His fine motor skills are JUST FINE.

Or, What's New with the Kids.

Madeleine is fully in first grade. In math, reading, and spelling she'll be in the second quarter the week after Easter because so much of the latter two are a review of kindergarten. She's getting sick of math, though, so maybe after the quarterly test we'll take a week off. I don't see the need to take the whole summer off; maybe a month. Since we plan be up north for a week or so in July, that would be the perfect time to do the frog-eggs-to-frogs experiment (how long does that take?) or the caterpillars-to-butterflies. Or both.

Dale is unofficially in preschool. Just this morning he announced, "I'm a grown-up. I cut up my strawberries myself." He had gotten one of our Ginsu knives from the knife block on the counter and done it on his own. Without injury.
After the palpitations stopped, we had a little talk about telling us before getting out knives.
I asked his speech teacher about what kinds of things from here she recommended for use at home. I'd already looked at the catalog and had about a dozen things marked; her list included four of my ideas. Like this, or this, or this... I've told you I like her.

Rachel we gave up a few weeks ago with the potty training--she was still fighting the idea. Monday she was in diapers. Tuesday, yesterday, I asked if she wanted to use the potty and she said, "Yes!" So we put on cloth training pants.
And they stayed dry all day. Lots of false alarms but the only place she made peepee was in the little potty. We're still working on #2, but that's how it's been for all of them. She does tell us when she needs a change, very politely besides.
I should have known this would be the week; we just bought the box of diapers from Costco on Friday.

This little house, by the grace of God, will go on the market before the end of April.

That's the news. You stay classy, San Diego!