Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Summer 2012

The starting of school usually signifies the end of summer. Tomorrow, Evelyn starts kindergarten. Tomorrow, I will be seeing her off at the end of the drive way, watching her get on a school bus to spend her whole day at school. I am trying not to be too sentimental, but the flood of emotion seems to be just barely contained behind my eyes. If I don't blink hard enough, or fast enough, the pressure will build and the dam will break. That won't happen though. My little girl is so psyched about going to school, so happy to begin this new part of her life, I will be happy for her, too. I will not stop and mourn the end of her toddler hood. Tomorrow, I will celebrate with her as she embarks on her new adventure. At least, that is what I am telling myself.

It has been such a busy summer. Nathaniel arrived at the start of it. Though having a new born does limit our travelling, it does not mean that the girls were trapped home in any way. There were plenty of trips to the lake, first encounters with a slip-and-slid, and a morning spent at the pool equipped with water slides at One Stop Fun. Evelyn finally realized that she can go without her goggles and still be equally fearless in water. Lauren is getting closer and closer to finally dip her chin in to blow bubbles.

Evelyn had her first summer camp - the little Italian chef pasta making. From a simple mixture of flour and water (and once with a little bit of tamarind for color), she made delicious tofie and bow ties, papadelles and fettuccine. She also had her first piano lessons. After three classes, she was doing well enough that the teacher suggested us enrolling her into the 1st and 2nd grader's class, skipping the kindergarten level.

Inspired by the performances of the London Olympic athletes (even Lauren knows the names of fab five) and the performers of Circus Smirkus, the girls did a lot of gymnastics at home. Cart wheels, hand stands, and backward rolls can take place anywhere. The girls are especially creative on the swing set. Evelyn's most daring move is to hang upside down on the trapeze with only one leg hooked on. After sliding off once, landing on the ground heavily with a solid "oof", she's learned to entwine her free leg over the hooked leg to make herself more secure while still freeing up her hands. She's getting so strong she is able to swing across the whole length of the monkey bar multiple times without help. Lauren is an acrobat in training, too. With a little help of mommy (who often is also wearing their baby brother in a pouch), she can swing half way through the monkey bar, or get herself onto the trapeze.

We went to Plymouth Plantation to visit the pilgrims and check out the May Flower. Visited the Franklin Park Zoo where Evelyn climbed up and down the zebra wall to get down the twisty, super fast giraffe slides, and Lauren showed us just how far those two-year-old legs can walk (far!). Had play dates (and even an early dinner) with Amelia and Kaylie (sometimes with Kasen, Hadleigh, and Wyatt) as well as Alana and Evelyn's future kindergarten griends. Picked strawberries with A-Ma and Nanny, and peaches and blueberries with Ben and Max. Went to Fifer's day fair, Acton's Town Fair, Bolton Fair, and the Middlesex County 4-H fair. Went through a beautifully laid out corn maze that hid 3 wine tasting stations in it, and visited Nashoba winery afterwards on a glorious summer day (I got to walk and nurse Nathaniel while in the maze. Would  have made for a great FB status if I had a smart phone to do so on the spot).

While we weren't able to visit anyone, people came to visit us. A-Yis and A-Gu visited aplenty, making the girls very happy. Evelyn discovered her love of photo taking using A-Yi's cell phone. Sandie A-Yi gave her her phone's password in exchange for a little bit more sleep (Evelyn climbed into her bed before 6), and woke up to a good number of new photos and a couple of videos in her phone. Auntie Liz also came back and took the girls to Davis Farmland with Nanny. Ben and Max came for a weekend. Max became Evelyn's little shadow, following wherever she goes, doing whatever she does, wanting whatever she chooses.

It's a summer with a lot of growing and of learning new stuff. Evelyn started to read. Lauren started to recognize alphabets and numbers. It's a summer full of joy and fun and smiles and laughs. And now it is coming to an end. Tomorrow, Evelyn starts school. It feels like the end of an era. But I will refrain from thinking that way, and only think of it as a beginning.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Roar

When at play, if someone chases Lauren hard and long enough, and mommy is not there to provide her legs to hide behind, Lauren would turn around, curl her fingers into claws, scrunch up her nose, roar like a monster, and give chase of her chaser, reversing their original roles. That is how my two year old takes control of the situation.