parched

The afternoon took an unexpected turn that resulted in a five-minute errand becoming a two hour errand. We spent most of the time waiting at a playground and Barnes & Noble. I needed a vocabulary book for Audrey, and thought it would be fun for the girls to pick out some reading material for Spring Break.

I was helping the girls assess their options when I turned around and saw Audrey standing next to an overflowing trash can, and happily sucking down the last of a Starbucks vanilla chai. She seemed unfazed when I took it away and scolded her a little. She apparently only had one thing on her mind, because not two minutes later a child's nanny pointed to Audrey and asked if we happened to have a sippy cup of water identical to theirs.

Bless her thirsty, little heart.

holy rollers

Sure, it was Sunday. But it also happened to be one of the prettiest days of the year so far. And Mom and Dad were visiting. And besides, we all needed some fresh air. So, we decided today would be the day -- the day that Ella learned how to ride a bike.

She's been ready for such a long time. We just rarely go for bike rides in our roller coaster neighborhood. For her maiden ride we chose the level basketball court and slightly more forgiving baseball field at Taylor, her elementary school.

As we arrived, I shouted to her across the field, "This is the day, Ella! You're going to ride your bike!" She didn't seem convinced.

We took off the training wheels, then strapped on her helmet. And knee pads. And elbow pads. And wrist braces. And then it was time for Kim to do what all dads have done since bike riding began. He held the back of her seat as she peddled her pink cruiser slowly and cautiously, then faster and more steadily, until it was time.

He let go. And she kept going. And going. Just like that.

She had a pretty good run, then stopped pedaling and fell over. She repeated the predictable sequence a few times, smiling occasionally but generally pretending it was, as she would say, "easy peasy lemon squeezy." After a couple of hard falls, she'd had enough and needed a break.

While Ella sipped water from her sports bottle, we watched Lauren proudly ride her purple bmx (with training wheels) around and around the basketball court. She reminded us then, and several times later, that she was really the best bike rider, because she wasn't falling over.

And then it was time for one more triumphant ride across the field to the car so that Ella could end the day with a happy memory. And she did.

Way to go, Ella. I knew you could do it.

wants and needs

For a recent school assignment, Ella was asked to list her wants in one column and her needs in another. Under the wants, she wrote: calinr (calendar), dog, fish, game. Under the needs: air, food, medsin (medicine), blud, book.

track star

The girls and I reviewed their county sport program options. I suggested youth track and field, with Saturday morning practices and a regional competition. Ella was with me right up until "competition."

"I don't like competition," she complained. "I'm not fast! When I'm 'it' I can never catch anybody!" She frowned, "I'm a slowpoke."

Lauren put her arm around her sister and pulled their heads together. "It's okay, Ella," she said, in a soft, consoling voice well beyond her years. "You're not the only one. I'm a slowpoke, too."

Then she smiled, and shot me a little sideways look to see if I was proud of her.

I was.

sweet deal

Today, while making Ella's bed, Lauren and I found her note to the tooth fairy, still waiting under her pillow days later.

"Ella is still waiting for the tooth fairy to give her money for the tooth she swallowed," Lauren explained. "I told her when I lose my first tooth she can have it to put under her pillow and she said, 'Deal.'"

"That doesn't seem like a very good deal for you, Lauren," I said. "Don't you want the tooth fairy to give you money for your first tooth?"

"Aw, c'mon," she said, "I'll have another tooth wiggling."

sidewalk kill

On the way to pick up Ella from school today I almost stepped on something. It was a rat. A dead rat that had been recently reduced to bones and fur, most distinguishable by its nose, feet and tail. I was disturbed.

"What do you think of that?" I asked Lauren.

She stared at the carcass. "Totally. Not. Awesome."

keeper

Ella does a lot of writing assignments at school. I try not to keep too many of them, but this one will be tucked away:

I love my mom becaus she is so niyse to me! Whe? Becus she snugls with me and she give's me hug's and kisis. I Love her vare much!!!

That'll keep me going for awhile.