Between soccer, lost teeth and cute notes, I’ve written a lot here about Avery lately. Things with Zoe have been quieter but also good: She seems to really enjoy third grade, which has a big emphasis on writing, and she spends most of her free time at home reading (at any given time she’s working her way through two or three different books) or playing with her sister. And here’s something new: Yesterday, she started a new gig as a “mother’s helper” (Q calls it a “babysitting internship”) for a friend of ours, who happens to be a teacher at the girls’ school. The mom had observed how good Zoe was with little kids and asked if she would be interested in coming over once a week and playing with her three-year-old daughter. Zoe jumped at the chance and immediately checked out some babysitting books at the library and jotted down some ideas of things to do with the little girl. She reported last night that their time together went well; by the time Zoe’s old enough to babysit for real, she’s going to be more than ready!

-M

When I dropped Avery off at school one day last week I took a peek at her journal, which she writes in most mornings. Her latest entry, with her inventive spelling and sweet comments about her two best friends, brought tears to my eyes.

-M

Same location, same girl. Uh, wow.

2007:

2015:

We go to Half Moon Bay – home to a lot of great pumpkin patches – every October. Here we are exploring our favorite one…

-M

As she watched the Mets manager celebrate at the end of the Dodgers-Mets game last night, Zoe commented, “Daddy should go out for manager.” She paused and continued, “He’s good enough. And he loves the Giants.”

-M

A photo of the happy girl.

-M

When I saw that I missed a call from the girls’ school yesterday morning, my first thought was, “Uh-oh.” I figured someone was sick, and I stepped out of my work meeting to listen to my voice mail. To be surprise (and delight), though, there was good news on the other line: Avery’s teacher called to say she had important news, followed by Avery telling me in a small voice, “Mommy, I lost my first tooth.” It was the best work message I’ve ever gotten!

-M

The first grade science unit is currently focused on the life cycle of mealworms. Here’s how things were described in a recent school newsletter:

Working in pairs, first graders have created a habitat for their mealworms and are watching the insects transform from pupa to larva to—finally—darkling beetles… Our young scientists have conducted experiments, determining which color the mealworms like best and whether they like moist areas or dry areas. Last Friday, the first graders were treated to a special guest from the Insect Discovery Lab. Karen, a bug expert, showed our students 6 different kinds of bugs: an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, a Giant African Millipede [note from M: that’s what Avery is holding below – eek!], an Australian Walking Stick, a Whip Scorpion, a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, and a Darkling Beetle…

“The most wonderful part of this 1-hour presentation was the respectful and informative way in which these intricate creatures were presented to the students,” says first grade teacher Barbara Eisenhauer. “The students were mesmerized!”

-M

During a sunny day off one day last week, the girls and I visited a nearby pumpkin patch to explore and play in the hay.

-M

I recently got a raise and bonus at work. Avery overheard me telling Q one afternoon and said, “Oh! You get bonus points for good work, too?”

-M

A few photos from my parents and sister’s recent visit…

-M

The girls headed back to school yesterday and celebrated the end of the holidays with an all-school assembly. On the agenda was dancing, singing and flag-waving – and it was the perfect way for them to return.

-M

My parents and sister have been here for the past few days (photos coming soon) and all headed home today. As we drove Sandy to the airport I asked the girls if they would visit their sister when they’re older, too, and Zoe surprised me with her answer of “no.” When I asked why not, she answered, “Because we’re going to live together!” “Really? When you’re adults – you’re still going to be living together?” I clarified. From the rear view mirror I saw Zoe and Avery look at each other, give big smiles and nod their heads. “Yep!” came their (sweet) answer.

-M

…And a few photos from the pumpkin patch we visited. (Bonus of going on a regular Monday: You have the whole place to yourself!)

-M

Zoe and Avery had a few days off last week, and on Monday we went exploring in Half Moon Bay – first visiting a few pumpkin patches and then hanging out at this amazing used bookstore we stumbled upon. After browsing and picking out books for more than an hour (!), the girls settled in for a competitive game of checkers.

-M