Summer Fun

It's hard to believe but Lil turned 7 this month, and she decided that it was time to get her ears pierced. I thought that she would scream her lungs out after the first ear was punctured but instead she yelled "OW" and then burst into a fit of giggles. A good time was had by all and now she has a pair of pink sparklers in her ears.

Lil has had a great summer going to the local adventure camp and tearing around on her new scooter or swimming when at home. She is becoming more independent, making her own lunch, being a little mother to Gracie and monitoring me to make sure that I stick to my "silly act" diet. She has become an excellent reader and has discovered that her skills have become a boy magnet as the boys who don't read so well always want to sit next to her in class. I am not sure that her father agrees that this may be the best criteria for attracting friends but she is yet undecided on one as a life partner.

The highlight of her month has been a visit from Auntie Anne and Uncle Scott to celebrate one year home from China and Lil's birthday. During that time Grace and Lil shared a bedroom and it was party city every night in their room until 10 pm and hyperactivity every day until the adults had to go to bed. Our favorite visitors hobbled away after only 3 days leaving behind a case of liquid comfort for us to nurse until our joints were back in working order. (My real age as calculated by the Wii Fit that week was 68.) No worries about anyone getting lonely though because we're planning to drive the junior partners to Wisconsin for a holiday in the near future.

Grace has also turned a corner and currently is as much tyrant as you can pack into a 2 1/2 year old. The day care teachers have commented that it is quite unusual for someone so small to fill a room with noise as effectively as she does. And while Lil seems to grow an inch every week, thank goodness Grace is actually shorter than she was 3 months ago...small but fast and mighty.

I was thinking the other day that we rarely see patients back to try for another baby when they have 2 1/2 year old...I think this particular age group is contraceptive firstly because parents are too exhausted to notice each other and secondly because their offspring frighten them at this stage. They play with and spit their food, they are potty trained until the first outing to the mall without training pants and will scream madly if a toy falls from the crib.

After two weeks of continuous screaming, Grace cut two molars this weekend and is now back to a place where we don't open her bedroom door with fear in our hearts. And she is still the cutest baby on the planet.

Its all good.