She Lost A Tooth!!!

Thank the Lord, Frances lost her first tooth!  I didn't lose my baby teeth until very late, and I think the dentist "encouraged" most of them to vacate the premise.  I really didn't want Frances to experience that, but it looks like we're in the clear.  A little later than her friends, but not too late that the dentist had noticed.

We were all very excited.

And then we read One Morning in Maine, naturally.

Another Day at the MFA

Sunday Afternoon Nap

Mark and I like a good post-church nap.  Little Person is not so enthralled.  We put her down for a nap in her own bed, but she wandered into our room.  We just pretended to be asleep, and soon enough, she'd made herself comfortable and fallen asleep for real.  Good thing she's cute.

Seventy-Eight Months of Kindergartener Frances

Seventy-Eight Months Fun Fact

• Characteristic: Resilient.  This is actually not a nice photo of me to post, and not just because it's not visually pleasing.  In this picture, Frances was having a hissy fit, a meltdown of epic proportions.  Epic.  Why?  Because I told her she would be going to swim camp this summer, a one week, half-day swim camp.  She was so incredibly not pleased.  She said things like, "Why would you do this to me?" and sobbed for twenty or thirty minutes.  It went on and on.  And then it stopped.  By the time swim camp arrived, she was looking forward to it.  When I came for pick-up, she didn't want to leave.  The kid adapted.  The kid bounced back.  I am so very proud of her.  I just wish she would remember how upset she was, so she could appreciate how well she adjusted, but I don't think she has any memory of the meltdown.  More's the pity.

Thirty-Nine Months of Preschooler Chandler

Thirty-Nine Months Fun Fact

• First:  Kiddo ran her first Mom's Day race!  Last year, we entered her, but she wasn't interested in running so I carried her myself and ran (this is a very short race; 1k, I think).  This year, she was all for it.  Frances, Sophia and Theo, her fellow racers, far out-paced her, but they're old pros.  You'll catch 'em next year, Chewie!

Thirty-Eight Months of Preschooler Chandler

Seventy-Seven Months of Kindergartener Frances

Wake Up The Earth!

And it's cold and rainy!  Yay, for Massachusetts in Spring!

Maypole, in the cold! 

Face painting, in the cold!

Junk Percussion, in the cold!

Music, in the cold and rain!

And we'll do it all next Spring, with smiles on our faces.

Create A Playground

Our mayor challenged all Boston K2 (that's kindergarten) students to design a playground, and Frances's school was asked to display their creations!  The kids were so excited and the parents were so proud.  The playground models were displayed in City Hall with a grand opening ceremony.  (The mayor had to miss it, due to kidney stones, but it was still grand.)

Frances was so very proud of her class' work,

The kids planned an adult-sized swing set and a children's-sized swing set; an adult-sized monkey bars and a children's-sized monkey bars.  And a track and sprinklers and food stands and...

They also came up with rules for the playground which were completely depressing.  The gist of the rules was "Parents, put down your phones and play with your kid."  Completely depressing.

There was a rumor that the winner would actually get built.  I thought Frances's class had a real shot at winning.  It was much, much more practical than some of the other plans and would improve the health of adults and kids.  What could be better?  Alas, no, but Frances really enjoyed it and I think she felt special just to be invited to City Hall.  The mayor missed a good thing.

Feed The Birds

After I'd repaired the kitchen as much as I was able, the girls and I headed to the Franklin Park Zoo.

The Franklin Park Zoo is not spectacular.  It is not.  But it is very convenient and has its perks, like budgie (or parakeet) feeding.  They like peanut butter and seeds, and for an almost low price, the zoo will sell visitors a tiny stick with just that goodness on the end.

Here's Frances feeding and Chandler supervising as two budgies investigate. 

Frances was a little wary of these flying things.  They did swoop around quite a bit.

The first thing Chandler did with her budgie stick was eat its contents.  Shucks.  The birds were still willing to inspect her stick.

The girls both warmed up to this project and we stayed until the exhibit closed.  Then Frances and Chandler went exploring.