Update on the kids

Remember when I used to blog more than once a month? It was so long ago, I can hardly remember? Not sure what is up with my creativity lately,but it is a shame, because life keeps rolling on and I should be recording things. The kids have a PD day today and so we are all still in our PJs - they are trying to catchup on some TV watching that they " just never have time for" - a good time to post something.
Eve:

• Is taking swimming lessons for the first time. Words can not express how excited she was to "be big now". She likes it as long as she has Miss Kayla. When the boy substitute is there, it takes some getting used to.
  
• She plays on a soccer team and just as I thought, she LOVES it. I am the assistant coach for her team. It is really the highlight of my week. U4 soccer is the BEST!!!At this age they just play 3 on 3 and they don't have positions, but she has figured out that the other team can't score if she tends goals, so if she can 't get the ball from the kid that has a breakaway she will high tail it to the goal and looks all ferocious as she kicks the ball away.
• She has finished her preschool and misses it. And keeps asking about going again.
• She can almost do the monkey bars by herself, which both impresses me and freaks me out in equal proportions.
• Her talking is getting more and more clear, but she still pronounces flower, "flowler". I should probably help her learn to say it right, but it is so cute.
• She used to cry when the girls left for school, but now just says every morning, " Mom, now it is just me and you!" She is getting kind of stuck on me. We do a lot of book reading, dancing, puzzles, bike riding, library going and talking about what we will do next. This girls seems to like living by a schedule. If we don't get to do something I have said we will do, she will remind me about it over and over. "Mom, we didn't pull weeds yesterday like you said we would do". As if the weeds weren't reminders enough.
  
• She is obsessed with this "Meet the letters" DVD we got from the library. She always wants to watch it and wants to watch it with me. If I leave during the show to get something, she says things like:" but if you leave you will miss the S that is coming." And when I come back she fills me in on the letters I missed. I am glad that she is so excited about learning her letters, but wonder when she will realize that this DVD is DEAD BORING.
  

News from Jackie:

• She is growing out her bangs and we all think it makes her look older, though once she grows them out and cuts them again, we will all think that her bangs make her look older. Basically any change in hairstyle results in us noticing how grown up she is getting. I have to remind myself she is only 6.
• She has decided that she prefers to be called "Jacqueline" and has learned to spell it. This is of course a hard switch for everyone.
  
• She loves her swimming lessons and is getting better at swimming, though I'm sure it would be easier if she gained a little weight. She is a sinker.
  
• She is doing soccer, and likes it way better then basketball because a) it is outside and you get to run in the spring air and never get hot ( we live in the north) and b) she doesn't worry all the time about the ball hitting her in the head. So far no goals, but she has had some pretty decent breakaways and kicks on goal and has some great coaches.
• She finally, FINALLY got to take home her classes stuffed penguin for the weekend. She was the last kid to take it home, which meant she had to wait 18 agonizing weeks, but it was worth it. She showed that penguin a good time.
• Always the socialite, she is petitioning me to throw a welcome to summer party with all of her class because they all won't be in her class next year ( there are 5 grade 1 classes at her school)
  
• She is going to be moving into Alice's room in the next few weeks, as soon as we can get it all painted. She really wants her own room and even considered moving downstairs, but cried as she thought of how far she would be to Eve. She has been telling Eve all different ways they can still be close even when she is sleeping in a different room. She asked if we could cut a cubby hole for secret messages.
  

Alice:

• Is obsessed with riding her bike, it warms my heart that the bike I was excited to buy her 2 years ago is finally getting used.
• She is writing her provincial achievement tests at school, and thinks it is great because they are pretty easy and because of them they don't have any homework
• She did her first talk in primary the other week even though she (of course) really didn't want to. She did a great job and was super glad when it was over.
• Helped me find a great dress for the Grecole wedding. She is a great little shopper. Luvky is the mother that has daughters.
• She can now make chocolate chip cookies, corn meal muffins and waffles all by herself. Her new found baking ability is a terrific help. She is giving the girls breakfast while I type this.
  
• Is loving soccer, even though she also hasn't scored this year. I love watching her play and practice. Her best friend Chloe is on the team and the two of them look so happy all the time to be playing together.
  
• Thinks her swimming lessons are so boring, but at least she is learning how to do a handstand in the water, the only thing that prevented her from passing swimmer three last time.
• Is the proud owner of her own deodorant ( my little girls is growing up and getting sticky, sniff, sniff). She was not embarrassed at all, just excited. She totally does not feel the way I did about the whole maturing thing. A while back we were at Value Village trying on some shoes. There were these slip on high heels that completely fit her. I said we could buy them for the dress up clothes. She was all, "Can't I wear them to church?" I was surprised she would want to and told her when I was her age and didn't ever want to look any older than I (tragically) already did. She just said to me, "Mom, I am practically an adult already".
• Has discovered the joy of brushing her hair. I told her that if she didn't get better at brushing the knots out of her hair she would have to cut it. She has since upgraded to a brush that actually works and can frequently be seen brushing and admiring her hair in the mirror. I am glad that her hair looks better, but am not sure how I feel about the new found vanity about the beautifully brushed hair.
  
• Has decided to move downstairs to the guest bedroom. The thought that Jackie might just move down into that room, instead of waiting for her to do it was just the incentive she needed. Let the decorating begin.
  
• Can't wait for school to be done and for fun cousins to arrive. I'm totally with her on that.