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Sophia Rose
Born Thursday, April 3, 2008
10:02am
9 lb 8 oz
21 inches long
Everyone is doing well.
We are so happy for you! Jacob is so proud!
James Thomas Maurice
Born Monday, March 31, 2008
10:16 am
8 pounds, 15 ounces
19 1/2 inches
Mother and baby are very well and happy, and Dad, brother and sister are ecstatic.
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Does Jacob have a baby sister yet?
Or Georgia – is Ms. Sylvia here yet?
Keep us posted – pics too…
Can’t wait to meet all the new babies when we return from spring break.
So many times this year I have said; “We spent the first three months of this year teaching empathy.” And while we did do some other important learning, this statement is so very true. And teaching empathy is so very important. We had a rough beginning to this school year that included a good deal of hurtful teasing, but we paused, took stock, and then plunged forth with intention to solve what we saw as a lack of empathy and focused almost all of our attention on finding our inner compassion and understanding.
One of the ways we have always incorporated empathy is through bi-weekly visits to Daystar, a local retirement center. I have also previously had my baby, toddler, now four-year-old in my classroom as an example of caring and nurturing. When my daughter was in my class, I noticed how the other kids would watch the way I held her, fed her, packed her in the sling and in the backpack. They would then in turn, do the same with her as she begin to toddle around the room. They would also copy me with dolls in slings. But she hasn’t been in the class this year because she finally has the autonomy to be in her own class and is ready to find her way without me at times.
This week, the article, “Teaching Empathy” came out in Parent Map and as I was reading it, I saw so many examples of the way we went about teaching empathy in our classroom. It then touched on the idea of having babies in the classroom and it brought up so many memories of my baby in the classroom and ideas about the new siblings being born in our students families that I invited our newest baby in for a long visit, so that the kids could hang out and ask Anne Marie questions, (I love that in our world moms are rock stars) stroke his little head and feel the love that only a new being can bring.
Justin kept patting him, Asher told us about seeing his sister being born and about how he “knows so much about babies” and big sister Isabel was there to watch over the entire proceedings. As we were loving on little Andres, I started thinking again about our visits to Daystar and how they are such an important part of this empathy piece we hold so dear. I hadn’t planned the baby visit and Daystar all in one day but some days are just serendipitous like that.
Andres, Anne Marie, Isabel and some of the class…
Our visit to Daystar the very same day…
I wish I could express the joy that the kids bring to Daystar. This trip, Alex talked about his winter vacation in the form of an oral story.
Here is a bit of Alex’s story…
Then Amalie read Stella, Queen of the Snow. Her intonation and inflection was spot on for this story. The seniors were laughing and shaking their heads in glee. She sat in the chair in her pink tutu, occasionally hopping up and down, reading the story and then showing the pictures to everyone, stating all the seniors names as she showed the picture to make sure that they could all see. It was one of the best moments EVER!
Here is also a tiny bit of her reading (although I ran out of room on my camera for the hopping and glee.)
Anne Marie brought Andres in for a visit. As we were all ooh and ahh-ing, Amalie busted out with “HE IS SO ADORABLE!” Just what we were all thinking.
Welcome Andres Nickoli, we love you already!
Andres Nickoli Ortiz
Born on December 29th (also Harriette’s birthday!) at about 11:30pm weighing in at about 7lbs 9oz and roughly 20” long. Everyone is happily at home recovering, settling in, and getting to know each other.
Congratulations Isabel, Anne Marie and Rodrigo
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