Top 10 of the Summer

Lots of drama and busy-ness in the Myer's household these last few weeks.

1) Grammy! She came to town for two weeks to help out with the baby. While she was here, I asked her to clean, and clean she did. I think she counted 42 blinds that needed to be dusted. We have A LOT of windows.

Grammy's homemade microwave birthday cake

2) Anniversary! Ryan and I celebrated our 13th. Marsha and Craig took us (and Deise) out for sushi, while Grammy watched the big kids at home.

3) Disease for Deise! She somehow got pink eye. Nobody else in the family got it, so we're not sure where she picked it up.

Deise with watery eye (flower picked by Daniel)

4) ER visit! After three days of tummy aches, Sophie ended up in the ER one night with suspected appendicitis. At the hospital, they ruled out appendicitis, diagnosed a urinary tract infection, lectured her about wiping front to back, and prescibed $50 worth of broad spectrum antibiotics that our insurance wouldn't cover. Two days later, her pediatrician tossed out the UTI diagnosis in favor of . . . gas and constipation. Sophie confirmed this was indeed the correct malady by practically living on the toilet for the next three days, and then fitting into some shorts that had gotten strangely tight over the last few weeks.

The cause? I'm guessing it has something to do with Sophie's mom being so tired and harried from having a new baby that she let her kids o.d. on frozen pizza and mac and cheese. (This in spite of the many lovely meals brought to us by church friends.)

5) Gunshots! Ryan has been playing with tennis with some neighborhood folks every Tuesday night and Saturday afternoon, at the same courts where the kids took lessons this spring. This past Tuesday, while the kids were with him (because they were driving mom nuts), they heard a spray of gunfire - about a dozen shots - from across the street. At least one bullet hit a court right next to them. Well, at least now they know how to duck.

And people think New York is dangerous.

6) Homeschool! (Not nearly as dramatic.) Although we liked our Living Books curriculum from last year (although we thought the Apologia Astronomy book was both too easy and too strictly young-earth creationist), this year we are opting for a more flexible, easy-going approach. The kids have more freedom to choose books and activities that appeal to them, and we avoid being locked into a schedule with every day packed full and scripted in advance. It's a way to survive with a newborn - and hopefully have more fun.

7) Growing baby! Deise is getting longer and fatter. She's somewhere shy of 8 lbs now, with the extra chins to prove it. She's awake longer, and continues to be very alert and content, with quizzical, knit eyebrows reminiscent of Sophie when she was a baby. We have baby pictures of the three kids that we can't tell apart. Sophie and Daniel fight over who gets to hold her. As sibling rivalries go, not a bad problem to have.

Who's who? (And what's up with this last one?)

8) Naked superhero! Daniel just jumped down the stairs in his birthday suit, using a bath towel for a cape. Not something he'd be doing in public school. Or private, for that matter.

9) Beach! We took two trips to Amelia Island, one with the Moltzes, and one with our neighbors the Joneses, who have boys the kids' age. The visit with the Moltzes was Deise's first trip to the beach, and she did proper honor to the occasion by wearing a hat from Aunty Cris and sleeping the whole time.

10) Trophy! Soph got a "Star Artist" award at her art camp (one of the BIG trophies). She and 29 other kids studied visual art techniques in the context of the Harlem Renaissance. Sophie came home with a many drawings and paintings, a beautiful pencil still life, a ginormous acrylic canvas . . . and a tutu. Not sure where that last one fits in, but she rocked the end of the year fashion show.

Sophie with Miss Tiffany

That's what we've been up to! Any news from you?