Carter’s birthday was today. 3 years. He had a good day, spent the early part of it with Dad, a really big deal, and then we had a little celebration here at home. Both kids had been begging me for lobster all summer, so, knowing full well how much lobster they would eat, I said “for Carter’s birthday…” Of course, we had no trouble rounding up some willing adults to help us finish the lobster, and I was sure to make pasta for the kids. Really, they thought simply having a live lobster in the house – one that could be put on the kitchen floor—was the best part. Carter had requested a pirate party (which ultimately morphed into a pirate/fire truck party) and so Nana supplied us with pirate paraphernalia, and all of the presents went over very well, though the playmobile fire truck definitely eclipsed everything in the immediate moment. He has been eyeing it for weeks, and yesterday I managed to get it without notice. Gradually he started to notice everything else, particularly the fire truck pop-up vehicle that Nana got him—both kids can fit inside, so Ava was thrilled. Ava busied herself with everything else, and then I brought out the second round. The Bruder tractor from grandma was great—he thought it was a “grader with a bucket” when it was in the box, but then he realized that it was a tractor. I just love Bruder and Playmobile.

One of the biggest hits was the whoopee cushion I got him. Talk about easy humor. Ava stayed true to form and got him 3 gifts, all of her own choosing. She may forget how to manage her frustrations with him occasionally, but her heart is in the right place. She never forgets a gift, and will use any reason to give him one. She was more excited to give him a present than she was to get the few things that I got her.

Soccer camp starts tomorrow. I think this is good. She is excited, and given all of the rain we have had, the solid outdoor time will be good for her. Last week, we climbed Mount Cobble, and the trail was muddy all the way to the top, simply unheard of in August. It was astonishing. Of course, that has meant extra mosquitoes, and the hike was no exception. Both kids managed very well though—there was a significant scramble across a big stretch of rock that was pretty exposed that both kids handled like little mountain goats. We managed to escape the hike without carting home 20 rocks and 14 sticks by some clever suggestions to Carter to throw his treasures in the pond at the bottom. We have more piles of rocks, pinecones, acorns, and sticks than I ever thought possible.

Speaking of nature, monarch season is upon us, and we have so far ushered one caterpillar to adulthood, and we have another chrysalis brewing, and one very large caterpillar ready to transform himself. But we have had a hard time finding them. All of the milkweed patches have been without caterpillars, and I am wondering if this is a result of the weather.

And of course, the Olympics have begun. I have suspended the TV rules, and it is pretty much on a lot. Ava watched the opening ceremonies, and if you saw it, you know that there was a giant scroll on the floor of the stadium at one point, to celebrate the Chinese invention of paper—Ava LOVED the whole concept of a scroll, and the next morning she hid herself in the hallway to make her own, emerging with a long scroll with a picture taped to the center. It was great. She also made me haul out the world map we have, and find all of the countries as they were announced in the parade of athletes. It kept me on my toes, for sure. Carter has not been as interested in the Olympics, but Ava is watching the sports like a hawk. She keeps calling “MOM! You HAVE to see this!!” She gets it. Perhaps not the actual scale, but pretty close.

And the other thing to mention is how she can hear a word spelled and know what it is. Nearly every time. This is so interesting to me, because I am fairly certain that she can read, but she doesn’t know it. When she doesn’t think about it, she does it automatically. Which I assume is how it should be. But it will be nice when she consciously figures out that this huge world is available to her.

As for Carter, we were reading Angelina’s Christmas, and he was looking at the title, and he said “Mom, what’s that whistle thing?” – He was referring to the apostrophe. Just when you think he is not paying attention, he comes up with a question like that. He is so normal, so laid back, so easy going, but I think that is a cover for a pretty intense little mind. (And I don't think I ever thought of an apostrophe as a whistle...)

We have a new routine at bedtime, where we each say something nice to each other, and say “I love you, and goodnight, and then give a hug and a kiss. It is so funny—if I forget, both kids immediately tell me that we forgot. Of course, sometimes they have a hard time coming up with something nice that is original, and if Ava is feeling a little irritated with me, she might come up with something that is basically meaningless (like “I love the way you drink water, mom..”), but that is fine—it is the idea of the routine that I am concerned with, and frankly it is their relationship that is important.

My favorite part is when Carter blows he both a kiss AND a hug. How do you blow a hug? Circle your arms in front of you, then open them gently, allowing the hug to float over to the recipient. What a guy.