Ry started at the Issaquah Cooperative Preschool just down the street from us this September and he's really enjoying it! His teachers are so welcoming, warm, and great with the kids and they've done so many fun, creative things already. He goes two mornings a week. I work in the classroom a few times a month (since it's a co-op all the parents help in the class) and Maylee goes to the Just For Sibs program and has a grand time playing in another room of the church building (I also help in the Sibs room about once a month). The other families are also all really nice. I'm so thankful we found such a great school close by!
What a grin! :)
This is the church where his preschool is held (the co-op rents the space). It's a nice, newer facility.
Walking back to the classrooms after washing hands when we arrived. On the first day (Sept 17), all the parents stayed with their kids and it was a short day, to get them acclimated a bit before drop-off the next time. He had so much fun exploring everything. I wasn't sure if he'd have separation issues the next school day (when we tried some drop off classes once a week last fall, he was upset off and on through all 5 classes!) but it wasn't an issue at all. He was so excited that he was running to get inside!
We made his own bag together the first day :). He brings this each day and hangs it on his hook with his coat, and his art projects and other things go in it.
Ry loved this parking lot right away! He LOVES to play with Hotwheels cars.
Early in the year they studied spiders. They were supposed to look out for spiders at home (and the teacher even invited them to catch one and bring it in for everyone to look at), and that very week, Ry looked up at breakfast and was the first to spot this amazing spider web on our porch! The sun was hitting it in just the right way at that moment, and lit it up. We've never seen a spider web in just that spot like that before! (I really think things like this are little ways God looks down and says "I made this for you... I love you!")
Some of his art... spider web (marble painting)
They also studied salmon when the salmon were returning up Issaquah Creek
And apples when it was apple season
Maylee on the slide in the sibling room. :) I was the mom in the room the first few times for Just For Sibs, which I think helped her get used to the room and going there. I also wasn't sure what she would do the first time I worked in Ry's class and had to drop her off (prior to this she still would cry sometimes even when we left her with a sitter she knew and loved)... but she also did great! And the moms in there have said she continues to do really well. Woohoo!
More of the sibling room
Ry's first school field trip... to the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery! (Ry is in the bright green/blue/black coat on the right looking at salmon in the salmon ladder).
The group walked there and it was rainy, but the kids had fun and there was so much water that we got to see salmon jumping OVER the damn (a first for me)!
Ry's class at the Hatchery
Rylan got to the be the class VIP for a week in October. Such a neat thing for the kids! (They do this instead of celebrating on birthdays with summer birthdays and only having school 2 days/wk.)
He got to sit in a special chair for circle time, go first in line for everything, and explain his photo book to the class with Teacher Steffany's help (LOVE these little books... they call them "comfort books" and we made them before the year started with pictures of family and what Ry likes to do... they are available in the book area and they have them if they're sad when away from their parents in school, or just want to look at them or show their friends.)
First in line to to outside to play!
Playing with a digger on the playground
Here are some close-ups of his crown from later in the day :)
It had a "4" on it to show he's 4 years old :)
In October his class went to the Two Brothers pumpkin patch at Game Haven Farm in Carnation to pick pumpkins
We also got to watch the adults feed a few calves
Ry and his pumpkin
He also really wanted to get the small gourd in his right hand for Daddy :)
Painting "jack-o-lanterns" in October
My turn to work in the snack room! This was the week after the pumpkin patch visit. Rylan loves my pumpkin bread that I make often and actually requested that I bring it in... so I made some up (baked a pumkin and all) and brought in the roasted seeds. He also requested raisins and we added some satsuma mandarins which he loves to peel himself now. The kids loved it all :)
Dressed up for Halloween and singing at their first school performance!
Afterwards we went out to wave to cars and got lots of friendly beeps and smiles :)
His buddy Ethan also dressed up as an astronaut!
Halloween cookies for snack
My turn to work in the dramatic play room... they had the marble run out that day and Ry and the other kids loved it!
It's been so great to see Rylan having fun, making friends and learning from his loving teachers and other parents!!
