Hog Days

Summer has arrived in Hillsborough, and the girls are enjoying it.  Last weekend, they bounced at Hog Days.  This weekend, we went to The Pool.  Charlotte & Claire have a greater fear of the water than they displayed last year, but they're also more tractable when asked to wear floaties, so trips to the pool are far less stressful for Dad & Mum.

Louise's career aspirations have shifted a bit.  Our eldest daughter, who refuses to take swim lessons, wants to be a swim teacher when she grows up.  Or a tree.

Ms. Judy continues to have a lasting impression on the girls, even after we moved away.  "Do you know what a shed is, Louise?" asked Daddy this evening.  "Yes.  It's like a dog house, but bigger."

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!  Louise has gone to great lengths to make today the "Best Day Ever" for Mummy.  Yesterday, she and Daddy went on a "secret mission" to buy flowers, and they cleverly hid the flowers (in a vase with water) in the garage under a newspaper. On Mother's Day itself, everyone woke fairly early, but they had "Mother's Day Camp" with Daddy downstairs, so Mummy could sleep until nearly 8am.  Claire then delivered a card, and all three girls brought up breakfast in bed - dry cereal, "because we don't want Mummy to spill milk in bed," and coffee, with a beautiful vase of red roses.  Once Mummy finally emerged from bed, we had a quick chat with Nana and Grandad, then headed to Gold Park.

After dinner, Charlotte picked up a piece of purple plastic, molded to look like an amethyst.  "It's a minewal (mineral)!"  Hooray for Dinosaur Train for teaching science to our children!

Pops & Grammy

Pops & Grammy have returned to the Eastern half of the US, and they came to visit for the first time since September.  Do you remember Pops & Grammy, we asked Louise.  "Of course!  Pops brings us presents.  But he doesn't have to bring something this time."  Of course, he did bring something - a zebra pillow pet for Louise ("Carrot!"), a giraffe for Claire, and "Chocolate" Moose for Charlotte.  Pops' sister Candy also came to visit, with her friend Ken.  Charlotte got a haircut after gymnastics on Saturday, so she is fully visible.  Her teacher commented today, "She looks all grown up - like a proper three year-old!"  Claire remains skeptical of the virtue of haircuts, so she now has the longest hair in the family.

Charlotte Atherton, DDS

Last week, Charlotte declared that she wants to be a dentist when she grows up.  What does a dentist do?  "Say no juice and no candy, and brush your teeth."  This morning at breakfast, Dr. Charlotte announced: "If your teeth fall out, you don't brush your teeth.  It's bad."  We usually reverse that statement, but her logic is still sound.

Mummy went out with the Coach House ladies again last night.  Claire thought that was a Bad Choice, and she expressed her opinion with tears.  Louise tried to help her calm down: "When I was three, I didn't want Mummy to leave, and I was upset.  But I didn't cry!"

Louise enjoyed Kindergarten Registration, and she's getting excited about Big School.  When it was time for the kids to go one way and the grown-ups to go the other, she grabbed neighbour Alex's hand and marched off to her new adventure.  She enjoyed riding on the bus, where she chose to sit quietly next to a teacher.  A few days later, she got frustrated when trying to zip up her coat.  "Mummy, you do it!"  We reminded her of the Cameron Park slogan, "GRIT."  The T stands for TEN-acity - Cameron Park kids must try to do things themselves ten times before asking for help.  Wanting to do things the Kindergarten way, Louise tried the zipper again.  "It only took me three times!" she exclaimed.  She also loves the Miss Bindergarten books about Kindergarten, and she's trying to "read" books using the first letter of words as mnemonic clues.