A Sip of Summer

This is one of my favorite pictures from this summer. I wish I could remember what we were doing when I took this picture. I think we were probably just hanging out in the driveway playing with the kids. They have tried for the past year to drink Sprite but despite their best efforts they both still say it "spices my mouth" too much. Well, that is certainly fine by Daddy and me. It just cracks me up to watch them continue to try to like it. After they posed for this picture, they emptied their cans in the bushes!

An Exception to the Rule

We have a pretty hard and fast rule in our house that if you get into trouble at school, you are in even more trouble at home. Luckily, we've never really had to put the rule to the test, but it's important to us to make it clear to our children that we expect nothing short of their best behavior at school.

On Wednesday, I picked up Osten from school, and he immediately said, "Mommy, don't get mad." Uh-oh. With a little prodding along with a promise to be fair, he started talking. Apparently, Mrs. Dempsey and Mrs. Weaver were talking in the hallway and Osten got the bright idea to get out of his seat to peak at them through the window on the door. "And when they came back in the room, Devin tattle-taled on me, Mommy," he said. Well, the news was not well-received, and Mrs. Dempsey removed his bear from the zoo. "And then I just put my head down and cried, Mommy," he explained.

Cue the fairness promise. We spent the ride home having a chat about behavior at school and the importance of staying in your seat even when the teacher isn't in the room. I was starting to think that his tears of remorse were likely punishment enough especially since he almost never gets into trouble at school. And then he told me the rest of the story.

Whenever a student loses his or her bear for poor behavior, Mrs. Dempsey always gives them the opportunity to earn it back. Talk about fairness. I love that she gives them a chance to redeem themselves.

Some time later in the afternoon, it occurred to Osten that he was eligible for redemption. "I think Mrs. Dempsey forgot to give me back my bear, Mommy." Osten, who has not always been his own best advocate, took it upon himself to ask Mrs. Dempsey if he had earned his bear back. "And she said 'yes,' Mommy, and I got to put my bear back in the zoo."

It gets even better. "Devin and Stacy also had their bears on the table, so I asked Mrs. Dempsey if they could earn theirs back, too," he said. "And she said 'yes,' Mommy, and I got to put their bears back in the zoo, too."

Apparently, our timid and reserved little guy is not only developing into an advocate for himself, but he's also looking out for his friends, too (even when they "tattle-tale" on him). Well, that news sealed his fate as I couldn't think of any further action on our part especially since he came clean about the day's events as soon as he got in the car. His honesty and candor make me so proud! I hope he will always be so willing and comfortable to share the news of his day--both the good and the bad--with me.

While I'm never to happy to hear about him getting in trouble, I'm so proud to know that Osten is able to learn from his mistakes and make a wrong into a right. Way to go, Osten! Mommy and Daddy love you so much. We are so proud of you.

Putting the "Grrrr" in Growth Chart

Marci had her four-year checkup today. She got a clean bill of health! Similar to yours truly, she has a heart murmur, but the doctor suspects that she will outgrow it.

Here are her stats:

BP: 107/71

Height: 40 3/4 inches (69%)

Weight: 42 lbs. (90%)

To recap from her 3-year checkup on October 6, 2010, she grew 3 and 3/4 inches and gained 8 pounds!

Once again, she didn't so much as flinch with the finger prick. And then came the shots. I held her in my lap, and she watched without so much as a whimper as they stuck her left leg once and then again. Still her eyes were bone dry and she didn't utter so much as a peep when they stuck her right leg the first time. And then came the fourth and final shot -- the dreaded MMR. It must really burn because finally, the tears came. "Mommy, that hurt!" she very matter-of-factly said. I guess after not so much as batting an eyelash for the finger prick and preceding three shots, the MMR caught her off-guard. She was really more annoyed than wounded, especially after she got to pick a ring pop out of the treasure chest. What a tough cookie! She certainly doesn't get her bravado (especially as it relates to needles) from her mom, but I couldn't be more proud.

That's our girl . . . putting the "grrrr" in the ol' growth chart!

The First Catch

We must have caught at least a half dozen hermit crabs in just as many trips to the marina before we finally landed a blue crab!

The catch of the day!

Sweet!

I hope Osten and Marci are always this happy (and entertained) hanging out with their parents!

Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic

We spend more time than ever around the kitchen table these days as Osten (and Marci, too!) get homework done.

Osten is loving kindergarten and working hard! He tells us often that he likes to do his homework. (Hooray!)

Marci is staying just as busy as ever trying to keep up with her older brother. I'm amazed with everything that she picks up from him! She tells us often that she can't wait to be in kindergarten.

The Marina

Near the end of summer and into fall, we spent lots and lots of time at the marina near our house. Daddy's old net came in handy to scoop up cannonball jellyfish!

I think he got one!

We were also really excited to catch some saltwater hermit crabs.

Marci has since graduated from having to wear her swim vest, but it was a must for this fearless girl in the beginning!

Lovely Language

Now that our kids have gotten a handle on the English language, they've begun to venture into the vernacular. Oh, what fun! Marci and Osten both seem to have a penchant for adverbs, especially ones ending in -ly. They'll come running to tell me that the other one has done something "on purposely." And when we're in a hurry, they'll regularly ask me if they need to go "fastly." They also like to sprinkle their everyday exchanges with an irregularly placed "actually." For example, "Mommy, can I have something to drink, actually?"

And to think, I thought nothing could be cuter than all of those mispronunciations they encountered as they exited the babbling stage. Yes, I think these vernacular ventures are my favorite. Definitely!