From teacher Angela: We enjoyed vegetable quesadillas for kids cook today. Madeline took a lot of care to blow on hers before tasting it. We also smelled the veggies and garlic before cooking them. Outside Madeline pushed a shopping cart through the weeds.

From teacher Angela: Madeline treated the short bear block as a runway. She stood on the end and sang "la, la!" as she twirled her way along it to the other end. When she could go no further, Maddie stepped off and went back to the beginning to do it again.

From teacher Angela: In the gym, Madeline and a friend sat in the boat. She moved her body back and forth to get it moving, then sang "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Madeline also worked with the Legos this morning. She pulled two from the basket and banged them together to make sounds.

From teacher Danielle: Madeline joined a friend as he danced to the toddler playground. Once on the playground we had snack and then turned on the music to dance. Maddie stayed out the whole time dancing to our favorite songs.

From teacher Angela: When we talked about our weekends, Madeline kept bringing up the dinosaurs that she saw on Sunday. She said that they were "small, not big." I asked her what they said, and Maddie replied "dead." We talked about them being extinct and sang a dinosaur song.

From Mom: Today was a great play day! After church we went grocery shopping and visited the bakery on the way out. (Madeline loves butter croissants.) After nap time, we headed down to campus for our first visit to the natural history museum where we explored the the dinosaur skeletons up close. This was a wonderful cap off to a week filled with much reading books and watching documentaries about dinos. After we dropped by the library to check out the tropical fish in the tank and checked out some movies. Then to the ice cream shop downtown for our weekly treat. Later, at home, we played outside and even chased fireflies before heading back in for more books and snuggle time before bed. I challenge you to top that for a $3 play day!

From teacher Angela: Maddie did well wearing underwear today. She talked a lot about how it wasn't a diaper and the fact that she uses the toilet. Madeline was very social with a visiting child. She ran over to the art table to pain with her and said "Hello! How are you?"

From teacher Angela: Madeline had her own pile of "moon sand" to explore this morning. She chose the yellow sand and small stacking cups. Madeline noticed that she could press the cups upside down into the pile and wiggle it. When she lifted it, the imprint made was a thick circle, rather than the thinner circle it made by pressing and lifting straight up only.

From teacher Angela: We sat on the island and watched the preschool marching band. After a few circles we joined in. One of Maddie's friends shared a big shaker tube with her that she carried in two hands. On the playground we read books at the picnic table.

From teacher Angela: Madeline washed her Aladdin doll during small group time. She washed his hair with a sponge, and talked about she takes baths at home. Also, in the morning, Maddie painted a group art project with thick brushes.

Madeline is proud of her new hairdo.

From teacher Angela: Madeline and two classmates sate together at the dramatic play table. Each of them made a meal to seat. Madeline put a tomato on bread and pretended to eat, then she shared the bread with a friend. During gathering Maddie shared that she had played with her cats this weekend.

From teacher Angela: Madeline and Nina spent their morning playing in another classroom. Maddie joined right in with the older children and imitated them in their housekeeping play. On the playground, she walked in circles around the gazebo pole singing "ring-around-the-rosie."

From teacher Angela: Madeline went around and around up the steps and down the slide over and over. After a few rounds she announced "I close my eyes!" and kept her eyes squeezed shut as she went back down and followed the route again. Outside, she mixed flour and water together to make a sticky dough.

From Mom: Tonight we are celebrating Madeline's first day at school sans diapers. This was the first attempt and she was dry all day. It's true that she's been using the toilet for more than a year now and also out of diapers on the weekends, evenings, and overnights but today we finally took the big step of no diapers at school. Setbacks are to be expected, of course. But for now, we are so proud of her!

From teacher Angela: Madeline went without a diaper all morning today. She did not ask to go to the bathroom on her own but did urinate every time she sat on the toilet. Madeline helped a teacher make biscuits for kids cook. She used a rolling pin to thin the dough and chose a square cookie cutter to make shapes.

From teacher Angela: On the porch, Madeline drew with chalk. She made squiggles then asked another teacher to draw a magazine for her to jump on. [Maddie's memory device nickname at school is "Maddie magazine."] When we went to the playground at the elementary school nearby, she went back and forth under the climbing structure. She peeked out the tunnel and shouted "hi!"

From teacher Angela: Madeline held a glitter shaker over a giant piece of painted paper. She shook it so hard that she covered her whole area with tiny silver flecks. WE moved rollers through it and watched how it spread glitter all around.

From teacher Angela: We had a real car wash with Laila's care this morning. Madeline used a sponge and washed the door and window. She brought a cup over to the house to be filled and then dumped the water over another child's head. He laughed at it!

From teacher Angela: Madeline stood under the mister sprinkler on the playground. She talked about the rain making her wet and we looked at the rainbow crated in the drops. Madeline and her friends walked through a maze made with milk crates in the "woods" (i.e. under the trees).

From teacher Angela: On the playground we filled spray bottles with water. Madeline chose the pink bottle and held it in her hands with the lever pointed away from her body. She squeezed it with her fingers and sprayer water onto milk crates ... and her toes!

From teacher Angela: Madeline and another child played a long game of chase on the playground. He ran after her as she darted through the trees and onto the climbing structure. Madeline also listened to us sing the "Bear Hunt" song on the playground and followed the movement instructions.

My weekly visits to the thrift shops are really paying off. Here are my most recent treasures: a dollhouse ($5) and "Aladdin" and "Jasmine" dolls from the Maddie's very favorite movie, "Aladdin" ($.50 each). Best of all, no additional plastic in landfills for Madeline to deal with in 20 years!