Lazy Days of Summer

On Two Wheels

Family FotoFun Friday Challenge #35

Milestones

Doodle has always been a cautious kid: she didn't learn to walk until she was sure she could do it well so she was almost 14 months (no drunken sailor staggering for her); she is afraid to take her skates off the ice so she waddles instead of glides; and multiple attempts to learn to ride a bike have been unsuccessful because she was afraid of falling and would get easily frustrated. Until today. Tonight both Doodle and Tootle mastered the bike. I don't know if it was because it was an unseasonably cool day or the end of school or the planets were in alignment, but something clicked for both of them--and with no fussing or frustration. I was so proud of both girls as they shouted encouragement to each other and laughed as the breeze blew through their hair. Once they have a little more practice, I'll have to unearth my bike from the garage so we can go for family bike rides.

Tootle is a natural athlete so I knew that learning to ride a bike would be easy for her, and it was. My fear was that Tootle would learn first, causing great sibling strife. Fortunately Doodle started to ride on her own first, followed about 10 minutes later by Tootle.

The funny thing is that while Doodle is cautious about physical activities, she loves wild amusement park rides; has never been afraid of Santa or any larger than life character; and has no trouble performing or speaking in front of a crowd (she even won an award for her presentation skills at yesterday's school awards ceremony).

At bedtime, Tootle told me that the next thing she wants to learn to do is to ride her bike standing up. I think she's going to be a "look mom, no hands" kid.

Looking to the Future

Tootle, preschool graduate, finds a new use for her certificate of completion

Equal Time

It's hard to give equal time when you are celebrating one child's adoption day and birthday within a five day period, but Doodle has also had a monumental week. She flew up from Brownies to Girl Scouts and had a piano recital.

Exhausted

I'm falling asleep at the computer but had to get this down so I don't forget how insane the end of school period can be. I'm exhausted by the activities of the past 28 or so hours, starting after dinner last night:

1. Picked up cupcakes for Tootle's birthday celebration at school (I can't imagine how much more tired I would be if I had baked the ice cream cone cupcakes that I usually make).

2. Wrapped photo books that I created for Tootle's teachers and wrote each a note.

3. Played Zingo with Tootle and Battleship with Doodle.

4. Got Tootle to bed.

5. Worked with Doodle to wrap Tootle's birthday presents; steered Doodle to bed.

6. Created a framed photo collage of Doodle's classmates as a class gift for Doodle's teacher (I didn't have enough photos to do a photo book) from approximately 10 until midnight.

7. Finished some work so that I could have a guilt-free day off work; to bed at 1 a.m.

8. Awakened by Doodle at 6 a.m. because she was anxious to see her sister open her presents.

9. I stalled the girls long enough to get everyone dressed, followed by a frenzy of unwrapping.

10. Put 5 candles on Tootle's lemon muffin so Tootle could have another opportunity to display her wind power.

11. Went to the volunteer appreciation breakfast at Doodle's school.

12. Drove to Tootle's school to help in the classroom for the last time and to dole out cupcakes. Lucky me: it was field day, so I got to spend two of three hours in the hot sun.

13. Brought one of Tootle's friends home for a playdate. They were so engrossed in play that they didn't even notice when I left them with Nana to go to Doodle's school at lunchtime and have the class sign the collage's mat.

14. Drove Tootle's friend home and swung by Doodle's school for the third time in one day, this time to surprise her by picking her up.

15. Drove about 30 minutes to pick our own strawberries; got more than enough berries in about 15 minutes.

16. Stopped for Tootle's birthday dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant.

17. Stopped at a craft store to pick up some stickers to cover up a place where one of Doodle's classmates marred the mat.

18. Home so the girls could hit the shower. Played Connect Four.

19. Fell asleep when I was trying to get the birthday girl to sleep; awakened by Doodle who announces that she needs some of the leftover lo mein that we brought home.

20. Doodle sleeps; I manage to stay awake only to fall asleep at the computer a short while later when downloading the day's photos and checking e-mail.

I'll fix the mat tomorrow night; I don't need it until Friday.