Or, perhaps, pounced… or attacked and viciously mauled… something like that.

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Our kids were getting just about every activity that they could cram into their schedules (within reason). Mercedes was invited to Bay Beach with a friend, and Regan has spent time with her friend Megan a couple of times in the last two weeks. This all in preparation for (duhn duhn DUHHHHHHHN)The Start of the School Year. (Whoa, too much echo there, buddy.?ed)

Mercedes started on Thursday, and wow, is she excited. It’s only been two days and she’s already saying that she thinks her teacher is great. This is a good sign, because right off the bat last year she complained about how she felt she was still in kindergarten. Her only complaint is that so far she’s been largely left by herself at recess and lunch hour. It’s a pretty unhappy situation, but I’m sure that if she shows some perseverance that she’ll have some regular playmates in no time.

Regan started preschool on Wednesday. She’s excited that she’s going to school and at the same time impatient to use everything in her desk (“Dad, I got you use my pencil today!”) and have a chance to play in the gym for recess. For being such an outdoors type she sure is insistent about that last bit. I assured her that she only needed to wait for a couple of weeks and it would surely rain… and she’d get sick of having to be inside soon enough. You must realize – this is the child that is outside every morning before Shaelin even finishes breakfast, usually even if it’s raining.

Shaelin is adjusting to being home alone with Mom. It will be good for both of them. Shaelin’s articulation is finally coming around, and we can understand her more often than not… at least, without significant struggling and guessing games. The next few months will prove to be interesting, I’m sure. To give you an idea of where she is, on our way to pick up Regan from a birthday party tonight, Shaelin said “Go Dad! Go Mom! Go meeee!” (Mercedes was also there, and is sleeping over tonight.)

Well, I hear the fireworks finale. It must be one of the last games for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. I wish I had followed them a little more closely this year. Unfortunatley, it looks like there won’t be much in the way of minor league playoffs for them, this year. Oh, well…