Bulleted Updates

Some updates and random photos--

• Emma Claire has started to feed herself, which is a big step. She hasn't mastered the pincer grip yet, but it doesn't keep her from trying.
• It was Chloe's school open house/meet the teacher. I had to bring all 3 kids to school because Matt was out of town and we don't have a local sitter yet. It was good to hear that Chloe is adjusting nicely and making friends.
• It's getting cooler here--like cold enough that I better start looking for the box that we packed the kid's coats in cool.
• I got an update from Oliver's pre-school teacher. She told me that she can't remember teaching a pre-schooler with a better command of English. He corrected the teacher's aide in class when she asked him if he "was good" after he fell on the playground. He responded, "No, I am well." I didn't know I was raising a pre-school grammar snob.
• Apparently Oliver's favorite phrase in pre-school is, "I am going to have to tell my Mom about that!". He also yelled out, "Lets get this party started!" when he learned it was a classmates birthday and they were having cupcakes.

Emma Claire smiling!!

• Emma Claire's first two word sentence---"Get Out!" and she made sure to say it with the same forcefulness that her older sister uses when telling Oliver to "Get Out!" of her room or when Oliver is telling Flash the dog to "Get Out!" of his room when he wanders in during the night and wakes him up.
• Emma Claire is also starting to point at things, even though her "pointing" is something between a Hook 'em Horns sign and a "hang loose" gesture. I will randomly ask her where things are trying to get her to point to them. I will always point to them afterwards and say, "There [whatever I am pointing to] is!" At the track, I asked her, "Emma Claire, where is Daddy?", hoping she would point at Matt. Instead, she looked at me and said clear as a bell, "There he is."
• Emma Claire started pulling herself up to standing this week. She is so proud of this new ability that she kept doing it over and over again this evening in her crib. I didn't think she would ever lay down and go to sleep.

• Oliver started gymnastics classes again. He LOVES it and was so excited when he found out that there was a gym where he could take classes. It has helped make the move easier for him since he still gets to do the activities he loves. The bonus is that this new gym has a very large boys gymnastics program, one of the largest in NY state and much larger than our last gym.

• What happens when you have two sisters and you are the only boy? You get your toenails painted by your big sister....Oliver was totally on board and told me he wanted blue toenails "like Uncle John!" (who came to visit last year with...you guessed it, blue toenails).
• There was a 3 foot copperhead snake sunning itself in front of our driveway last week. On the way to the bus we walked right by it---didn't even notice. A neighborhood came and warned us. It disappeared later in the morning and came out to greet me when I went to take the trash out. Luckily the landscapers were on hand and they called animal control (after one of the very large men let out a shriek when he saw the snake).
• I opened up underneath the kitchen sink to be "greeted" by a little gray mouse. Totally waved at me. Not.Even.Frightened. It just kept on rummaging. After I got my wits about me, I sent it packing...for good.
• I have had to learn to slow down and look for deer. They are everywhere. On the way back from dropping Oliver off at pre-school, I turned a corner and there was a doe and three babies in the middle of the road. I am also going to have to look up deer resistant plants.
• After my encounters with deer, snakes and mice, I shouldn't have been surprised when Chloe brought home a 4-H membership flier in her school folder. It apparently rivals Girl Scouts for membership in our area. Call me surprised....