As mentioned earlier, one of the first things Avery learned at preschool was how to say Zoe. (Apparently she asked a lot for “Sister” in the beginning; one of her teachers finally understood what she was saying and said, “Oh! Where’s Zoe?”) I had to smile yesterday, then, when I said to Avery, “Come on, it’s time to pick up Sis Sis,” and she responded with a frown and a “No ‘Sister,’ Mama. It’s Zoe!”

-M

Zoe was just about two years, two months – Avery’s age now – when we moved her from a crib into her current bed. This fact occurred to me and Q just the other day and, so, under the watchful eye of the girls, Q converted Avery’s crib to a toddler bed on Saturday afternoon. (Yet another milestone!)

Avery seemed to quite like her new bed: She and Zoe have spent a lot of time playing in it, and she went to sleep without getting out of bed two nights in a row. I know that might eventually change, like it with did with Zoe, but I’m hoping for the best!

-M

We recently spent a bright sunny morning at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, which features a terrific, large (and free!) kids area. Before exploring the fair and getting ice-cream, the girls got to show off their artistic side by molding with clay, decorating bags and making egg-carton spiders (which Avery called “Itsy Bitsy”). But it was their side-by-side painting alone that made the drive worth it…

-M

It’s been two weeks, and Avery seems quite well adjusted to preschool. Her first few drop-offs were difficult, but the tears went away late last week; most mornings she’ll say to me, “Mama bye-bye now?” and wave and walk into her classroom. (She doesn’t even need a hug!)

On Avery’s first tear-free drop-off, I ran into one of her teachers in the parking lot as I was leaving and told her what happened. Tanya cried out, “Congratulations!” and gave me a big hug. Yet another reason why I love the preschool so much…

-M

Avery may love amusement-park rides (as shown in the pictures below), but she doesn’t always know what to do on them. Q and I had to laugh as we watched video of her first experience with bumper cars.

-M

Anyone notice how close we are to 50,000 hits? Per our usual tradition, if you are the 50,000 visitor take a snapshot of the page and send it to us. The lucky visitor will win a prize!

Good luck…

Jon Q

Our Labor Day plan to go to Great America as a family was derailed by a little bug and fever that hit Zoe on Sunday night. We briefly contemplated all staying home, but I encouraged Q – who doesn’t get tons of one-on-one time with Avery – to go the park, anyway. And so, while Zoe and I stayed home and made a fort, did craft projects and watched the movie Space Buddies, Q and Avery went on tons of rides, met Snoopy and enjoyed the sunshine.

It wasn’t fun to be apart, but it’s good for me and Q to have alone time with each of the girls. And it looks like he made the most of his time with Avery…

-M

Zoe and Q went to a Giants game yesterday – likely their last one of the season. And, since it was Star Wars Day at the park, Zoe made some special (and, may I add, a bit scary-looking) friends.

-M

Zoe is an extremely tolerant big sister – most of the time. But she was particularly tired and grumpy and not quite in the mood for her sister’s tears today. After a crying Avery entered – and then exited – Zoe’s room at one point this afternoon, Zoe said to me, “Good. I wanted that crying girl out of the way.”

-M

To kick off the long weekend, we went to Walnut Creek for FamilyFest today. (We had so much fun at its sister event last Memorial Day that we wanted to go back.) Here are a few photos.

-M

I was just sitting at the computer, thinking that I needed to write something on the blog – when I casually mentioned to Zoe that I was cold. (I had optimistically put on capris and a t-shirt this morning, but I don’t think it even hit 65 here.) Before I knew it, I felt something warm and soft on my arms; Zoe had gotten up from her art project and retrieved a blanket from the living room to drape over my shoulders. “Zoe, that was so sweet!” I cried out to her. “Why did you get the blanket for me?” Her simple answer: “You said you were cold – and I knew you needed something.”

And so, along with a blanket Zoe gave me material for the blog.

-M

Only four days at preschool and Avery has already learned something: How to say Zoe. Ever since she could first talk, Avery has called Zoe “Sister;” even when we play a game during which I ask her to repeat people’s names (as in the video below) she sticks with her preferred moniker. But after just a few days at school (where, incidentally, one of her little classmates is named Zoe) she has started to use Zoe’s actual name – and has pronounced it correctly too. Will be interesting to see what she calls her moving forward…

-M