Dance recital photos!! Caroline is in a Saturday morning combo class, where they learn both tap and ballet. For the recital this year they did a tap routine to The Good Ship Lollipop. Their costumes were very sparkly and patriotic. It was basically the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.

Caroline isn’t what you would call a naturally gifted dancer. She doesn’t seem to have an ear for music or beat or some extraordinary talent for learning steps. But what she lacks in God-given ability she makes up for in enthusiasm. She LOVES to dance. She dances all the time, sometimes to music and sometimes to music only she can hear, sometimes to songs she makes up and sings out loud for everyone to enjoy. Her joy and confidence when she dances is why I signed her up for this year’s lessons and why I am probably going to move her to “real” dance lessons in the fall. If dance is going to be Her Thing, I want her to have all the opportunity she needs to become very good at it and I don’t think the Parks & Rec class is going to do that. But for this year, it was perfect.

These photos are from both dress rehearsal and the night of the show. During dress rehearsal, Caroline mostly looked at her feet and fussed with her itchy costume. During the actual performance she did MUCH better at the looking up and smiling part, but she lost her place in line and then tried to rearrange the girls around her. She just took them gently by the arm and moved them to the “correct” spot on the floor. She was wrong. Completely wrong. But it got a huge laugh from the audience and one little girl she moved told her mom Caroline was “so helpful”, so it ended up OK.

I am posting way, way too many photos here, but just pretend you are her grandmother and REALLY want to seem them all. Thanks.

Caroline had morning day camp at Mystic Seaport last week, so we were out of the house Doing Stuff almost every day. Doing stuff is really fun, but I might not be up for stuff every day. Maybe every other day. This coming week Evan has full day Seaport Camp, so we’ll do even more stuff. I am both excited and already tired.

Sunday:

Caroline says “Look! You can’t even see me!”

Moon bears

This was not my first time at the zoo, so I brough dry clothes.

Monday:

He dresses himself.

Sleepy baby at camp pick-up

Can’t resist the lake, even when we’re tired

Tuesday:

Bed hog

Evan talked the seaport volunteer into doing ALL the puzzles with him.

He said he missed her while she was at camp

Wednesday:

Cheerios and a double stroller all to himself. SPOILED.

Cool dude

He didn’t even mind coming to dance rehearsal because he got to play Minecraft

Thursday:

Fishing Day at seaport camp

Cotton candy frapp

I am unable to handle Caroline in make up

Friday:

Best purchase!!

What are you doin’ lying on the floor? Just get up.

Tappity tap tap tap

Saturday:

Water baby at the zoo for the second time in a week

Mini ginger

Big ginger

I can’t believe it’s already the last week of June. I keep having to triple check the calendar to make sure I’m not on the wrong month. I have less than 4 weeks before Lincoln turns one and before his birthday party. I ordered a ton of birthday stuff but have no actual decorating plans beyond “hang up some sparkly stuff” and “maybe cake?” Luckily we have a bunch of family coming, so I will have people to help me cut up one zillion foods into star shapes.

It is freezing cold today but the forecast for the rest of the week looks perfect for lots of #lakelife fun. So far it’s been a pretty good summer.

So, I’m not actually sure how this happened. I was totally fine with Lincoln being 10 months old. I love 10 months. 10 month olds are still babies, but they’re interactive babies who can express love and make you realize that all your hard work is totally worth it because you’re keeping this tiny baby alive.

But 11 MONTHS is basically a toddler. I didn’t ask for a toddler. He insists on toddling almost all the time now. He toddles even in PUBLIC, which means it’s only a matter of time before he isn’t on board with all my babywearing. Don’t tell him that’s an option though, he has no idea.

At 11 months old, Linc likes to take 2 naps a day – one short one in my lap/in the car/wrapped in the morning and one long one in his crib in the afternoon. Because he has two siblings who hve schedules and friends and plans those naps don’t always happen when and where he would like. Maybe 2 days out of 7 he gets his ideal naps. Most of the time a few short naps or an extra car nap will hold him over until he can just hang out on the couch with me and relax. And by relax I mean nurse, because he has suddenly decided that is his favorite thing in the whole world. I was starting to maybe sort of kind of think about trying to night wean him right around his first birthday, but I’m pretty sure that would be too much of a nightmare for all of us. I want to get MORE sleep, not less.

At his 9 month check-up (which happened at about 10 1/2 months), Linc was 22 lbs 3 oz, 29 inches tall and his head is 48.8 cm around. I bought him a pair of real shoes finally, in a size 5.5 (he hates them, but they fit). He’s wearing mostly 12-18 month clothes, although really his drawers have stuff from 9 months – 24 months and most of it fits…fine? Baby clothes are weird.

