10.06

October arrived and we're flying through it,
flurries and cold nights,
pumpkins on the porch
talk of Hallowe'en
spookies
costumes
tricks
and treats.

This month has been so busy. But then again, this seems to be the truth I discover every month. Life is busy. I tend to forget that.



The mishies on the way to Summer Lily's first day of school.
School is going so well for Summer Lily this year, I am so relieved and happy. She loves her new teacher, loves her new room. It really is a good place. She is fascinated by earthquakes, volcanos, the beginning of time and all of the intricate details of the universe, evolution and all the big questions in between. Ballet started this month and I love pink tutus, leotards and practice slippers... wrinkly tights bunched around little knees and a wispy little braid that bounces with each jump. She's reading beginner chapter books and mails a letter to a grandma each week, carefully written, illustrated, addressed and enveloped with great care and love.

Summer Lily and Addie Blue, dancing
Our family: dada, Summer Lily, Addie Blue, mama
Addie Blue and mama doing ballet together
Addie Blue made from paper.
Addie Blue is growing up, thinning out, stretching up, loosing that last little bit of baby roundness. She protests, laughing, mama, I am not your baby! I am big girl now! and I think she is right (though they always will be mama's babies, that's just how this thing goes). She has started drawing and I am amazed each day by her artistic achievments. She paints delicately with deliberate use of colour. Draws proper people with eyes, nose, always a big happy smiles, arms with hands and legs with feet and a scribble of messy hair atop a lumpy head with ears that look like cauliflower. Houses with roofs, two windows and a door; with happy little girl in the yard. She pieces together people out of paper that she cuts; lumpy head taped to lumpy body and arms and legs taped in appropriate place. She prints her own version of the alphabet. She mixes colours properly from their primary ingredients, sings songs and considers big sister her own personal ballet instructor. She proudly tells just about every person we meet that she "is big girl now -- I go to art class!" Each day we spend hours at the table engrossed in these endeavours and others.

I love this time.