Itsy Bitsy and So Grown Up.

OK, this really needs a video.  Soon I should have the skills to create and attach such a thing.  In the meantime, you'll just have to use the powers of mental visual imaging...

We've been singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" with James for a while.  A few times in the last weeks, I've seen him do the motions for the rain falling down.  Well, on Friday morning, we were having our morning snuggle time all together in bed.  James was sitting up, and I suddenly realized he was doing the spider motions with his hands.  He was looking at them himself, very deliberately.  I started singing, and Dan joined right in.  James proceeded to do the motions for the entire song!  SO EXCITING!  We gave him quite an ovation.

I was so delighted that we had gym class later that morning (it had been snowed out on Wed.).  Usually we sing "Itsy Bitsy..." during circle time.  Wouldn't you know that we did NOT do it this week.  Boo.  The class still had some great moments, however.  

There were NINETEEN toddlers there (which means 20 adults-- the teacher & the guardians) since the Friday class is already pretty big and all the Wednesday crew was there too.  Well, James was not deterred by the crowd.  He spent lots of time in the ball pit as usual.  He also danced to the music and then hit the two slides.  (This, by the way, is his normal gym class routine.  He has become more and more skilled and independent in this play.)  

After the free-gym-time, we have the aforementioned circle time which includes singing and parachute play which is followed by bubbles then a goodbye song.  James, like many of his classmates, tends to run off during the parachute business to try to get in a few more rides down the slide.  Well, he was half-way up the stairs to the slide when the bubble machine started.  He looked over, said "bubbles" and practically leaped off the slide!  (I caught him.)  He then ran over to the center of the crowd of kids & bubbles and shouted "bubbles."  So cute!  He was so enraptured that he actually tipped over (it was pretty crowded).  

When the teacher told them to come get clappers for the goodbye song, James got so excited.  There were lots of kids between him and his teacher, but he was not deterred.  He mapped out a course and took off running to the side and back that got him right up front in a jiffy.  There he stood eagerly reaching up for his clapper.  I wish I could have videoed this moment.  It was amazing.