September

Things are happy and calm around here.  Maren is really getting accustomed to her new schedule.  She brought home a flier for Jr. Drill team and begged me to sign her up.  (I secretly knew she wouldn't like it.)  I stayed for her first practice and could immediately see the misery on her face.  She told me it was "boring" and was all too happy to get home her her rock collection.

Kate is happy, busy and getting into to mischief and messes all day.  I don't think Maren wrote on the walls once when she was a toddler.  Kate does it on a regular basis.  She took a marker to the office wall yesterday.  When we caught her, Maren said, "She just like Elf on the Shelf!"  Kate is still having some problems with her little intestines not wanting to digest, so she's been on TPN and lipids 16 hours a day.  She's been doing well and gaining lots of weight so the docs are letting us taper down to 12 hours, which is huge!  The less time she is hooked to a backpack the better.  Kind of hard for a toddler to move around and learn to walk when connected to tubes all day.  Kate still isn't walking on her own.  She needs someone to hold both hands, but we are seeing some (slow) progress.  Maybe by her second birthday?

Chris finished the picnic table and we ordered some metal chairs in mint from Target.  I made chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles this week.  It was easy, but I don't know that I loved them more than egg noodles for a package.  We are also loving this new shrimp and avocado salad.  I used this recipe but simplified.  Lettuce and spinach, avocado, cucumbers, tomotoes and grilled shrimp seasoned with paprika and garlic salt.  Top it off with blue cheese dressing.