Happy Wednesday!

Zoey got a new toy to play with while at Wee Wee Friends! Her Mommy brought in a spare exer-saucer from home. She sure did like exploring the different toys and contraptions.

Daniel cooked a four course meal for himself!

Clara wore a special hat around the house this morning! She loves playing dress up with her friends.

Gross motor activity was high this morning! Children climbed up the stairs and slid down the slide!

Our friends are getting very good at waiting their turn on the jungle gym. They help their friends up on the jungle gym and wait for the slide to be clear.

Outside, our friends observed the bird that has taken up residence in the tree in the backyard. We told friends it’s called a Morning Dove.

Children pointed up to the tree where they looked at the Morning Dove. Ellie said we should name the bird ‘Sallie’!

Children played in the house together. Marina made smoothies for her friends.

While her friends quietly slept, Zoey enjoyed floor time. She has so many different facial expressions and loves one on one time with friends as well as teachers.

Recently, Zoey’s been working on sitting up. She’s building up her mid section and working on her balance. Her posture and stability have greatly improved over the last few weeks!

For breakfast, children had corn bran and peaches. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of tacos, mixed fruit, and avocado. PM snack was mild cheddar cheese and whole wheat crackers.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

 

Today at Wee Friends, all eyes were upon…..

The Lone Star State.

Texas.

Holy Cow, we finally got to Texas. A big Texas thank you to Elliott’s folks, Bill and Amy for rounding us up and leading some us home to Texas, and taking all of us to our final destination on our summer travels Around the World in 55 days.

Texas.

…Where the state flag boasts of the colors of Texas Virtues: Blue=Loyalty, Red=Courage and White=Purity. Bill and Amy taught us that the flag’s star symbolizes unity: “We are all united under the Lone Star.” We also learned that six flags have flown over the beautiful Texas skies: Spain, France, Mexico, The Republic of Texas, The Confederate States of America and finally, the USA.

Texas.

The largest state in the Union, except Alaska (The second part is what Texans say under their breath, Amy and Bill explained.) “Do you know what state you were born in?” they asked. Several WF shared their birthplaces with us:

• Ada: “Minnesota”
• Kai: “South Bend and Dylan was born in Fort Wayne!”
• Nate: “I was born in New Jersey!”

…were a few of the responses we heard.

Elliott shared with us that you have to take an airplane to get to Texas.

“We have one of those flags at my house!” expressed Nate after seeing the US flag.

Texas.

Home of the Longhorn Steer and The University of Texas, or just ‘Texas’. Elliott’s folks both went to Texas. You know a student goes to Texas if you give ‘em the “Hook ‘em horns!” signal. First you make a fist, then you hold up your index finger and then your pinky. You lift your hand high in the air and with a big Texas smile, you shout out “Hook ‘em horns!!”.

Bill showed us a horseshoe and a few of the friends asked if it would fit on the purple Little Pony in the art loft. He gave it a try. We learned that in Texas, you play a game called Horseshoe.

“Does anyone know why cowboys wear boots?” Amy asked Wee Friends.

• Kai: “’Cuz of the sand!”
• Nate: “’Cuz they’ll get cow poop and chicken poop on their feet.”
• Anonymous: “Something hit their leg and hurt them.”

Bill taught us about a lasso, a spur, a saddle and of course, a good ‘ole Texas cowboy hat to keep the sun out of yer eyes and off yer neck.

Texas.

Where the Two Step lives and breathes, brings people together and makes big fun! Amy played Lyle Lovett, Patty Griffin, a mariachi band, “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and “The Yellow Rose of Texas”.

And finally, Texas, home of Tex-Mex cuisine. “It’s better than Mexican food because we use more cheese!” said Bill.

Today, at Wee Friends, Bill and Amy served up a mean soft taco.

Bill taught us about corn and wheat tortillas. He showed us how to stuff the tortilla, roll it up and eat it up!

And boy, were they good.

Bill and Amy, thank you so much for sharing your Texas story, your Texas boots and Two Step, your Texas flags and omg, your TEXAS FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a great time!!

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Whole Wheat toast with cinnamon and bananas. Lunch: Whole wheat and corn tortillas with ground turkey, spiced up Texas style, fresh chopped tomatoes and lettuce, sliced avocado, red salsa and shredded cheese.

Texas.

Ya’ll have a real good day, now, ya’ hear?

Good Afternoon!

Zoey loved scooting on the hard floor. It’s easier for her to scoot across the floor instead of the carpet! She is talking much more and enjoys listening to her friends conversations.

Marina used a baby bottle to feed her pretend baby. She made sure to burp her baby afterwards. She’s getting skilled in looking at a real situation and using it in her play.

Our Wee Wee Friends got new sponge stamps to paint with!

Ellie pressed the sponge on the paper and lifted it to see what the imprint looked like.

