Building Blocks

Tomorrow I am attending a Building Blocks Conference for people working in early childhood developement & care.  It would be an understatement to say that I adore children. Even if I'm not directly working with children (which technically, as a mom, I do every single day...) I like to keep up on my education and continued learning in this particular field.  Knowing the mechanisms of a child's brain and how they development & interact with the world around them is key to owning and operating a photography business whose primary focus is children and families.  Not only that, but I'm a big fat DORK and get an absolute rush from the prospect of writing in a new clean notebook with a freshly sharpened pencil. 

And speaking of building blocks, Ava and I built the hugest tower of blocks today.  My little chickadee is growing and learning and talking 100miles a minute and I LOVE it!  I officially decided the other day to not completely throw away all of my education in child dev. and all the years of working with children and to "homeschool" Ava this year - her first year of school.  Granted she's only 2 but I'm treating her curriculum just as I did when I taught 2's at The Creative Playschool.  I will spend at least 30-40 minutes every day doing circle time, reading theme-centered books, finger plays, music, and a little bit of numbers & foreign language (spanish & french). The rest of Ava's "homeschool" experience will be based on learning through play activities, few scattered structured art/messy play, activities around the house (counting out snacks, help with laundry, picking up toys, etc) and also special activities & field trips such as storytime @ the library every other week, open preschool gym every other week, field trips with Ethan and other various errands and about-town experiences.  We setup a tiny area in the corner of our office with a little circle time bucket and a little weather chart, crayons, bubbles, playdough and other various, fun, 2-year enticing playthings.  We are super excited! 

So without any further babbling, here are some photos of our "super duper-de-licious tallest of tall tower of blocks"!

...after they all "fall down"

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." - Joe Fox (You've Got Mail)