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Molly's 5 Year Old Interview

How does it feel to be 5?
I don't know.

What do you think will be the best thing about being 5?

Being able to reach things better.

What makes you the happiest?

Snuggles with mom.

What is your favorite thing to do?

Coloring.

What is your favorite animal?

Kittens.

What is your favorite food?

Thai Food.

What is one thing you'd like to try this year?

Skiing.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An artist. An animal rescuer. And an author.

What is your favorite color?

I have a new favorite. It is turquoise.

What is your favorite book?

Girls Hold Up This World.

What do you think that means?

That I am a very smart, capable girl.

What would you do to make the world a better place?

Volunteer to get plastic gloves and a plastic bag and pick up trash around the world.

Lessons about the world

I have always loved to travel and live abroad.  I love learning about other places and cultures.  And I have every postcard that I've ever received (circa early 1970s to now).  We have a globe in our living room, and Molly and Jonathan and I have logged many hours spinning it, picking out a place, looking it up...exploring.  So when I came across this map project on pinterest I jumped all over it.  I ordered the fabric, I ordered the tube of landmarks.  My mom is sewing the fabric map.  We're very excited.  And I got an idea. 

I posted a message to my facebook friends asking for their help.

Hi Friends! I'm working on a geography project for Molly (and Lola...later :) And I need your help...

If willing, would you mail us a postcard from your town/city/state/country with an at least one noteworthy and important fact or characteristic of where you live??
If you are up for it, message me and I'll send you our mailing address.
Thanks!

Replies starting rolling in right away and it's only been a few minutes.  Friends are glad to help.  I can't wait to start receiving the postcards, em...for Molly and Lola to start receiving the postcards.  (oh, the thrill of getting mail as a kid!)

I'm excited about this project and hope it instills wanderlust in my girls.  I'll post pictures as the project develops.

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Fiona the fish

Molly has been 'begging' for a pet. She started asking about a cat or a dog but I think she quickly realized her best bet was a fish. Then cousin Ella got a fish and the deal was sealed in M's mind. She talked non-stop about 'her' fish...the name, the bowl, where she'd put her...oh the need to have a fish was fierce.

I grew up with pets. I believe pets are a great way for kids to learn about life and responsibility. So we decided a fish might be a good start. For Easter we made her basket a bowl and included all the necessary things for a fish...and other goodies with a fish theme (i.e. clown fish gummies). It was fun to put together. And Molly was thrilled!

Yesterday we went to the store and M picked our her new fish. We got a betta because I had read that this is a good, hardy starter fish. Molly named her Fiona...after her favorite princess (Shrek), and she has quickly become 'part of the family.' Molly said, "I can't believe I have a sister and now I have a fish!" I think she sees them as pretty much the same.

5x7 Folded Card

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Our Scavenger Hunt Day

Yesterday was so much fun! We started at Pier 39 and the Aqarium of the Bay. This week is the Giant Pacific Octopus exhibit (which honestly was pretty sad). We loved the tunnel under the bay where we were surrounded by sharks, sting rays, starfish, and much more. It was very cool. Molly's favorite part of the day was touching the sting rays. We also saw banana slugs and a hedge hog.

After the aqarium we walked around Pier 39, had lunch at Boudin, watched the Sea Lions, and gathered some of our scavenger hunt items. We walked down past Fisherman's Wharf, found a place to squish a penny, and walked over to Ghirardelli Square for 'historic' ice cream cones! We also found a toy store called Lolas!

We ended our day with dinner with cousin Ella! Such a fantastic day! Today we put together our memory jar with our scavenger hunt items and now it sits on our bookshelf. Such a fun adventure!!

Anticipation

We are planning a scavenger hunt in San Francisco tomorrow. We are ready! We've packed a magnifying glass, scissors, markers, a notebook, binocculars, tweasers, a travel alarm clock turned play cell phone, zip lock bags, and a t-shirt (supposed to get warm but we know the coast...dress in layers).

We are planning to stay in the Pier 39-Fisherman Wharf area because we haven't really 'done' that area much and we want to go to the aquarium which is celebrating Giant Pacific Octopus Week--this week! We also want to have lunch and watch the bakers at Boudin Bakery and walk up to Ghirardelli Square and get ice cream at the Chocolate Shop and check out the Lola Toy Stop (come on...ya know, with a name like that we have to go!) If there is time, we hope to also hit the beach! Ambitious day but we're ready for adventure.

We put together a list for our scavenger hunt and plan to keep all our found treasures in a jar similar to this idea I found on pinterest. Here's our list:

a squished penny
sm. toy octopus
SF snow globe memoribila
sea shell
cable car trinket
something heart shaped ("I left my heart in SF")
ticket stubs
SF postcard
photo booth pics of the 4 of us
sand from the beach

And the list might grow when we're there. Keep you posted!!

Off to the park we ride

Bliss

Herbs and Breastfeeding--get this resource

Big Girl Ballet

Molly started a new ballet class today. She 'graduated' from her toddler class. So many big girl events of late. There's a whole new seriousness to her in class today. No messing around, serious, focused. Makes me a little sad. But then again she celebrated the move up today by dressing for ballet as a bumble bee. :)

Working Mama

Classes have begun...the spring semester is here. I'm teaching online...all of my classes. I'm thankful to have the option. I don't want to put my sweet baby girl--at only 7 weeks of age--into childcare. So I will teach online, which means late nights, but who sleeps anyhow with a newborn baby. I'm thankful. But I can't help but be a bit resentful. Not at my employers who have gone above and beyond the American standard and who are all very supportive of me. But of a culture that doesn't support family better. I talk with my friends in Sweden who have a year leave...paid at 85-90% of their salaries, who never have to factor work into their decision to have, or not to have, children, who live in a society with true 'family values,' and I long for what could be. For while I am thankful for my schedule and I do love my job...my dream job...I also want to sleep when my baby sleeps, spend hours watching her doing nothing in particular, take walks with her in the sunshine, nourish her, care for her, be with her...and not be worried about how I'm going to get grading done or post the next week's learning unit. I want a country who recognizes and appreciates that the job of raising a child, the future of a nation, is work. And it is a work that cannot be measured monetarily, but also should not be penalized as such. I want a country that values my contribution of healthy, functioning, thinking girls. I want a country that values family.

Sling Baby

Long live the binkie