Celebration of Life

"The earth went around the sun... 5 times... since Evelyn was born."
In Montessori classrooms they do a something a little different for birthdays. There is a candle lit in the center of the room to represent the sun, the months of the year are placed around the candle, and the child whose life we are celebrating walks around the "sun" while holding a small model of the Earth. We sing the little song (above) as they walk, and then they pause as the teacher (or student) reads a paragraph from their special photo book... for each year since the time of their birth. Then usually the parent provides some kind of treat. But since sugary treats aren't allowed and there are numerous allergies to worry about, there can't be any cupcakes or cookies... So, this afternoon I brought cubes of cheese stacked with pineapple chunks and grapes on toothpicks.
Poor Alice isn't feeling well today. I'm thinking her molars might finally be coming in. She's got a bit of a fever, but no other symptoms and her appetite is fine. It's a bummer to see her so unlike her usual active self, but I'm sure she'll be running wild again in no time.