Tony's pizza

We love this place, thought it's really called "Chicago Pizza." We have a way of giving fake names to places/people based on what we've read. Joshua has a book called the "Name Jar" and that's how we got Tony's Pizza. The crust is crispy and awesome. And now, they have great outdoor furniture so we can sit in the shade and people/traffic watch on Mass Ave.

Stories, stories, stories

Joshua has begun to enjoy reading together small classic chapter books like "Call of the Wild" by Jack London, and "Stuart Little." It's a lot of fun for us too, as it replaces the repetitive firetruck books he's been obsessed with. His obsession with drawing firetrucks has also finally come to an end.

Needing "Assistance"

We got Joshua's latest "report card" from his preschool. Overrall, he is just a superstar. He is "always focused on the teacher during circle time and small group activities". The teachers say that they can always count on Joshua to answer a question about something they have been learning about. "Joshua is a very curious learner." I think he takes after me!
But also, his teachers say, "he continues to need assistance when it involves a peer that has done something to him that he doesn't like ... there are times when his feelings or body is hurt and he needs to cry to move on." The teachers then try using yoga breathing techniques to help him calm down. Joshua is sensitive, and fragile. Annette sees him at school, strategic in his play to avoid conflict. In that way, I guess he is also like me.
Right now, he's been assigned to MLK Jr school in Cambridge, one of the schools with more of the rougher kids. We're not sure how he will do there. We don't think we can shelter him his whole life, but it seems that he is needing more "assistance" with handling conflict with peers right now. So we're thinking about enrolling him in a Montessori school. Never thought I would be sending my child to private school for kindergarten!

Holding Hands

It's very sweet how Joshua likes to hold our hands when we walk together. Today, it was super hot in Cambridge--90 degrees, and as I was walking him to school, we were both sweating profusely (we share that characteristics) and our palms getting soaked. I suggested to him, "How about today let's not hold hands because we are so hot and sweaty?" "OK daddy," he says. He releases my hand, wipes some sweat off his forehead, and then grabs onto my hand again. I didn't mind. I want to remember these days forever.

Playing with Yeh-yeh

The boys had fun playing with yeh-yeh: