Going for A Record Number of Shinners

Well, Baby Brigid has given herself yet another bruise on her face. We were at McSweeney's on Sunday (a hot dog place) and she was looking down for a goldfish cracker she dropped and Whack! she hit her temple on the side of the table, the very sharp side of the table. She screamed and then whimpered for a good while until I let her get down and walk around the restaurant while we waited for our food. They had the radio playing so she was content to stand by the speakers and dance, the welt on the side of her head looking angry and very blue. I don't remember either Patricia or Margaret having as many bumps and bruises as Brigid has given herself.

Saturday night Patricia was spending at a friend's house for a sleepover birthday party, so Jack and I took Margaret and Brigid to the beach for an hour before they closed at 7 p.m. It was Brigid's first time at the beach and she was so cute. She loved wading into the water and sitting down, splashing all around her. She also tried to put her face in the water to drink, so we had to be quick to pull her up. She didn't eat too much sand in the process, either. Jack took her out further, where the water was up to his waist and pulled her along, which she seemed to enjoy. But when her feet touched bottom, she enjoyed just walking along and then plopping herself down to sit in it.

She also enjoyed the ice cream we got at Stewart's afterward. She knows what ice cream is, too. When I ask "Do you want ice cream?" She smiles and says, "Mmmmmm."

On Friday and Saturday we did a little garage sale shopping, picking up a few odds and ends. I bought a Holly Hobbie dish (remember her?) at a sale on Friday that's selling on Ebay for $8-$10. I'll list it and see how it does. Patricia, in her usual style, walked away with a handfull of free items. She goes up to the people and asks the price of things and they often tell her she can have them. I've got to learn that technique.

Today is Margaret's last day of exams and after she finishes she's going over to her friend, Maggie's, house for a sleepover. I think the era of friends coming over, friends sleeping over and hanging out has come. I'm glad she's made some new, good friends this year. With a huge school of kids to connect with, it's been a world of difference from St. Peter's. Not necessarily better, just different. She'd have been heading to junior high next fall anyway, so it's just as well we made our decision to send the kids to public school this year. Both girls have really enjoyed their year and have done exceptionally well. I can't wait to see Margaret's final results, because I am sure she's done well. I was helping her study Sunday night for her Monday science test, and the information she had learned at the beginning of the year was there in her head. Information I would never be able to pull up from the recesses of my brain. She's a natural, and we're so proud. Today's exam is in math, and she was studying the prep test last night saying how easy it was because all they'll do is substitute different numbers in the problems. She has grown into such a confident, independent girl and is (usually) a joy to be around. We can only hope the trend continues as she move more quickly into adolescence.


This picture was taken the other day when it was so warm, we just let BB run around in her underware for a while. She likes underware, diaper and naked time. She runs around, usually after her bath, and laughs because it's so liberating. The naked time usually ends when she looks up at you with this quizzical look on her face, pee pee running down her leg onto the floor. It's the chance you take with naked time.

Patricia is spending the day at the roller rink (a.m.) and the beach in the afternoon. It's going to be in the 90s today, so they decided a trip to the beach would be a great way to spend the last full day of school. Tomorrow and Thursday are half days for Patricia. Friday she goes in until 10 a.m. Margaret goes in at 8 and is released soon after, being there long enough to pick up her report card. I can't understand the logic in it, but after that, they're done for the summer.

We've made tentative plans to hire Margaret to do some babysitting for us this summer, working a few hours for a few days a week. We'll see how it goes, but she's stated she really wants to babysit and we figured why have her work for someone else? We'll pay her to sit for us. I told her she has the chance to make some real money this summer if she takes it seriously and acts responsibly. I have no doubt she will when she gets that first paycheck. She said, "Maybe I'll have to put some of it in the bank." I told her that was a good idea. Even Brigid has a bank account. Now if we can only get her a job we'll be set.

B O N U S P H O T O

I asked Brigid to help me with the rice one night recently and she plunged her hand into the measuring cup of rice. So I took an old pizza box we had and poured some out for her to play in.