The Riley Family

Kate has passed the white level, and will start red after our 1-week break! I have some pictures from last session to post - coming soon.

Kate - Last two days of this swim session are today and tomorrow. We have next week off, then start again the following week. Gymnastics is going well, but the gym is so crowed with all the team girls, that it is really hard for me to see what she is doing. Ballet is also going well (from what she says) - we can't actually see in the classroom. Jack - Now that he is really, really talking, he is getting bossy! He is quite the tattletale and stickler for rules! He is not enjoying gymnastics this term - probably since the gym is so busy and his class so big. We are going to try out a different time next week for a make up class, and see if that is a better fit. Will - Can now sit up with some padding around him. He has some hair coming in - blond of course! Today is last day of his antibiotics, thank goodness!

Now that he is 5 months, Will can now roll over confidently in any direction he wants, so we have put his bumpers back in his crib.  They are really helping - no more screaming with arms and legs stuck through the slats! 

We are half way through the first week of swim lessons, and it is going very well! Kate's friend Jake is in her class, so that is great. It is cute to watch the two of them sit there and chat :). They both seem to really like their coach. Class is 1/2 hour, but since it is every day except Wednesday, it is adding a much needed structure to our summer schedule. We have class for 2 weeks, then a week off, then we can sign up for sessions 2 and 3, which follow the same schedule. Hopefully by the end of session 3, Kate will be very comfortable in the water.

Jack is now talking in sentences, and it is funny to hear what he has to say. Right now he loves to say things are too ___. Like food is too spicy, he has climbed too high, the radio is too loud. He uses his serious face to say these things and it is hard not to laugh sometimes.

Jack wears undies most of the time now! He has done a great job learning to use the potty. It is amazing how motivational M&Ms can be. Stop here if you don't want to read the details... He goes pee in the potty almost all the time, but still asks for a Lightning McQueen pull-up for poo. We have heard this is pretty common, especially for boys.

Somehow we are all on our second summer cold of the month :(. Jack has a bad cough, Will has an ear infection, and Kate and I are just a little under the weather. Knock on wood, Paul won't catch it too! So another round of antibiotics for Will. Who, by the way, now weighs in at 18 lbs!!

We had Kate's eval for swim today, and she will be in Advanced White 1. The instructor asked Kate to jump in (2-3 feet water) and Kate jumped right in!! She went under and everything, which she doesn't usually do. Then the instructor asked K to put her face in, and she did that too!! White is the lowest level, a great place to start. K has lots of friends in class too. Hope to take some pics next week.

Kate has her swim class placement test this morning and she is excited to see what class she will be in. She has lots of friends signed up too, so it should be a fun class. Class starts next week, and is every day but Wed. for 2 weeks.

Kate started ballet class at the park district yesterday, and just loved the class! She spent the evening talking about it, and showing us all of the things she learned. The only draw back is that the class is held at NCHS , so Will, Jack and I are waiting in a high school hallway for 45 minutes.

Here are some pictures from last week , including new car, new dog house, and garden.

So I already had the three kids and the Naperville address, but on Friday my suburban status was confirmed with the purchase of a Honda Odyssey minivan.  The car is great for us, and the kids love the sliding doors.  Besides, now K & J are separated, so they can't pinch, hit, or kick each other!

Grandpa Bill built a super cool dog house for Scout this week!  So far K & J are playing in it more than Scout, but I am sure he will like it.  Scout loves to be outside, even when it it really cold, so this will be a comfy place for him to relax.