I was just boasting to a friend that we were getting through the winter without getting sick, a first for the family. Sure enough, I jinxed us, because shortly thereafter Avery got sick, and then Zoe came down with the same bug. (sigh)

At least the four of us had some fun just before the illness struck on Sunday: We went bowling at a birthday party for one of Avery’s classmates, and the girls were very into it!

-M

A sign that your 3-year-old knows her baseball: When you use the word “milkie” (as in milk) while reading a book and she cries out, “Oh – Melky Cabrera!” (as in, the former Giant).

-M

I had to run to Stanford for work on Saturday morning, and Q and the girls accompanied me. When I finally finished up and came outside, I had to laugh at the sight of my two cool girls in shades, patiently waiting for me.

-M

I’m a worrier by nature. Though I know Avery’s hearing is just fine now (her ENT said at a follow-up last week that everything looks great) and Avery’s speech is leaps and bounds from where it was a year (heck, even several months) ago, I still worry that she’s behind where she needs to be, verbally and socially, because of what happened. As well-documented on this blog, she’s bubbly and extremely talkative here, but that’s not always the case when she’s away from home.

That’s why I was so thrilled when the preschool director stopped me recently to tell me how well Avery was doing that day. “Oh, she was just with Mary, talking up a storm about going to the potty and washing her hands and being ready to go back to play,” she told. “Was she clear? Did you understand her?” I asked hopefully, and Jan smiled and said, “Every word.”

-M

School visits were a theme of last week: Last Friday, we were invited into Zoe’s class after morning recess to introduce ourselves and give the kids a presentation on our family. The four of us were joined by Aunt Jenny and Cousin Isaac (thanks for making the drive, Jenny!), and we told our family’s story through a slideshow of several dozen pictures. We also brought in a Zoe-approved snack; I had made mini zucchini muffins, in honor of Grandma. (She used to make zucchini bread for me when I was little.)

-M

I watched the Super Bowl on Sunday, but the girls were more interested in halftime than the game. And as you’ll see below, Zoe was particularly excited to perform alongside Beyonce.

(A dancer she’ll likely never be, but I love her enthusiasm!)

-M

Anyone notice how close we are to 60,000 hits? Per our usual tradition, if you are the 60,000 visitor take a snapshot of the page and send it to us. The lucky visitor will win a prize!

Good luck…

Jon Q

We took a break from our annual Super Bowl party this year – Q is out of town, and we’re doing some house renovations. Super Bowl Sunday still feels like a holiday, though, and the girls and I started ours by making football decorations. (Deviled eggs, football cupcakes and the Puppy Bowl are planned for later!)

-M

Q had a business trip in Seattle one day this week, and the girls and I got up early to see him off. As we watched his cab pull away, Zoe cried out “I want Daddy!” and burst into tears. Little Mommy Avery was all over it, telling me in an authoritative tone, “She’s just tired. She just needs more sleep in her bed.”

-M

One of the things Avery loved most about preschool last year was the Mystery Reader program, during which parents came into the classroom each week to surprise the children with a book or two. (Zoe had it in her class, too.) Yesterday was the start of Mystery Readers in Avery’s new class, and I was the first one!

-M