Checking in on the Four Kids

I couldn't blog for the last three days because we had to start and finish Russian Doll on Netflix. It is SO GOOD. It has a 100% rating on rotten tomatoes and you should not learn a single other thing about it before you start watching immediately. I'm probably going to watch it again starting tomorrow.

Except maybe not because tomorrow I'm going to a course selection meeting for my future MIDDLE SCHOOLER. What in the what, how is this possible? Just this morning as I was pulling out of the driveway to go to work, I caught my almost-middle-schooler running around the pool and front yard. "What are you doing?!" I called out the car window.

"Getting in some extra steps before school!" The kid had running club and climbing practice later in the day, not to mention recess where they play tag non-stop, but yeah, get those extra steps. One advantage of my forced furlough was getting a little more downtown with my tweenager and what a funny, chatty guy he is these days.

Landon had a climbing competition this past Saturday, his first in the spring "ropes" season. His climbing gym doesn't have ropes, so it was new for him, but much to our surprise (and, I think, his), he placed 6th! He said it was way harder than bouldering because you have to climb so much higher and stay on the grips holding up your weight for so much longer. The ropes mean you won't break anything when you fall, not that you get any help to stay up there. I continue to learn a lot about this new sport.

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And now a snapshot of Claire, literally, as she gets her reading log minutes in but is ready to roll (again, literally) the SECOND her minutes are up.

I cleaned out our TV room bookcases and closet this weekend and came across the first four Betsy, Tacy, and Tib books! I LOVED those books! I gave the first one to Claire with my heart in my eyes and unlike Landon's total rejection of my beloved Harry Potter, Claire accepted my book offering and started reading and she loves it! She loves a book! One of my favorite books! She asked to bring it to gymnastics to read while she waits for James to pick her up! Every part of this is so exciting to me. She's a great reader, and she never complains about doing it, but she never seeks it out either. Betsy for the win, I'm going to have to read the whole series again in celebration.

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On to Cora. Our third baby continues to work on following directions that aren't her own, but she remains cheerful and so easy-going it's easy to miss the fact that she's blatantly disregarding you while charming your pants off.

Super Bowl party outfit, obviously

She remains a diligent little worker bee at school, and, since I also got a notice for Kindergarten Round-Up today (waaaaaaa), I appreciate the glimpses we get into her busy preschool day.

"Mom, these are the planets. This is Jupiter and I drew a storm on it. There's an X on Pluto because it doesn't get to be a planet anymore because it's just a star Mom. The sun is yellow but I put orange on the edge of it because it's on FIRE."

The other day I asked her what kind of Valentines she'd like to get this year.

Cora: Um, I just want some that have a princess on them. ... And a unicorn. And a rainbow. And the unicorn is jumping over the rainbow and the princess is sitting on a heart underneath. And that’s all. ‘kay?

Me: ... Um, I’m not sure Target has those.

Cora [had already walked away bc she doesn’t have time for my excuses.]

(Always has time for her doggie)

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And now for my last baby, Princess Maggie remains the greatest of "small sisters." (Cora calls herself the "small sister" because thinks that's what you say for little sister and it is my favorite. Yesterday she asked, "Mom, am I Maggie's small sister?" Actually no, I explained, she's younger than you, so you're her big sister! "And she's my SMALL SISTER?!!" So exciting, she's always wanted a small sister.

And so, our smallest sister had her first play date with our friends' dogs this weekend when we went to say hi to Claire after a sleepover at their house (to say hi, because, as she made clear, she was not ready to actually leave and come home yet). Maggie was so brave.

She hid behind her daddy's legs for 30 minutes and then at the very end, moved to sit beside them.

Her new doggy friends were very excited and did lots of sniffing and happy barking, but our sweet, submissive, very deaf dog had no idea and spent at least half their playtime turned around backwards to make them disappear like a toddler playing hide-and-go-seek with their hands over their eyes. Then she came home and took a 3 hour nap to recover. Couldn't even get her whole body on her bed and fluffy blanket, poor thing.

She continues to be showered with all the love she deserves. She gets woken up by all her human siblings each morning while they gently and lovingly try to cajole her out of bed.

She's skeptical, but willingly to be convinced, every time.

Her new sweater came in the mail today, continuing her streak of having every package that gets delivered to our house belong to her. Cora added the tutu and I think she felt very beautiful indeed.

I took her in the car when we went to drop Claire off at gymnastics and she was SUCH a cheerful co-pilot.

I mean, she couldn't see out the window, so I'm not sure she had any idea what was going on, but I felt like we were in good hands.

Kid updates complete, what should I watch now that we've finished everything that's looked good recently (Ozark, Man in the High Castle, Russian Doll, Homecoming, The Bodyguard, Narcos, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Sneaky Pete, Peaky Blinders, Barry... and probably a few I'm forgetting). I just like good story telling- something I'm excited to turn on when the kids go to bed to see what happens next. James can't do sit-coms and definitely leans toward the dark and dramatic. I prefer a little levity with my drama and darkness, but can get it from my books if needed. What's something good that you've watched lately?