More Than Two Weeks?

I have a sneaking suspicion that its been more than two weeks since I last wrote. Ugh. It took a few weeks to even realize that I've been remiss, and a few more to cram time in for writing. And if you could see me now, I figured out how to split our computer screen with two internet windows open, and Annea is on my lap, Eliana is perching on my chair behind me, and Adessa is sitting on the desk. I'm typing on one window and fending off Annea's attempts to hit the space bar--her big computer move-- while they watch Hoopla Kids on youtube in the next window. And now I'm nursing and typing with one hand. But it really is remarkable that I'm here at all. You can thank me with chocolate.

We've had some colds and coughs, and strep throat(Adessa) and an ear infection (Annea). Probably the biggest thing keeping me away from blogging is my newfound determination to exercise. Discipline has not been one of my strengths, ever, really. But I have been doing resistance high intensity interval training and walking myself around the block, and feeling good.

And so, without further ado:

Annea: This girl istalking up a storm, some of it intelligible. She sings all the time, especially "That Girl is On Fire" by Alicia Keys, her version is belted out at full volume: "Girl Fiiiire.". Sickness has made her grumpy and clingy a lot of the time, and totally interrupted my attempts at night weaning, but otherwise she's delightful. She parrots what we say, marches around the house in Eliana's percussion band, pretends to be a kitty cat, and happily plays outside with the girls. She wants to do whatever the girls are doing, to a horrifying and inconvenient degree, like strap herself into her car seat, get herself out of her carseat (impossible and frustrating for everyone involved), climb and jump on whatever huge, ungainly thing the girls are climbing and jumping on.

Eliana: Just had Kindergarten Round Up! She's going to Kindergarten next year, she's ready! We had a bit of a pause about school a few weeks ago when I got a call from her preschool, wondering if she'd been exposed to the letters and numbers and just had trouble with them, or if she hadn't been exposed and that's why she didn't know any of them. Oops. So we did a mini-cram session with flash cards and a Kindergarten book and practice and she is fine, she knows them now and will go to school. Yay! She's sooooo excited. She really has been waiting for two years. Besides that, she's into a nice part of four years old, almost five. Still a lot of correcting, but she is helpful and silly and fun and snuggly.

Adessa: Doing great! She's seen the advantage of getting her homework done early in the week and not having stress the night before. (Yay!) She is enjoying school and her friends and writing little books and PE. She is super helpful to me, fetching and schlepping and currying. (Is that brushing a horse? Or cooking Indian?) She still has neither of her front teeth, and working in her class today I saw a kid who's grown up teeth are starting to come in. We're entering a not very photo-friendly time, I fear, though she is so cute. They all are.

I'm still a loud mom, vocal in my displeasure with their sometimes bizarre ideas about what's acceptable. I am still working on it. The discipline thing is also something I'm working on to be better for my kids, like sleeping enough and eating healthy and modeling good habits. I see their preciousness so clearly, too. So precious!!

Gleeful Annea

Eliana and Annea with me on an exercise walk. They both did great in the stroller so I could walk on West Cliff.

A cultural outing! Adessa's teacher, Janet (pictured), invited all her students to Bookshop SC to see/hear a children's author, Mac Barnett. We all went and it was so great! We enjoyed ourselves, some of us were more surprised than others to have such a good time. (Calvin!) We will look for more things like this to do.

A Saturday sojourn to Starbucks. A favorite of mine. Fun to be out and about with the girls in the early morning, when they are eager and bright and happy to be at Starbucks.

Eliana showcasing the fabulously large and heartfelt valentine from Grandpa. Sweet! He's great about cards for all occasions.