It Only Hurts When You Laugh

Margaret's back was still hurting her through most of yesterday from her fall in dance class Wednesday night. It's hard, because you end up straddling a fine line between wanting to baby her, which she wants, and wanting to let her know you feel for her but want her to shake it off and get past it. She has always needed more comforting and external validation than Patricia. I don't know if that's first-child/second-child syndrome or something else, but it's pretty classic. Our weekend plans may depend on how she feels. If she's up to it, Jack may take her hiking or up to the lake for the weekend, which would include riding. If her back is bothering her, she may not want to ride.

One thing we've noticed about Margaret this fall is her enthusiasm for going to school. She's happy to go; she's enthusiastic when she climbs into the car at the end of the day. She was really stoked about her science homework, studying for a test coming up on scientific method. We really enjoyed studying together last night, going over the science and her social studies vocabulary words. I'm so happy with how she has adjusted and accepted being a junior-high student. My anxiety was for naught. At least for now. It's still only September.

Patricia is so happy with Mr. Fortin, her face beams when she talks about him or when someone asks about her teacher. She asked me yesterday if I thought it would be OK if she had two favorite teachers -- Mr. Fortin and Miss Kelley from St. Peter's. I told her I didn't think she would be disloyal to Miss Kelley if she ranked Mr. Fortin up there, too. What a relief that they moved so well from the protective confines of St. Peter's to the ugly reaches of public school. I just received the registration information for religious education. It looks like Patricia will be doing Super Sunday and Margaret will have religion on Sunday evenings. I forgot that she needs the preparation for confirmation in 9th grade. Another milestone.

Baby Brigid was very happy and animated most of yesterday. She's getting so strong on her legs, and now that she's more mobile, there is no keeping her down. She much less content to be held when she can be crawling and pulling herself up. I had her with me in the waiting room at the dentist yesterday while Margaret and Patricia had their checkups (Patricia has a cavity). She wouldn't sit still so I put her on the floor and she crawled around happily. Last night I put her in the crib for a minute (it's become a holding tank as opposed to a sleeping place) and she stood there, babbling away, smiling and squealing. She's so proud of her accomplishment. She has begun to move her feet a little when standing there, too. She's understanding where they are supposed to go under her when she's upright.

The drool factory was open last night as well. I think she might be working on one of her upper teeth. I wonder if they hurt more coming in because they're generally bigger. She was pretty cranky for the bottom two she has now; I'm hoping the top don't cause as much distress. If this is what it is, they're certainly causing as much if not more moisture.

We had another good day with Jenny yesterday, too, because she was able to take her out for a walk. It seems Baby B. does well when she has a change of scenery from the living room. She enjoys being outside, and Jenny is all too happy to oblige, especially if it means she doesn't have to put up with non-stop crying until I come home or BB drops exhausted to sleep. I hope we have three more mornths of this nice fall-like weather so BB can spend some of it outside. It's easier to take a crying baby outside.