What Isn't New?!

It seems like very day brings a new experience.

Yesterday, AK went on her first fierld trip. Not only was it her first field trip ever, it was her first trip with her new day care. And, wowza!, was it different from the old day care! A couple of weeks ago I got a permission slip. It didn't ask for money, or for chaperones, it just asked for my signature so AK could attend the trip.

When the Hoos dropped AK off yesterday morning he confirmed that all of the 3s would be taking a big yellow school bus to the farm. And when I picked her up yesterday she had a package with a pumpkin, an apple and a scarecrow on a stick. She was also full of smiles and stories about the goats, geese, ducks and hayride, "There were bushes with long branches and so we had to keep our hands in so they didn't have to fix up cuts on anyone's hands!"

It was wonderful. Between that and the weekly swimming lessons and music class "with Miss Rhea!" I think AK is in a great place.

As for LP, she is having lots of excitement too. Last night I got a phone call from her friend David's mom asking to set up a playdate. So, this afternoon I will bring her over to his house for a couple of hours. Fortunately, it is one of LP's bus days (as opposed to an after care day). I will likely stick around but if it works out, maybe I won't have to in the future (is that how these things work)? It is really an odd feeling to be setting up a playdate with one of LP's friends as opposed to with my friends whose kids happen to be LP's friends. Regardless, I give David's mom a lot of credit for just looking me up in the directory and calling. Especially after AK picked up the phone the first time and promptly hung up!

And finally, in terms of new experiences, I have started recognizing people around town and making connections. We don't live in a small town, so it is really nice to see repeat faces. Like on Sunday, when we went to a birthday party for one of LP's friends from her old day care, and two of her friends from Hebrew school were also in attendance (talk about a small world). Or when I went to Target and ran into a family from synagogue. Or when people I recognize but can't place wave at me in the grocery store or the school parking lot.

New is normal, and I guess I kind of like it.

Getting Dirty

So, did anyone go outside and get dirty in response to my previous post? If you did - I have good news!

The folks at Clorox 2 have offered up 5 gift certificates, each for a free bottle of Clorox 2! So offer up a comment on what you have been doing to get out and go-go! Five winners will be randomly selected!

Get Out and Play!

The weather was glorious this weekend! Saturday was a bit of a lost day, because it was Yom Kippur, but it was a lot easier to fast and be appreciative of all of the wonderful things in life with bright skies and 75 degree weather.

Sunday was even more spectacular, and I was not going to waste it. While LP was in Sunday school, AK and I drew with chalk on the driveway and played in the yard. After picking LP up, we visited an orchard, picked out pumpkins at Stew Leonard's and went for a walk down to the lake. The girls made sand castles and waded in the water. Of course this meant wet and sandy feet and bottoms - but who cared?! That is what Indian summer days are for, right?

In a stroke of good timing, I was recently contacted by the folks at Clorox to help spread the word in their Play2Day pledge campaign. Basically, you pledge to spend at least 10 hours outside every week with your kids, and they donate money to Action for Healthy Kids, a non-profit organization devoted to helping children learn about staying active and eating well, for this campaign. They will donate $1 for every new pledge participant, on top of their existing $50,000 donation.

So I made the pledge and made good on it this weekend - how about you?

PS: Clorox2 is sending my some samples to see if I can't get rid of those sandy bottom stains (and to thank for for writing about the new campaign).

Update from the Field

In the middle of the night last night, the Hoos sat bolt upright in bed.

"Did you hear that?"

"Maybe."

"There it is again. I'm getting up," he says, grabbing a flashlight (I guess it could be a weapon?)

"Okay."

Running into the hallway, "Who's there?!"

Stops. "Oh. AK. Hi."

So, AK got up to pee and scared the crap out of the Hoos. On the bright side - SHE WOKE UP DRY AND GOT HER FIRST MARSHMALLOW.

For those of you concerned, we do have an alarm system and it was on. And we do know we have two small children who might roam at night, but perhaps we were not thinking straight.

Definition of Precocious

AK has been potty trained for months now. Actually, it looks like it is almost a year!

Unfortunately she still sleeps in PullUps. It was this age and time of year when LP gave up PullUps, so I remain hopeful.

Actually, I am more than hopeful - I am on to bribery. A few weeks ago, I offered AK the reward of a marshmallow with breakfast every morning she stays dry. She was totally stoked.

But it didn't help.

Until Friday.

AK crawled into bed with me and the Hoos and grabbed my hand, "Mommy, feel my PullUp! It's dry! Can I have my marshmallow?"

At first I was very pleased for her, "Good job, baby!" Then I got suspicious, "Hey, AK? Did you change your PullUp?"

Very sincerely she responded, "Yesssssss. The other one was wet - it had pee in it!"