A request we can't refuse

Blame it on Earth Day, or the community helpers unit at preschool, or the bible camp they've been doing with a rainforest theme. Whatever the origin, Lauren and Maddie have become particularly eco-conscious lately. They scoop up litter. They acquired a basic grasp of the life cycle of a butterfly. (Although, thanks to Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar, they seem to think salami is a staple in the caterpillar's diet.) Lauren got very excited about planting some marigolds in the front flower bed this year. Amidst all of this, someone hammered home the importance of water.

Maddie got thirsty this morning and said, "Mommy, can I have some water so I don't die?"

Uh, yeah.

Run, Jump, Throw

One of Leah's year-end activities is a mini-Special Olympics event hosted by a nearby elementary school. Her school is one of seven that participated this year. It's our second year at the event, and so far we've had weather extremes to contend with. Last year's event was unusually hot, which means Leah was wilting well before the awards ceremony. This year the weather was unseasonably cool, forcing Mike to run home for jackets and miss some of the events.

But not before we formed a mini-cheering section.


Leah threw a softball a couple of feet ...


After a few anxiety-provoking moments, she did throw the turbo javelin, instead of stabbing herself with it.


This is not a minor issue. One parent got hit in the mouth with an errant 'turbo jav' (as those familiar with such things call it) and had to leave the event to get stitches. Maybe guns aren't the weapons we should be controlling ...

Despite the detailed instructions she received (below), Leah did not seem to approach the 'run' part with much urgency. In addition to the casual pace she set, she also decided to experiment with lane-changing.


Watching her jump was oddly gratifying, perhaps because it reminded me that it took a lot of practice and a number of occupational therapy sessions to teach her to lift both feet off the ground at once. Which she did.


In the end, Leah happily went up to receive her medal during the closing ceremonies ...


... and was quite happy to show off her 'shiny gold medal' for the camera.

The Frogs turn into princesses

Lauren and Maddie's ascendancy to kindergarten turned out to be quite a production, complete with mini-mortarboards and a recording of Pomp and Circumstance. Perhaps more pomp than I would have chosen for a group of 4 and 5-year-olds, but I had to admit, they all looked pretty cute in the graduation regalia.

Of course, it's never too early to learn that whoever designed mortarboards was probably not a college graduate himself.

I suppose in this day and age, with soccer parents around every corner, it doesn't hurt to give our kids any competitive edge we can find. So I am delighted to point out that the next time graduation rolls around (I suppose it could be as early as next year), Lauren and Maddie could be well above average (or -- dare I say it -- gifted) at winning the battle with ill-fitting haberdashery.

Their classmate (also a Lauren, by the way) looks horrified at the travails Lauren and Maddie have had to endure in the name of ceremony. Fear not, young Lauren M. -- all this adversity is character-building.

And then came the best part -- cake, and the opportunity to make a lot of noise in the multipurpose room. In other words, they were four again.

We were sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Endlich, Mrs. Ryan, and Miss Maria -- they were a phenomenal team.

New room

The favorite colors: Red (Maddie) and green (Lauren).

The problem: How to decorate their room -- a new look to go with much-desired new bunk beds -- without turning it into a 365-day salute to Christmas.

The solution: A springy green (I think the name had 'celery' in it somewhere) and red accents that eventually spilled over their chair-rail border in an act of frenzied stenciling. A handful of brushes and about a thousand touch-ups later, the girls seem happy and the would-be muralist is at least pleased that refilling the room with furniture distracts from some of the imperfections.

The twins have been trading nights on the top bunk have been scrupulous about remembering whose turn it is.