MORE SOCCER
After Nicole saw how much fun Max had the first week of soccer class, she requested that she be placed immediately on the roster. One of the reasons we didn't want to join her up is that we wanted this to be Max's "thing." Frequently she will try something just one time, and outshine her little bro by a mile. We didn't want that happening here, but we also wanted to be fair to her because it was tons of fun, and because she was in the age group for the class. We did end up signing her up, and she did end up outshining him by a mile, but Max either didn't notice, or didn't mind. The coaches were awesome at the second session last week, when they managed to keep a group of 3-5 year olds sufficiently occupied and excited that the kids didn't even notice the drizzle coming down on their heads. And the chill that came along with it. For the entire hour. But, I noticed.

They both had an awesome time again this week, and the coaches still managed to keep the kids entertained like it was their first time, all the while teaching them soccer skills! I can't say enough good things about this program. Jack even got into the spirit. He spent about 1/2 the class trying to get his feet on a soccer ball, but when he realized I wasn't going to let him play in the field, he found another outlet.

Anytime someone kicked the ball into the goal, he did this, and shouted "HOORAY!"

KEYS, TAKE 2
Heavy sigh. Some of you may have read my post of July 19, 2008. In short, Kurt has left the front door wide open on a number of occasions (not just unlocked, but WIDE OPEN)...the post explains in a little more detail. I didn't mention in the post, though, that he ALWAYS leaves the car doors unlocked (but closed!) in the driveway, so I am frequently outside at bedtime clicking the keys to the remote to make sure our cars are locked up and safe for the night. Tonight was a new, but not surprising, first (that I know about!) for him. I had an appointment at a doctor's office, so Kurt was going to leave work a little early to watch the kids. He ended up leaving later than expected, so I had to load the kids in the car, and meet him outside the doctor's office. When we met, he handed me the keys to his car, and he got behind the wheel of my car and took the kids home.

I was probably about 45 -60 minutes behind him and when I got home and pulled up to the driveway---you guessed it---rear passenger door WIDE OPEN and swaying in the breeze. Not only did he not try to lock the door, he didn't even bother to try to CLOSE the door! I was trying to get the visual in my head when I saw it...the door that was open was the back door where Jack sits. So, even if the other kids unbuckled themselves and jumped out, Kurt would have had to have unbuckled Jack, lifted him out of the car, then NOT even bothered to try to shut it as he walked away!!! I really don't get it! First reaction? Anger. Next? Disbelief. Then? Laughter. Next thought? Gotta blog this!!!!!

REALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TEEN YEARS

It's been a really emotionally draining week for the kids...and for me! They are 4 and 5, and I really can't imagine what the teens years are going to be like if emotions are riding so high at this age. In a nutshell, and to save you from the very very mundane details, Nicole and Max both have very good friends, or even best friends, who are branching out and playing with other people as a new year begins at school. I should also start by saying that Nicole and Max are also playing with other people as the new year begins. It's not that Nicole and Max are being left out, they are still great friends with their friends, they are just learning that there are other playdates going on. Although Nicole and Max are pretty close as siblings go, the other friends we are talking about are separate friends, so it is just a big coincidence that it is happening to both at the same time, during the same week, and draining the life out of us all. I point out to both that it is important to have many friends. I point out to both that they are lucky they have each other to play with (that one goes over really well!) I point out to both that they are both playing with other friends outside of their best buddies. (They don't seem to understand that it's the same thing!) I offer to make playdates with their best friends, or with other friends. Nothing has made the situation better for them! I am getting swept up in the emotion as well, because I feel so badly for them and I can't shake my sadness for what they are struggling to understand and come to grips with. I know it will be so much worse when it happens 10 years from now, but for them right now, it doesn't get much worse. Boyfriends, best friends, jealousies, break-ups, heartaches, are all on the horizon and they don't even know what's coming. Just last year, I didn't even think about those things, they were too far in the future. Now they are right here, whether I am ready or not.

TAGGED
I was tagged by fellow-blogger http://thebestisyetunwritten.blogspot.com/ to write 6 random things about me, and to, in turn, tag six other bloggers. My six random things?

1. I grew up on Long Island, but I don't have the accent!
2. For the longest time, I never ever ever wanted kids.
3. I wasn't even a little bit athletic growing up. I played the piano and was in chorus.
4. I spent a semester of college in London, then backpacked around the rest of Europe for 6 more weeks after the semester was over.
5. I haven't eaten red meat in over 20 years.
6. I miss living in center city Philly every day of my life since I've moved to the 'burbs.

