Stuff

At lunch with Maddie (goofball)

Bathroom slate

A few random things. Anna now likes to wave goodbye. She does the side to side wave like most people do. If she wants more ice cream, she likes to give a short high pitched screetch. A third tooth on the top looks like it might be poking through.

Maddie starts Spanish tutoring tomorrow with her former Montessori teacher Miss Trina. She's looking forward to that. We're having "Mexican night" this Friday where we are going to try and speak as little English as possible.

We went to the Zoo on Sat. and met up with Maddie's bestest friends; Ashley and Audrey. We enjoyed speding time with them and their parents; Teresa and Jim. Our neighbor offered to sell them their house behind us. That would be great if they did! Maddie would be in heaven. We decided we'd have to put a gate up in the fence so we could go freely back and forth.

I had lunch with Maddie on Friday at her school. It was fun. It's amazing how in all her years at Montessori she could never eat within the time frame, but she was able to eat much faster at her school. Today she's having hot lunch (cheese pizza) for the first time! We'll see how that goes.

As Ryan professes "the floors are now substantially complete". He needs to do some finishing touches, including the trim/quarter round, and grout the bathroom. The bathroom looks great. We're ordering new bathroom hardware from Ikea. It will look pretty cool.

And today is my parents wedding anniversary. They're celebrating together in heaven for the first time in 9 years.

Kindergarten!

Getting ready to leave. Wearing her backpack full of "supplies"

Feeling kind of shy

In she goes. A little too fast for me. All the parents were wiping tears.

Mrs. Wittmuss' classroom (she's right inside the door there)

Still feeling a little shy as I sleuth a picture from outside in the hall.

Madeline Sue started kindergarten today! She said she was feeling a little shy but when it came time, she grabbed her teacher's hand and went straight in. I went by right after they went in and she looked like she was still feeling shy, but about thirty minutes later she looked pretty content.

Goodbye

From the moment of birth, the ensuing cries
come the inevitable start of goodbyes.

Goodbye umbilical cord stump, fuzzy fur,
goodbye lanugo, winkles and cradle cap.

Goodbye teeny cries, scooting, crawling,
babbling, and grunting. Goodbye rice cereal,
pureed foods.

No more rocking and nuzzling. Goodbye tiny
bites and breastmilk. No more biting, hitting
and crying. Goodbye sleeping on back.

Goodbye diapers and afternoon nap. So long
daycare, stroller, carseat and training wheels.

No need for band-aid patrol, close supervision.
Goodbye "mommy" and "daddy", dress-up and
princesses.

Goodbye Barbies, dolls and finger paints. Cherish
them while they are young, because goodbyes come
too quickly.

Hello daughters; my loves, my life, my girls.

Madeline The Great & Annalise The Supreme

As I prepare to plan Annie's birthday, I ask myself "who is Anna?". It must be a second-child of the same gender phenomenon because I have a hard time answering that question. Is it really that difficult to distinguish between the two girls? No and yes. It's hard for me to identify Annalise's identity. I hate admitting that but it's 100% true. Not only do they look the same, but they act very similarly too. That's not to say they aren't different because they are almost as different as they are similar. I don't compare them(in a competative way), but Anna is existing in a world with Madeline whereas Madeline grew up in a solitary environment. Anna was a much more content infant and baby, but a far more active near-toddler than Madeline. Annie is more vocal, more attached to her mama, doesn't like to listen to books, not as methodical, and more impatient. Annalise is unafraid and loves to explore. Madeline enjoyed staying inside the confines of a blanket laid on the floor and loved to sit and watch things. Madeline grew up fast, Annie seems to be taking her time. Anna crawled first but probably only out of her desire to explore versus a need to grow up. I can tell you all of these things about my babies, but I can't really tell you who Anna is, quite yet. I think she's holding that in to surprise me. Right now I would just describe her as a part of me.

As Madeline ventures off to kindergarten she is becoming more independent and less attached to me. She is very excited about getting milk for her morning snack at school. Recently she's been coming home with a myriad of interesting creations. I really need to take more pictuers of them because they're all so very unique. She makes tiara's, bracelets, capes, necklaces (and you name it) from paper. She loves to tape together paper stories she's created, cups and other objects. She loves to create things. It seems like she gets an idea of what she wants and then figures out a way to make it work. Everything is very unique and serves a specific purpose. She's our little inventor.

So, here's to you: Maddie the Great and Anna the Supreme; each your own person forever attached and eternally separate.

(btw: Maddie went to Fire Camp this week where she, once again, declared her undying desire to become a firefighter. She's going to be busy trying to manage all of these professions LOL)

New floors

Ryan installed the new cork floors in the living room. He still has the kitchen, bathroom and dining room to go. But he's feeling pretty good about his work so far! It looks great. They're very quiet and soft. I love them.

New teeth and a new trick

What? This old trick? Aww shucks!

I think I can do this

Oooh, look at me! I am really getting somewhere.

Woa, the view from up here is better.

I forgot to add that Anna is cutting her two top teeth simultaneously. Her two bottom teeth are coming in further. At least she is getting them at the same time so the experience is quicker.

A week or so ago she started climbing up the stairs. Ryan turned the corner and up she went.

Water

When I was about three years old I fell off the dock of a lake. I am told, because I have no real recollection of the event, that my dad swooshed me out. As I got older my older brothers would torment me by fishing me out to the deep end and proceed to dunk me under the water. Therefore, I have a real fear of the water. It doesn't stop me from swimming, going off the diving board or waterslides but I do feel nervous in the water. Because of that I wanted to make sure Madeline learned to swim. She started swimming lessons last summer and has excelled. This year she flew through level one and is able to pass out of level two. Last night was the last day of swimming class. They spend the class going off the diving boards and waterslides. Since Madeline knows how to front and back crawl for several feet she can now go off the slides and board by herself (without a lifejacket) and swim to the side. She prefers the security of dad in the water off to the side *just in case she needs him*. So last night she's enjoying the diving boards when the teacher said "do you want to go off the high dive?". Maddie replies "sure", shrugging her shoulders. She toddles up to the ladder, waits in line. I quiety walked up to the side of the board to watch the events unfold. Up up up she climbs. I was thinking she might get a little nervous once she saw the height. Nope, Maddie walked to the end of the board, leaned over and splash jumped right into the water. I didn't notice at the time but I think nearly the entire place had their eyes on her because everyone started clapping. Maddie never heard them because she was under the water. Did I mention that I've never been off the high dive? I am too chicken to go off. Now Maddie has done something, of probably many things, I've never done.

She went twice and, by the way, didn't know it was anything to be afraid of.