Successes

Zoë's been practicing French braiding my hair while I've been reading our nightly novel to her and Alexander. After showing her how to do it once she tried it and did it...a little loose and sloppy...but obviously a French braid. Then she undid it and tried again and again and again. And she's getting quite good at it.

This morning she did Phoebe's hair in a French braid:

Not too shabby! 

The clip at the top is to keep a section of hair pulled back while she gets started in the braid (because starting is the trickiest part—but she'll master that soon enough). 

*****

On Saturday Benjamin had his first year-round swim meet. He was nervous because he was racing 100 yard events (rather than the 50 yard events he was used to from the summer league). He was extra anxious because his coach (a) signed him up for 100 backstroke and (b) put him in the medley relay doing backstroke. Benjamin hates backstroke!

But he ended up getting first place! (Third in freestyle, last in breaststroke). 

It was a small meet, but still! He survived racing 100 yards backstroke...and came out victorious. 

The meet went surprisingly fast. Benjamin and Dad were able to meet us at Zoë and Miriam's "front porch recital." I will put up some videos later, if I remember to upload them.

Side note: I'm sad because I thought I was finished with my top trays for my braces. I have a tooth that isn't tracking on the bottom, however, so they rescanned my mouth and ordered new trays. And now I have to wear elastics. And I just have "a few extra cycles" for the top...fifteen! Fifteen cycles translates to 30 weeks longer. And I don't see how that is just "a few" whiles longer to be in braces. And I don't love the elastics. And whatever.

Anyway, Grandpa and Darla came to the recital and planned a sleepover with Phoebe to celebrate her nighttime bladder control. She's been doing so well! And she's mostly been staying in her own bed...until last night when she woke up at 3:00 and stayed up until around 6:00 (brutal).

Here are the musicians of the evening:

As for Alexander, I opened an account for him on the platform Benjamin is working on so that Alexander can do double math. He'd do math all day long if he could.