We are heading into our last week of summer break. I have to pat myself on the back and say that this summer was a good one. While I did complain a bit, I think both the girls and I have enjoyed it. No one died of boredom and my head didn’t explode from a lack of silence (though sometimes I thought we were close!).

Some random odds and ends that could each be their own post, but won’t be because I have been too busy:

• In August, M spent an entire week at my parents’ house. They requested that chunk of time all together and I was happy to comply because I suffering a bit of summer burnout. Their house is like grandkid heaven (pool, lake, boat, squirtguns, ice cream, no bedtime…you get the picture). M had a great time and didn’t seem to mind being away that long, though she did come home calling me “Nana.”

• I really enjoyed my long weekend away, even though I spent two of my four days driving through flipping West Virginia. WV always makes me a little carsick and doesn’t have any decent NPR reception, so that makes me a little cranky.  Is it terrible to say I didn’t miss the girls at all?  It was such a relief to have a few days where I didn’t have to think of anyone’s needs but my own.  I loved hanging out with my good friend and enjoying her hospitality. When I came home, it looked like the girls had each grown at least an inch.  I was also very happy to see them, even if they only seemed interested in what presents I brought for them.  I was particularly pleased that L survived 4 days with my mom and Mr. A with no negative side effects.  I have always been a little careful about her attachment and expected some reentry bumps, but so far, so good.   That puts us one step closer to the dream of Mr. A and I having a whole long weekend alone in a hotel somewhere with no children.

• After a ton of stress, I finally found a preschool for L. It was only 2 days a week, but it had a good number of Asian kids, so I was happy.  As soon as I adjusted to that plan, we got a call that L’s waitlist number for our school district’s Pre-K program came up.  At that school, L would be a “typical peer role model” for kids with various kinds of physical or developmental disabilities.  I have heard really great things about that school (though I didn’t get to visit while it was in session), it is 4 mornings a week (!!) and is really cheap. I am a little nervous because a friend whose son was in a similar program in another city had a not so good experience, but I am going to give it a try. Besides, L’s speech and her fine motor skills could use some extra work, both of which will be heavily stressed in that program. I am crossing my fingers.

• As mentioned above, L will likely be in school 4 mornings a week!  Hallelujah! I can’t even imagine what I might do with all that spare time.

• M is going to have the same teacher for 1st grade as she had last year for kindergarten. We feel really lucky that her school worked with us so she will not have to go to a 2nd grade room for reading.  Her teacher volunteered to do individualized instruction for her at the level she is currently testing AND they clustered two other advanced readers in that class.  M will get to have a normal reading group with her classmates and she will also get to keep working ahead at her own pace.  It is the best of both worlds.  We *big puffy heart* her teacher who helped make this possible. The only bummer is that not one kid from her kindergarten class will be in her 1st grade class (not clear on why, something to do with the teacher not teaching the same kids 2 years in a row). M makes friends easily, so hopefully this won’t be a big deal.

Those are basically our big-ticket items right now.  Life is good.