I am not tagging anyone right now until I get to know some other untagged mommy bloggers better...

RULES:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

THIS USED TO BE MY DAUGHTER

Yikes. This:can happen to you if you don't watch out! Did you nearly have a seizure when you saw all that color? I almost did! This is what happens when your daughter insists on face painting when you go to Kids Day at the Park. As she was in the chair getting her face painted, facing the opposite direction, I was chatting with my neighbor whose daughter was in the next chair... getting a little design painted on her ARM because her daddy, the doctor, refuses to let his kids get their face painted because he thinks face painting is not clean, and he has seen firsthand what can happen when infection arises from a dirty face-painting incident! You can imagine how excited I was as we finished our conversation and my daughter turned around to show me her painted face. Yikes, is right. My neighbor assured me we can knock on his door day or night if the need arose... jokingly, I assume. I hope.

The day started out fine, with happy kids going to the park.

A pony ride:Some moounbounce adventures:

An attempt at the "rock climbing" wall:After Nicole's turn, I was given a challenge by the guy manning the wall, that I couldn't say "no" to, so I didn't. I did make it to the top, but Kurt didn't get a picture of me at the tip top. Ssshh, don't tell anyone, but this was pretty hard!
I have a fear that since we're in painting mode in this house, Nicole will be asking for a fluorescent pink seizure-evoking bedroom in the near future. I'll refuse! (But if we give in, I'll post pictures!)

SOCCER STARS
Max started a new soccer program today. He has taken soccer before, on and off, through our gym. I know I rave about the gym itself, but I was never knocked out by the "free" kids programs there....like soccer. But I have to say, I was surprised that Max had a really good set of basic skills he presented today, that he could only have learned through ACAC Kids' Kick Soccer!
We didn't know what to expect from the new program, so I was pleasantly surprised to see how organized it was when we first arrived....and I was KNOCKED OUT by the coaches! They were entertaining, friendly, fit, they knew how to play the game, they continually held the kids' attention for the hour-long class...they had props, they played games, all while teaching soccer skills to a bunch of preschoolers! They were a group of young men with British accents (sorry dad, couldn't pinpoint it, definitely north of London, but I am pretty sure they weren't scousers---not only did they not have that scouse accent, but they were also NOT drinking pints of beer, AND they were actually working pretty hard! Maybe Scottish, even?) who I would love to have as the kids' regular school teachers, setting aside soccer for a minute. They were that good!

Max was so excited and enthusiastic, and he had a GREAT time. He exhibited ability and confidence in a way that I have never seen in him ...and his great mood lasted all night! I don't know whether the same coaches teach this all the time, but based on the first lesson, I would recommend the DARC tots' soccer program (taught by the United Soccer Academy) to anyone! As far as I am concerned, the soccer stars today are Max and the great coaches!

GREEN

I can't believe I'm voluntarily showing clutter in the pictures---but the painter is only 1/2 done (second coat tomorrow) and he has moved things all over and left them in the middle of the room, and I don't want to move them back when he just has to move them again tomorrow. We are happy with the color! We can give it a while and reassess again. It will be easier to paint red over this, than this over red if we needed a change!

GREEN OR RED? GREEN OR RED?
Ugh, for two weeks at least, we have been trying to pick a color to paint our kitchen/breakfast area. We have really been through the entire spectrum of paints and back (who knew so many colors existed in this little world?) and we have narrowed it down to two choices:

1. Do we go the "safe"(boring!) route and pick a pretty muted green tone that was recommended by a designer? (And, I had 2 friends over last week and out of about 1000+ swatches of ALL colors in the world, they chose the IDENTICAL shade as was recommended! I did not even realize this until after they were gone, but that made me really say that this SHOULD be the color that I go with! And I have yet to tell my friends how impressed I am with them!)
2. Do we go for bold and gutsy? A red to make a splash and to really create some color in the house. And if we go red, how do we have a clue what the right red is? The kitchen/breakfast area is large enough that if we make a mistake, it's a pretty big mistake hanging out there...

Any advice on reds? Any success stories or horror stories? I would love to hear them!

