Food in the Hair and a Pencil in the Foot

As she is eating, particularly as she is getting done, Natalie will run her hands through her hair.  Yesterday, that meant she had cheese from macaroni and cheese and pasta sauce in her hair.  Not only do I have to wash her hands and face, I have to wash her hair after ever meal!

And we are not sure how she did it, but Lexi somehow stepped on a pencil and got the lead stuck in the bottom of her foot.  It was weird because the skin was cut/came back in a flap and the lead was underneath that. Stephen pulled it out with a tweezers and she has been wearing a bandaid since then and favoring her left foot. 

Water...

And Natalie can turn on the water in the bathtub.  Hasn't managed to turn on the shower but if she stretches a little farther she will be able to to.

Little Miss Trouble

With mobility, comes trouble.  Natalie is now a proficient crawler, easily pulls herself up on anything and
everything and doesn't want to let go of whatever she has her hands on.  In a house with little storage, child-proofing can be tough.

This results in:
-trash cans on top of toilet tanks
-crayons in a container with a lid that even the child who can open it, can't
-a 20 lb bag of rice that gets moved on and off the counter
-the crib mattress in the lowest position
-the glass bowls inside the cupboard while the frying pans are out
-the basement door constantly shut (even big sister is closing it automatically)
-two days in a row where Natalie dumped her dinner over her head when Mom was to far away to stop her from picking up the bowl
-spaghetti all over the floor
-mashed bananas in her hair
-bike grease on hands and feet when she grabs onto Dad's bike parked in the living room
-kitchen refrigerator magnets found all over the house

..just to name a few.

To Lexi, a 5 year-old and a Kindergartener

Dearest Lexi,

I felt so proud of you on your first day of kindergarten.  You looked like a young lady in your new school dress posing on the front steps.  Dad and I both wanted to go with you that first day of school because we considered this to be a big step.  The first day of any school year is a big thing but the first day of kindergarten symbolizes to me the first day of your formal education.  I have been so pleased with how much you have enjoyed Pre-K and all of the new things you are learning all the time.  There have been many times where I thought "wow! when did she learn that??"

Being as how kindergarten for you wasn't too much new: yes,  new teacher (Ms. Trombley) and a new classroom (Go Tigers!), it is still the same building and much of the routines will be the same.  I was a little surprised at how hesitant you got as we entered the building and went to your new classroom (you even wanted to walk a little behind me so as to shield yourself).  I was proud of you for not crying or holding onto me as we left.  You found you new cubby and new seat in the classroom and when we asked you how your day went at the end, you seemed like everything was A.O.K.  It's nice that you have familiar faces in your classroom, particularly your best friend Ruth, and I hope that you can make some new friends and continue to be someone who can play and get along with everyone.

I love you very much and can't wait to see all that you learn in kindergarten!

Mom

Such a big girl!

You regular followers of this blog know that on or shortly after the 29th of every month, we post a photo of Natalie to show how she's grown every month since the day of her birth (Sept. 29). Because we post birthday pictures of Natalie (and did them for Lexi), Sarah, who also had a birthday this week, also deserves to have her picture on this blog. 38 years old - isn't she a big girl now?