Our little soccer star?

Clara scored three goals during Saturday's game! The first one was so funny and I wish that I had got that one on video... she was in control of the ball, and as she was dribbling it toward the goal, she slipped on the damp grass and fell hard on her bum. In the midst of the fall, her legs shot out in front of her and propelled the ball straight into the goal. It was a bit anti-climactic for her, unfortunately... hard to be proud of herself when she is crying for the hurt of the fall. She regained composure quickly and followed with two more consecutive goals. I did get those on video! Maybe at some point, after I actually get the video out on YouTube, I'll figure out how to embed them into this blog.

Which brings me to the next bit... I captured some great video of Eli walking! Thanks so much to Jason for the help on that... I don't think I would have ever managed to get it on my own. He's walking so much more now... and he has suddenly become quite comfortable with getting himself down the step into the library. Oh... those poor books!! Also... another tooth for the boy... that brings the total up to 6. The last two popped out at about the same time. Hopefully, he'll have a short reprieve before he starts cutting the next ones.

Lucas is really taking an active step towards reading. He's been recognizing letters and their sounds for quite a while now. He's also been recognizing certain words that he sees over and over (like "exit"... he loves to point out the exits on the freeway). Lately, he's been trying to put it all together and has had some success. However, he's been getting frustrated when he can't read a book to himself, even if he knows the story by rote... he wants to be able to read each word. He can almost read the entire story of "The Deep Blue Sea" by Audrey Wood aloud to himself. Maybe that is something that I should get on video? His favorite book of the moment is "Alphabet Rescue" which is a little more complex (no rhymes.. no repetition) and that is the one he gets frustrated over. It's rather cute, though, when he comes to me complaining that he "just can't read without help".

We took a load of clothes to the thrift store today. We love the thrift store. We found lots of bargains (mostly books... as that is my personal weakness). Unfortunately, while sifting through the toy aisle, I gashed my finger on a staple. I somehow manage to hold it together when the kids get hurt, but when it's me... I fall apart. I'm in the bathroom of the thrift store with my hand under running water, my head resting on the counter, just trying to breathe so that I won't faint. I'm hoping that neosporin and bandaids will be enough...

A walker, a swimmer, and a 1st grader...

This has been a rather exciting week:

Eli started taking steps. It was almost a week ago that he took two independent steps to the refrigerator. Then nothing for about five days. Then on Saturday while we were at a friend's house, he took 5 steps! And he's been doing more and more each day. Of course, I was so disappointed that he decided to start stepping out of camera range... and yet, here he's been doing it at home rather frequently, and I have yet managed to capture any of it on either film or video! And it appears that he is working on another tooth.

Jason just submitted his first resume here. After months of talking about it, he is finally taking steps to secure our future here. He spent the past week updating his resume, which hasn't been even looked at since 2002. He has a few coworkers that have offered to shop his resume around through some of their networks, which is unbelievably great - we know that works the best... that is how he ended up getting that job at Livermore after all! I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Both Clara and Lucas' swim class session ended today. Lucas has been promoted to the next level (yay Lucas!), but the teacher wants Clara to repeat... again. This will be her 5th or 6th time in this level. Jason suggested today that maybe it's the teacher... I guess we'll have to see if he's right... next session is a brand new teacher.

And last, but definitely not least... Clara is officially a 1st grader!! It all happened last Friday. After school I met with the 1st grade teacher to find out what her thoughts were on how Clara did for a whole week in the 1st grade class. After talking for over an hour, we both decided that this was really the best choice. Needless to say, Clara was ecstatic. Then today, three of her classmates came up to her and said "hi" at Soccer Training. That somehow eased my mind about how she was fitting in.

"The Best Day of My Life"

I'd say it was a bit of an overstatement, but we did have a really good time. Sunday afternoon, we headed to Lake Accotink and rented a couple of canoes (the boys in one and us girls in the other). Clara and Lucas enjoyed trying to row with their oars, but floating on the water and enjoying the scenery of the autumn leaves was the better part of the trip. Clara proclaimed numerous times while in the canoe that this was "the best day of my life" (hence the post title). The only one who didn't enjoy the canoe trip was little Eli... he just cried and cried until he finally fell asleep.

Also, over the weekend... Eli welcomed tooth number 4!

I don't really have much to update in the decision regarding Clara. After a nearly two hour meeting on Friday with the Principal and the 1st Grade teacher, we decided to extend the trial period for another week. Hopefully, we will know more at the end of this week. Of course, the longer we leave her in the 1st grade class, the harder it will be on her when/if we move her back into kindergarten. She is loving being in the 1st grade class and has already told me that she doesn't want to go back into the kindergarten class. Of course, we will take that into consideration when we make the final decision... but the endgame is really to decide what is the best for Clara.

Promotion = Ulcer?

So it's been quite an eventful week (and it's only Tuesday). About two weeks ago, we received a phone call from Clara's kindergarten teacher suggesting we consider promoting Clara into the 1st grade. Needless to say, we were ecstatic!! After all... those who know us, know that this is something we've been wanting for a while. And as I waited for that call from the principal (as it seemed she had the final say)... I worried. We had never been this close to actually seeing it happen and all of a sudden, I started worrying about all the things that could make this the wrong decision. I worried that moving Clara in the middle of the year would adversely affect her already borderline emotional/social development. I worried that she wouldn't want to change classes and leave her close-knit group of friends/soccer mates and that making friends in the new class would be difficult for her. I worried that she would be missing out on something that kindergarten offered. I worried that the age gap, though not huge, would be too much. Basically... for the past two weeks, I worried. Then Monday came. After lunch with Clara at the school, I was swept up for an impromptu meeting with the teachers and the principal. All of a sudden the decision is ours. So all that worrying that I did for the past two weeks... nothing compared to what I've experienced in the past 24 hours. After a few calming phone calls to some impartial friends, I still haven't decided anything, but am much less stressed. So here is the latest... Clara will sit in on a 1st grade class for 1/2 day Wednesday and a full day both Thursday and Friday. After Friday, we can get feedback from the 1st grade teacher, the special education teacher, and of course the most important person in all this: Clara! Hopefully, the next three days will help us in deciding where she will spend the remainder of her school year. Needless to say... we are extremely proud of our little girl!

Welcome to the world of blogging, Heather!

So here it is... my first post. At the urging of a friend, I am now out here... my life and my thoughts public for anyone to read... a little scary. Of course, those who know me well are probably thinking that my free time should be put to more useful purposes... like a clean house or more creative dinners. Of course those same people also know that I spend way too much time playing Facebook Scrabble and Word Twist. And then there is the thinking that what am I really going to write about that anyone will want to read... well, let's just jump in and see what happens, right?