The Big Boy Bus

Gavin has now officially started school.  This morning I drove him to daycare, and he put on his little backpack, his name badge for the bus, and marched up those oversized bus stairs to school.  I left for work late and got out early so I could pick him up off the bus.  Here are his pre-bus pics:

Then he got off the bus this afternoon, and getting information from him was like getting trade secrets from a Columbian Farc fighter.  With the exception of the fact that he didn't eat his lunch (he was told it was too "snacky") and so was given a lunch of corn dogs and chocolate milk instead (here is where I cried), and Joey told him he was mean.  I don't know why Joey told him this, but I was also informed that Joey has a small head.  So it's not entirely clear how it went, but Ryan composed a very nice letter to the teacher asking to give Gavin his lunch that was brought to school instead of hot lunch, and we retrospectively paid for lunch.  So goes day one.

Ani is doing well.  She is a very precocious, very tough, but she loves being a little girl.  She's a big fan of baby dolls and bracelets.  She has a little stuffed monster sho she likes to sing songs to at night to go to bed.  Her language skills are exploding.  She has learned to say "bless you", but she doesn't limit it to sneezes.  She likes to walk around to random people with a little smile on her face saying "bless you" like a little miniature pope.

She also likes hanging out in "Gaggy's" bed now too.  They're starting to play together a lot, which also means their arguments have gotten a little more spirited, and she typically wins them.  Annah told me the other day as we drove home from daycare:

Annah (In a sad voice): "I fall down" 

Me: "oh, what happened?"

 Annah (now very chipper): "I ohhh-Kay!"

We went to a beach at Morse Mountain in Phippsburg yesterday.  We walked along a hiking trail for 1.7 miles to get there, and we watched the kids play in the sand before walking back.  The kids did great - Gav walked most of the 3.4 miles.  Next time I will do my motherly duty and pack lunch, towels, and a kid carrying pack, but it was still lots of fun.  Here are some of our memories: