Growing up...

Looking at Abigail's back-to-school photos, I can hardly believe that less than two years ago, she was a 17-month-old baby, not walking, bald... and now she is the size of an average four-year-old!! She is currently 40 and 1/2 inches tall, and about 40 pounds! Gymnastics has helped with her postural control and balance, although Abby still trips/stumbles several times a day. She has a high pain tolerance, so falling down doesn't really bother her. She talks non-stop, and asks a million questions. Abigail makes all kinds of crazy faces. My neighbor says that maybe someday Ab will be an actress (because she is also a drama queen). It's funny the things she knows and does not know. I guess it depends upon what is important to her. For example, she only knows one color (orange), but can tell you all about everything everyone said and did at the sitter's house that day, in minute detail, including imitations of voice intonation and facial expressions! She is a loving, grateful child, thanking me profusely for her clothing, for her snacks, for it being a school day, for gymnastics, for being able to go to church. She is a funny little nut, and I love her. On her "family day" (October 21st) I will try to remember to post photos of Abigail, then and now. She has really grown!

Aunt Sister's birthday at Rainforest Cafe

Last Saturday night, our little church fam got together for Aunt Sister's birthday at the Rainforest Cafe. Her name isn't really sister, and she isn't my aunt, but she is the sister of a dear friend. It's a long story, but that's what we call Lori. She was preparing to go on a safari in Tanzania as a birthday gift to herself, so one night while Frances was at the gym, Abigail and I went to WalMart and perused the camping aisles. We gave Lori things like insect repellent, carabiners, a snakebite kit, and a tiny flashlight, things you might need on a safari.

Dinner at the Rainforest Cafe is always an exciting adventure. My girls love the animals and the thunderstorms! There was a guy walking around making balloon animals, and Frances begged me to buy her one. She asked him to make a dolphin (it's the blue thing on the table next to her while she takes bites out of Lori's birthday dessert - the "Volcano!"). Abigail didn't really want a big balloon creation, she just kept asking for one of the un-inflated balloons! The guy made a ladybug "wrist corsage" for Abigail, which fascinated her (and all of us as well). It lasted until the next day, when she started taking it apart. Oh well.

Everyone's favorite flower girl!

I think that this was Frances' last time as a flower girl. As she tells me, she is nine years old now...
Jaime and David were married on September 10th, at a beautiful hundred-year-old church in old Fullerton. Frances' dress looked a lot like Jaime's, and we all had a fun time taking photos before the ceremony. Abigail had fun inside the church with an air conditioning vent, pretending to be Marilyn Monroe!

Back to school, finally!

Everyone is finally back to school! Whew! I've had students since August 30th, but Frances didn't start until September 10th. She is now in the 4th grade (California history, and that darn missions project - what do you do with your model of a mission when it's all graded and finished? My friend Kathleen suggested that instead of a scale model of a California mission, students should be allowed to do a photo journal. I would love that, because it's not 3D!) at Maranatha Christian Academy, a.k.a. big Calvary. She was thrilled to go back to school, to see her friends. She does like school, but she won't admit it! Abigail started in a preschool class. She is a "typical peer" in the classroom next door to mine. Santa Ana Unified wants all of our special ed preschool classes to have typical peers in them, to satisfy some sort of requirement. It's probably the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. It would be nice to have special ed students in regular preschools, but that is not going to happen any time soon. So we bring in a typical kid or two, and say that we've met the requirements. Abigail couldn't be in my class, as we are not supposed to have our own children with us at work, for any reason. I am happy to have her next door, because although the program is for hearing-impaired children, it is an oral program. All of the children have some hearing loss, but they all speak. Basically, it is a general education preschool class. Abigail goes to school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 8:30 to noon. Our fabulous family of babysitters picks her up from school, and she spends the afternoon there until 2:30. Abby loves it! She is full of stories about her new friends, the things they do, art projects, etc. She has a ladybug backpack, and feels like a big girl.

Never mind that in the pictures, she looks almost the same size as Frances....

As the sign says...

We are squeezing the last bits of fun out of our summer! We rode our bikes over to the Hunters' to swim on Sunday afternoon. Their recent out-of-town family visitors bought Fran & Ab a huge floating turtle for the pool, so the girls were ready to try it out.



Frances was more proficient at climbing aboard the big turtle, especially when I held it still at the pool steps. Abigail tried it out, but usually rolled off (on purpose) within a few seconds. She seemed to really like towing Frances around the pool, while Franny rested on the turtle. It looks like Fran is Cleopatra, while Abigail is the Little Engine That Could!


The pool is not very warm, because it's been such a mild summer here, so about 20 minutes after jumping into the pool, Frances was shivering and ready to sit in the warm sunshine. Abigail was playing with a Barbie boat in the pool, and she thought that Frances needed to be wet. She snuck up on Frances, and poured water from the boat onto Fran's head! Of course, Frances wanted to retaliate, and Abigail happily complied.

Crystal Cove

Linda and Ralph were able to get a cottage at Crystal Cove for a few nights, so we all party-crashed and joined them at the beach! Such a beautiful place, and the cottages are homey and historical. Apparently, the prices are also reasonable, but booking a cottage is quite challenging. We were grateful to be invited, and hung out at the beach and the cottage for much of the day. Frances was out on the deck having a snack, while Abigail enjoyed the view from indoors. It looks like Abby is interested in whatever Frances is eating...

Getting ready for the real thing...

Because so many of her girls have not been to a gymnastic meet yet, Frances' coach arranged for a practice meet, to be held at the gym on a Sunday afternoon. One of the other coaches acted as the judge, and the girls all went through their routines on bars, beam, floor and vault. Frances let me do her hair (lately she has been wanting to do it herself, part of growing up, I guess) and I made sure that it was off of her face, and hairsprayed well to avoid coming loose. Frances was thrilled to get to wear her competition leotard! She looked gorgeous, although I know that as her mother, I am biased...



I think that six of the girls are at the same level as Frances (Level 4), and Fran had the highest scores among them on bars and floor. You go, girl! Her first "real" meet is September 12th, somewhere in Los Angeles. We'll get the details this week, and if I can get any photos (not allowed to use a flash during the meet) I will post them!

More pool pictures

We swim in the Hunters' pool every chance we get! Frances' dives are improving, and she can often enter the water without making much of a splash. Abigail continues to enjoy jumping off the diving board into the deep end, and she is getting good at dogpaddling around the pool in her floaty suit. We are not ready for summer to end...