JUST A REMINDER
Is everyone registered to vote? We're running out of time to register, so let's get moving! In Pennsylvania, your registration form has to be postmarked at least 30 days before the election. Every state has different rules about the timing of registration, so check your state for local rules! For my Pennsylvania readers, the form is just a click away! http://www.dos.state.pa.us/voting/lib/voting/02_voter_registration_applications/onlinevoterregformblank.pdf
You have to print out the form, fill it out (it's very simple!) and mail it to your county registration office---the office address is on the form! Don't delay, get it in today! Election day is November 4th, so the form is due by October 4th at the latest! This is an historic election and every vote counts!

9-11
I feel like I really have no right to write about 9-11. So many people lost so much on that day, and in my mind, those are the people who can write an authoritative story or post on this topic. I have only a few musings. The day was emotional for me, as I am sure it was for every American, or anyone with even a remote connection in any corner of the world. Before 2001, 9-11 to me was my good friend's anniversary--- a day to celebrate, a day that evoked happiness. I feel badly for my friend because she "lost" the happiness from her anniversary, I am sure it will never be the same to her. Of course, that is a small loss compared to what others faced that day, but a loss nonetheless.

I grew up in New York, so I certainly knew the city well. I had never been up in the World Trade Center, until about 6 months before 9-11. In the spring of 2001, Kurt and I took a weekend trip to NYC, and for reasons we both don't know, we decided to go up to the tower observation deck---we enjoyed the breathtaking views, and had an enjoyable day. We have no idea why we were compelled to go up there---it certainly was not on the list of things I had ever had a great desire to do. Maybe the towers just moved us that day....

I am sure everyone remembers where they were on 9-11-01. I was in my office preparing an ER physician for his deposition. We were in a skyscraper, but were only on the 18th floor. One of the support staff got a call and was told to turn on the television, so the doctor and I were alternately preparing for the case, and keeping an eye on the television in the conference room to see what was unfolding. My co-defense counsel arrived, and we were waiting for the plaintiff's counsel to take the deposition. Shortly after 10am, he called to say he was getting out of town, and he would not be taking the deposition. I raised hell and told him that we were here, that my doctor managed to hobble in here on crutches, we were ready to go forward, and he would be seeing a motion for sanctions from me in discovery court if he did not come and get this deposition taken. I think he got out of town--- he certainly didn't come to take the deposition. The city started shutting down after that, and my friend and I ended up watching the news coverage at the Irish Pub, I suppose it was drowning our sorrows, although we really were lost and had no idea what else to do (there was no getting out of the city for us, we lived there!). Kurt's company was probably the only business in the entire city that didn't close that day! I think often of how something that I thought was so important, getting the deposition taken, pales in comparison to the magnitude of the situation that was unfolding everywhere else. Of course, there was no motion for sanctions filed...

My uncle was not in the towers but worked nearby. After spending enormous amounts of time and energy getting out of lower Manhattan, he ran into a friend who had been in the towers, but escaped. I don't know his friend's name, but let's call him John Smith. As they were walking across the Brooklyn Bridge together, with all the rubble and the chaos all around them, a piece of paper floated down in the air in front of them. The paper said "From the desk of John Smith!" It was his!

My thoughts are with everyone who lost someone or something that day. When I moved to Downingtown, I met someone who eventually became a good friend of mine. It was about a year after we met that she told me that she made it out of the towers that day---and so did many of the people she supervised...but not everyone. She lost friends, and a whole lot more that day, and I can't even begin to imagine what life is like for her, that this horror is only a memory away. The memory can pop up when you don't expect it to, when you don't want it to, and will be there no matter how hard you try to forget it. Although seven years have elapsed, I can't imagine that something like this gets any better.

A FEW MORE FIRSTS

Max had his first day of preschool yesterday, which went off without a hitch. He was very excited, and would barely stay still for a picture.

Jack had his first day of music class for the session. I didn't take any pictures of that! This is his third session in a row, and I did take Nicole and Max there for at least 4-5 sessions in a row two years before this---so there have been many pictures of music class over the years. Poor third child, I didn't think to bring the camera. BUT here is a picture from the end of last session...many of the people are the same, and if I didn't date my pictures every day, Jack would never know that this wasn't him in class right now! (Okay, his hair was shorter and he looked more like a baby, but you understand my point!)

