Autumn in the Backyard

Sweet girl

Helping Daddy rake the leaves

Sweet boy

Sweet Sibs

Can't Get Enough of Those Trains

This is my view of my son most of the time these days.  Particularly when he's upstairs and is REALLY quiet.

Or this view.  I call this one the Headless Pender.

Hair Cut for Pender

His lovely long locks... sigh

And his super sweet little boy cut.

Another Tooth Gone

If you look closely, you can see the bottom middle tooth jutting out.  This was a day or two before #2 came out.

I pulled it since it was just barely in there.  And then she cried.  And cried and cried.  I didn't realize that she didn't want it out until it was too late.  She said she wanted to keep it and didn't want the tooth fairy to take it.  So we ended up "hiding" it from the tooth fairy in one of her matroshka dolls on top of her knick-knack shelf... and there it sits.  By the way, mom says Myrick looks just like me in this picture when I was little!

Halloween 2012

Tinkerbell and a Pirate

Arghhhh Matey!  All they wanted to do was dance to the music in the gazebo!

Myrick's Kindergarten Hike

Deerfield Fair 2012

Enjoying a bagel

In front of her class's art project in the school building

The world's largest pumpkin! (held the record for only 24 hours)

Enjoying a ride

Moooo...

Guest Post by Myrick

A hand foul of chrezhrs


I cuolektid a red leaf and some white rooks and 1 prpal flaowr.

Did you no that a redleaf and a mapalleaf or difrint becus a redleaf has a vare shurp ve and a mapalleaf has a crvd u onle 1crvd u.

I got the white rooks outside in wildtrkae .

The prpal flaowr diad becus flowrs don’t last vraere long.

How ever 1234567890 flowers dias.

Editor's translation: "A Handful of Treasures" I collected a red leaf and some white rocks and 1 purple flower. Did you know that a red leaf and a maple leaf are different because a red leaf has a very sharp "v" and a maple leaf has a curved "u" only one curved "u".  I got the white rocks outside in Wild Turkey.  The purple flower died because flowers don't last very long. However 1234567890 flowers die.

Yoga Monkeys

Maybe this first shot doesn't really qualify as downward-facing dog.  Perhaps this is downward facing octopus?

Roley-poley stretching

Room Redo

A couple of weeks before school started, Nate and I rearranged the kids' bedroom so that Pender wasn't on his crib matress on the floor anymore.  Now both kids are in twin beds, Pender with his safety railing up.  Much better use of the space now!

My Hooligans

Little Nate

Choose Your Battles

Well, our first four-day school week has gone about how we expected.  We're all super tired at the end of the day, and late afternoon/evenings can be really trying!  Myrick is absolutely pooped.  She must use up all of her cuteness, politeness, sweetness, rationality, and general good humor at school, because when she gets home, there's not much evidence that she ever possessed those qualities.  The leftovers we get include sassiness, obstinance, poor judgement, etc.  We knew it would be a work in progress while we work out the scheduling kinks, while she gets adjusted to such a rigorous schedule, and while Nate and I regain our teaching stamina.  I can't remember the details, but at one point this week, Nate looked at me and said, "I shouldn't have picked that battle, huh?"  This was said over the wail of a crying, tired kindergartner. 

But although she's tired, she has had a good week, even if it was only 3 days for her.  She's made some new friends, bus rides/drop-offs/pick-ups have gone smoothly, and she's had plenty of food packed for her lunches - can't complain.  Next week should really be something as we all muck our way through our first full week! 

Time to wrap it up and turn in early while the school year still allows me that luxury.

Wisdom of the Day

Number One: Never count your chickens before they hatch.  Whidbey went off on an adventure this evening and Nate found himself on the chase.  Guess the blog is still appropriately named after all.

Number Two: When picking Myrick and Pen up this afternoon, Terri tells me she and Myrick were talking about Nate and his brothers, sorting out who was oldest, who the twins are, etc.  Regarding Nate's age, she said to Terri, "He's 67.  He hasn't died yet."  Oh my.

Family Time

Our 4-5 pm outdoor time seems to be working well.  Pender has settled back into a manageable bedtime routine, and they both seem mostly ready for bed at 7 pm.  We've had a couple of days of fun family basketball time in the driveway, usually Myrick and Nate against Mom and Pender.  Lots of laughter!

For having our blog named after her, Whidbey has surprisingly few photos posted of her.  She's getting slower and calmer in her old age and can now just sit, unleashed, reliably in the front yard without fear of having to chase her down.  Perhaps we need to change the name of our blog???

Myrick

Part of our evening routine for the kids includes Myrick's potty time while Pender gets a quick bath.  This is one of her favorite times to read, and currently she is enchanted with an Amelia Bedelia book I brought home for her.  Last night she asked me to bring in her reading glasses as she pulled out her book and settled in.  I think she's seen Ms. Terri put hers on enough times that she knows they are for reading.  Funny girl!

Pender

My handsome boy playing cars and trains outside.

