Dance Party

This evening we had a dance party in Jack's room. We listened to T.A.T.U and danced in strobe light. Turns out, the boy has got some MEAN dance moves. Little hands jiving away, feet stomping, turning and smiling, smiling, smiling.

Just another little way the iPhones are making our lives better.

In other news about the boy-- he went across the monkey bars by himself today. Two times. I am inordinately proud.

Girlie-girl was not quite so agile, however, taking a header off a breakfast stool this afternoon. Goose-egg on her crown aside, she seems none the worse. She was a little live wire this evening when we had Lillian, Naomi and their parents over for supper. I think she really does recognize them as her friends, these days, genuinely excited to see them, following them around, even trying to say their names -- "o-mee-nom-ee" and "Wee-uul" At least she's trying. :) They give each other hugs and kisses. They carry handfuls of toys around the house and throw balloons and are about the cutest things going as they dash about underfoot. I love having these three little girls together. They are changing at the speed of light and they are more amazing every day...

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Nat and I spent some time this evening organizing our calendar around parent-teacher conferences and Kindergarten open houses. It is mind-boggling to watch our babies babbling and toddling around, and then look at our big boy and see the space-time continuum, as it were, fold in upon itself. Because that's the only way it could be possible, that my baby boy is getting ready for Kindergarten.

In light of certain developments in the area of public education in recent years (four letters for you....NCLB....) and the way these developments have led our public schools to be focused more on numbers than on children, this public school teacher has been (gasp!) talking about private schools more and more. We may attend a Montessori open house or two along with our local elementary. And Nat's always made noise about home-schooling, though I am never quite sure how I feel about that option. With how I've been feeling about my own job, and with how Ohio seems to feel about teachers these days, home-schooling is holding more of an appeal for me...

Who knew. This parenting thing doesn't get easier. The challenges just change form.

But-- with great challenges-- come great rewards.

I love these little monkeys.

PS: Here are some pictures from Halloween! It was a wonderful evening of pumpkins and rockets and astronauts, aliens and little devils, friends and candy, and three exhausted trick-or-treaters being brought home in a wagon. Thank heavens for Grandma, who joined us, and carried the rocket home. Pictures can't do the magic justice, but you'll get the idea.