Likes include mama, daddy, anyone who smiles at him, screeching, waving his arms, shouting, grabbing things, flinging himself backwards, walking, climbing, the cat, the dog, music, tickles, the water, being worn, necklaces, pulling my hair, brother, sissy, yogurt raisins, Cheerios, and eating things off the floor.

Dislikes include the shower, being tired, the word NO, and not getting exactly what he wants immediately.

^^^^DO YOU SEE THIS? He’s trying to climb out of the crib. Good thing he hardly ever sleeps in it.

11 Month Milestones (from Caroline’s 11 month post, please also see Evan’s 11 month post here)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Says “mama” or “dada” to the correct parent – E still thinks he says Dada. Mostly he says “Do!” to the dog or “Dat!” for “That!” when he points. Still no mama.
Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo – Pretty good at peek-a-boo with a blanket
Stands alone for a couple of seconds – Walks.
Cruises – Walks.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Understands “no” and simple instructions – Understands no, does not obey no.
Puts objects into a container – Yyyyyyyyyes? Not when I TELL him to, but he can.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Says one word besides “mama” or “dada” – Do and Dat, if those count.
Stoops from standing position – Walks. Squats. Leans. Climbs.

Schooooooooool’s out for summer! Caroline starts camp tomorrow AND she has her dance recital this week. She is going to be one tired girl by Saturday morning. I’m hoping that means she might sleep longer than 6 am.

Sunday:

For her last soccer game, Caroline played with the U8 team. She was half their size!

Swimmers

We all love #lakelife

Monday:

We worked on our Father’s Day presents, which are late because E was SUPPOSED to be at sea. Although we are much happier having him home.

Glitter, the herpes of craft supplies

We put in a chin up bar for wrap swings

Tuesday:

Little explorer

A+ dentist visit

Keeping the healthy baby away from the germs at his check-up

Wednesday:

I cleaned out my purse. That’s just the trash.

I think my cat is plotting to kill me

Ice cream weirdos

Thursday:

He always sleeps like this

He really loves his foot

Hanging out

Friday:

Baby friends!!!

Morning playdates are exhausting

Loooook at my fooooooot

Saturday:

I don’t know why.

Water break

Happy weekend!

E was supposed to be at sea but he is not, so we had a nice Father’s Day at the zoo followed by pulled pork and ice cream cake. The kids announced THEY had the best Father’s Day, so I think it was successful. I really like the kind of family fun day where no one has a giant meltdown and I get to eat ice cream cake.

Off topic: I got a Fitbit this week, and my desire to get to 10,000 steps a day has been GREAT motivation for me to move. I also really love that it’s giving me extra points in my Weight Watchers app, because ice cream cake.

Today I said good bye to my kindergartener and my pre-because and welcomed home a first grader and a kindergartener. That means both big kids will be in full day programs at the same school next year. ONE bus in the morning, ONE bus in the afternoon, SEVEN hours of freedom in between. (Well, as free as you can be with a 1-year-old.)

The kids have grown so much this year, both physically and mentally. Caroline’s teachers report she is academically strong and predict she will thrive in kinder. They also said she has great maturity with peer pressure and when some of the girls in class get out of hand she’s great at saying “No, I shouldn’t do this” and removing herself from the situation. Since she’s always trying to keep up with Evan we’re working on her sight words and I suspect she’ll go into the fall already reading. She loves expressing “her style” with her glasses and hair and leggings but has no complaints about the school uniform (I LOVE school uniforms).

Evan looks like a completely different kid than in September. He’s so big and so capable and so smart. He reads at grade level, has mastered all the kinder math skills and got a glowing report on how very much he has progressed in both his listening and behavior since the winter. Even when he was having trouble listening to grown-ups, he remembered to be kind and help others. His school best friend is the smallest kid in the class, who he adopted as his personal responsibility to make sure no one was mean to him or picked on him. The last time the principal called, it was to tell me Evan stood up for a kid in the lunch line and a bigger kid pushed him. Evan told a teacher, but didn’t push back. Best phone call from the principal ever.

I am so excited to hang out with all the kids and do fun stuff and use all our memberships this summer. I’m letting them eat carrots, hummus and Oreos for dinner tonight while we start their very important Lord of the Rings education, so things are already in vacation mode.

First day of school post here for reference. (Sob sob sob so little now they’re so big sob etc etc.)

The peace sign apparently means “no excuses” at Evan’s school, so you do it when you need to prove you’re listening and ready to learn.