Firsts

We had several firsts take place this week. First and foremost, this is the first week that Grandpa D has turned 59 and Grandma L had turned 60 (which happens to be today!). HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOTH OF YOU! We love you very much and were glad that we were able to share your birthdays with you. And, if its Grandma's birthday, than that means it is Little Chicken's mom and dad's seventh anniversary, which is the first time that has happened as well. Happy Anniversary S&T! Hope you have/had a good one!! (I remember the year because there was some question as to whether or not I was going to be able to fly out for the wedding and there was no question that Dad and Grandpa D were not going to be able to make it -- ask me about it, later, Moo and Bean, and I will have a very sad story to tell you about 11 September 2001 in order to explain).
Our other BIG first this week (drum roll please) is that after 10 months of riding lessons the Moo is off the lunge line! She went off it for the first time on Wednesday, and did an unbelievable job. Mom thought that she would just walk around the ring a few times to get used to guiding the horse herself (without Instructor Julie doing it with the line) and was flabbergasted when the Moo started trotting! Julie later told Mom that the Moo asked if she could CANTER, but luckily Julie managed to talk her out of it. I literally would have had a heart attack. For those who don't know, one of the reasons we started the Moo riding was to build her confidence around animals (the other reason was that we were running out of options for her second activity, as she didn't like anything else we tried, and we pretty much tried them all). I used to have to carry her into the stables because she was so frightened of the dogs that roam around there, and getting her to go anywhere near a bridle or actually lead a horse by herself was completely out of the question. So, we are exceedingly proud of our little Moo and how she has really taken to her chosen sport, regardless of the fact that Mom's boss is always teasing Mom about how elitist it is. :) I know we have already inundated everyone with pictures of the Moo riding, but I could not resist doing it again to commemorate this occasion. She rode Pirate again (although frankly it seems the only days she rides him are days when we bring the camera) and above is a shot of her putting her grooming skills to work -- she has a tacking class this Friday, although she is getting to be a pro at that without formal instruction already!



In one of the pictures below the Moo is standing by the ironically named Mouse -- despite her new-found confidence, she told Grandpa that she does not want to even attempt to ride Mouse. Guess it is good that she knows her limitations!!

























Later in the week Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to come to watch the Moo's swim team practice with us -- I say kind enough because it is a *&%^% sauna in there, and we are there for two hours as the Moo has swimming lessons after swim team (I believe I have mentioned before that I messed up the scheduling right? In case you are wondering what kind of crazy mother makes her child swim for two hours straight??) This was not the first swim team practice for the Moo, but it was the first time she swam the entire length of the pool -- and she did it about 12 times all told! Really, truly unbelievable if you know what Mom went through trying to get her to do it JUST ONCE this summer in our community pool. It was also the first time that the Bean got to swim in the water as well -- last week was so hard for her, sitting in the sweatbox for two hours trying to patiently watch her sister swim, that this time mom decided to let her go in as well. The only problem with that is that Ida Lee rec center mandates that parents accompany any child under six years old in the water. So, Mom had to don a bathing suit in front of all of the other Moms and Dads who were there; humiliation, thy name is speedo. Moo and Bean, I want you to remember this as well, years from now when you say I never do anything for you.

We had several other firsts this weekend that are reported on by Grandma and Grandpa in the wRight blog, so I won't belabor them here. They include, among other things, our first trip to the national book festival, our first metro ride, and our first enounter with an albino hedgehog. We also had our first trip to the Franklin Performing Arts Center in Purcellville to the Loudoun Ballet Company's performance of Peter and the Wolf; more info on that trip will soon be available on Grandma's blog! We had a wonderful time and the girls were mesmorized for the whole performance. Maybe the Bean will be up there one day!!