Shawn and Abby were very playful at breakfast this morning.  They both made their fair share of silly faces for the camera.  I can’t say that a whole lot of eating was accomplished though!

We went to Music II and Family Gym at Gymboree today.  In Music, there’s an activity we call the “Ba-Bas” where the Miss Elizabeth leads us in an echoing exercise of simple vocal rhythms (a.k.a. Ba-ba!).  The kids’ favorite part is that she uses a play microphone to show whose turn it is to say the rhythm.  She starts us and the parents echo in unison a few times.  Then we go around the circle.  She starts, the parent echoes, she repeats, and then points the microphone at the child… who may or may not repeat the rhythm.  No matter what the child does (says, “Ba-ba,” points at the microphone, smiles, leans forward, hides his face, whatever…) Miss Elizabeth is always beaming with praise for the effort made.  Anyway, Abby shows no shyness when it comes to “Ba-Bas.”  She waits for her turn, but then confidently chimes in “Ba-ba,” right on cue - and pretty well in rhythm with Miss Elizabeth’s lead!  Shawn isn’t quite as interested in performing for others.  He follows along and he waits for his turn (sometimes he’ll even whisper “Ba-ba” while we’re waiting!), but when it comes to saying “Ba-ba” into the microphone, he clams up.  Sometimes he’ll smile as he hides his face in my arm, but he just doesn’t seem to like being the center of attention.  I don’t think it’s the toy microphone that bothers him because Diego uses one in Spanish class and Shawn loves playing with it.  It took him a while before he’d speak in Spanish class, so maybe he’s just not ready yet.  Regardless, both kids did a great job listening and following directions throughout class – whether they were vocal or not!

In Family Gym, it was the second week of the transportation theme.  This time we were using the different modes of transportation (train, plane, car, boat…) to go on a trip to Gymbo’s house.  We had to pack a bag (of scarves) and then we did an activity on the equipment that represented the different vehicles we had to take to make the journey.  We also played a game of Red Light, Green Light while the kids “drove” mini-hulahoops as cars.  Shawn and Abby liked that game, though I had to help them stop for the red lights!  On the way home, we practiced saying, “Red light means STOP!  Green light means GO!” whenever we came to a stoplight.  I have to agree with the kids, green lights are much more fun!

When we got home, they kids know to take off their shoes and coats and to put them away in their baskets.  They’ve gotten pretty good at knowing the routine, but with all of the cold weather gear on, it can be a little tricky to get it all off on their own.  Abby’s showing that she wants to try to do it, even if she needs a little help sometimes.  Once we get their shoes, hat, gloves, and coat off though, they’re both pretty quick about tossing them into their baskets so they can go play.  I love watching them become independent.  They look so proud when they finish their “jobs”!