Autumn Catch Up

Gymnastics with Carson

It's time to play a little catch-up with fall events in Portland.  Maddy started going to Gymnastics on Sundays with her buddy Carson (from ChildRoots).  They have a lot of fun together!  Maddy went to Carson's for sleepover one stormy Saturday and the power went out at the house!  They played a lot of games and had a good time.

Maddy has lots of play dates and sleepovers!

We met up with Sophie and Karina at The Enchanted Forest for a play date which was fun including many magical areas and interesting paths through the woods.  There were rides, bumper cars and good people watching.

We also met up with Karina and Finley at OMSI which is always a good time. Then sleepovers at Althea's and Luella's homes...little Maddy definitely gets her social time in.

Also some fun photos of Maddy's cousins' first days of school.

Silly Maddy

Enchanted Forest with Sophie and Karina

 

Enchanted Forest

OMSI with Karina and Finley

Building Mountains at OMSI

Ear!

Sleepover at Althea's

Sleepover at Lu's - Dinner in Bed?!?!?

Wilson's Slithering Birthday Party

Maddy, Kieran and Wyatt

Eli, Anton and Leah's First Day of School

Thurnau Family

Colin and Jana's First Day of School

Anali's First Day of School

House Guest: The Cat in the Hat!

Maddy Meets the Cat in the Hat

This year we purchased season tickets to Northwest Children's Theater along with our friends Joe, Angie and Olivia (age 6) Rock.  We ordered tickets early enough to benefit from an in-person character deliver from...the Cat in the Hat!  It was fun to have this house visitor as you can see.

And we're super excited for the plays this season:

The Cat in the Hat
The Wizard of Oz
Sleeping Beauty
Robin Hood

The Cat!

Maddy as The Cat

Olivia as The Cat

Labor Day Weekend Camping: Takhlakh Lake, Washington

Takhlakh Lake

We had beautiful weather and a great Labor Day camping crew at Takhlakh Lake, Washington. Thank you to the Gregoriches for getting the reservations for this trip!  We hung out, hiked, picked huckleberries, built campfires, played in the water and all-around enjoyed the great outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

Hiking Crew

Luella gives Althea and Maddy a big squeeze

Kindergarten!

Let the adventure of Kindergarten begin!  Maddy started Kindergarten at Vestal Elementary School on September 1, 2016.  During the summer Maddy attended several Vestal events, including Kinder Round Ups and a Science Night, giving her the opportunity to meet some of the other kids and get a feel for her new school.  Having attended these events helped the transition, as Maddy already had formed some friendships with her new classmates.

Maddy's teacher is Miss (Anna) DeVille and we love her already.  Right away she informed parents that she wanted to try using Appletree, an online sharesite for teachers to share updates, photos, videos and calendar events.  Miss DeVille posts updates regularly and we think it's great!  It's fun to receive real-time updates and it also helps us extract more information from Maddy about what she's up to at school (more than just the one word answers like "good" or "fine" when we ask how her day was).

The Vestal administration realized quickly that the Kindergarten classes (2 of them) were too full, at 29 students apiece, and happily Portland Public Schools granted Vestal a third Kindergarten teacher.  Classes were shifted, Maddy got to stay with Miss DeVille (yay!) and now class sizes are down to 19.  Whew.  That's much better for the teachers and the students.

Maddy's transition from ChildRoots to Vestal has gone smoothly.  We appreciate the groundwork laid by ChildRoots which taught Maddy to be a strong, confident independent thinker with the skills to handle new situations with ease.  Although she is pretty shy, she already had some new friends and had met Miss DeVille several times.  School ends at 2:15 and at that point Maddy goes to Y-Care, an after school program offered by the YMCA.  She really enjoys this program as it includes lots of reading time and crafts, two things she absolutely loves.  We have her signed up for year-round care, so all late starts, teacher in-service, conferences, breaks (including summer break) are covered.  This has been a good choice for us and Maddy, so Steve and I don't need to worry about her care and missing work, and Maddy really enjoys the program.  A win-win!

