Snapshot

I don't know why I thought life was going to quiet down in the fall. Instead it has ramped up unbelievably. But I'll give you a snapshot of life with a second grader and junior kindergartner.

The other night when I was tucking Lucy into bed, she caught my face in her hands and said, "Mom, I have got to tell you something. First, I love you soooooo much! And second, can you believe it? I am going to have a GREAT year again! I just love school and my teacher. How do I keep getting the best teachers?"

I guess the feeling is mutual since we got her mid-quarter progress report, and her teacher said, "Lucy is a darling girl. [I KNOW! She so is! Thank you for recognizing it! Love, Lucy's Mom] She is doing well academically, and I enjoy having her in class."

She is also swimming on the team again, meaning practice two nights a week; she's joined AWANA at our new church, and she's also joined Brownies at school. She's pretty much a busy, happy girl.

Elaine is busy and happy, too, but these two sisters are so different from each other. She is shy (except at home), and it's harder for her to make friends. Everything takes her more time, but once she gets it, she goes full steam ahead.

She is busy learning the alphabet in her class, something we tried off and on all summer that never seemed to take. Darren and I would take turns reading her this wonderful alphabet book, but each time we showed her a letter she would guess and guess what it was in vain.

But now, each week is a different letter at school, and there's a song to go with each. Total ear worm. I still remember them from when Lucy was in this class.

There are also ample chances for parents to be mystery guests. When Lucy was 4, I procrastinated until almost springtime when finally the teacher cornered me and asked me to teach French words to the class. This year, though, Darren stepped up to the plate and volunteered right away (yay! I don't have to go up in front of 18 4-year-olds!). He said he would go in and play the baritone for them.

"Why don't you play your trombone like Roger in 101 Dalmatians? " I asked him.

He just looked at me. "Because the baritone is a lot easier, Alice."

Fine. I guess he was not willing to sacrifice for literary integrity.

Here he is as Elaine's Mystery Guest:



And here he is with the whole class--do you see what they're doing? They're playing kazoos, provided by Darren. I guess they had a whole band going. I know the teachers and other parents were thrilled.



Other than school and church activities, the girls always have a continual obsession. Long-time readers I'm sure remember the Riverdance obsession. There was also the Meet Me in St. Louis obsession, the Singin' in the Rain obsession, and the Pride & Prejudice obsession.

Right now, it's Little Women (that's been ongoing). Lucy gets to be Jo, Elaine is Amy (perfect type-casting), and I am relegated to Marmee, which makes me kind of sad since I guess my days of getting to be any of the sisters are over.

This preoccupation with Little Women means that whenever we take the butter out of the fridge, we sigh, "Ohhh. Isn't butter divinity?" The other day when Elaine and I were waiting for Darren to come out of CVS Pharmacy, when she finally saw him, Elaine leaned out the window and said, "Hark! Who goes there?"

Or she'll say, "I want to be Lady Violet. I'm exhaustified of being the boy!" and Lucy will answer in her best Jo voice, "The play is the thing, Amy. You're too little to be Lady Violet!"

Other favorite quotes we say on a regular basis (most of which are Amy-isms):

"Marmee, Marmee, we've been waiting for you--we've been expectorating you for hours!"

"You'll be sorry, Jo March!"

"What's that strange smell--like burnt feathers?"

"I'm so degraditated. I owe at least a dozen limes!"

In short, they are active, happy, healthy girls this fall, and I am so thankful for it. I will leave you with the alphabet song for this week; we're on the letter D (there will be Detective Day, Bring a Stuffed Dog Day, Me and Daddy Day, among others). I feel it's only fair that you should have this in your head as much as I do. Please sing it to the tune of "Jingle Bells."

Daisy Doll, Daisy Doll,
Tell me what you see
There are lots of things around
that start with letter D


Daffodils, dandelions,
dogs that dig in dirt
Daddy working in the yard
in his favorite shirt!


You're welcome.