Day 11: Fall Frenzy

I have been having a lot of trouble trying to get Ariel to take naps lately.  In fact, she has never once taken a nap after attending Preschool when she is the MOST TIRED and most in need of a nap!  Part of the frustration of trying to get your child to nap, besides the fact they need it, is a feeling of lost time and energy spent going around in circles that ultimately ends in defeat.  

Typical day, right after lunch, at nap time:

Me:  "Ariel, let's go read some stories!  Hooray!  It's time for stories and quiet time."

Ariel:  "NO!  I don't want to read stories.  Just play.  No quiet time!  I'm awake, I'm AWAKE, I'M AWAKE MOMMY!"

So, today I decided to give in. Instead of trying to get Ariel to eat some lunch and whisk her off to bed, I decided we would follow little Elyse's schedule instead.  In lieu of giving her a nap, I decided to put my toddler to work raking and picking up leaves so that we could accomplish something.  

With a lot of enthusiasm from the crowd, out we all went into the bright day's sun to spend some quality time together outdoors.  The patchwork photos that follow help tell the rest of the story of how the day turned out in the end.

We like to start off our day right with a double dose of daddy's help:)

With fall activities, comes SCHOLASTICS book ordering!  Part of our order came in today from Preschool, and Ariel was into it!  Her favourite purchase so far is a math book that comes with a set of 16 coloured teddy bears for counting, sorting, patterning, etc.

She insisted the bears be photographed

Just as she insisted the other day that these fish be photographed

Busily working on her math skills

After lunch, time to head outside:

Elyse the quiet observer:  following in her sister's footsteps

Ariel was an excellent helper.  After we finished playing, she helped me pick up all the leaves and put them into the bags.  She insisted on wearing one of my gloves, and using her own rake as well.

Elyse was grabbing all the leaves and then toppling backwards

'"Don't throw your baby out with the leaves"

Lysie

Hooray for fall!

After we played outside, I took both girls in for a snack.  Ariel and I read Elyse a quick story in her room, put her in her sleep sack, and out the door we went.  I read Ariel one of her new books, Click Clack BOO! and then put her in her bed.  She got out once:  her frantic little footsteps charging at the door, followed by "MOMMY!"; but she was quickly ushered back to her bed where she stayed and SLEPT!  Hallelujah!  Of course, Elyse stayed awake, BUT she was quite content to lay in her crib giggling and babbling for close to an hour.

And so, my day ended serenely.

During one of those rare peaceful moments of solitude I experienced today in my kitchen, I happened to gaze out the window and saw this little guy working on his nut.  He reminded me of a cross between Scaredy Squirrel and the mouse from The Gruffalo:  

"All was quiet in the deep dark wood; the squirrel found a nut and the nut was good."

Halloween is coming...BEWARE of adorable pumpkins! :)