Draper kids are back in Maryland

Well, we're back home after a summer of fun in the California sun. Tyra and Thomas started school on Thursday, 4 days after school started, because we didn't fly home until Wednesday. Thomas already knew who his teacher would be because he had been going to her class 1/2 days for last couple months of Kindergarten (not to mention Tyra had been her class the year before that). He was completely comfortable with Mrs. Cullens. We didn't know whose class Tyra would be in and the only teacher we even knew by name was Mrs. Appleman. When we saw the list on the front door before going in we saw she was in Mrs. Appleman with her two best friends, Megan and Solangel. As soon as we were at the door (we were 2 or 3 minutes late) a smiling Mrs. Appleman said "You must be Tyra" while most of the class called out "Tyra!" "Tyra". It was a great start. Thomas didn't want to go into his room, but did with me to find his cubby. And then we looked for his seat. I told him I would sit at the back and he said I couldn't leave. Well, by the time he was sitting down for his reading lesson he had no problem giving me his "I love you" in sign language wave (the one he's been using to say goodbye to me ever since he first took off in Dorian's car for preschool.


The kids have been playing and playing with all their toys. That was one of the few things they missed this summer. They especially love k'nex and legos. I've been adding to the collections in my thrift store shopping. Even Lily and Liza have enjoyed the legos. We have the huge duplos for Elizabeth, and the regular duplos for Lily. Now we just need to get Tom his Mindstorms and we'll be the buildingest family in town! I love watching all the blond heads looking down, intent on their latest creations. And it makes me smile to listen to them eagerly explain what each and every part is for (i.e. "This is the blaster, and these are the computers, here are the seats..."etc)


Anne kept telling me all summer that Elizabeth was talking. I sort of shrugged it off or laughed. But there's no denying it now, her yeah's and no's are distinct, and she can mimic many words when prompted: "Can you say Grampa?"


Lily is in a really tough stage of needing more sleep and desperately not wanting to let herself fall asleep while it's sunny and bright outside. I think we may need to move up her bedtime. She falls apart constantly, all throughout the day, fussing, whining, crying. She IS fun with the regular 2 year old things of defiance and doing things by herself. I love seeing her proud-of-herself smile. My best way so far to get her to stop crying/tantrumming is to act really impressed with her crying skills. Then she usually laughs. But it's tough, no doubt about it.


Well, that's it for now, no cute little story, I just want to get this blogger thing started. I'm going to try to start a spot for the kids to write, and maybe a separate spot for the short, funny, anecdotes. This is just to be my journal mostly...