Drawing from the 4 year old

Week 212 motherhood with 4 year old and 21 month old. 

October 3 to 9, 2024:

• October 9:  The week started on Thursday with trying a new session of EarlyON called “Nature and me”.  It’s been such a beautiful past weeks and month in September that I’m surprised I didn’t take the toddler to such a program earlier.  This one was run by Markham EarlyON and situated at Too Good Pond — a park I’m all too familiar with.  It took some time to find the meet-up spot as it was our first time attending the program there.  The facilitators had prepared some outdoor crafts and activities for the kids.  Though once we arrived, they were setting out on a nature walk around the pond so that’s what we did.  The kids saw some ducks in the pond.  The facilitator carried a big plastic bag for the kids to collect leaves and flowers and anything else they wanted to add to the “nature mask” that they would be making later.
• When we got to the bridge part of the path, the 21 month old was afraid of walking on it (just like she was afraid at the zoo too) and needed to be held.  (She is afraid of falling through the gaps in the wooden bridge.)
• When we got back to the activity area, the toddler drew on some rocks.  She drew on a leaf too.  She wasn’t interested in the mask-making activity (and I wasn’t going to push that on her because it was an adult-facilitated activity anyway; it’s not like she knows what it is).  There wasn’t too much to do actually.
• When it came time for circle time, that was once again when the toddler was hungry so we sat at the picnic table and she ate her snack while listening to the circle from afar.  It seems to be a coincidence every time so far that she ends up missing circle time because she prefers to snack at that time.  Oh, well.
• It’s always nice that she passes out in the car on the way home so that we can get 1 to 2 hours to eat and rest before we pick up the older child at 3 p.m.  This is the new routine now.
• The 4 year old’s new teacher hasn’t expressed anything to us after school about her progress or any concerns she has about her either.  No news is good news.  The child continues to drink water at school (and pees in her pull-up which nobody is complaining about) but doesn’t eat or participate with the other kids yet.  We ask her things and she’ll say she doesn’t participate but perhaps she does somehow.  She says she can hear and see what the teacher does in the classroom from her spot at the cubby.  The teacher also doesn’t upload photos on to the school platform and hasn’t written anything to us in the communication folder yet of note.
• This marked the last week of playing outside after school and snacking there.  After this week, the temperatures dropped and we headed indoors to eat and play.  It was so beautiful while the weather lasted and great for the kids to be outdoors too.
• Time flies now.  Each week, Monday to Friday, goes by so quickly.
• On the Friday, we attended Zumbini with our friends.  For the first time, the toddler actually stood up or sat by herself and didn’t need me to hold her.  Yay!  It could also have been because grandma was there too.  I like it when she stands by herself (even if she’s not dancing) to observe and participate.  I don’t want her always in my lap or being held.
• She is so used to getting the materials from the facilitators and then returning them when we’re done with them.  We used silk scarves, bells, wooden sticks, plastic shaker eggs this time.
• She fell asleep in the car afterwards and grandma and I were able to have a nice lunch noodle date without being interrupted at all.  The child slept the entire time we were in the restaurant.  What a blessing.
• The 4 year old has a new water bottle now because her old one broke (the flap where you open it for the spout to stand up).  She also washed the water bottle by herself by standing on a chair and washing at the sink with sponge and soap.  She is tall enough to reach the top drawer where the utensils are too.  She can retrieve her own chopsticks and fork or spoon now too.  She enjoys using the kid chopsticks (which has a helping tool on it) despite not holding it the proper way.  It’s a start.
• She holds writing utensils properly these days too.  She loves to draw and is drawing happy pictures with the cutest and most curved “U” smile upwards.  It makes me so happy to see because it shows that her inner state is happy too.
• DH bought a Boston cream cake for me (my choice) and we celebrated and ate it early ahead of my birthday because we were going to be out the entire day the next day.
• The next day, we spent it at Kortright Centre in Vaughan.  It was the same event put on by Family Day and Open Doors like last year.  I loved it so much last year and I was excited to attend again.  It was much of the same activities as last year but a warmer and again beautiful autumn day.  We tried the BBQ lunch this year too and it was reasonably priced and fairly tasty.
