This picture is not particularly noteworthy, but it is very indicative of how immensely fun these two kids are. They're both wearing some silly cow hats provided to Ella at school by Chick-Fil-A because the kindergarteners at school didn't get participate in the Fun Run (a fundraiser) which means no t-shirt that all of the other students in the school got. So Chick-Fil-A gave them hats and Ella deemed them "Not Fun Run" hats. Then, all weekend, every time they got in the car, they'd put these hats on, Conrad would let out a loud "Mooo", Ella would shout "NOT FUN RUN" and they'd both laugh until they had no choice but to hold their bellies from the hysterics. They crack themselves up. Then they hug each other, give each other a big smile just as Conrad reaches up to pull her hair or push her to the ground -- anything to make her scream -- then we remember that they really are siblings.
Conrad is still very much the "strong silent type" with little talking but he's mastered the art of inflection and gesture. He can say my name in 100 different tones of voice. At the end of the work day, its "Mommmmy" full of love and joy as we're reunited. When I've told him "No" I won't read him that book for 1ooth time in 15 minutes, its "Maaaammmmy" as if to suggest "I don't think you understand woman! READ!" If you ask him if he had a good day, he dutifully nods "yes" but dare not ask him if he wants to sit in "Time-Out" -- he could knock you out with his vigorous nod for "no". As his speech therapist likes to say, "He may not talk but he certainly does communicate!"
They're growing up. Fast. Ella loves kindergarten more than words can say. She's become an expert on everything. Just ask her. And, if her teacher says it, its the absolute gospel truth. Everthing is novel and exciting to her at school. This morning, she bounded out of bed, 45 minutes early, just because she was so excited for Picture Day. She heard that this picture would be in a BOOK! Something called a "Yearbook" she told me. And she practiced her smile in the mirror this morning with all of her extra time, and it looked very much like this....
