Now that the girls have had three weeks of school under their belts, it seemed like a good time to update readers on how they’re doing. Zoe (no surprise here) took to 2nd grade immediately and seems to quite like the new class, new teachers, etc. New this year is parents having to say good-bye to their students outside of the classroom (versus walking them in and getting them settled, which is the norm in kindergarten and 1st), but Zoe hasn’t minded saying early good-byes to us at all. A few of the days, Miss Independent even ran far ahead of me and Avery and went into her classroom without much more than a turn of the head and a quick wave.

As for Avery, she seems to be soaking up kindergarten like a sponge. Every day she comes home telling a story from class, or singing a song she learned there – she is more excited and animated about kindergarten than she ever was about any of her preschool classes. She had a tough drop-off the other morning (tears, pleas for me not to leave, etc.), but on every other day she’s bounced away from me and Q happily. And we know how happy she is overall; she told me recently that she was in the “best kindergarten in the whole wide world.”

-M

“I am never talking to my sister, EVER AGAIN,” Avery screamed from her bedroom the other night. I looked at my watch: Her “never” lasted two minutes.

-M

Zoe also had something on display for Back to School Night – an outline of her wishes for the future, including a hope for a “long and healthy and happy life.” I second that!

-M

Back to School Night – a time to meet the girls’ new teachers and look around their classrooms – was held one night last week. A highlight was in Avery’s classroom, where I saw a drawing that she had made around the idea of kindness. She used as her example of kindness when “my mom takes me out for pizza, because that always makes me feel nice.”

Who knew such a small thing could make such an impression?

-M

Soccer’s a pretty big thing at the girls’ school, and we signed up an eager Avery over the summer. She’s never played soccer, or any group sport, before, but she seems willing to learn! Her first practice was Thursday afternoon, and she was all smiles for the camera.

-M

As Avery finished up her breakfast this morning, I commented that she’ll soon have two weeks of school under her belt. “You’re a big kindergartener,” I told her proudly. She looked me up and down, thought for a moment, and said, “And you’re a big worker girl!”

-M

Today is our 10-year (!) anniversary, and Zoe is particularly excited about it. She made us a little gift and excitedly presented it – along with a card – in a little box she had decorated and wrapped in a bow. The card (which she said came from Avery, too – she just forgot to write her name) was particularly sweet.

-M

On a walk the other day, Avery – who routinely stops to look at/smell any colorful flower or flowery looking weed – asked me how dandelions sprout, since people don’t plant them. I answered honestly that I wasn’t sure, so she suggested we ask Grandma. “Do you think she’ll know?” I asked, to which Avery replied: “Of course she’ll know – she’s your mom.”

-M

And here she is, with Zachary. (Their desks are even next to each other.)

-M