• The 4 year old had at least 3 marshmallows and 1 vegan marshmallow from the open fire pit (so fun).  We participated in 3 circle time activities (it just so happened that we were able to catch 3) and played briefly with the toys on the tarp (a bigger section and in the middle of the field unlike last year).  We skipped the wagon ride this year because we spent time on lunch and instead visited the drums (like last year) (and both kids slid down the steel railings), the parachute activity (more fun this year with more people and an enthusiastic host), the bee house (and tasted two types of raw fresh honey), the seed ball activity, the water pump, and briefly saw the clay sculptures before they closed up shop.  The event was from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  We arrived at 11 a.m. (it took so long for us to get out the door that morning) and left around 3 p.m.  The time flew by.  If we come again next year, we really need to come earlier and on time to make the most of it.
• What I love most is getting to spend quality time outdoors in nature.  The time we spend outdoors is invaluable and we don’t have enough of it for the kids.  Lots of sunshine and fresh air and breathing in the trees and woods.
• The next event was visiting Scarborough Town Centre for The Next Chapter event (I was invited by a PR agency).  It was a literacy event, free for families and kids to attend.  It was a trek driving from west to east and I commend my husband for doing all the driving that day.
• I hadn’t been inside STC in years and it was nice to see the commotion and bustle in the busy shopping mall.  We entered the event space at Centre Court where the kids sat down right away to do some colouring and drawing.  I liked how the 4 year old didn’t just stick to the colouring page but flipped over the page after a while to draw her own picture.  As I learned from the JTK activity, having a child draw on a blank page from their imagination is miles better than them passively colouring or scribbling colours on a pre-drawn sheet of paper.  I loved seeing her happy smiles in her creation.
• The highlight of the event was getting to receive free books, one book per person.  The 4 year old picked her own book.
• Then we had AYCE sushi.  We learned that a booth seating wasn’t the best for us because it’s really meant for 4 people and we have 5 people now.  I don’t like how the people thought we could stick two kids in there and think it’s comfortable.  The next time this happens, we have to speak up and ask for a larger table.  The kids like to get up and walk after they’re done eating and it wasn’t very convenient to sit in a booth and having to shift in and out.
• The next day, we visited Lake Wilcox in Richmond Hill for our annual family photo at the place where DH and I first took our photos on our wedding.  It was difficult to get grandma to take a photo for us… but I’m glad that at least we have someone to take a photo for us.
• The kids played in the forest-themed playground afterwards and enjoyed it a lot.  So much space to run around and play.
• Then we had brunch at a pancake and breakfast restaurant.  When the 4 year old sat down and saw the place mat with crayons, she got down to drawing and colouring right away.  She wrote the first three letters of her name on it too.  Good job!  We haven’t actively taught her how to print yet but she already knows how to (did the teacher teach them at school?)(where did she pick this up from?).  She behaves so well at restaurants and knows to sit and wait for the food to come.  She prefers to sit in a booster seat these days.  The 21 month old still prefers to sit on DH’s lap instead of a high chair (most days).
• We had a playdate at my friend’s house and the 21 month old loved exploring the toys that she had at her house.  It’s always a wonderful time to chat with like-minded friends and let our kids play too. ^_^
• Unfortunately, I had a sore throat forming so the last two days, I stayed home to rest.  Grandma took the child to EarlyON one of the days and I’m glad they were both occupied so the child was able to play and then nap as usual.  I also had a short transcript assignment to complete too.  I’m glad that so far I’m the only one sick in the household is no one else is affected.  (Hope this doesn’t jinx things!)
• This past week, the 21 month old has been wanting me to sing the “rolly polly” song with her constantly.  She doesn’t want anyone else singing it (especially because grandma tries to sing it but doesn’t sing it properly).  She shakes her head “no” and says “ma ma” and wants me to sing it lol.