Big Sis' Celebration of Life

Minicoop's school has a tradition called the Celebration of Life.  It is common in Montessori schools. It is a special way for parents, teachers, and classmates to show appreciation for the birth and growth of a child. Parents are requested to list highlights about the child's life and share pictures during each year of her life. This is the first time we are participating since she has only be at her new school for 5 months.

Here is her precious four years of highlights summarized on one 8.5x11 sheet of paper. This was tricky to me to keep it short but it was a great exercise.  Thanks to all of my photojournalism and blogging, I think I have the facts properly organized!

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Before the age of one 

·        S is part Vietnamese and part English. Her Mommy was born in Vietnam and her Daddy was born in England.

·        When she was a baby, she thoroughly enjoyed a lot of nursery rhymes and songs sang by Nana.

·        She was dressed in a little monkey costume for her first Halloween.

·        Her first road trip was over Thanksgiving to Wichita, Kansas to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Between one and two 

·        Her first plane ride was to Raleigh, NC to visit her Uncle Miles, Aunt Stacey, Aunt Melissa, and her cousins: Harvey, Gala, and Alex.

·        She celebrated her Big 1 in North Carolina.

·        When she was 1 and 1/2 years old, she started Emler’s swim school.

·        She also went to her first Pumpkin Patch for Halloween.

·        Her favorite colors were pink and purple. She still loves pink and purple.  She continues to love clothes with polka dots and vibrant colors!

·        She continues to love animals, especially seeing dogs at the park.

Between two and three 

·        S first time to the beach was in Hawaii for Aunt Cindy’s wedding.

·        When she was 2, she started WOGA gymnastics. She loved the parachute game.

·        Her favorite shop for yogurt is Yogurtea.

·        She became a big sister when she was 2 and 1/2 years old.  

·        For Christmas she had a great time building not 1, but 3 gingerbread houses with her Nana and Grandma.

Between three and four 

·        Last Christmas, S tried ice skating for the first time at Frisco Square. She loved it!

·        Her favorite Valentines celebration was at the Daddy Daughter Dance at Gatti Town.

·        S is continuing her swimming lessons and gymnastics.

·        But this year she is also playing soccer.  Her team name is Gorillas.

·        This July, S plans to go to Myrtle Beach for our summer vacation.

·        At home S helps us set the table for dinner and helps make breakfast on Sundays.

·        She is very helpful and loving to her brother.

·        S enjoys playing dress-up, playing with her brother, and friends at the park, swimming at the community pool, and playing hide and seek. 

First Words and Expressions

Little Brother cracks us up.  He is really understanding how to express his himself.  His first words have been bananas, bubbles, ball, balloon, Dadda..moe (for more)!

He loves to copy Big Sis when she is speaking.  The kiddos were in the garage.  Big Sis heard kids playing in the back alley.  She yelled "Hello!?"..Little Brother following along echoed in his Scooby Doo voice "UrerroOO!?".

When he gets upset he surprisingly knows how to give us an eye roll, glare, and wrinkle his eyebrows at us!

Little brother is 18 months now.  He recently joined his Big Sis at the same Montessori school.  He is learning how to sit in a big boy chair, throw his own paper towels away, push in his own chair, balance and carry his own work station, and wash his own hands.

He loves the class fish and garden.

In the past month we noticed he is taking a liking to dancing.  If he is in a high chair he will nod his head or sway side to side to music.  If he is in his car seat, he will nod his head or kick his legs.  If he is standing he will sway, twist his body, or bounce up and down!

He is very stable with his walking now.  It has allowed him to follow his sister and her friends EVERY WHERE!  Like it our not!

He loves to copy her sounds, words, and personality!

Minicoop Becomes a Big Sis

As the day got closer to little brother's arrival, I became more worried and more anxious about how Big Sis would react.  I was feeling torn on how I can have room to love another little being as much as I love her. I was feeling sad that the attention that I have to give the baby is time that I would lose with my first baby. Minicoop is a natural Big Sis.  She melted my worries since day 1.  Here are pictures of her first time meeting her baby bother.  

I continue to count my blessing on how nurturing and understanding she is. We planned for her to be potty trained and the Minicoops to at least be 2 years a part.  That was a huge plus!

We also did our homework to minimize disruption and to help ease the transition. 

-Ahead of time, we purchased I'm a Big Sister book By Joanna Cole.  She still loves reading that book!

-We bought a big sister and little brother gift for them to exchange during their first meet in the hospital.

-She still remembers that her magnetic dress up dolls toy is from her baby brother.

-In return, she gave baby brother a beany baby.

-Upon arrival at the hospital, we ensured that Big Sis saw her Little Bro in his crib and not Mommy's arms. 

-We made sure our family gave extra attention to Big Sis since the baby wouldn't know any better.

-While I was recovering, Daddy became the primary care taker for Bib Sis. He made sure her routine stayed the same while I stayed in the hospital for the first three nights.  Minicoop always went home to sleep in her own bed.

And so the journey now has a family of four :)