Marina also used the sponge to print on the paper. However, she also took the sponge and smeared it to make a big colorful streak.

P.K. resorted to using his hands to paint! He loved the sensorial feeling he got from the activity.

Clara took her hands and put them in the paint. She slammed her hand on the paper and it revealed her hand print!

Friends sat on the swing together and sang many songs.

Daniel and P.K. played in the house together. They enjoy spending time with one another while outside.

The log house was the happening place! Children played with the pebbles and stones. They decided to fill different sized buckets with stones and dump them onto plates to serve food.

We took a walk in the garden where we looked at the flowers. We used our nose to sniff the beautiful flowers.

We also observed the vegetables that were growing in the garden. Friends saw tomatoes and cucumbers!

P.K. and Clara sat at the back of the bike where there’s a driver in the front. They thought, “Where’s our driver?”

Daniel rocked back and forth on the blue dog to go forward. He smiled as he rode in the bright sun.

Our friends love playing with their friends as well as their older Wee Friends!

For breakfast, children had corn flakes and apples. AM snack was string cheese. Lunch consisted of whole wheat tortillas with hummus, peaches, and carrots. PM snack was rice cakes with soy butter and banana.

Have a lovely night!

-Mindy

Happy Birthday, Finn! Not only did Finn return from The Island today, but it’s his 4th birthday!!! Welcome back Finners and Happy Happy Birthday. Finally, we can answer the many inquiries over these days: “Where is Finn?” “Why did he go to the Island?” “When is Finn coming back?”

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Oatmeal and cranberries. Lunch: Whole wheat tortilla and hummus sandwiches, carrots/pea pods and bananas.

Have a great day.

Happy Monday!

Our Monday started out with painting with circular sponges. Our friends painted with the sponges as well as made dots on their paper.

Children looked at the colors that they were using and were very good at telling their teachers what colors they would like to use. Ellie said, “I want orange, please!”

While Ellie was painting she told Miss Mindy, “Look, I paint a six!”

When we travelled outside, P.K. and Ellie scooped up the sand on the pavement and put it back into the sand box. They were both very good helpers!

Friends tossed balls into the air as well as kicking it with their feet. Ellie worked on throwing the ball up in the air and catching it. Clara put a small purple ball on the ground and kicked it while running after it.

P.K. rocked back and forth on the teeter totter.

Wee Wee’s slid down the slide with great force! Ellie kept saying, “That was a fast one!”

Clara was very brave and went down by herself after being helped the first time.

Friends gathered in the sandbox to work together. They used new cups to build sand castles and used them as shakers. They filled the cups with rocks and shook them so that it made music.

Zoey is getting more mobile day by day. She’s scooting all around the living room. Her attention is being held at a higher rate while playing with different toys. She enjoyed the baby jungle gym today. While laying down, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and shook a toy with beads in it.

For breakfast, friends had eggs and blueberries. AM snack was green peas. Lunch consisted of whole wheat noodles with ham slices, fresh peas, and green peas. PM snack was Goldfish and delicious apples.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

What could be more perfect than ending our Around the World in 55 Days in the great state of Texas? Tomorrow, Elliott’s folks will take us on our final trip to the Lone Star State! Yee-haw!!! We can’t wait!!!

Breakfast: Chex and fresh peaches. Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with ham, peas and pear slices.

Have a great day.

Happy Friday!

**Since the weather is starting to cool down, we are asking that parents bring in ONE fall outfit for their child.

**Just as a reminder, Wee Wee Friends will be closed for Labor Day which is Monday, September 3rd.

**Also, we’re asking if any parents could bring in pony tail holders. We prefer the medium sized ponies. Thanks so much!

Today, we say good-bye to Chloe as this is her last day here at Wee Wee Friends. Chloe has grown into an amazing child and her spirit will be missed very much. Good luck and we’ll miss you, Chloe!

Marina and Zoey spent some time this morning playing with one another. Marina loves talking to baby Zoey! Zoey always listens intently and ultimately she’s being stimulated by her friends and their conversations at Wee Wee Friends.

Our friends participated in baby yoga this morning. Miss Marty lead a session where children stretched and exhibited different poses.

Our friends stretched their arms up high.

Emma loved feeling the pebbles as well as listening to the pebbles make sounds when they hit the ground. Chloe used a shovel to put sand onto a plate and she said, “It’s birthday cake!”

Children went off into different parts of the yard to indulge in various toys and activities.

When Daniel arrived, he went down the slide with his friends. At first, he was hesitant but he enjoyed the slide and had a big smile on his face!

Marina used her arm and leg muscles as she climbed up the wooden house.

Daniel used a big blue shovel as he dug up stones and pebbles and dumped them into a bucket. He enjoyed the fill and dump part of this activity!

