Observations at Home Depot

The kids and I were in Home Depot yesterday to run an errand.  Of course, as soon as we got in the store, we had to make a trip to the bathroom that's all the way in back corner of the store.  As we were making our way back to the front of the store, we passed by some huge rolls of insulation.  I was walking ahead of the kids, who were busy noting their observations to each other.

Marci:  "Osten, look at that.  It looks like a big diaper."

Osten:  "No, it's not.  It's a giant roll of toilet paper."

Luckily, my back was to them so I could enjoy a little chuckle without hurting anyone's feelings.

Good Times

The kids' old daycare had a parents night out this weekend, and it was a great chance for Osten and Marci to catch up with some of their old friends.  Osten and Billy made up for lost time with some classic silliness!

Wilkes was there, too.

Marci had lots of quality girl time while also giving her arm a rest while the boys got extra time on the playground and in the bounce houses.  When we came to pick them up, the teachers commented that she was always mindful of Osten and asked frequently about his whereabouts.  She's also getting to be quite good at coloring with her left hand.  Who knows, by the time the cast is off, she could be ambidextrous!

What a trooper!

Swim Team 2012

A friend was able to snag this shot from the group photo session the other night.  Osten is on the front row, near the middle, with his black goggles on his swim cap.  What a great-looking team!

First Dual Swim Meet

Osten had his first dual swim meet last night, and he did great!  He swam the 25-yd freestyle and backstroke.  And we learned today at practice that he received two ribbons!

He got 3rd place (35.20) in the Boys U6 25-yd freestyle and 4th place (48.56) in the Boys U6 25-yd backstroke.  Way to go, Osten!

Ice Cold Lemonade

Osten and Marci helped a friend raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with a lemonade stand yesterday.  Their mom snapped this cute picture of all of the kids.  They raised almost $150!

Rainy Day Fun

Today's forecast called for some indoor fun, and we decided to head to the bowling alley.  As it tuns out, Marci is quite an adept left-handed bowler.  And, my goodness, Osten looks so tall in this picture!  While we were out, someone asked Marci about her arm, and she replied, "I breaked my radius."  That girl!!

Saving Summer!

Thanks to a waterproof cast cover that a friend lent to us, we made two visits to the pool this week.  Last night, Marci passed the swim test and received a coveted green bracelet to signify that she can swim in the deep end and go down the slide all by herself.  She was quite proud of herself and immediately asked if she could eat off the special plate like her brother did when he passed his swim test.  Boy, that girl doesn't miss a thing!  The weather wasn't the greatest last night, which meant that we ended up having the pool all to ourselves.  This was especially nice because it gave us a chance to try out the slide and the deep end without distraction.  Of course, that was really more for my sake than Marci's, who has taken to swimming with a cast without so much as missing a beat.  While I waited at the bottom of the slide with my stomach in my throat, she was all grins and giggles coming down the slide.  I'll have to get a picture of her in action next time!  And Osten was a big help, especially with showing her the ropes of the slide.  ("Ropes?  What rope, Mommy?" he said.)  That's Osten in the background of the picture.  They both had been showing off their handstands to the lifeguards on duty.  

In Other News . . .

Thankfully, we've been able to find a new and more fun use for the kitchen chalkboard.  It's gone from a disciplinary tool to a tracking device for one of Osten's favorite past times.  A month or two ago, Osten started trying to punt a light ball over the house.  Most days after school, he heads outside and will kick and kick and kick the ball some more to see if he can clear the roof.  We finally told him that if he kept at it, he might be able to get the ball over the roof by the end of summer.  Lo and behold, last week he came running in the house to announce that one of his kicks had sent the ball into the backyard.  (Of course, he's also found the low spot on our roof!)  Well, all it took was that one little success, and he's been punting his heart out with a renewed determination.  Just last week, he was so thrilled with the results of his efforts that I thought his accomplishment warranted a little recognition.  So we now have a fun use for the kitchen chalkboard.  And, as Osten aptly noted, we can always write down Marci's name on a piece of paper . . .   

Tough Cookie: An Official Diagnosis

Almost exactly three years after Osten broke his arm, Marci has wound up in a cast with a broken radius.  Damn monkey bars!! (Osten broke both his radius and ulna of his right arm.)  As usual, she has taken this recent turn of events in stride and has shown herself to be a real trooper.  After briefly considering a yellow or green cast, she opted for pink and has appeared to be quite pleased with her decision.  Luckily, her cast seems to be more of a fashion accessory than a nuisance, at least for now.

We no sooner arrived home after having her cast set, and she wanted to go for a spin on her big wheel.  

Thank God for the resiliency of children!  And this one in particular seems to have a deep well of inner strength.  (Gosh I wish I could take a long drink from the well on occasion.)  As her arm was being cast, the man applied pressure to her arm in an effort to realign the broken bone.  (Ouch!!)  Suddenly, we noticed a big grin on his face as he shook his head from side to side.  He commented, "This is strong girl you've got here."  And he explained that most of his adult patients show visible signs of discomfort, whereas Marci talked and laughed her way through the whole process.  Yep, she's a tough cookie alright!