Goodbye Pool, Hello School!

8.29.2007

Annie's Poolside Teaparty

Our summer vacation this year was taken in bits and pieces, as we joined a local pool for the summer months instead of going away for a week. As you can see by these pictures, we had a great time. The girls went from aquaphobia (according to Wikipedia: the abnormal and persistent fear of water) in early June, to their fish-like state in these pictures. Sophie, especially, has taken to swimming like, forgive me, a duck to water. Annie, while not yet swimming has loved the freedom of running around, painting the cement with water and paintbrushes, and pouring us "tea" with her various pitchers. I began counting how many times she would say "Mommy, watch" in a given afternoon at the pool...I gave up somewhere after 25!


Fearless Sophie

Though we wouldn't have traded the relaxation and refreshment our pool days have brought to our summer, we are welcoming back the routine of school, and the cooler weather of the fall still to come. The anticipation has been building. For a few weeks new and returning teachers have been trickling into town and along with them old friends and classmates have returned from their "stateside" summers. It has been fun to watch and experience this building excitement and then to go with Sophie to school today and see her soaking it all in. She loves to learn and is looking forward to this new year of first grade (sorry Canadians, grade one!). Her class will have about 14 students, both first and second grades. Pictured are some of the girls in her class with Sophie as they relished their first day back together. Though it is hard to see our "baby" growing up, it is really a beautiful thing to see her growing, as her name means, in wisdom and grace (Prov. 4:7-9).

First Day of School Reunion (Sophie in Stripes)

As for the younger members of our crew, Annie is still trying to process why she can't go to school and be in Sophie's class (like the big "ghouls"...girls). She is our social butterfly, and while she tries to make do with only Benjamin, it doesn't quite satisfy her extroverted needs. Though she is a good talker and he a good listener (since he can't speak!), it still falls a bit short. Like her big sister before her, she is happy to supplement "friends" from her imagination to help meet some of her social needs. (Pictured Right: Annie, Baby Dear, and the invisible Hannah on the far right) ...in any given day we have Bible characters, Cinderella, Laura Ingalls, and Molly the American Girl sitting down to tea...with Larry and Bob thrown in for good measure!

Annie, Baby Dear, and the Invisible Hannah (right)

It is difficult for us grown-ups, as these little individuals are invisible, to keep this in mind. I think we squish and squash them on numerous occasions. Not too long ago, John had the two girls sitting in time out around our kitchen table as he discussed whatever transgression they had participated in....They solemnly listened to him, and he felt their silence was evidence of their repentant spirits. However, when he was finished and had paused to ask Annie if she had anything to say, she replied (deadpan), "Da, you're sittin' on my friends." Imaginative, yes. Repentant, not always. Needless to say, all of these shenanigans bring no end of entertainment and joy to Benjamin.

Who needs cartoons and Baby Einstein when you have big sisters like these?