Summer keeps going and going

Although the school calendar doesn't show it, it's still summer in Connecticut as far as I'm concerned.  The nights are getting cooler, so we had to close our swimming pool (it's not heated), but other than that, we're still in shorts & T-shirts and have the air conditioning going.  I love it!  We spend most of our weekends just hanging out in the backyard, BBQing, and doing chores and errands.  It doesn't sound that exciting, but it suits us.  Although we're a bit overwhelmed by all the work involved with having a house and large yard, we're so happy to be out of an apartment and to have so much space, so you will not hear us complaining (much).  Like a tree that fell down in our yard that needed to be professionally removed.  (I said not much!)

Claudia started 1st grade at the end of August and we were surprised that they took the 40 kids and spread them into 3 classes instead of 2 like last year.  So we get the benefit of a small class size, in addition to an already fabulous school.  We couldn't be happier with our school and Claudia's teacher.  She jumped right back into her after-care program with her friends from last year and she is just a happy kid who looks forward to going to school every day.  Her big accomplishment for the summer is learning how to ride her bike without training wheels.  Glen taught her and now she can ride around the neighborhood, no problem.  Teagan likes to follow her pushing "baby Asher" (her baby doll) in his doll-sized stroller.

Teagan is officially a "big girl" and not a toddler anymore.  She will even tell you so.  She is now potty trained!  Yay!  We had a few bumps in the road to start because she's not all that bothered by going in her pants, but now we've made it to the other side and she actually asks to go instead of us having to bribe her to go (M&Ms or stickers).  Our daycare really stepped it up in August and by September we went to underwear.  Which leads us to our next milestone, we got rid of her binkie.  She had been down to just bedtimes and naps for awhile, but on the Friday of Labor Day weekend I "lost" her binkie and she went to bed without it.  She woke up once to ask again, but other than that, she was fine.  Then she went on a nap strike for 3 days, but by Tuesday she decided to go back to napping again.  She's asking about it a bit, but overall she's fine without it, as we knew she would be.  My baby is growing up (sniff, sniff).  A couple "Teaganisms" so that I don't forget them.  Even thought she can speak quite properly now, there are a few words she still says wrong, and it's very cute.  Water is "daugh-der" and blankie is "gankie".  Also, "cut it up" is "cat in the hat" and "Claudia" is "kai-ya".

Swimming in our 27-foot pool (Glen will get that joke).

First day of 1st grade.

Four girls grade K-3 at the bus stop this year! (Plus two little sisters for the photo).

We finally visited the shoreline.  Hammonasset Beach (I still can't pronounce it properly).  It's massive and very popular.  It's on the Long Island Sound.

The girls loved it (obviously)

Fish & chips, ice cream, and a carousal ride at Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale.

Take your daughter to work (future scientist?)  Glen and I often have to work on the weekends (boo).  Claudia enjoyed playing scientist and then watched Gonoodle.com on the computer while I worked.

The Daisy Girl Scouts toured a chocolate factory and made their own chocolate "pizza".  Yum.