Growing pains

Well, the girls have both been in school all day for over a month now, and I am still getting used to it. Yesterday I went to the grocery store alone and I nearly started to cry when I got my cart. No more carts with the little car underneath (erin always wanted red) and no more begging for one of the giant cookies and the bakery. I miss it. I miss them. The rhythm of my days has changed so much. I am so fortunate - most days Roger takes them to school. I get up for some quiet time - make coffee, thinking, packing lunches and making breakfast. Then Mary Clare comes down - always with "Yellow" - her blankie. I do not mind a bit that she is 7 and still has her blankie. It actually makes me glad that she has something that gives her such comfort. She likes to have fruit for breakfast so I try to have something fresh and ready for her. If I am really on my game I make a fruit salad in an ice cream sundae cup with coconut and granola on top which she loves. We talk about her day, review spelling words and just chat. About 6 45 I take Roger a cup of coffee in bed (I know!) And wake up erin if she hasn't yet appeared. She is *not* a morning person. She drags herself, and usually some type of teddy bear, into the kitchen. Erin loves a big breakfast - pancakes, fruit, yogurt and "fakin" (meat free bacon). Then its start to get moving. I laminated morning check lists for them and they write on them with dry erase markers. 1. Wash face. 2. Brush teeth 3. Get dressed 4 brush hair. 5. Make bed, etc. It helps keep them on track. Then everyone leaves all at once and the house is quiet. Bo and I stand there and look at each other for a minute. I try to clean the kitchen, pick up the house and plan dinner. Then bo and I go for a nice hike or walk. After that I may be taking a senior citizen to the doctor or working on their geneology. Or weeding our garden or the school garden. Or working on something for the kids or the house. And suddenly its time for pick up. I find that I need to have everything ready for dinner when they come home. On Tuesday the girls take cheerleading, on Wednesday erin takes karate, and on Friday they both dance. So we are busy. We get home about 4 pm and have a big healthy snack - apples dipped in peanut butter and then granola is a hit. Then MC gets into homework. That takes us until dinner. After dinner we play outside or do art or a game, clean up, get backpacks ready for the next day, then baths and bed. We love to read together at night - often MC reads to erin (so sweet). Hopefully they are asleep by 8 pm. Then Roger gets home and we chat while I have a cup of tea and he has dinner and then its off to bed! Oh, and the girls just had their "well child checkups" -- Erin  is 44 1/2 inches tall (75-95th percentile) and 44 lbs (75th percentile).   Mary Clare is 49 3/4 inches tall (75-90th percentile) and 51 lbs (50th percentile).