First Crawl

E's first crawl--the official body off the ground type-- occurred Saturday Sept. 24.  It was only a few feet until she reached her sock drawer (so she could distribute them across the floor...) but both Mommy and Daddy saw it.  Since Sat, she has only crawled one other time (also briefly) but continues to cover territory quickly with the commado crawl (using elbows and dragging the body).  She also is pulling herself up into sitting and kneeling positions.  She'll stand for a while if someone holds her or leans her against furniture.

M and C both are terrific helpers with E and she gets very excited when she sees them--she smiles and squeaks and fails her arms and legs.  C has been busy with Tiger Scouts on Tues evenings and soccer practice on Thurs evenings and games on Sat mornings.  M is obsessed with "Yo Gabba Gabba".  T got Fufa (the pink one) and Toody (the blue one) dolls for her and she takes them everywhere.

Mena Elise--U.S. Citizen

First, apologizes to C since his birthday festivities haven't been posted yet.  But today is M's day.  Her citizenship "ceremony" was this morning.  We dressed up, took C out of school for the morning, so we all could be there for the big moment when mommy or daddy would forcibly try to get her to raise her right hand and then would say the oath for her.  (As she presumably would be yelling "No, Daddy.  No, Daddy.  No." to the amusement of everyone in the room but me.)
 
In fact, there was no ceremony, oaths, or anything close.  I basically went up to a bank teller window, handed in her green card, signed two copies of the citizenship certificate on her behalf, and that was it.  Other than trying to coax C and M to stay with me or at least be quiet as they chased each other through the rows of chairs in the room.  No flag-waving (though they did give us one to take home), no speeches, no Star Spangled Banner, no fuss, nothing.  Maximum anti-climax.

But it's official and final.  M is a US Citizen.  God Bless America.