First Day of School

Time for First Grade! Mom has realized that she is terrible at capturing pictures on landmark events in our lives. A random sunny afternoon playing in the back yard? Got it. Posing for the first day of school in the morning half-light and lens-fogging humidity? Here you go.  

We need a beautiful calligraphy sign to hold up that marks the significance of the day. Or a trademark pose that we can do each year.

Or a tool that offsets the reflection that makes us look like we are glowing in the dark.

At least we'll always have the dolphin!

I am crazy excited and not nervous at all about going back to school. My teacher is the cutest, sweetest person in the world. And this year we get to do specials, like music and PE. 

Mom is hopeful that I will love school as much as she did as a little girl. So far, I do!  

Yellow Belt

Little Man Ryan and his BFF earned their karate yellow belts in the most adorable karate ceremony of all time.

They kicked and nunchucked their way through a series of tests by the Master.

Then Ryan wowed us by breaking the real wood board with his Hammerfist strike.

He was as surprised as we were!

 

Young grasshopper was proud of his accomplishment.

We're hoping he picks up the lessons of patience, discipline, and respect along with the ability to chop a friend on the head.

Tooth Fairy Take Two

Finally. I lost another tooth! My dedicated wiggling paid off! Mom had to calm me down when I panicked over the hemorrhaging that happened when it got loose. You can see the crime scene here, on my shirt where I'm pointing. 

We texted pictures to Dad of my Nanny McPhee tooth.

To gross him out.

Look at my big girl face now!

It happened while I was home sick with a fever, missing the first day of Zoo Summer Camp.

But it was totally worth it to suprise my friends the next day and compare our toothless faces!

Batting Tee

For Ryan's 3rd birthday he got a batting tee. Since Mom declared football is completely out of the question for the sake of his brain matter, and Dad ruled out lacrosse for obvious reasons, they are trying to instill an early love of baseball.

I'm starting tennis right now, so I wasn't interested in batting practice on this day. I like to keep my skills pure. Playing outfield is fun, too. Except when Ryan fires one straight at me!

It is hilarious to watch how serious he gets.

And to hear Dad start early with keep-your-eye-on-the-ball.

Sometimes little slugger shocks us with a power hit. Dad's reactions are priceless.

I think he just flashed to visions of a future on traveling baseball teams.  

Ryan seems to love it too.

For the record, we refuse to become that obnoxious family at ball games that acts like their 10 year old needs to specialize in order to maximize his potential for pro ball. It is supposed to be fun.And, it is really fun when Ryan says "O. M. G." every time he hits the ball!