1st grade and 4 year old preschool

The kids love their teachers and for Bradley, his new school. Sean said that first grade is more fun than kindergarten, even though he really liked kindergarten. He has a great class and was put into a group of 3 for seating arrangements. The two other students are very smart and well behaved and really challenge him to do his best. He is still seeing Mrs. Frank, the speech pathologist to work out his hard c sounds. We started seeing her at the end of last year and continued this year. I can already tell that his speech has gotten so much better. So instead of saying "Hult" he says "Hulk" very clearly. He is in the advanced reading and math groups and loves gym and art class.
Bradley is in the 4 year preschool at GA and goes for 5 half days. The other day, our babysitter picked him up and he didn't want to leave. Every day he asks me questions about rhyming words, and many many "why" questions. That's a sign of a good school and a happy learner!
It will be so much easier when both boys are at the same school, which will be next year. Sean's school does not have a preschool, but I am very happy with GA and how they have made Bradley so happy in the mean time!

Pre-K for Sean

Sean now goes to PreK 4x a week, in the mornings. It has been quite a change (for me!) to take him and pick him up almost every day. Bradley is more lonely because he misses Sean when he is gone. One of the days, Bradley goes to "school" himself, and another day we hang out with my parents, which he LOVES.

Sean's first day of Pre-K

However there are two days where we have to find something to do without Sean. I am going to look into some classes soon because I don't want to take Bradley to the gym daycare during the winter.
Bradley and Sean love playing together so it's really cute when I pick Sean up and Bradley runs to him and nearly tackles him with a hug. I will try and get it on video one day.
Sean is loving his new preschool. I am glad we made the switch because most of the students feed into the private school we are thinking of sending Sean to for kindergarten. The teachers are so nice and the families have been so inviting. It's a really great environment for the boys.

Sean's school is located in this beautiful church-

Preschool Graduation

Sean graduated from 3 year old preschool. He is going into Pre-K in the fall and then will be in Kindergarten. The kids in his class put together a very cute play called "Going on a Bear Hunt". Sean has grown up so much this past year and you can really tell in this picture below juxtaposing his first and last day of school.

After the presentation the kids played with each other and the parents on the playground. We were able to find Ms. Sally, one of his three teachers, albeit his main one. 

The proud parents and brother Bradley with the graduate

March Madness

Update#2: We were in the FINAL, but we lost =( Great run boys!
Update: we are in the Elite Eight now! 3/29/13

Go Blue! We are in the sweet 16 for the first time since 1994. Wow!

Bradley's firsts

Brad has been babbling for months, but I can now make out specific words. His best word, and first that I officially would count a word besides dada and mama, is duck. He gets excited when he sees ducks, swans, geese or anything that resembles a duck. His favorite game is to repeat words that I point out in his books and on his B. squishy blocks. We do this for a LONG time. He is pretty good at turtle, and of course mommy and daddy (mama and dada). He is getting better at Sean but still says "ja".
Yesterday, Bradley started "school". I was pretty nervous, but handled it better than the first day Sean went to school. Bradley goes to an in-home daycare center. It was highly recommended and the owner has been doing this for over 30 years. She teaches everything from cooking, history, and art to potty training! And the best thing is that Brad can play with other kids his age. He will only go one day a week until next year. I was going to wait a few more months but my babysitter who I have used since Sean was 1, took a new job and I couldn't get anything done between Brads naps and driving Sean to and from preschool!
Bradley cried on drop off and pick up but apparently was fine in between. He will hopefully be more adjusted as the weeks go by.

Christmas Festivities

We had a lot going on this holiday season! We had many parties to go to, including Matt's work party, a play group party, and a friends' party (with Erin and Steph's families!). There were a few other get togethers and it was great seeing everyone! Sean had a Christmas pageant at school that told the story of Jesus' birth. It was so cute watching the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers attempt to tell a story and act out a play. At one point, a toddler grabbed the baby Jesus doll from the manger and tried to run out of the chapel! Sean was a camel in the nativity scene. He performed well and he may have an acting career in his future! =)

Sean, center, as a camel

 Bradley and I watching the play

I was very excited to celebrate Christmas this year just because I was excited to give the kids their gifts! Santa did not disappoint (and neither did the grandparents!). Our boys must have been very good this year!

We celebrated Christmas Eve with the Hersteins and Christmas Day with my parents. We had our first snowfall and Brad was able to play in the snow for the first time. To the left, you can see a huge smile on his face, which was a little different from Sean's first time, two years ago, which you can click on here. We went up north for the weekend of New Year's and rang in the New Year at home with our tradition of ordering in PF Changs. I had a wonderful 2012 and hope 2013 is even better!