Imagination

I noticed something while watching the girls playing at a park...even though the backdrop is provided; they use anything around them to create a new world that is constantly changing.  The park has a play set with slides and steps, a viewing scope, and a small tunnel.  In another part of the park, there is a metal butterfly chair, and (2) bronze turtles.  The girls were princesses (Cinderella and Celestia (stars? moon?)), running from monsters, flying on the butterfly, magical princesses with wands that can disappear, swimming with the turtles, and many more that I didn't quite understand.  I am proud of how imaginative they are and how they can create such colorful and elaborate worlds with their minds.  There are many times where I wonder if we're doing a good job of being parents, but with days like these; I feel that we are doing a good job.


Norah reading to William

Today I treated the kids to Starbucks while on the way back from an errand.  I think we must go to our local starbucks a lot because when I began to order the girls' drinks (yes, they have specific ones: a frappichino like Mimi, (Norah) with whip cream, (Bella) with no whip cream) and the barrista broke in and finished their order :)  She said (and I quote): "Oh, for the little girls!?  One with whip and one without?" Hmm...our children can not begin to tell you what McDonald's serves, but they know with much certainty what Starbucks serves!

I am going to try to break out of my comfort zone and take the children to the library children's story hour this summer.  I am not sure how successful this attempt will be, but I will try none-the-less.  Sadly, the girls already say, when they see other kids at the library or the park, "...there are other kids here, can we stay? Or do we need to leave?"  Mostly our rule of thumb is that we can stay - if it's not crowded - as long as there are no coughing or snotty nose kids (literally not figuratively) around.  The threat of pneumonia is sometimes too encompassing for me to handle being around children that could be sick...I'm trying though, and sometimes that is good enough.

William has a 6-month meeting with First Steps (the MO funded program for therapy) coming up in June.  We found out last week that our beloved nutritionist is taking a full-time job at a local research hospital, which is a wonderful opportunity for her, but makes us sad.  For anyone who has long-term therapy sessions, you know how close you become to your therapists.  We will miss "Mrs. Tara" but know she will continue to be in our lives.  We will meet William's new nutritionist in the next couple of weeks.  At the meeting, William will also be evaluated by a PT to see if he needs to add that therapy.  He turns his left foot out when he cruises and his OT thinks it's a good idea to get help now.  We couldn't agree more and look forward to helping him with this obstacle.

We've started a new dinner tradition...eating outside almost every night.  The weather has been too nice to pass up and all the kids seem to enjoy the cool evenings and sounds of spring sliding into summer.  The other benefit - we can hose William's seat off at the end of the meal!