Okay, so I've been slacking. A lot. But enough talking about how I haven't posted; let's get to what IS getting posted...
We've had a pretty good summer. I guess. I always have grand plans to do something amazing everyday to keep us all busy. That didn't exactly happen and I don't know if my camera even came out for weeks at a time, but we'll see what's on the memory card...
Dance class ended with a 10 minute recital (my favorite kind) at her teacher's house. She had a great time and can't wait till it starts again in a few weeks.
This is Ally with her friends Abby and Taryn. Her dance teacher was six months pregnant and she's holding her two-year-old. Crit's going after the balloon.
Our summer started with Ally graduating from kindergarten. She loved Mrs. Naylor and has become a great reader.
They did a program in the classroom on the last day.
They sang a few songs. This one was about the sun.
A couple of weeks later my boy turned 3. It's really strange to be able to have a conversation with the person you consider to be your little baby. Mike had to go to Logan and spend the night up there that day so we invited a friend's family over for cake. (Don't feel too bad, Mike has sworn off sugar in all forms for a few months now. More on that later.)
The cake. The lady at the store asked me three times if that's really what I wanted her to write. Yes, it's weird. But that's really what we call him.
We "had" to get some amazing fireworks for July 4th. Mike waits all year to be able to legally light things on fire in the street and this year was extra special because he got some aerials. I told him I didn't even want to know what he spent on his "need for blazing entertainment." I spent the evening as far away from the danger as possible. But apparently I forgot my camera at yet another exciting event. Use your imagination.
We hit a FANTASTIC milestone 3 weeks ago. We said goodbye to the diapers! On Monday, Aug. 8th we woke up and I put Crit on the potty. It was a good day and an okay afternoon. The next two days weren't too terrible (except for the explosive poop, but every kid does that once, right? I won't go into details). And on day 4 it just clicked. No accidents and I didn't even have to ask him anymore. He even graduated to exclusive use of the big potty on day 6. Whew! Yea, it was past time to get it done, but I'm glad we waited because it was so easy.
This is how we spent three days straight. Potty in the living room and the boy not more than five feet away from it. Yes, that is an assortment of underwear by the couch.
I let him sit on the couch a lot of the time. I figured it was a good way to get a new couch. But it survived without a single new stain. Darn.
This picture is just to embarrass him in 20 years.
And I guess that brings us to this week. Ally started first grade on Tuesday! I guess she enjoys it because she keeps going back without complaining. For a girl who likes to talk as much as she does, she sure won't say much about school. I asked her how the first day went and all I found out is that there are 3 recesses and the playground is bigger. Great.
Ready to go. She informed me that this would be her standard "first day of a new grade pose." Whatever.
I don't really know what's going on here, but it goes really well with her model walk.
Do you see that gap in her teeth on the bottom? She now has a matching one on the other side. She lost tooth number four that night.
Not to be outdone, Crit wore his backpack to school too.
We've walked her there and gone back to get her everyday (even in the sweltering heat). We walked her all the way to her classroom on the first day and made sure she found her desk and hung up her backpack. But she didn't want us to. She walked ten feet ahead of us the entire way. She told us that she was fine and we could go home when we got to the crosswalk, on the other side of the street, at the front doors of the school, in the hall, outside her classroom, and one last time after she was sitting at her desk. I'm not old enough to be an embarrassing mom yet, am I?
And just for your viewing pleasure, I found another picture on the camera of the kids. I don't know what they're doing. Let's just say they're discussing the physics of aviation.
So that's what we've been up to for the past few weeks. I keep telling myself I should take more pictures, but I only remember that I need to take pictures when we're not doing anything worth taking pictures of. Oh well...