Slipping Away; Pender at 2 1/2 years old

In the past few weeks, we've been so focused on getting ready for Myrick's big transition that it seems like my baby Pender has slipped into the beginning of little-boyhood without my taking notice.  Until today.  Nothing drastic or major, just subtle little signs.  Like when I ask for a kiss, a few weeks ago he would've given them to me right away and with gusto; now he says "No" with a smile and turns to walk away.  Thankfully he always comes right back and says "Tiss!" and gives me a smooch.  And he's just a little more wiggly when I want to hold him.  He's always been the snuggly one, and he still is, just to a slightly lesser degree.  Today as we walked through the woods to the tree house, it struck me that he was not only looking a bit taller and leggier, but he also was leading the charge without constantly demanding "Mommy up!"  Huh.  And his little personality is surely blossoming - he's sillier, more vocal, and even moving towards being a nudge on purpose to his sister.  Truth be told it makes me sad.  I'm learning that I am not so good at letting go and moving forward, and this is yet another step out of the familiar, comforting routine of the past year. 

Before he completely moves beyond those baby-like qualities, I've been meaning to write down a list of his sweet vocabulary like we did with Myrick a long time ago.  Not that writing out his words phonetically can capture the tone, expression, and sound of his adorable voice, but for posterity, here are some of our favorites:

Bee-Bee = Whidbey
dump = jump
tuck = truck
fi-tuck = fire truck
tar = car
Miwick = Myrick
twain - train
lellow = yellow
hi-poose = hippo
tee-cah, tee-cah = "clickety-clack) the sound a moving train makes
titer = sister
Ah-tee = Akie
mummer = sandwich
fah-vee = sorry
fah-ver = flower
disth = this (with a little lisp)
ta-ter = tractor
bum cacker = fire cracker
tumpet = trumpet
tiss = kiss
Bo-mama = Obama (sorry Mom and Dad!)

Guest Post

An email and photos sent from Myrick's teacher after her first day of Kindergarten:

Myrick arrived at school very happy and ready to start the day. She had a great day with the 5 other classmates - Hannah, Michael, Jeffrey, Collin and Madison. We explored the room together, learning about various areas, met Mrs R., the school occupational therapist - who did the Finger Olympics with us, watched a caterpillar shed its skin and turn to a chrysalis, released a monarch butterfly and went out to the playground two times. We had graham crackers, peanut butter and red grapes for snack, went to the music and met Ms. R. We all ate lunch in the cafeteria at the same table. After lunch we had cozy reading and then activity time. Some children drew pictures, worked in blocks, used learning materials, listened to a story at the computer or read books. Before we knew it, we cleaned up the room and said goodbye.


Myrick enjoyed working at the sand table. She loves the Bilibo chairs. Myrick enjoyed receiving the special lunch box note and had everyone read it. She also loved the caterpillar tank and kept checking it to make sure every one of them was doing well. Myrick and Mrs. S> enjoyed reading several Elephant and Piggie books together. Did Myrick tell you that the monarch butterfly landed on her shoe? I'm looking forward to next week when Myrick returns on Wednesday and again on Thursday and Friday. Next week she will bring home a collection of paperwork for you to complete. The office staff did not have it ready by dismissal time.

Thanks for sharing Myrick with us.

Here are the photos her teacher attached to the email - what a treat to have a sneek peak into her day!

Eating lunch in the cafeteria like a big girl.

On the slides during recess.

Reading to Ms. S. (whom we also see every week at our church - what a comfort!)

Releasing the monarch.

Hey - it's on my shoe!

Hampton Beach

Although NH only has 12 miles of coast, what we have here is beautiful.  The kids and I headed to the beach yesterday since Nate had to work.  We had a gorgeous day and headed in early to avoid the later crowds and managed to get home before any meltdowns happened... and just in time for nap.  The perfect the outing!

She Did It!

Maybe I'll just hit the highlights since I'm running on empty after a rather emotional day.  Myrick was up early, and seemed ready for the day.  She was clearly both excited and nervous.  Pastor Carol drove by and saw Nate, Myrick and me waiting at the bus stop and pulled over to snap a family photo of us and say a prayer for a good start to her schooling.  She was her silly, chatty self until the bus pulled into view.  Her little smile faded and she walked back up Rachelle's driveway several feet.  So I choked back my mommy tears, took her sweet hand, and walked her onto the bus.  She was quiet as I introduced her to the bus driver, but she sat down and started chatting right away with someone nearby; I don't even think she looked out the window as the bus pulled away.  The other adult on the bus that was checking off students as they got on gave me a thumbs-up sign through the window since by an act of God I managed not to cry in front of Myrick.  And though the temptation was strong, I didn't follow the bus in my car (and maybe only because Nate was at the helm).  I guess I'm glad I had to go to work so that my mind had something else to do all day; otherwise I'm sure I would've either cried most of the day or been one of the deranged parents peeking through the kindergarten windows!  I held it together in my classes just fine.  It was during planning period and lunch that those tears came back for a repeat performance.

I was able to leave school in plenty of time at the end of the day to get home to get her off the bus.  She came bounding off with her our two neighbor girls, and ran right to me.  We walked home through the blueberry bush paths, and at one point she asked me, "Mommy, why are you holding my hand so tight?"  Relief and joy that my baby made it home safely and looked happy about it all!!!!  We sat on the porch and had juice and cookies for a bit before going to pick up Pender.  She was exhausted, just sitting there quietly eating and drinking and not saying much.  When I'd ask a question about her day, I didn't get many details or much of a response - just a zoned out, tired, little kindergartner.  Tonight she fell right in bed without a fight, and so will I, shortly.  I am so proud to call Myrick my daughter.