Gramma Laurie has made it through the first week of babysitting, and we all agree it's going great! Liam says he has earned 3 happy faces every day from his teacher (though I did see her before school this morning, and she looked like she was getting ready to make a break for the nearest bar...) and Alex has earned many, many points for good behavior--even when they had a sub yesterday! RJ is just his normal sweet self, and Mikey goes with the 'gang'.
We visited the library yesterday to check out some books to read at home. Alex got three books about snakes (we're still a tiny bit obsessed with them after the summer rattlesnake encounter), Liam got a book about elephants, a book about Dizzy Gillespie (he found the music section first, and made a grab), and his third book I forget. Riveria chose a tape set of a Harry Potter book that we can listen to in the car, and two 'chapter books', which will be too hard for him, but I didn't have the heart to say no the very first time at the lib. Librarian (former) Lowdie picked three easy readers so the boys could practice their skills. Mikey was too busy doing the puzzles and hiding under the chairs to select any books this time. I hope to make the library a weekly stop.
We are busy each day checking off items on our 'chore chart'. Easiest: eating breakfast. Hardest: no fighting. But we're working on getting everything accomplished on our lists, which earns a hot lunch the next day.
I'm trying to be conscious of all the rules (and the boys are excellent at telling me all the rules, even if they don't exactly follow them all the time) and to be perhaps a little bit stricter. But our mornings always begin with smiles and a good cuddle in the rocking chair, and end (usually) with a back rub, a 'mouse' story that I have to make up for each boy and a hug and kiss goodnight. It's a happy job!
Tatum looks positively sultry as she models the Mermaid outfit her mama and grammy knit for her (from "New Knits on the Block" by Vicky Howell). She is FIERCE in that wig!
