Man Gave Name to all the Animals

I grew up with my dad singing the song Man Gave Names to all the Animals. We loved that song and loved shouting out the names of the animals at the end of the verses.

Dad gave a book to Gabriel last year that illustrates each verse, and it included a CD with a recording of the song. It was then that I learned that Bob Dylan (and not my father) wrote the song. Your pedestal just got a little shorter, dad. Sorry about that.

Here's Gabriel reading the book:
(Please excuse the "something, something, something" lyrics in the middle...I don't have it memorized and couldn't see the page from where I was filming.)

Forward Thinking

In Gabriel's closet, we have a double rod. I hang the in-season clothes on the bottom and the out-of-season clothes on the top. There is nothing of interest in the top shelf--just boxes of clothes he has outgrown. 

Tonight I saw that Gabriel had moved a step stool into his room and set it up in front of his closet. I asked him why it was there. His response:

"In case of it's sweater weather. For the winter, when I get to play in the snow. Or something like that."

I admire his preparedness, but that stool could be there a while. 

ps- I decided not to squash his dreams by explaining the likelihood of actual snow in central Texas. 

Self Portrait

I love it so much. 

First Day of Pre-K 4

Sunrise Montessori had their official first day of school today, so I tried to get a first day of school picture. It didn't go too well. None of these are good.

Usually the transition back to the school year is seamless for Gabriel, but this year is just slightly different. The school decided to move the teachers and students from his class into a different classroom in the other building. So instead of being a Firefly, he is now a Dandelion. He has the same wonderful teachers and many of the same classmates, just a bigger space for all the awesome learning he'll be doing this year. :)

If I Lived on a Ranch

During the month of July, Gabriel's school chooses a theme to explore each week. One of those themes was Texas. This is one piece of work Gabriel did during Texas week.

I like the part where he puts on boots to keep away bugs. I really like the drawing of cowboy Gabriel and his trusty horse. I haven't seen him draw a lot of people or animals yet, so this picture really struck me as far as his development in that area. 

Four Year Well Check

At G's 4 year well-check appointment, he was:

weight: 42 pounds 8 ounces (88%)
height: 42 inches (85%)
BMI: 16.93 (85%)

He totally rocked the vaccine part. He didn't even know it was over yet when the nurse told him what kind of band-aid she was putting on. 

He had a good deal of anxiety about getting shots, though, so we had already arranged a donut prize for after his appointment. Can't go wrong with sprinkles. 

Hyperbole

I unintentionally ended the life of a bird who did not move out of the way of my car quickly enough yesterday. 

Me: Uh oh, I killed that bird. 

G: Is it going to be ok, Mom?

Me: I don't think so. I think it was hurt really badly. 

G: Aw, man. That was my favorite bird in the whole wide world.