Kid Speak

Mom: Zoe – you ate more potatoes, but your fish is still on your plate. What happened?

Zoe: The devil made me do it.

Mom: Where did you hear that?

Zoe: Garfield.

---------------------------

Zoe was talking about who has crushes on who at school…

Mom: What exactly is a crush?

Zoe: A crush is someone who is on your ok list for going to marry.

-------------------

Sophie: Mom, I'm really mad at something!

Mom: What?

Sophie: My balloon. Because it's not working anymore.

----------------

Sophie has been stockpiling things on top of her dresser. Her things, our things, any things - she's not discriminating. The pile has grown to a threatening height and level of distraction at bedtime, not to mention that we're all getting tired of losing our things to it's orbit. I told her that daddy and I need to get involved in her piles because she’s putting other people’s things in her piles and because it's too high and distracting at bedtime. After a long, long pause and sigh, she replied:  "I’m not happy with you with this conversation.”

------------------------

Mia: Mom, my dog sage ( a stuffed animal she walks/drags on a leash made of rainbow loom bracelets) really needs a rest. We've been doing a walk-a-thon, and she hasn't had any time to rest, but now she's really tired.

--------------------

Mia:  Mom!! I can blink with both eyes!!

--------------------

Mia: I see a huge skateboard without wheels! (upon seeing an ironing board in the hotel room closet)

Miami - May, 2014

We got to visit Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Ed in Miami this month. I was also exited to see some friends and family.

At grandma and grandpa's house

At Joe's Stone Crabs restaurant

On South Beach - Zoe and Sophie with grandma

On South Beach - Mia with grandpa

With Aunt Terri

Always practicing cartwheels and handstands - Zoe and Mia

At the University of Miami baseball game with the Miami Maniac

Spanish Recital - Zoe

I can't believe it's already time for end of year recitals. Here Zoe and her class share Spanish songs and poems they've learned. 

Zoe is i the red shirt, 2nd row from the bottom, above the girl in the yellow dress and blue jean jacket.

Sophie - Bike Rider!

That's right! Sophie, you learned how to ride your bike without training wheels this month. You were so ready and so excited. You started pedaling and never looked back. So exited to ride with you on the boardwalk this summer.

Frying Pan Farm Park - Mia and Sophie

Mia and Sophie went on a class field trip to Frying Pan Farm Park. It was Sophie's first time on a school bus, and she was so excited. Mia's good pal got to spend the visit with us, which everyone enjoyed.

Science Fun

At the Ashlawn Elementary science fair, you three presented your study of emotions. You had been curious if feelings were contagious after noticing how one of you could change your mood pretty quickly if another one was having a strong feeling. You considered a few different ways to measure this, and decided to show people videos of really happy or really upset people and then see if their mood changed. You had the trickiest time deciding how to determine if their mood changed. Eventually you settled on using a feelings chart and having participants identify how they felt on the chart before the video and again after the video. Then you graphed your results. It was a true social science experiment and you were very proud. A main part of the learning for you, however, was mustering the courage to approach and engage subjects. Watching you reach out to others, explain your study and then put them through the study was a treat as you gained in confidence. 

Later that month, we went to the USA Science and Engineering Festival at the DC Convention Center. You mostly liked the K'nex, space exhibits, and free crayons. I was amazed by the 3-D printer they had on-site. 

Sophie

Zoe

Mia

Grandma Bette and Grandpa Steven Visit

Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit this week. You had trips to the zoo, Clemyjontri park, and Old Town Alexandria. They also got to walk you to school, go to your games, and visit with friends. 

At the zoo with Zoe and Mia

Clemyjontri Park with Sophie

Sophie at Clemyjontri park

Mia and Zoe feeding the ducks in Old Town