Have I ever mentioned Blankie? She (or he--it all depends on the mood Elizabeth is in) is VERY SPECIAL. So special that she goes everywhere that Elizabeth goes, without fail. My parents gave Blankie to Elizabeth soon after she came home from China. If I remember correctly, they'd taken her out for the day while I was at work and bought this pink blanket (at Kohl's, I think) to tuck around her legs in the car to keep her warm. Now, she and Blankie are inseparable. Which brings me to the point of this post: on Friday, September 4, Jack and I picked Elizabeth up after school, and we went home. At about 5:15 pm, I opened Elizabeth's backpack to take out her lunchbox and her school folder. All of a sudden, I realized...no Blankie! I asked Elizabeth, "Where is Blankie?" She looked at me, and her face crumpled. She began to sob, and all I could think was, "OMG--it's almost 5:30 pm, and it's a long 3-day weekend (because of Labor Day)! " I tried to comfort her as I dialed the phone, hoping against hope that someone--anyone!--would answer at the school. Thank goodness, the aftercare ladies were still there (they apparently leave at 5:30 pm--good to know, in case this happens again) and THEY HAD BLANKIE! Elizabeth's teacher, Mrs. Curry, realized soon after Elizabeth left school that Blankie had been left on her desk and brought her to aftercare in hopes that Elizabeth or I would realize that she had been forgotten at school. I knew that we'd never get there before school closed, so I asked that they leave Blankie outside where we could easily find her. And that's where she was, safely tucked into a plastic bag hanging on the playground fence. Phew! Crisis averted. (We've forgotten Blankie at daycare/preschool many times before this day, but because daycare/preschool was located across the street from our house, it never presented much of a problem). Elizabeth and I learned a lesson the hard way. Now, we ALWAYS check Elizabeth's backpack each afternoon before leaving school to make sure Blankie comes home with us!
Elizabeth and her Papa--just crazy about each other!
Elizabeth's classroom
Elizabeth, standing in front of a recent project hanging in the school hallway 
Elizabeth and Jack in the tub last night
this little guy LOVES apples, skin and all
ditto!
My dad was a letter carrier when I was very little, so when I found this costume at the consignment store, I couldn't resist (even if it is waaaaay too big for him)! Jack is such a little man here! I plan to frame these pictures and give them to my father for his birthday next month...
Elizabeth began gymnastics yesterday. She was excited and nervous--I was, too. Would it be like ballet? At ballet, I had to be within eyesight in order for her to stay in the dance studio. My fears were unfounded--she LOVED it! In fact, when the hour-long class was over, she wanted to stay, and she told me that she can't wait to go back next week. I am so happy! Jack and I actually sat nearby and played for a bit at the beginning of the class, but when I saw how engaged she was in the class, I felt comfortable walking around the gym out of her sight. And, I discovered that Jack really enjoyed jumping and tumbling while we were there... Later that afternoon, we went to Fun Day at Miss Kelly's and had a great time! Yummy food, two bounce houses, a giant slide, and roasting marshmallows over the fire...We didn't get home until after 7 p.m., and both kids crashed by 7:30 pm. Here are some photos from our day...
Yesterday, the kids and I went to Portland Head Light/Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, one of the most beautiful places in Maine. The weather was just perfect! We had an impromptu picnic lunch and watched several other families fly kites, which meant that we had to make a quick trip to the store to buy one ourselves. We ended up settling on a Transformer one (not my first choice) because that was all that was left on the shelf...When we returned, both Elizabeth and Jack had a great time running around (and, more importantly, tiring themselves out!). Here are a few pictures from our day...
Jack and I had a 'Mommy and Me' day on Friday while Elizabeth was at school. We went to two children's consignment shops and struck gold--I found Jack's Halloween costume! He's going to be an ALLIGATOR! I can't wait to get him in it! I'll try to post some pictures of him in the costume (sort of a preview!) later today... 
