January 2021

Happy 2021, folks! We can't pin all of our complaints on 2020 anymore. COVID numbers are high, and vaccines are out. Someone pointed out recently that we are actually living history right now. Will we manage to save ourselves and our sanity? Hopefully, we'll learn that answer this very year. Until then, we'll look at cute pictures and videos of children when they're cute. And sigh. And breathe. And pretend that our sanity remains within reach.


That time the children lost any opportunity to watch TV but somehow convinced Jon to let them watch TV after dinner if they did ALL the things:


This guy turns 4 next month. Holy holy moly.

I win parenting.

excited to plant arugula seeds in honor of Tu B'shvat from PJ Library and draw daily observations

When my 96-year-old grandmother asked to video chat with our family, we were so delighted, impressed, and happy to oblige!

Wondering where more Gabi was in January? Check out the entire post dedicated to HER EIGHTH BIRTHDAY or the entire post dedicated to all the fur babies that she loves deeply. See you next month, bloggers!

TCDC January 2021

Pandemic continues. TCDC continues. The lack of socialization outside of cousins continues. The gratitude for cousin socialization definitely continues. The getting alongly-like continues. The learning continues. And the system works. Keep on breathing.

We go outside twice a day most days.

Just in case anyone's worried about the supervisor-child ratio, Dewey is here to help!

Puppy Reggie joined the group this month!

partner games

using multiple colors of dry-erase markers to practice "rainbow writing" to reinforce sight words and letter formation

Every now and then, I get a sweet moment with a game that all 5 can play and participate with. This learning game had the right challenge for Ethan and Joey mathematically, helped Gabi with patience, and scaffolded the littlest two with number sense and color sorting.

This month, we took time to read and learn about Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, and other brave black individuals who advocated that they be treated with as much respect as anyone else. Then, each child wrote and drew about their own big dreams, inspired by MLK and others' well-deserved dreams.

"safe room"

"I hav a bream that thar will be no mor fieting."

Completed work!

"I have a dream that everyone will have FUN!"

"I have a dream that no pets get lost."

We also had the privilege of watching President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their inauguration day, an important day in history that we're hoping restores respect, science, and dignity and leads to the long repair of a broken country.

Collaborative effort built Duplo Inauguration at the Capitol: On the dome are Biden and Harris with the microphone. The doting crowd is on the left; Spiderman's representing with the mask. Two new White House puppies are on the lawn below. And inside the airplane with Shayna is the villain from the Spiderman set...

Towards the end of the month, TCDC recognized the Jewish holiday of Tu B'shvat, the birthday of the trees. After reading several books about the specialness of trees, we all worked together on our "TCDC Tree," writing leaves about why "a tree is nice" followed by illustrating the group tree as well.




Tu B'shvat festivities continued with homemade trail mix and a nature walk!

Hug a tree!

Pandemic continues, and so do we. See you next month, TCDC.