Transitions

Zoe and Caleb are doing GREAT at their new pre-school.  I was anxious on day one given that drop off was to two different classrooms.  Zoe, unexpectedly, was more upset at being left alone without her brother than Caleb was at leaving Zoe.  He literally was pulling me down the hallway to the stairway to get to his room on the second floor! She was also a bit put out as the teachers prefer that each child only have one sleepy toy at naptime, and Zoe had her two stuffed "moo" and "baa" "who are twins, so she always wants to keep them together!! They let her have both.  The new teachers are lovely, and we are thrilled that my cousin Jenny is one of Zoe's teachers.  Overall, much better than expceted. 

It has been unseasonably chilly in Virginia since the weekend, and we had a lot of rain which (again) brought down some big tree branches around and on the house.  No damage, thank goodness.  We had the heat on yesterday for the first time. 

Scott took the kids for haircuts on Sunday so I could go visit a friend who had a new baby in Baltimore, and both kids look great! They are getting more independent, and have a "chore chart" now where they get stars if they (1) Make their beds (2) Put on their clothes (3) Eat all their meals and (4) Go to sleep at bedtime.  We've had some issues with them fussing right at meal times and not wanting to sit together at the table, and wanting one more glass of water, or another toy, or another story, or another song at bedtime....so far, so good.  And if they get a week of stars in a row -- allowance! We have the piggy (bear) banks up on a shelf, ready for deposits.

The new twin-sized beds should be coming in early next week.  The kids picked out their own bedding at Target (I fell in love with the Pottery Barn Kids green and pink madras sets, but decided economical and individual decision making were better values to promote...). 

Zoe has taken to tossing my words right back at me, including when she doesn't want to hear what I'm saying, she'll reach over and put her hand on my cheek and say, "Sweetie, sweetie! It's ok, I talk now!?  Caleb has a running commentary on all that he sees now...the decibel levels of their constant chatter increase every day...and we've starting into the "why?" questions.  Why pants? Why yoghurt? Why milk? Why a jacket? Why mommy's car and not daddy's car? And off we go...