An apple a day...

I never know quite when the fruit man will come. But once a year in August, there is a guy who comes around selling boxes of apples, oranges and grapefruit.

I am not usually one to get things from door-to-door people. But the first year--about 5 years ago--I was lured by the low prices for so much fruit.

Now? I just love the taste of the fruit! By this time of year, we are usually at the dregs of last year's apple crop in the stores. They are mealy and bland and mushy and wax-covered. It is all sad.

And in swoops the fruit guy with his fresh little Fugis! They are crisp, sweet/tart, and fresh. No wax. Plus, they are the greatest size for kids. Not too big at all. Hannah can finish one off in one sitting and there is not a ton left.




I usually dislike door-to-door people. I don't like strangers coming to my door, pressuring me to buy stuff. In fact, I have toyed with a No Soliciting sign. But I am thinking if I ever do one, I will need to ammend it, "No Soliciting...unless you're the apple guy."

Ella's dexterity and my 100th post

Well, I'm really impressed. She's barely 5 months old and Ella's new thing is to cross her fingers--well, when she's not sucking them. It just seems like such an impressively dexterious thing to do.

I kind of hope this finger crossing is not an omen of things to come though...



And in other news, this is my 100th post.

I think I might need to get out more.

Baby Pilates

Ella takes the term "Baby Gym" very very seriously.

What a workout!

McKay and Ella's bond

So, Ella and McKay...they are awesome together. I can't wait to see how this sibling relationship develops over the years. She seems pretty mellow and cheery and easy-going. McKay is...McKay. He can be the most kick-back kid ever, or about as high-strung as they come. And that can vacillate over about 2 minutes.

But one thing is completely constant. They are completely taken with each other.

Like I mentioned below, McKay just is crazy about Ella. I am a total total slacker. We have this baby swing. I don't use it a lot. Don't ask me why. It's some kind of personal thing I have. But it is a nice thing when Ella just wants to watch the kids play or I need to take a shower. But see, the swing eats batteries. Devours them. So using alkaline batteries would be a little like throwing money down the drain. Using rechargeable nickle-metal hydride batteries (which lose their charge whether you use them or don't) is not a ton better. I don't lose the money, but they are never fully charged. So, it usually turns into me manually pushing the baby every few minutes.

But McKay has decided this is his job. He comes over quietly and gives her the best pushes. Not too hard, but totally not too slow. He has this great little crooked smile all the while too. And Ella? She squirms with delight as he approaches. Her grins are HUGE. Her first real laughs were for McKay and his approach. Her only real belly laughs are for him. He just delights her.

McKay likes to hold her too. This might not seem like a lot, but McKay is quite hesitant to touch very many people. He's fine to stand off and observe. He doesn't like to hold dogs and cats like all the kids his age do. He doesn't seem to really care about other people's little babies. But Ella...he will ask specifically to hold her. (I need to get some pictures, but it is always a quick and unexpected thing, and so the moment is over quickly.)

But this bond started even before Ella was born.

When I was pregnant and my belly was really starting to show and others could feel Ella's movements from the outside, McKay's interest was piqued. He would crawl into my bed in the wee morning hours. (Probably around 2 am, or so.) He would snuggle up next to me and put his feet on my belly and gently push. This would awaken Ella, who would then push back. This would delight McKay and he would push again, and on and on. This was absolutely, intoxicatingly sweet for me as a mom. It was also completely exhausting, as it happened every night. But the sweet was really the overwhelming thing for me.

It is just amazing to me, watching this delicate, deep, profound sibling relationship develop.

Oh my, it's August...

School is coming. Hannah has her letter for Kindergarten. We know her teacher. (Fotheringham, for those who are in the know around here. I am hearing good things about her...any personal opinions? Mary? Nancy? Others?)

I am trying to keep my slight panic at bay. I know I got panicky with all the kids as they have gone into Kindergarten. But so far, I have only had kids going into Kindergarten with an IEP. I've already met the teachers and their team well before school started. (Even before the prior year ended.) I'd had plenty of time to discuss with their preschool teacher, who I trust very very much.

This is a totally new experience.

Hannah is also SO young. I keep questioning my judgement on sending her. She turns 5 just 2 days before the official start of school. (Kindergarten starts a week later. So she'll be five for a whole NINE days before she REALLY starts school.) She seems so young. Surely she will be one of the very youngest of her year. And yet, she is SO social and so mature. Her academics are fairly strong. But she has a propensity to be a chatter and doesn't automatically accept authority-figures. I don't know! I just want this to be a really really good experience for her.

Still, I think this is the right choice. I mean, the worst that can happen is we decide to do a second year of Kindergarten. Half of Hannah's little friends are in this year and half will be in the next year. It's only half-day, so it is a little like glorified preschool. So, we can watch tentatively and see how it goes. I imagine it will be a smashing success...but then she is SO young. I really want to start school on the right foot.

Geesh, I think I always have more trepidation about school starting than my kids do each year.

Another Michael and Hannah brag

So Michael decided today that he REALLY wanted to go to McDonald's tonight. I mean, afterall, they have SpyGear in their Happy Meals! Who doesn't want SpyGear? So he enlisted Hannah in the plan. (They ALSO have Polly Pockets. So, yeah, Hannah was on board with that.)

Michael started with his usual tactic of incessant asking. I told him I didn't know and that we had to wait for dad to come home. He kept asking and asking and I told him the asking was not helping his cause. In fact, it was getting on my frayed nerves. I asked him what he thought would help convince me and dad to let him go.

Well, he went up and cleaned his room and then helped Hannah clean hers. And then they cleaned the playroom. Hannah even used the hose on the vacuum to clean up some stray popcorn kernals from their snacks today. When Darwin got home, they showed off their hard work and then asked, very nicely.

Darwin was very very impressed and they are at McDonald's as we speak. (I am home with 2 sleeping babies.) I was very impressed with Michael's ability to work that one out and to come up with something that would further his cause. I am ALSO very impressed with how clean those rooms are.

Yay for SpyGear.

Sisters

I am so glad Hannah has a sister. It is so sweet how she looks forward to Ella doing all the things she does. She can't wait to see Ella in clothes she once wore or playing with her baby toys. They are pretty cute. There is just something special in life about having a sister. I am glad Hannah will have this chance, in addition to having so many wonderful brothers.





Ella and the others are also very sweet.

McKay loves her. They have a sweet bond. She just belly laughs when she sees him and he gets his little sideways, crooked smile for her. I love it.

Garrett loves to kiss and cuddle her and tell her all about what he is learning about life.

Michael LOVES to carry Ella around. He is making sure she is well-versed in Power Rangers and Pucca. It is pretty cute. He is an old pro at being a good brother though. He's always been sweet with each of the kids as they have been born. I've honestly never had to deal with sibling rivalry, which is nice.