Such a Funny Little Birdie

Friday night, Clara bonked her head pretty hard on the wall behind her while Julie read to her.  After it happened, Clara said, "I break the wall!"  Well, not quite.  After the last book, she popped her head under her blanket (the one with rows of brightly-colored triangles on it) and said, "Hi, trees!"

Kindergarten | A Progress Report

We went to Parent Information Night at Joe's school on Tuesday.  Principal Johnson went over again important things like please only park on the south side of the street when picking up or dropping off one's child, a rule that seems to be flatly ignored on most days.  This circumstance is humorous given that the first learning unit for kindergartners is about community, and the importance of rules and respect for others in building strong communities.  We heard all about that and more from Mrs. Dvorak when we all trooped up to her room from the gym.  She is one organized lady, Fans, which seems to be a pretty good thing to be when you are in charge of roughly 20 five and six-year-olds.  We like her a lot.  (She told us that she'll be distributing report cards twice this year.  Well, of course, but we'd sort of forgotten about that part of school.  Report cards.  Crazy!)

Joe seems to have taken to this whole kindergarten thing like a duck to water.  He is still a little apprehensive at drop-off at Kid's Place in the morning when another kindergartner he knows may or may not be there when he arrives.  He makes his way with such stoicism and spirit though.  Site Supervisor Gina tells us that he will often read his books from home, but now, sometimes, he will color with Audrey, a girl in his class.  Afternoons are easier because he and another boy in his class, Miles, arrive together.  On Friday, when we picked Joe up, he and Miles were pilling dirt and mulch up before snaking beaded jump ropes up to the piles.  We have no idea what that business was about, but it was heartening to see him busy and with a friend.  By the time we came back outside from signing him out, he and Miles were chasing each other all around the playground and we had to coax Joe away.  So the days are not without, still, some tough moments, but they are getting fewer and further between, bit by bit.

Happy Birthday Dear Daddy!

Of course perhaps this week's biggest news is that Ted turned 38.  The occasion was marked by the arrival of Grandpa Tom and Lynn, swinging in to the Twin Cities on their way back to Tucson.  They were in time for dinner and birthday cake.

Most mornings, the bambini snuggle in bed with Julie while Ted is taking a shower, but Wednesday morning, Julie was up out of bed first, and the bambini snuggled with Ted.  Joe remembered it was Ted's birthday, and started off the chorus of Happy Birthday, which Clara quickly joined in.  What a Hallmark moment, Fans, what a Hallmark moment.

And many more. . .

That's right.  We didn't have an 8.  So that's 3, 6+2.

How It Goes With the Big Girl Underwear at Night

In other Birdie news, nighttimes in big girl underwear have not always ended with Birdie and the undies dry.  She's had a few wet nights when she's slept through, a few dry nights, and, recently, a few wet nights when she wakes up and pads up to the big bed to announce to Ted that she needs new pants.  (This is what comes from sleeping on the side of the bed closest to the door!). He's left to draw the unspoken conclusion, but he's a smart guy.

Last night though, Biride came in like a stealth bomber--which is to say without a sound.  We were talking, when suddenly a seemingly sleepwalking Birdie rose up over Ted on the bed. She was just there, all of a sudden.  Wordlessly, she just started negotiating her way to the middle.  Ted asked if she was wet and when she said no, he asked if she needed to use the potty.  She said no--she'd come to snuggle in the middle--very matter-of-factly, sort of "Why are we all still talking here?"  Ted said he would take her back to her bed then.  But Birdie repeated herself, like maybe you didn't hear me, but I came to snuggle in the middle.  So she snuggled herself in the middle, clearly barely awake, and after a few minutes Ted carted her back to her bed.

Later, she appeared again to say she needed new pants.

Biride's Bad Spill

We took a walk Sunday evening after dinner so that the bambini would stay out of trouble and we wouldn't lose our minds.  Joe and Clara's friend Eli and Emma were outside with their handlers, Mr. Joe and Ms. Molly. A Midwestern drop-in! We love a Midwestern drop-in! They do as well.  When we were fixing to leave, we discovered that the girls had darted away to the backyard. AsBirdie   a making her way back to the front, she took a bad spill.  Below you can see the evidence--and this is a few days later. She had a fat lip that  a all torn up inside, and a scraped chin.  But amazingly, it's nearly all healed!  Nothing our Birdie couldn't handle--with the help of a Winnie the Pooh ice pack, yummies, and hugs--and in the meantime, she's looked like quite the tough.