Six months with no updates is, I suppose, a reflection of our very, very busy days, and I'm sure there are too many things have come and gone in this stretch of time that I haven't captured, like our summer memories!

Norah, you graduated from Preschool at St. Anne's back in May, a bittersweet day for us. Onward to big-girl school, and how your daddy and I struggled with our decision to put you in public school! Back and forth I would go on the decision, the teachers at St. Anne's were so sweet.

You started public Kindergarden in August, and since then, I have not looked back. I asked you just the other day if you miss St. Anne's, and how your new school is going, and you said "GREAT! I LOVE my new school", in your enthusiastic Norah way. You have a little friend Justin who is your prince and best friend, which is a step away from your usual girl friends.

It does not surprise me that you are doing well, you are so happy and outgoing in school. One morning when I walked you to school, you walked up to the door like you owned the place, waving this way and that at little friends everywhere. Your enthusiasm is contagious. And your reading skills! You have learned so much in the past 2 months in school, I am amazed. Perhaps part of it is a natural learning curve that has happened since turning five, but I think the formal Kindergarten learning environment is pushing you along really nicely. I am totally impressed at your ability to read words with me at story time. I'm noticing how you also are reading and pointing out signs when we go places, as well..."Mommy, that sign says 'OPEN'", and yes it does.

While Norah has been busy growing by leaps and bounds, and becoming a little girl, my sweet, sweet Fiona, I just want to keep you small forever, and the nice thing is, you still like to be my little 'baby' at times. After bath, I can still wrap you up in a towel, cradle you, and sing Rock-a-Bye Baby, and you love it! You 'pretend' to be a baby, but still, you love me singing to you, and say "Again Mommy", at least three times.

Just having turned three, you are so your own little person, with your own identity from your big sis. You go to the community center for a craft class, and for dance class, and you feel so grown up going off to your activities. While last year in preschool, you never spoke to anyone, this year you are making friends, and probably chatting every one's ears off. On the first day of your ballet class, while all of the little girls were lined up, in circle or listening to teacher, you were wandering around, looking out the window, truly dancing to the beat of your own drum. Will you stay that way? You are even more independent and strong-minded than your sister was, I wonder if that will always be a part of your personality.

Because I always ask Norah "How was school", and you are always there, taking all of the household activities in...recently on a Tuesday after your class, you came right into my office and didn't wait for me to ask and said, "Mommy, school was great", in your big-girl voice.

And of course I can't forget mentioning the new addition to our family, Mr. Duke. We adopted Duke back in April, so he's already been with us for 6 months. You girls love that dog so much! He certainly gets his fair share of hugs and kisses. Every now and then one of you will crawl into his kennel with him, as well. A little more mayhem in the chaos that is our household, the best is when you all start chasing each other in laps around the house.

Happy St. Patty's Day

The long winter is hopefully winding down, and we are just days away from the official start of spring! Thankfully the long days of being cooped up in the house should be ending soon.

We had a spring-preview with a 65 degree day a week or so ago, and you girls bolted out the door to the deck to play with all of your toys and gadgets that were left lying last fall. In one day we did a summer's worth of activities: the sandbox, the swings, the pink house, bikes, roller skates, baseball, sidewalk chalk, water play, and more. Talk about exhausting!

Funny thing from the two-year old logic file, even though this is a little off color; Fiona, you were watching t.v. the other day while daddy was showering. When he came out and was getting dressed, for the first time you took notice of his...hmmm...private parts. Your reaction was "DADDY, Your BUTT! It's HUGE!!" Time to teach the names of body parts, and to cover up, apparently.

Fiona, you are a constant source of amusement, fun, and trouble. We were having a nice dinner at our friend's Bill and Fran's house, and while we were enjoying our meal, you found a Sharpie permanent marker, and made your mark on about five of their second-floor doors. Your most recent mischievous behavior is to take off all of your clothes, diaper included. When we put you in your crib for bedtime or nap time, it seems not fifteen minutes go by without all of your clothes and diaper thrown across the room.

You are very talkative, much beyond your age in terms of verbal abilities, and can express so much for being so small. You love to sing, too, and we can hear you content in your crib in the morning, singing songs to yourself (sometimes naked). Interestingly, at your first parent-teacher conference, when you, Norah, and me went into the classroom, and you and Norah were doing your usual high-energy playing, the teachers were shocked, they had never heard you speak before, or be so bodacious. Perhaps because we only have you in school one day/week you are just too shy, but you choose not to talk at school. I know you love your class, because you are always so happy to run off into the classroom, and yesterday Jasmin told me you cried because it wasn't a school day. Your teachers had all good things to say, and knew you could understand, but literally did not know you could talk!

Norah, I went to your first parent-teacher conference in February, too. Glowing reviews from your teachers. They said that you play so nicely with all of the kids, and that you are very kind and sharing with them, and that you have lots of friends. They also said that while not many of the kids want to sit down and do their school work when it's time, you are always willing and able to sit down and concentrate on the 'work' part of pre-K, too. The teachers are very impressed with your knowledge on letters, numbers, and abilities. Half-way through your Pre-K year, they think you are well ready for Kindergarten already. The one area you need to work on was knowing when to stop talking. The teachers sometimes have to move you away from your friends, because during circle time, you don't stay quiet! Surprise, Surprise!

Since that meeting, we have been working on putting letters together to begin reading. It was difficult for you at first, but you have really begun to 'get-it'. Yesterday we were talking about words, and you figured out how to spell CAT and HAT all by yourself. This was really hard for you about a month ago, but now you can figure out many of these words on your own. It is so exciting for me when I don't help you, and you sound out these words...it's not easy for a four year old! You also read the phrase "No, no, no" in a book the other day, completely unassisted by me. The exciting part of that was that you said "No, no, no", automatically, and didn't even have to think about that one!

We are in the midst of another childcare change, and so far you both seem to be coping. I can't wait for warmer weather and all of the fun things we will do together in the upcoming weeks and months.