New Accomplishments

The girls have had some exciting progress lately!  Madeleine discovered that she can get herself onto a swing without any help, get herself started, and then pump to keep swinging as long as she wants. 

At first, she wasn't ready to try getting down on her own, though.

MADELEINE: Mama?  I'm slowing down.
ME: Okay.  Then pump harder.
MADELEINE: No, Mama.  I'm slowing down.
ME: Do you need a push?
MADELEINE: No!  Mama.  "I'm slowing down" means I need you to stand behind me and CAPTURE the swing so that I can hop off.

After I "captured" the swing for her a few times, she was ready to try slowing to a near stop all by herself before hopping down.  Success!  Madeleine is a completely self-sufficient swinger! 

She seems to be truly embracing her five-year-old status, and her mastery of swinging is not the only accomplishment she is proud of.  Check THIS out:

(Walking to pick Julia up from school)

MADELEINE: Woah!  Mama.  Did you know that I stumbled when we were crossing the street, and I had to BALANCE on just ONE toe, on my BIGGEST toe that's my THUMB toe, and PUSH off my toe to get my balance back.
ME: Woah.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  And Mama.  Wasn't that BRAVE?
ME: It sure was.
MADELEINE: Yeah.  Because I'm FIVE now.

I don't really know what could possibly be braver than pushing off your biggest toe that's your thumb toe to get your balance back.

Julia's big news lately is the fact that she has been moved up to a higher level group on the swim team.  I was a bit hesitant, however, when I discovered that one of her swim practices in this new group will be from 6:45-7:45 at night.  Granted, it's only one night per week, but it's a school night, and I'm not sure how well that will work.  After discussing it with Ethan, we decided to see how Julia felt about a late night practice.

ME: So Julia.  One of your swim practices will be from 6:45-7:45 at night.  So afterwards we'd have to shower quickly and get straight to bed at home.  It would be past your bedtime.
JULIA: Wait.  So I'd have to stay up LATER?
ME: Yes.  What do you think?  Do you think you can handle that?
JULIA: (delighted) Yes!  Don't you know?  I would do ANYTHING to get to stay up later!

Oh.  Okay.  I guess she has no qualms about it, then.


These wonderful moments of progress on both girls' ends help make up for the moments in which they seem incapable of functioning like human beings.  Like in the car today, when Madeleine decided that her voice was too tired to talk so she commenced speaking to me with her lips closed.

MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm!
ME: What?
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm!
ME: What does that mean?
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm!
ME: Uh...(looking around, wondering if she'd seen another Kia Soul, seeing as both kids feel the need to exclaim "Kia Soul!" when they see one) Uh, Kia Soul??
MADELEINE: Mmm-mmm.
ME: No?  Uh... I really don't know what you're saying.
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm.
ME: You'll just have to use your real words.
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm.
ME: I can't understand you, honey.  Can you give me a hint?
MADELEINE: Hmm hmm hmm HMM hmm hmmm hmmm.
ME: I have no idea what you're trying to say.
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm!
ME: What?
MADELEINE: Hmmm hmmm!
ME: I really don't understand.
MADELEINE: Mmmmm-mmmmmammm.
ME: What??
MADELEINE: Mmmmmammmmmammm.
ME: Honey, can you please just tell me?
MADELEINE: Mmmmaaammmmaaa.
ME: Mama?
MADELEINE: (brightly) Mmm-hmm!

Yes.  ALL OF THAT, just to say "Mama."  If her voice was so "tired," wouldn't you think it would have been wiser to just NOT USE IT AT ALL?

Yep.  All I can say is that you win some, you lose some!