First Lost Tooth & boy is it LOST!

Abbie has been working on a wiggly tooth for some time now. We spent some time this weekend trying to help coax it out, with no luck at all. She wanted so badly to put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. She asked to me to wiggle it this morning but we were busy getting ready for church so I promised her we'd work on it after church. We got home from church, made lunch for the kids and they were all sitting eating. As I was feeding Kassie I noticed Abbie's tooth was gone, I mentioned it to her - utter meltdown ensued. She had swallowed it! She was heartbroken. She wanted us to take her to the doctor so she could get some medicine to bring it back up her throat - I told her there was no medicine like that. We then convinced her (oh the tangled web we weave.....) that when she went potty that it would come out, go to the water works where there is a special tooth trap where the Tooth Fairy would go to pick it up, she goes once a week you know (the tooth is magically attracted to the trap from a special magic spell placed by the Tooth Fairy). Who knew being a parent required this level of creativity & deceit?

Abbie's new look:
Abbie's letter to the Tooth Fairy
"Dear Tooth Fairy
I swallowed my tooth you can get it from the tooth trap
Abigail Radeke"

Today I am grateful for the small nap I took on the couch this afternoon. It's been a long, draining week - mostly emotional, but draining none the less. The nap was a much needed re-charge - could have slept for much longer, but a Mom's work is never done so I am grateful for what I got! THANKS DAN

Preschool Graduation

Last night was Abbie's preschool graduation. She loved/loves school. We changed her school this year, last year's preschool went from a good, to an ok, to what am I paying for (?!) preschool, so it was time to move. After talking to friends, teachers at Nate's elementary school and a few school visits we decided on Wonders of Learning - IT WAS AMAZING! Abbie has grown in leaps and bounds! She learned so much and loved every minute of it. She made her first real friends outside of church and home, and absolutely adored her teachers.

Sorry for the less than stellar pictures - explanation below.

Abbie & Teacher Marilisa
Abbie & (Assistant) Teacher MonicaAbbie & (Assistant) Teacher MarigayleFunny note - the last day of class the teacher told everyone that they could bring water guns to class - it's been so very hot for here & there is no air conditioning in the school/church. So, as parents we made more than one joke of what we heard when we got to school "Welcome, come on in, leave your guns on the table" - so.... "You know you're at a great preschool when the teacher says (insert above quote) " or "You know your child is headed for a life of crime when their preschool teacher says (insert above quote)" - you choose - it practically writes itself! Abbie's teacher was born & raised in Italy so there was also a Mafia joke or two in there.

It really was a great school. Loving, caring, very educationally minded while being Christ centered (the school is sponsored/hosted by a local Christian church). I would recommend it to anyone. We'll be going back in 2 years for Kassie for sure!

It has been incredibly hot for here the last 3 days, breaking temperature records and all that good stuff. Which is the main reason they were able to bring water guns to school - ANYWAY. It was so hot at graduation that they told the kids to wear shorts, anything cool, they didn't need to dress up (again no AC in the facilities). Abbie still wanted to wear her pretty dress, so I did something I very rarely do - I let her wear her sleeveless dress without her sweater. I tried to talk her out of wearing her tights but she wouldn't saying her shoes hurt her feet if she doesn't wear her tights. I guess I've got to go buy some pretty/frilly socks for her shoes so she can skip tights when needed this summer.
We tried to take a few pictures before we left home. It's getting hard to get good pictures of the kids together, especially when you try to get Kassie in it - she's always on the move! (Notice Nate trying to help her stay still for the picture - oh boy.)
Dan was on his way home from California, Amtrak sent him down for a training class, so he had to miss graduation - he was bummed about that. I took as much video & as many pictures as I could. I apologize now for the poor video quality. Nate was so excited he had a hard time keeping quiet so I could record, and although Kassie did good in her stroller for a while, eventually she had enough & just had to come out. Juggling a climbing baby while trying to take good video, well it just doesn't happen. Hopefully you can still enjoy what I was able to get.







It was a good day. Nate bought her some flowers to surprise Abbie at the end of the ceremony. She was surprised & she loved them. Today is the end of the year school picnic, Dan was able to take part of the day off & work from home so he can go with us, she was so excited.
PS In case you are wondering why the "American" theme to graduation - it was also their spring concert, and 2 of the teachers got their US citizenship this year, so it was a bit of a celebration for that as well.

Today I am grateful for cooler temperatures & antibiotics. Kassie had her first ear infection earlier this week (actually the first for any of our children), an after 2 days of being on antibiotics she is feeling back to her happy, busy self!