Off To A Good Start!

Quinn had his last first day of preschool today. (Did that sound right?) His preschool year officially started today; and next year at this time, I'll have already sent him off to Kindergarten! But, in the meantime, he's headed to preschool 3 days a week, from now til spring.

Little sis Keira is going to the same preschool, in their mini-me program. Actually, it's called "Parents' Day Out", and she'll be going every Thursday morning.

So today was a first day for both of them.

And it seems they are both off to a good start.

When I picked up Keira after lunch, I got the usual "oooh-she's-so-cute". Now, I don't mean to sound glib, but there seems to be a certain way people tell you that your Asian baby is so cute...it's in that gosh-we-hardly-ever-see-one-of-those tones. I don't think people mean any harm, and maybe I'm splitting hairs here, but sometime it'll be nice to get a compliment on how she's so smart or cute or whatever just because she is (so sayeth her mother!), and not because she's different. (I'm probably not making much sense here, but if you're an adoptive parent with kids who don't look like you, you'll know what I mean.) Nonetheless, she seemed to get along well and play nicely, so I'm happy about that.

And she must have played hard, because check this out....when we got home, she walked in the back door and promptly crashed with her blankie onto the kitchen floor.

After retrieving Miss K from her class, I headed down to Quinn's room. He had a great day too, playing with old friends and new. Even a new "girlfriend". Paige. Or maybe it's Claire, or Kayla and Emma (the twins he wanted to marry last year - both of them!), or Gabrielle. Quinn and his best buddy, Jack, like to play SuperHeroes....and their qualifications for what makes a good girlfriend is one who will play along (and let them rescue her). I'd love to be able to watch this all unfold someday. If only to be a fly on the playground!

Anyway, back at home, when I picked up Tired Girl off the floor, we headed upstairs for her nap. Of course, as she sits in my lap in the rocking chair (we rock for one song on her Lullaby CD after reading a book, before she goes into the crib), she's chatty and restless. I "shush" her a few times and try to remind her that it is naptime. She continues being chatty. I finally realize that she is talking to herself, saying something like "love you" and trying to get her sweet little hands to do the "I Love You" sign. (We do that a lot around here, especially when daddy leaves for work or when we are going to bed. Quinn demos his skills to the right.)

I just couldn't believe what she was doing. It was so sweet! So cute!

So, I join in. Yes, yes, I say. Love you! Love you! (I try to help her do the sign.) Then, she stops. Looks back at me. And - you guessed it - she shushes me!

What a peach.

So there you have it. The start of something good. The start of many good things.

And, wait....wait.....yes, you knew it, didn't you? I couldn't end a post entitled "Off To A Good Start" without a picture of this fabulous start - the first 6 of the 41 points put up by the Good Guys.

Oh, what a night!