And, Nicole had her first day of dance class for the year. Nicole is starting her fourth year of dance with Ms. Debbie. The studio has changed this year---Ms. Debbie closed her studio and she is teaching somewhere else---but Ms. Debbie has not changed and Nicole wanted to follow her wherever she went! Nicole has always loved dance, but she was actually not too enthused about starting dance today, and I told her to give it a few classes, and we would take it from there. She came out of class excited and saying she wanted to continue, so we'll see how this all ends up.

TO THE ZOO

We took a little day trip to a little zoo this afternoon, and had a great little time. This was my first time visiting the Brandywine Zoo, http://brandywinezoo.com/, and I am sure I will be back. Very inexpensive, and not very large, it was perfect for what we were looking for today. We didn't have to worry about crowds, or spending all day there in the hot sun, or about the kids getting too tired of walking too far.

Jack was the most impressed today---he was in awe of seeing real live animals, and he would point and repeat the name we said at almost every cage. The highlight was the condor showing off his wingspan as we were leaving...a very impressive sight for all! Everyone around us thought that the bird was doing it on purpose to show off because he knew people were watching him. As the eternal pessimist, I was sure he was just stretching before his midday nap...or trying desperately to lift off the ground of the tiny cage that imprisoned him! Or showing his support for the Eagles game that was taking place as we walked. Fly eagles fly. I don't know how we got Kurt out to the zoo this afternoon, but he was home in plenty of time to see the end of the game.

NOTHING TOO BLOGWORTHY

The week in kindergarten seems to have gotten better each day, and Nicole comes home happy, and dare I say, even a little enthusiastic? It is still hard for her to say "goodbye" in the morning, but once she is on the bus, she looks like she is happy and chatty.

On the homefront, we were supposed to stop painting after the family room was done (budget-dictated decision!) but we enjoyed a little color so much, that we had the painter come back to do the foyer and hallways upstairs and down, finances be damned. We are going to leave it at that for now...

Here is a first...Max was so proud that he could show Jack how to ride in a shopping cart car, and Jack was so happy to have been shown this new and exciting form of food shopping!

Max told me "Jack is a rookie," so I told the old veteran of cart cars to make sure Jack did it right. (Yes, there is still a little too much Cars movie in our lives, even 2 years after the movie was released!)

Max had orientation for preschool today, and he was pretty happy to jump right back into the swing of things. He will be with all of the same friends---there is no downside for him this year.

Jack's preschool proclivities lean more toward the academic aspect rather than preschool play. He was a little annoyed to be interrupted by the juveniles playing with trucks on the floor! (I can't get Max to sit down and color or write, and I can't get him to hold a pencil or crayon like that. Seriously.)Sorry Jack, you are only 19 months, you have at least another year before your school career starts. And, I am also sorry, honey, that I am a bad mom. Thank goodness you won't remember this, and so, you likely won't be scarred for life, but at least 4 different people have approached me in the last few weeks to make comments about my cute baby girl; and Nicole and Max have also been asked about their baby sister. I am so sorry Jack...your first haircut is coming even sooner than I expected!

WE SURVIVED THE FIRST DAY OF K

Nicole was pretty upset the night before Kindergarten. As we were putting her to sleep, she cried and asked whether I could come with her. Kurt promised that he would also stay home to see her off at the bus stop, then he would follow the bus to school to make sure she arrived there ok. (What a good daddy!) When Nicole woke up this morning, she was dressed in no time, and seemed a little eager. We couldn't really get a smile out of her, though.

We made her take some pictures with her brothers, and we managed to get a little smile after a long while. (The bigger issue is why Kurt was snapping a picture rather than yelling at Jack to get his shoes off the brand new couch!!)

Then she was a little excited at the bus stop when she saw some people she knew.

Boarding the bus didn't look too bad! (Although, she later told me she was really scared but didn't want anyone to know!)

The morning went really quickly. (It is only about 2 1/2 hours; less time than she was in preschool last year!) Since she doesn't get a bus home from school, we have to pick her up every day. Here's Max waiting for Nicole to come out of school at pick-up time. (I won't even post a picture of Jack, a screaming mess because he was hot, tired, and didn't want to be strapped in his stroller!)

Here's Nicole with her friend from preschool after their first day of Kindergarten!

Did she like it? Well, what she said (didn't like it!), and how she said it (a little excitement and happiness as she described different parts) told me very different things. We will give it some time and see how it all plays out.