Two-And-a-Half Years Old: A Typical Day in the Life of Noah

Noah just recently turned two-and-a-half. As I was looking back, I realized that we have not described a typical day in the life of Noah in a while. That is partly because anytime something new or exciting happens, we post it. And partly because, since he started school, a typical day in the life of Noah has not changed in any big way but has progressively evolved. You don't really notice the difference till you look back. So here goes...

Noah gets up around 7:30-8:00 when his rabbit wakes up with a "maman, maman, lapin reveille" (mommy, mommy, rabbit awake) and waits in his big boy bed for me to come say good morning Noah and rabbit. He has a kid's alarm clock with a rabbit who "wakes up" ie lights up usually at 7:30. A great great invention.

He then drinks some milk (either cow or soy) in his Swiss cow mug (it has to be the right cup/mug) while we read a book or just cuddle.

We then change out of the night diaper (which more often than not, contains his morning poop) and pjs and put his underwear and school uniform on (beige shorts and a white polo - see below for pics in the uniform) and head off to school usually in the stroller but increasingly on foot or by scooter. As I drop him off, he runs in happily looking for his friends and favorite toys or if we are a bit later than usual, joining the singing circle.

He spends the next four hours in school, playing, drawing, learning, having fun and... eating (see last month's School Life Post for more details on school life). They have breakfast, a fruit snack and lunch during those four hours! He seems to like school and his teachers and friends. And is increasingly able to tell me what happens during those mysterious 4 hours. 

I pick him up around 12:30. Waiting at school is the parade of strollers.

And Noah's brand new N1 shoe cubby.

As I walk in, they call out Noah's name. He is usually at one of the common tables engrossed in some activity like building a tower or reading a book and it takes a few "Noahs" before he looks up and then eagerly runs over to me.  

On this particular day, he was very excited because he went by the school kitchen on his way out and was able to get the cook to give him some extra apple slices...

Sharing apple slices with his friend Elias outside school.

Rearranging the seating.

After playing for a bit just in front of school, we head downstairs, where we often stop to play "1,2,3 soleil" or "what time is it Mr Wolf" (variations on getting from one side of a room to the other where the counter or the wolf is standing) with Elias and his Aunty. After a brief (or not-so-brief) interlude, we head  home with Elias and his Aunty. On the way home, the kids stop over at the playground.

First things first, Noah makes sure the slide is dry, clean and not too hot (it can get broiling if the sun has been beating on it for too long). On this particular day, there were many little leaves on the slide so Noah brushed them away.

15, 16, 17, 18 GO!

Ok - now Elias's turn!

Bye Noaaaaah....

At 2pm Noah goes down for his nap with two stories and a kiss. He is usually up by 3pm. The immediate period after he wakes up from his nap is a crucial one as he is usually very touchy. Gouter has to be had just when he wakes up or major unhappiness ensues. In order to ease the wake-up process, we pick out his gouter, the type of milk, the cup and fruit, before the nap. Once he has had his gouter, he is usually back to his normal happy self.

After gouter, we read or play for a bit and then we go out for his afternoon playdate (Mondays with Kathryn, Tuesdays with Matthias and Jeanne, Wednesdays with Audrey, Thursdays with Daniel and Fridays with Lola). It is a good mix of girls and boys, older and younger kids, and French-speaking and English-speaking kids. What is funny to me is that he is a bit different with each of his friends. With Kathryn, he is usually calmer and more gentle, with Matthias and Jeanne more thoughtful, with Audrey, who is 7, more talkative, with Daniel he is more energetic and active and with Lola he is more big-brotherly (she is 10 months younger).

With a few of his friends, we do a weekly toy and book exchange which has been lots of fun. Each week, we bring 2-3 books and a game/toy for them to have for the week (and return last week's exchange books and game) and receive 2-3 books and a game/toy for the week. Noah has discovered some great toys/games and books that way.

Typical playdates include going to the nearby park which has a great train to climb around and slide down from and lots of sand to play in, going to an indoor play-gym, going to one of the many local HDB (Housing Development Board) playgrounds, going to a friend's house (or having friends over) for some playing, reading and/or crafts, going to a museum or going to the pool.

The day I took these pictures happened to be a Wednesday - playdate with Audrey. First some painting...

On paper and on face...

Then some playground fun. One, two, three...

... jump.

Ok, now Audrey's turn.

What's down there?

Caged animals...

Look....

It's tarzan!

Off they go back home.

On Wednesdays, Noah has his swim lesson with his buddies at our building's pool in the evening. Here he is ready to head out. Although it is generally warm here, sometimes the kids get cold in the evening in the pool, hence the thicker bathing suit. Noah is the youngest in the swimming class and was a bit apprehensive at first (sometimes clinging to me like a koala) but he now seems pretty comfortable jumping in and kicking and blowing bubbles and going underwater.

We generally get home anywhere between 6:30pm and 7:30pm from a playdate and around 8pm Seth comes home and we all have dinner together. We play with Noah for a bit either one of his many different card games (bip, bisous dodo) or other games ("cherries" or "other cherries") or whatever other game is on toy exchange. Or we read some books (looks like either they are reading upside-down here or the jacket was not in the right direction).

and then around 9pm we start the bedtime routine. We alternate who puts him to bed. The parent putting him to bed gives him his milk (these days in a normal cup), showers him, brushes his teeth, puts on the night diaper and pjs, reads him two stories and then lights out - big boy down and ready for another exciting day.