Maddy is also involved in extracurricular activities: swimming and gymnastics.  She takes gymnastics with her buddy Carson from ChildRoots which I think has also helped her transition to Kindergarten, as she still has the tie to her old friend too!  I have also signed up to be a Girl Scout Troop Leader (!!) so Maddy will also soon be a "Daisy" with Girl Scouts. 

 

First Day of School Drop Off

First day at Vestal Elementary

Ready for Kindergarten!

Proud Mommy!

Southsider Graduation Party

Silly Southsiders with Amber and Thavy

Ben's parents threw the Southsiders Graduation Party at their home, complete with a bouncy house, snow cone machine and TWO pinatas.  What a fun gathering!  The kids seemed to enjoy themselves immensely and the adults had a nice time hanging out as well.

That afternoon Ben's Mom, Kathy, informed me that Ben had a bit of a crush on Maddy.  This was the first I'd heard of this, as it was well known that Maddy's and her best little buddy, Carson plan to get married some day. (Although there is some contention around the fact that Maddy would like children but Carson would not, and Carson isn't so sure he wants to work, but he will learn to cook).

Anyway, it came out that Ben and Carson have had some "altercations" regarding our little Maddy.  Who knew such things start at five. 

Amber and Maddy

Thavy and Maddy

Maddy vs. the Pinata

Beautiful home, yard and Bouncy House!

ChildRoots Graduation

The Graduate! Ready to take on the World!

Big milestone for Maddy...graduation from preschool and her five year program at ChildRoots.  I am so happy she spent her first five years in a magnificent school, learning to think for herself, fend for herself ("Move back, friend, I need space!") and be herself.  Her first three years as an infant, wobbler and toddler were spent with her primary teacher Krystal.  Krystal and Maddy had a special bond and she will remain close in our hearts always.  Krystal traveled from her current home in California to see "her kids" graduate.  Kati was Maddy's first preschool teacher (year four of the five year program), then Kati left for Spain to pursue her dreams overseas.  Maddy adored Kati and even at the end of their year together, Maddy would still become a "noodle" (as Kati would say) in the morning when she'd first see her teacher.  We miss Kati dearly.  Enter Amber (fondly known as "Ambie" to Maddy), Maddy's final preschool teacher, and another wonderful role model and nurturer. 

Maddy made many wonderful friends at ChildRoots and several children were with her from infancy.  Her two closest friends are Karina and Carson, and both have been part of her life at ChildRoots since 5 months of age.  Even though none of Maddy's Southsider friends are joining her at Vestal, her new school, I'm sure she will have bonds that will last for many years to come.

Here is what Amber said about Maddy at graduation:
"I am not sure how many of you are aware of Maddy's reading ability, but this child regularly leads circle times and small groups in our room, with the accuracy that many adults would envy. An amazing friend, and student, she is beyond ready for kindergarten."


We could not have asked for a better environment for Maddy to grow and learn.

Amber Reading about Maddy

Entering the Teacher Tunnel

Maddy with Thavy and Amber, her Preschool Teachers

Maddy's Thank You's

Carson and Maddy

 

Maddy and Krystal - Maddy's first teacher

Karina and Maddy

Mommy and Maddy on Graduation Day

Maddy's Last Day at ChildRoots

Bluegrass Dinner

Far Out West - our neighbor Casey playing upright bass

Our neighbor Casey is quite the musician and is in two bands.  Sometimes the bluegrass band practices outside on the front porch which is great- I love those evenings!  Casey let us know his bluegrass band had a gig at Produce Row, a bar/restaurant near the Willamette Rive, on the East side.  Maddy, Steve and I decided to check it out.  Maddy had fun running around (a lot, as she had boatloads of energy that evening) and it was fun to see Casey and his band, Far Out West, play.  It was a fun night and Maddy was extra cuddly near then end of the evening.

Love this girl to pieces!

Fun music!

My heart.