The Preschool Dilemma

Hi friends and family,

There are big changes on the horizon for the 4 Webbs. Nothing good or bad, just moving through the stages of toddlers, two at a time. The biggest decision we are actively working is whether to send the twins to pre-school and if so, where. The more distant question of home schooling vs. public schools is still a couple of years off so we'll figure out how to navigate that situation when it gets closer.

I never knew 3 year olds go to pre-school. My mindset was always "4 years old = preschool, 5 years old = kindergarten, 6 years old = 1st grade". Before we had Easton and Layla I thought kids 0-4 years old just sit around in play pins and drool on themselves.

We did some preliminary research and there is a waiting list for some schools, which seems completely bizarre to me. Also, hearing there is a cost associated with preschool was disheartening.

To put things in perspective, I had no younger brothers or sisters and barely ANY memories before the age of 5. All of these "stage of childhood" discussions are completely foreign to me and seem to come out of left field. I did pretty well with the first year because I read some books and had a full 9 months of Kendra's pregnancy to get a head start. However, It feels like I'm already falling behind in my understanding of age 3, which is coming up in 4 months. Time to dig into the books again! I'll add that topic in between what I'm currently reading, "Good to Great" by Jim Collins and before I start "Where Keynes Went Wrong" (Thanks, BJ).

Before we get into the details of our adventures please allow me to get this one rant off my chest. There is an aspect of parenting I've grown to despise, which is continually telling the twins to eat. Every meal is a continuous struggle where I (we) repeat "eat your (insert food)!" constant supervision is required otherwise they start talking and smearing mustard on their face. The reason this wears on me so much is because we've been doing it since their first bowl of rice cereal at 10 months old. I long for the day when we put a plate of dinner in front of them and they just eat. No coaxing or begging or debating or bribing with dessert. just eat. What a glorious day that will be. This blog will have a celebration post like never before.

I feel much better... thanks. It took the better part of a week to get back in the groove of normal week, but we're finally at that point. Feeding the ducks at the park is back on the weekly routine.


In this next picture you see bread in Layla Ruth's mouth, Layla Rae's hand, and between Aprils toe. I didn't attend this particular park trip so I had to ask Kendra, "which bread did the ducks eat?" I guessed probably NOT Layla Ruth's mouth, but wasn't sure whether a duck would be more brave in taking it from our intense, sweet Layla Rae or from April's ultra-still foot. Kendra said both were successful!


Most of the pictures I post on the blog are cropped down to just show the people since there is limited space on the webpage. However, I want to share one picture of our neighborhood park to get an idea of what a top-notch Arizona park looks like.


The important thing to notice in the next picture of Easton is (drum roll, please)... Big Boy Underwear! Tada!


The whole potty training concept isn't exciting for Easton, yet, but he is willing to play along to get M&M candies for each successful trip to the potty. Neither of them are consistent and accidents do happen, but at least this is a step in the right direction.

Art time is a different story. This is what happens when you give a toddler water-based paints, a paint brush, and 4 minutes of unsupervised time. Maybe he was just putting on camouflage paint for deer season?


One other humorous situation with Easton involved the slide and the sit-n-spin. The twins were going down the slide when Easton had the bright idea to put the sit-n-spin to the side of the side so when they came off the end they would zip across the sit-n-spin. The idea actually worked... until he decided to move the sit-n-spin directly in front of the slide. Luckily both of his legs went to one side of the sit-n-spin post and he didn't have a painful experience with straddling it.


This morning the 4 Webbs went for a stroll to the supermarket down the street. I drove the bike, the twins rode in the Chariot, and Kendra roller bladed. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a Saturday morning than to get outside and do something active.

The twins chowed down muffins, eggs, and scones. Layla took a bit of my sausage and asked, "Daddy, what is that?" I started to describe it, but froze with my mouth open as I considered what the best answer would be. After a long pause and confused look from Layla I said, "meat" and carried on to the next topic. Easton didn't care to question what he was eating. He just asked for "the orange muffin" and ate happily.


We took the opportunity to chat with Oma and Opa on Skype. I asked Layla if she would dance like a ballerina for Oma and Opa. She said yes, but requested a wardrobe change into her tutu and angel wings. As a part of her dance which included barrel rolling on the floor, summersaults, and the downward dog yoga pose, she also did this twitchy move where she would twist her upper body back and forth rapidly. Oma asked what she was doing. Her response: "I'm flapping my wings!"


The other quandary we are in right now is what to do about the bed situation. The twins are each in their own crib with a tent which prevents them from climbing out. The cribs are convertible, but Kendra doesn't want to bother with converting them for only a few months of use until they get too big for the mattress.

We are working through options and decided to take a jog through IKEA to get ideas and see how a trundle bed might work into our solution. I say "jog" because Easton and Layla hold our hands and pull us forward like Iditarod mush dogs as they lunge forward from one piece of furniture to the next. We stopped for $1 frozen yogurt before hitting the mile-long journey inside.


We are closer to a solution, but now we are getting to the purchasing part so it's time to really nail down what we plan to do.

I gave Easton a few slimy, stretchy pretend amphibians as a surprise gift. Now he asks for the snake and his airplane to be near him at all times including naps. I came in to wake him up and since he was so tired and unwilling to wake up I added props and took a picture.


I know... it's a juvenile thing to do, but Layla and I thought it was funny!

See you soon.