2-1/2, 10-1/2, and 8

The half-years have arrived! So it's about time I did a quick update. Plus, it's 10:40 am and Venice just fell asleep, so I have quiet for the first time in awhile.

Venice

Let's start with the littlest princess. She cracks us up all the time. She likes the word "poop", she repeats everything, she sings, she insists, she knows what she wants and how she wants it and boy it had. better. be. her. way. But this is all typical 2-1/2 year old behavior. Let's see if I can record some special moments so we can laugh about it later.

You live in the sandbox. And your playhouse. You love to make a mess, mush things, squish things, play with things. In your playhouse you have a table and chairs and play "drive through" or "kitchen" depending on the window we visit. We ask for cookies, you giggle, you dump a shovel of sand into our hand, we pretend to drive away in the craziest manner possible, you laugh histerically.

"Hola!" "Aguacate" "Que?" If Sylvie, Logan or I use a spanish word, you think it's hilarious. You have a great knowledge of what is english and what is spanish and you definitely don't think the lines should be blurred between who speaks which language. 

Clothing- notice you are sitting in the sand in a nightgown. And a pull-up! We are moving towards potty training and away from babyhood in any hopes that you might consider training this second year of life. I am giving the changing table away for the sheer idea that you get past the love of being changed. We'll just have to do our special sing-songs and toe tickling throughout other times of the day. 

You say the absolute sweetest things, even strangers notice. "Sylvie, you are my sees-ter and I YUV you. You yuv me too?" You play school with Sylvie, carrying your Ariel backpack filled with whatever you fancy that day. You are learning to be obsessed with the letter V, with things like "Mom, which one MY yetter? Show me MY yetter!" in the Sesame Street alphabet book. You told me tonight you had homework, knowing I'd laugh. 

This school year is ending tomorrow, and while everyone is excited for summer, everyone is sad it's over. I will miss my Mondays and Fridays alone with this little miss for the next few months. If I'm still working part-time come fall, I'm sure we'll welcome it once again with open arms. 

Logan

Age 10 has been a lot of fun with you this year. You really seem self-confident. You are willing to help out and help a ridiculous amount with your pup especially. She knows you love her best! Your friends this year have played Pokemon, Yugioh, and soccer. You join the girls in silliness at play dates. And water fights, despite the fact that you hate actually being wet, are irresistible to you. You had an epic Boys Versus Girls water gun fight at the pool at Lifetime this weekend. Girls, well, you have your secret crush, and told Sylvie! You are already worried about summer's pace of things, but I think you'll do great.

Runners Club. Soccer. Soccer in the yard. Soccer at the park. Soccer sticker cards. Soccer. And more Soccer. 

Your video game of choice with friends is Skylanders. Alone it's any iPhone game like Dragon worlds, zombie worlds, puppy worlds, food worlds. You wake early and run to your phone to see what activity happened overnight. You like tv but not really a ton of shows specifically right now. Many of the good Disney channel shows have ended their seasons. 

You are starting to fill in the downtimes with fun things like making robots. You always have astute observations and you are rocking school this quarter. You seem focused and ready for tests when we practice for them. Spelling, math, social studies - you have them down pat. 

You held your own building a volcano for the science fair and put together a movie with Jorge to showcase the "explosion." You are learning computers and proud of your first school email address.

Sylvie

Where to even begin with Sylvie. There has been so much excitement for you this spring. You seem to be in every photo- so  much fun! You made your First Communion, and held yourself with grace and poise. You kept your anxiety at bay all the way until the end, and looked just beautiful. Your mass was lovely and we enjoyed this piece of your childhood. 

American Girl adventure! It was somewhat of a spur of the moment, but I drove the girls downtown to the American Girl store. Sylvie got a new doll. We shared a meal. And ooh'd and aaaah'd over everything in the store. It was a whole mess of fun. And a splurge. It's not an easy adventure, but we made it work- despite Venice not making it intensely difficult on the walk from the family restaurant to the store!

Two words: Pogo. Stick. You are SO GOOD AT IT! I Love watching it! 

You are so creative. You are constantly making things, creating things, and searching your iPad for more things and ideas. You are handling a sad end to the year well. Your teacher twisted her ankle at the picnic and cannot return for the year as your teacher. You handle all the daily chaos well, and take on your little Venice buddy often enough that we even get to eat a home-cooked dinner sometimes! 

I love all 3 of you to bits, and I'm really loving these ages. My thyroid was out of wack and has soured my mood, so I'm pushing past that and getting better medication, but through it all I knew I was such a lucky lady to have this little family!