University StreetFair

Is there anything else to say?

Early morning conversation

Griffin: Mommy, do you know something really important? When we eat strawberries at school for snack we have to have our tummies up against the table, because if you drop the strawberries they can sting your shirt. You have to be really brave to eat strawberries.

Mommy: I think your teachers meant that the strawberries can STAIN your shirt, not sting you.

Griffin: Oh.

4-year-old art

an upside down pear

Griffin's first written alphabet

Griffin self-portrait

Easter with Cousin Thad

Checking out Thad's toys:


Playing ball:

Playing boats:Enjoying brunch:

And, of course, finding lots of eggs!

(Thad says: "This one's ticking!")

Seattle!

During Spring Break we also visited Seattle Center. Griffin's favorite thing to do was ride the monorail. He was a little hesitant about going up in the Space Needle at first, but was glad that he did. (Me, too. I hadn't ever gone up there.)

A little video of Griffin on the monorail...
PS: the answer to his question at the end of this clip is "The Experience Music Project"




And we of course had to visit the Fun Forest while we were there...


Good times!

"I'm Griffin" by Blues Harpin' Griff

(© 2009 Griffin's Door Productions)

Spring Break! Imagine Children's Museum

We started in the farm area, where Griffin got to drive a tractor and milk a cow!The we moved on to the "water area", where Griffin had a lot of fun giving toy whales and dolphins a bath.


We then made our way to the roof, where Griffin dug for dinosaur bones and played a little chess (and we caught a great view of Sully's office, the Abraham Lincoln!)

Finally, we were both tired and hungry, so Griffin commandeered a bus and drove us home.

The incredible shrinking otter

Griffin Woods

Quotes!

Two gems for this week:

Griffin: "I don't want patience! I want it NOW!!!"

and!

Daddy: "Mommy and I have been married for seven years."
Griffin: "Why?"

Griffin being mad

"Say you're sorry, Mommy. If you don't say you're sorry, I won't be anybody's friend. I'll just be alive by myself."

Home sick

Griffin and I have been home together for three days, with Griffin having an early version of the flu (I think), and though we're a little tired of each other, there have been a few funny moments.

Griffin loves to play games on my laptop, preschool-level games for counting, alphabet practice, animal sounds, etc., and he's now generalizing that to other things. He's playing a game right now where he has several cars and trucks on his table and he says, "Click on the car that is different from the other cars." or "Click on the car that is tired." A whole new language for this generation!

His favorite word right now is "Sure!" when you ask him to do something or if he is all right. It's even more cute because his voice is very hoarse right now.

We've had little sleep this week because Griffin is having nightmares due to his fever. We (well, Griffin) slept in three places last night: the living room floor in a sleeping bag, the bed in the master bedroom, and the couch (together, that was interesting). I'm hopeful that things will get better so we can go to school at least one more day this week.

More language fun

Griffin talking about a teacher at his new school:

"And she's my favoritest teacher I ever knew in the whole world!"

Deep Thoughts With Griffin

Today at Griffin's PreK class, the theme was "What Do You Want to Be?"

The teacher (wonderful, fabulous Mrs. L) asked all the kids what they wanted to be. I'm sure many said firefighter, doctor and teacher.

Three and a half year old Griffin said, "Four."

At least he sets attainable goals for himself so he can feel good when he achieves them!

End of Summer

We've had a fun summer with lots of adventures. Taking a three-year-old around is definitely easier than a two-year-old! We took a lot of field trips and explored Seattle and the surrounding area. Some of the fun places we went:

• A farm
• The zoo
• Many parks (City Park in Edmonds is a favorite, but there are lots of others)
• Saturna Island in Canada
• Spokane (twice!)
• Odyssey Maritime Museum
• The aquarium
• The waterfront
• Mommy's school
• Foster Island

We did more, but we just can't remember because there were so many things to do! We still have some things on our list for the fall, including the Pacific Science Center, the Imagine Children's Museum, Jetty Island, taking a ferry to Kingston, and the Ballard locks. There's never enough time to do it all! We'll post some photos of Saturna Island very soon.

New favorite question

"Do cars have bones?"

Griffin's Morning at a Farm

Bedtime conversation

Griffin (coming to say goodnight on his way to bed): Mommy, why I am always hugging Mommy? (yes, "I" and "am" were in that exact order)

Mommy: I don't know, because you love me? Why am I always hugging Griffin?

Griffin: Because I'm here!

Preschool photos

Griffin loves his co-op preschool one night a week. We love to watch him interact with the other children and all the creative things they can do. There are sensory tables, dress-up clothes, a turtle and guinea pigs to watch, a kitchen area, doctor paraphernalia, an exercise room, cars and bikes to ride, trains and cars to play with, etc. The fun never stops! He is sad when we leave every week and gives his teacher Cathy a big hug before he goes home.

Here is Griffin playing in the sensory tub with flax seeds and lots of fun things, including sharks, grinders, bulldozers, etc.:


Griffin likes to dress up as a firefighter and pretend to put out fires with the rope hose. There's a North City Fire Dept. firetruck to drive to the fire, too!

Recent photos

Look what the Easter Bunny brought me!

Griffin and puppy composing their first novel.

The next great writer, look out Shakespeare!