOCIAL skills, and language skills. Even more than that, it gave us a special time each week to spend with friends and with one another.

Some of those friends we made that first semester continue to be part of our circle of family here in Laredo. Some we've met more recently through Kindermusik classes.

This afternoon we had the opportunity to play with one of those dear Kindermusik friends. Noah and Didi love playing together.

"Shoo, fly, don't bother me!"

Circle Dance, Family Time Class

Weekly Summer Camp Updates

Baby (0 to 18 mths) Classes:Our "Busy Days" theme took us to the beach this week with plenty of beachballs, seashell instruments, the sounds of water and sand, and lots of dancing, all accompanied by the music of Handel. The babies especially enjoyed cuddling close with mom or dad during lullaby time this week.

Toddler (18 mths to 3.5 yrs) and Mixed-Age (babies to big kids) Classes: Our special guest, Mr. Squirrel (really a puppet), enjoyed chattering to our classes this week, and he loved the enthusiastic hugs from his friends. We explored large body movements such as "scampering" and "creeping" and exercised our fine motor control with fingerplays such as "My Turtle." The highlight in many classes this week was exploring some of our more unusual musical instruments during the "It's Hiding" listening exercise.

Preschooler (3.5 yrs to 5 yrs) Classes: Preschoolers also visited the beach this week using body percussion, instruments, and spoken word to recreate the sounds of a day on the shore. Rolling the beach balls in time to the music was a preschooler favorite as was learning the song, "Swimming, Swimming." Our classes this summer have wonderful imaginations--we spied pirates, sharks, mermaids, and a very friendly octopus from our boat but somehow managed to row safely to shore.

Big Kid (5 yrs to 7 yrs) Classes: Exploring the traditions of Appalachian music and storytelling using a "Jack story" as a starting point was definitely the favorite for our big kids. What beautiful confident voices made an appearance as we played the "Lazy Jack" singing game. The "Donkey Riding" dance was also a "do it again, please" activity.

REMINDER: No classes the week of July 9-13. Our host facility, First Baptist Church, will be holding Vacation Bible School.

It's that time of year again.

We're fostering a set of semi-wild kittens, preparing them for adoption. We'll probably have them for a week or two more before they head off to good families. Should anyone like a kitten, these haven't been spoken for yet.

Noah named this one "Spider-Cat." He enjoys carefully petting the kittens and singing little made-up songs to them.

More Fun for Laredo Children

Because we are such a fun family, we took Noah to Peter Piper Pizza yesterday. Noah loves the pizza, and we all enjoy playing games afterwards. It's a nice afternoon diversion for less than $15.

While in the restaurant yesterday I picked up a flyer for their summer activities for children:

"This summer take advantage of our interactive Kids Day program designed for children 3 to 12 years old. Kids Day consists of various interactive activities that are fun for children. Events include arts & crafts, story time, fun activities and may include speakers/presenters and educational demonstrations.

Kids Day is scheduled from June 5 to July 31 and it will be held every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The price per child is $2.99 and includes a "Summer Fun Pak" that features 2 slices of pizza from our buffet, a kid’s drink, dessert, Peter Piper Prize, and fun activity."

Dates and themes for the rest of the summer are:

July 10th-Animal Kingdom
July 17th-Christmas in July
July 24th-Our World
July 31st-Let's Make Pizza

The events are available at all three Peter Piper locations in Laredo.

Fun At Our Musical Playgroup

What a fun morning! Ms. Clair and I started the Monday group of children in our Musical Playgroup today. We played (really hard), laughed, blew bubbles, did lots of singing, and learned how to use chalk for drawings. The highlight was the ABC Music & Me class (a Kindermusik curriculum designed for use in preschool settings). Ms. Clair did a wonderful job leading the class, and all the children enjoyed the activities--especially the train songs and the instrument jam.