What a ham this one is! She has developed such a sense of humor (and a love for wearing sunglasses). I can’t get her to keep anything in her hair, but she loves wearing any kind of glasses, belts and my bracelets and necklaces. When she gets excited she just squeals with laughter and excitement. Her favorites things are going to the park and seeing her two best buddies. There are 2 special little girls in her life that are becoming her very best friends.
Her vocabulary is growing so much! She can pretty much mimic any word now a days. Not always the most clear but as her parents we know what she is saying. She loves saying animal noises. She is pretty good at about 15 or so animals. It’s really cute when you say “what does a so and so say?” because she has these little actions that she does that goes along with what animal it is. She is starting to say a few words together to make simple sentences. Her new favorites are “Where’s Dada?”, “Who’s dat?” and my personal favorite “it’s stuck”. I think that one is her favorite too. She walks around the house pulling things to see if they move or not and then asks “it’s stuck?” with a little tilt of her head.
When she runs I honestly have to try now to keep up. Before you could just walk fast and there was no way she was getting away from you. I have to keep my eye out because there is only a certain small distance I can let her go before I know I wouldn’t be able to catch her quick enough. She has the most animated little run! So cute.
We are thinking about putting her in a Montessori toddler program in the fall. We went to an open house this morning and we both loved it! I think it will be really good for her. I know it wouldn’t be be the best fit for every kid that age, but for her I know she would LOVE going so much. It’s only 3 mornings for a few hours. Have any of you enrolled your kids in a Montessori or Waldorf school? I would love to know how things are going? There is an outside Kindergarten at a Waldorf school around here and I am kind of thinking when she is that age it might be something we consider. I have read lots of articles on them and honestly it just seems magical. I grew up playing in the woods and have such fond memories of it. That is few years a head of us still and maybe its the teacher in me but I am just really excited about the idea of school and learning.
At 19 months I feel like we have entered into the home stretch till age 2. Which totally blows my mind. Every day I want to slow down time to enjoy each new stage a little longer. As much as I plan and dream for the future I am seriously trying to be in each moment because they pass in a blink of an eye. She is the brightest part of everyday. We just love her so much!
the first picture is the best / coolest pic of rowan EVER!
I went to a Montessori school here in Canada and it was the best schooling I’ve ever had! I, too, was only a toddler when I started but those schooling years were just the best. I have such fond memories of my time there. I was happy and comfortable. When I went to public school for grade one (and then Catholic school for highschool), I had a tougher time. The Montessori school gave me the one on one teaching I needed to strive, and strive I did! I remember loving my teachers and my classmates AND learning! Hope this helps!
I’ve never commented before, but felt compelled to today because of your Montessori question. I’ve been following your blog since before you were pregnant and I’ve also got a daughter just a few weeks younger than yours, as well as a son 4.5 yo son. My son has been attending a Montessori school for 2 yrs now – started when he was 3 – and we just absolutely love it! So much so that my daughter will be starting their toddler/ 2yo program this fall. We waited until 3 yo for my son, because it was hard for me to conceive of him in a “preschool” at 2. But now, having really seen and understood the Montessori process and seeing just how much he has grown and developed there we are quite confident that our daughter will do just as well and have no qualms about starting her at 2 yo. It’s really a wonderful thing watch them learning, growing, playing in such a great environment.
My aunt ran a Montessori for years, and I think it was wonderful for the sweet little kids that she educated and nurtured. I think it would be wonderful option for your family. 🙂
xoxo
http://www.natashafatah.blogspot.com
I went to a Montessori preschool and I loved it and my parents did too. I started when I was really young, too, and went for a few years before kindergarten so I think it could be great for Rowan! (I started when we moved from Vermont to Wisconsin and my mom became a stay-at-home mom. Since I was used to going to daycare I kept asking her why I had to be with her all day. I feel kind of bad about this now!) Both of my parents to this day talk about how my sisters and I learned “the basics” at Montessori and it definitely put us at an advantage going into kindergarten. Good luck with your decision!
Rowan is such an awesome little girl. I love the pictures with the super chic sunglasses and the little trickle of drool on her chin. Adorable!
Haha she is precious!!
xo
What a doll!!! SO darn cute! She is so full of life and wonder must be amazing just watching her explore (mostly from behind as you chase after her). XO
Oh my gosh i am dying over her and the sunnies!! she is just such a cutie pie!!
Beautiful post! As always I love the pics of Rowan! I can’t believe she is 19m already!!! Time flies by!!!! She is so so so cute Jen!
I don’t personally have children but I was a nanny for 2 years for a child who attended a Waldorf preschool, and my sister’s two children (ages 2 & 5) attend a Waldorf preschool and kindergarten. I ADORE the philosophy and the children in these programs, as I’ve observed, thrive and develop unique interests that make them more well-rounded. I lived in Denmark for several years and it is not uncommon for children at day-care, preschool & kindergarten to spend much, if not most, of their day outside, both for play and learning. If/when I have children, I would definitely consider an outdoor preschool, or at least one that prioritizes spending time outdoors.
SO cute!!! 🙂 My girl just turned 2 last week – I agree, this age is SO SO fun! I love being able to have conversations with her and hear all the funny things she picks up. And that toddler run – SO adorable (and FAST!)!! 🙂
I can’t rave enough about Montessori. I’m still learning more about it but I know my son LOVES it. It’s so much fun picking him up and hearing about all the wonderful things they are learning. It’s so hard now because with twins on the way the Montessori program is not enough hours for my 2 year old. I’ve looked at other preschool programs and they don’t even come close to Montessori.
