Don't you wish you were hip like this?

This girl has some natural groove going on... she sure knows how to shake her booty, and her fashion sense is uncanny ;-) I believe that she is doing her thing to "Gold digger" in this photo (thank goodness she doesn't repeat the lyrics!).




















Yesterday, this little ballerina had her dance class at the Ballet Studio in the city. She was thrilled to dance in a real studio, with bars & mirrors. She loved the costume room and the shoe room, and she was so excited the whole morning! She was also excited to go for lunch with her friend (and moms of course). What a great girls' day!

Everyone has been having fun reading "Captain Underpants" books before bed (you'll notice our temporary, mid-renovation sleeping arrangements in the photo). I'm not sure who finds these books funnier... kids or dad ;-)

Things have been going pretty well these days. L is learning to read, although she resists reading to me that often, especially if she's tired. It seems like she's self-conscious about making mistakes. It probably doesn't help that she's heard her brother reading fluently for her entire life. She is growing like a weed! She can still be pretty grumpy at times, and will storm to her room where she'll sulk and cry for awhile when she's upset. She also really likes to be helpful these days, and will put on her best manners if we pretend that we're eating in a restaurant ;-)

M has been incredibly talkative, and definitely been showing signs of attitude lately. She's never been as committed to pushing boundaries as her big sister though. This one just doesn't lose control, even when she appears to be throwing a fit. She knows exactly what she's doing, and she's just seeing if it will work. She loves to sing, make up stories, and be silly. She loves being read to, still loves cuddles, and still loves her soo-soo, giraffe-ey, and star blankie (the first child we've had to be SO attached to some comfort objects).

G is back to his regular self. He's been playing really well with his sisters (well, all siblings do get annoyed with each other from time to time), and has been a happy guy lately. We've been gluten, casein, and (mostly) sugar-free for almost a year now, and making that change has been completely life-changing. It's not a chore or all that inconvenient anymore. We've figured out how to manage restaurants, what are good substitutes for snacks, and how to make some special occasion foods (e.g. birthday cake) that doesn't throw his body for a loop. We're still giving him a range of natural supplements, and they have also been worth the expense. In the past year, he's been sick only one time. That is incredible for this boy!