Dressing in Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4th of July!  Today is our annual celebration with Eric's family out at Darlene's farm - swimming, water slide, volleyball, games, food, you name it!  It's a much-anticipated day, complete with new RW&B outfits from Nana.

I was removing sticky popsicle and lemonade spills from the kitchen floor this morning, mopping in my volleyball knee pads (it works SO WELL!), when I heard a ruckus.  Abby was trying to dress Adam in his party outfit, and he was having none of it.  He started by declining politely, "No, thank you, Abby," but it didn't hold water with a persistent sister, wielding a flag shirt and cajoling.  It turned into, "No!  No! I don't want you - do it, Abby," upon which, I imagine, though I couldn't see for sure, followed a shoulder slump and head hang on the way back to her bedroom.

Adam got a rag and knelt down beside me.  We mopped together for awhile, and then he said, "I sink Abby - Abby is sad."

"Yes," I said.  "I think she really wanted to get you ready for the party."

"Uh-huh."  Mop.  Mop.  "I don't want Abby - Abby change my diaper."

"I know, Baby, it's okay.  That's your choice."  Mop.  Pause.

I looked up and my sweet little boy had the rag in one hand and his other index finger on his chin.  He was on his haunches.  "Hmm," he said.  "Abby won't be sad - any more."  With that decision he marched off to Abby's room where I heard, "Abby, you - you can change my diaper!"

The Caterpillars

Aunt Barb, Uncle Lee, and Kyleigh sent Abby a caterpillar-to-butterfly gift for her birthday.  We ordered the four live caterpillars online when we were ready and waited impatiently for their arrival.  Abby lettered a sign for her door to pass the time:  "I want the caterpillars to come."  I thought she was having me spell out "I want a pet" until she asked how to spell "the."  They came!  [Thank you for such a hit of a gift!]

We followed all of the instructions. We moved them to a netted hatching house and waited for the grand transformation.  Three of the butterflies hatched, and one tried but didn't make it out of its cocoon.  Something was wrong with its wings from the first.  At one point I said, "Poor little guy," and then Adam took up the chorus of "poor little guy" for the next day or so.  Abby conducted a funeral last night for the "poor little guy" in the front flowerbed attended by her brother and our dear babysitter Jenna while we were at our home inspection for our new-to-us home.

We Are Moving!

We have been enjoying the company of friends this summer!  Visits, pretend campfires, backyard ball, park dates, a parade ... it has been so fun!  It has also made us realize that we need just a little bit more room in our house to HAVE company, now that we are all adding children - I mean HAVE ADDED children, in my case.  :)

SO...[deep breath, big announcement] we are in the process of moving to a slightly larger home only a few blocks from our current one!  The rest of the summer promises to be an exciting blur of paperwork, packing, paint colors, and carpet choices.  OH - and a larger dining room table for next time all of you come!

Backseat Thoughts from a Five-Year-Old

[on why Kindergarten Camp is not fun] "Mama, you know - I think I'm not really a letter kid, you know?  I think I'm more of an - an art kid."

[on parenting] "So - so, Mama, at - at the big school, do they teach you - teach you how to be a parent?"

[me] "Nope, that's all trial and error, Baby."

[Abby] big eyes, no comment