Rowan seems to be such a precocious little one that she would probably LOVE a toddler preschool setting!!!
Ha! So cute. “It’s stuck” is also one of Eva’s favourite phrases!
As far as Montessori schools go, I’ve enrolled Eva in one. In Australia most don’t have “toddler” programs that allow you to leave your child at the school, but rather prefer parents to be involved in those early years. However, at 3 yrs old they start a preschool type program.
Oh. Goodness. Stop the adorable!!! <3
Oh my goodness that “cheese” picture is too much! I love hearing animal noises when they are this age. So precious. My kid goes around saying meow and it melts my heart.
– Sarah
agirlintransit.blogspot.com
Both of my nephews (4 & 6) attend a Waldorf school and my sister-in-law is a teacher for Waldorf and they love it. They talk about school non-stop and seem a lot more advanced education wise compared to some other children I have met at that age.
I’m personally a big believer in education and think children are never to young. My father gave us special home-school lessons when before we were old enough to start school and I am so grateful for that head start.
That first picture is adorable!!
We have our sons in a Montessori program. They stay for ‘after care’ as well, since both me and my husband work outside of our home. I have loved it. When they started, son #1 had just turned 3 and son #2 was about to turn 2. It is, by far, the best parenting decision we’ve made so far. We don’t have any Waldorf schools in our area, but I also can’t imagine being happier than I am with Montessori. Montessori matches my parenting style — relaxed and firm. We have boundaries, but freedom within the boundaries.
Oh, and I meant to say that our daughter will be going there, too, as soon as she’s 18 months old (which is next month!)
Haha! oh I love that first shot in the sunglasses. She looks like my grandmother on the patio! Too cute.
I can’t wait for this age…when that sense of humour and personality really comes out. Montessori schools are the best. I don’t have children…yet…but my friends that do put their kids into one (after a failed daycare program) and their kids speak French even so well now (Canada, obviously) and are so much more trained/educated. The focus is more on education, less on “play or do whatever” (not that that’s not important sometimes too).
I don’t have any input on schooling, but I do have input on how friggin’ adorable those photos are! I love that her high fashion photo shoot is accessorized with a ton of baby drool. She’s precious. Seems like you guys are doing a good job with this one!
maybe you can start teaching her the signs for the animals she can make noises for. my daughter loves her animal signs and it is adorable seeing her sign one when she sees it someplace!
as an 18 year old soon to be Montessori high school graduate who has never been in anything besides Montessori, I can’t speak any more highly of it. Going through the program has inspired me to peruse a career as a Montessori educator. Especially at the preschool level, the learning style is so inspiring- you’ll love it!
what a ham 😉
we have toured the Montessori schools and have always been impressed, but we chose a different path. my husband’s little sister went to Montessori up until kindergarten and they were very pleased. i think rowan would fit right in 😉
Hey Jen,
Ive been reading your blog for two years now but have never commented. I had to today though, to say:
Montessori is AMAZING. My parents strained to get the money to send me there, but it was worth every penny- I went there from 18 months old through sixth grade, and it gave me life skills that were essential to my success at a top national high school and a top university. It would be a fantastic choice for her!
Montessori is a wonderful program! Our daughter is grown now, but we loved and she loved her Montessori experiences. We firmly believe it influenced the wonderful young woman she has become 🙂
Rowan is just adorable!
My oldest daughter went to a Montessori preschool. She enjoyed it for a while and learned a lot. I really like the Montessori philosophy (self-directed play and learning, going outside everyday, and building community) and the learning materials were incredible. However, we found that Montessori was not a good fit for our daughter. By spring she told us that she didn’t enjoy school. We figured that she needed more structure and teacher directed learning. She is at a different preschool now and is doing well. While I do really like Montessori and often recommend it to other parents, we are one of the few examples where it just wasn’t a good fit for our child. I hope that helps and good luck! Btw, our daughter started Montessori preschool at the age of three.
If you ever do come to New Zealand like you’ve talked about before, you should come and check out my preschool – it’s not Montessori but we are Montessori inspired (our philosophy is quite unique, definitely not a day care but more formal education for age 2-5) and our outdoor area, which is already huge, extends onto a nz native bush park. I love it 🙂
Hey Jen! Before I taught K, I was an Assistant Montessori teacher, and I taught traditional preschool in a mixed age classroom. I think there are benefits to both– it all comes down to an individual child. Montessori is a philosophy that takes into account a child’s readiness; a Montessori teacher will guide him/her to activities that will support current needs or skills (i.e. you will see a lot of fine motor play in Toddler Montessori). You can walk into a Montessori classroom and see children doing different activities at different levels. In traditional Pre-K, we were more group and social based. We learned concepts as a class, and I trusted that my older children would “model” skills and appropriate behavior for the younger ones. I still pulled children for one-on-one work with me (i.e. if they needed help with language, math, etc.) but not to the extent of a Montessori teacher. I loved both schools. In my classroom now, I combine my favorite elements of each style.
You know Rowan best. If she doesn’t like it, you can keep exploring. Email me if you want to chat more.