Zoey’s upper body strength is getting better every day! Whether she’s on the ground or in her car seat, she has started to lift her head up off of the surface.

While their older friends had naptime, Emma and Zoey had bonding time while playing on the floor. Emma used soft, nice touches on Zoey’s arm. Zoey smiled when this took place.

For breakfast, children had apple muffins and apples. AM snack was apples. Lunch consisted of bagels with turkey, cheese, and tomato on top, snap peas, and applesauce. PM snack was brought in by Chloe and her family! We had yogurt and fresh blueberries. Thank you for the wonderful snack!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Mindy

It’s the time of year when we have to say goodbye to friends as they move on to their next chapter. Today, we say goodbye to Vivian, who is leaving to start kindergarten at St. Anthony’s. WE WILL MISS YOU VIV!!

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Cheerios and raisins. Lunch: Whole wheat bagels with melted mozzarella and turkey, roasted pea pods and applesauce.

Have a great weekend.

“We are different, but we are also the same.”

This is what Judy-san, Sloane’s Grandma, taught us today when she came to visit Wee Friends. In the late 1960’s, Judy spent two years, in a town outside of Tokyo, teaching American kids whose parents were associated with the Vietnam conflict. Today, Judy shared her memories, her stories and a box filled with cultural materials, with Sloaners and her Wee Friends.

“We are different, but we are also the same” is how she began. In the US, friends take backpacks to school. In Japan, traditionally, kids used large scarves stuffed with their belongings.

Japan is so far away, she explained, that she had to bring two maps to show us!

In the US, we like to make a wish on a wishbone. In Japan, they make wishes on a Daruma Doll.

In the US, we (usually!) send manufactured cards. In Japan, cards are hand painted works of art.

Even Japanese wrapping paper is an artistic creation.

When Nate saw the argyle socks, he yelled out: “My dad has some of those!”

Judy-san taught us that traditional Japanese socks (tabis) have a split in them, unlike Nate’s dad’s socks, to accommodate commonly worn sandals.

In the US, we have Mother’s and Father’s Days. In Japan they celebrate Children’s Day, Boy’s Day and Girl’s day.

While kids in both countries read books, in Japan, kids read from the back of the book to the front of the book.

In the US, when you catch a fish….you might celebrate by taking a great photo….

In Japan, it is an opportunity to create another work of art: a painting of the fish.

Kai: “I heard Japan won volleyball in the Olympics!”

Japanese children wear robes, too! Japanese grownups call their robes “Happy Coats”.

First Judy-san compared Japanese chop sticks to a Dairy Queen spoon, then she shared some interesting Japanese snacks with us.

Poured in homemade origami bowls, friends sampled rice crackers, roasted green peas, rice candy (friends could eat the inside rice wrapper!) and cookies.

Sydney: “I love origami! It came from Japan!”

Judy-san bowed to us and we practiced bowing to Judy-san, thanking each other for a wonderful trip to Japan.

Thank you, Judy-san, for sharing your love of Japan with our Wee Friends!

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Chex and bananas. Lunch: Tuna fish on whole wheat tortillas, Cassie’s Garden tomatoes over romaine lettuce and apple slices.

Kai: “How do they say storm in Japanese?”

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon!

Zoey had a great time on her baby jungle gym this morning. She is getting more strength which is allowing her to tilt her head up to reach different toys that she finds interesting. She’s rolling and flipping over all around the house.

Photographer Marina took candid shots of her friends today. She enjoys taking pictures of Zoey and often says, “Smile!”

Before the rain came pouring down, we got some valuable outside time in today. Our friends loved going down the slide! Not only is it an enjoyable activity but it’s helping our children with coordination when they walking up the logs to the top. Some of our friends hold onto the side railing to help as they climb up.

Friends sat together as they played in the sandbox. This is a great activity to do individually or as our friends chose to do, work together to make various items such as a sand castle! They informed everyone that it was going to be a little castle.

While the sky darkened, Legos were the spot to be. Children made various sized ‘choo-choos’. Ellie found a big Lego that she could see through!

Daniel sat with his shades on watching his friends! He later joined in as they took their trains around the deck.

Well..the rain came and we headed inside! Emma got right to bouncing to a song that was playing! Her movement skills are improving and she loves to dance!

The soft, velvety white scarves got hung from the doorway this morning. Children had an opportunity to feel them and of course they were used as a dancing prop!

Marina took the scarves and had them close to her body so she could feel the texture. Emma took her hands and ran them gently across the fabric.

P.K. drove the school bus all around Wee Wee today! He pushed the button near the front of the bus and it started to play a song. He took off and went to pick up his passengers!

For breakfast, children had Kix and banana. Lunch consisted of pita bread filled with tuna, fresh apples, and scrumptious tomatoes! PM snack was strawberry/peach smoothie and apple muffins.

Have a terrific evening!

-Mindy