First Day

We started talking about preschool early in the summer, knowing that the first day would come quickly, and wanting to make sure Lucie and Ryan were prepared. Ryan was always cautiously optimistic about it, expressing mild interest, with a few reservations about missing home (possibly only for my benefit -- he's sweet like that.) Lucie expressed little to no fear, and by mid-August was ready for the preschool countdown. "Why can't it start tomorrow?", she'd plea.

Before we knew it, the first day came last week. The kids did great. There were no tears (except my own the night before), no leg-grabbing, no heart wrenching walks to the door. In fact, Lucie and Ryan practically skipped off to see their teacher and start the day. Chris and I found ourselves on the playground alone, quickly realizing that we were staying more for our own benefit than for theirs.

When I came for pick up, the teacher said Lucie and Ryan did well, and spent most of the morning by their sibling's side. They each had a name of a new friend to share as well as several drawings and school work. And, Ryan proudly proclaimed, "Mommy, we didn't have to use our back-up outfits!" (Both kids had wondered why we had to bring a change of clothes for their cubby -- what exactly would they be doing at this preschool place anyway?)

Though I'm sure we'll have our fair share of tough days, it's reassuring to know they enjoyed their first day and are ready for more. Now all I hear is, "Mommy, when's the second day of preschool?"

The Great Outdoors

Last weekend was our inaugural family camping trip, spent with two other families both with their own sets of three-year-old twins. With two swimming pools, a small farm, climbing structures galore, and teepees to sleep in (with electricity), this campsite was the perfect introduction to camping with kids. We had many of the comforts of home combined with the beauties of the outdoors — sunlight, fresh air, star-filled skies at night, and plenty of dirt. And, boy did the kids love that dirt.

Chris and I have many memories of camping with our families as kids, and were excited to share the experience with our two. We knew Lucie and Ryan would like it, but didn't realize how much. As we unpacked the car, the kids immediately started exploring our campsite with their friends, climbing boulders, kicking dirt and finding bugs along the way. They later spent the afternoon swimming in a large kiddie pool and licking ice cream sandwiches as they dripped down their wet bathing suits. To Lucie and Ryan, this was heaven.

At night we roasted marshmallows and sang songs around the campfire. One family brought glowsticks and another brought musical instruments, and soon we were all enjoying gooey s'mores while the kids belted out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". It was one of those wonderful, happy moments that makes you stop to think — wow, this is what it's all about.

Lucie developed a close friendship with one of her pals' older sister, who also happens to have the same name. Lucy and Lucie became good buddies, holding hands on the way to the pool, laughing about the different spellings of their name, and looking at back-to-school clothing catalogs together (something my sister and I would always do while camping in August). It was really sweet to see Lucy take on the big sister role with our Lucie.

Needless to say, we hope to camp again very soon. Lucie must have asked four times on the way home, "When can we go camping again?" She's ready to pack up the sleeping bags and head out again. And Mr. Ryan has declared that "CAMPING!" is his favorite part of camping. When I asked him what that meant, he said, "That means I loved everything we did." Clearly, they've caught the camping bug.

True Happiness...

is launching yourself off a chair and over a cushion with your tongue hanging out. Terrifying your mother in the process is a nice bonus.

Pushing Capacity

When we bought our kiddie pool last summer it seemed plenty big. There was room for Lucie and Ryan plus a friend or two to splash around and not feel too cramped (for a kiddie pool).

This year, things are a little different. The first time we set up the pool, it looked so tiny. Clearly it had shrunk stored in the garage these past nine months, or, uh -- maybe our kids had grown? If their recently too-tight/too-short clothes aren't enough to prove that, this kiddie pool certainly makes the point.

Adding in the homeschool preschool crew last week, and it's clear we need a new pool. The kids still had fun and didn't seem to mind the lack of personal space. Though I did notice that everyone hopped out pretty quick once popsicles appeared.

Little Readers

Lucie and Ryan read their latest fav book, Alphabet Under Construction



P.S. As soon as I figure out our new camera, L & R fans will be able to enjoy videos in high definition. Hopefully in time for their birthday...

Pool and Field Fun

It's been a summer of sports for Lucie and Ryan. One set of swim lessons ended in July, and a second set at a different pool began in August. This month L & R are taking lessons separately, which we all enjoy. It gives each kid their own experiences with different teachers and classmates, while their sibling gets some alone time with one of us. Their teachers are great, though no one has matched the much loved and still talked about Mr. John of July's lessons. That guy's a legend in our house.

Along with swim, L & R are taking their first soccer class. It's a great class -- no pressure, no rules, no formal games, just lots of fun running around and kicking soccer balls. The only real "rule" they've learned is not to use their hands, though Lucie can sometimes be seen picking up her ball and moving it if it isn't going the direction she wants it to. Early reports from visiting family members indicate Lucie may have inherited my soccer "skills" (involving occasional dandelion picking and pigtail twirling while on the field), though I still think it's too early to tell.

We've learned that for Lucie and Ryan, the best part about running, kicking and floating is the perks that come along with expending all that energy. We were running a few minutes late to soccer class this week, and I encouraged the kids to hurry. "We can't be late, Mommy", Ryan said, "we don't want to miss water break!" They love water break, as shown by the pure joy on their faces running up the hill to their water bottles.

The same is true for swim class. After everyone is done we treat them to a drink out of the vending machine. It's hard to pinpoint what's more thrilling, the Gatorade or the experience of using a vending machine, but both are talked about over and over again. So, not only has it been a summer of sports, but it's also been a summer of good hydration. Gotta love that water break (and of course, the machine that can give one to us).