Half Birthday, and Slowly Getting Back to Normal

Monday was Evie's half birthday, so we celebrated her turning 9 and a half with dinner and cupcakes and Granna and Grannadaddy's house after theatre rehearsal.  

On Tuesday, Beau finally got to have his pins removed!  He came home in a wrapping that had to be left on for 24 hours and he is still on crate confinement, but he is so glad to be done with his cone and not have that weird pin tract sticking out from his leg.  We're very happy too.

Wednesday, Evie had her 101 Dalmatians show in which she played Nanny and a poodle.  She did great projecting through her mask, doing her little stage business with her feather duster, and being in character.  At one point as a poodle, her mask popped off.  She just kept going and then at a time appropriate in the choreography, when she was supposed to lean down, she deftly popped her mask back on.  What a pro!

Poodle in the middle

It was nice to get to see her perform again.  And then on Thursday, we had another dose of "normalcy", going on a field trip.  We went to the nature center where the kids got to learn a lot about bats, which goes along with their CLUE study on caves.  The woman who led the tour recognized Evie from summer camp and said, "Oh, I'm sorry to call you out, but you're just such an awesome kid, I had to!"  Everybody loves Evie.

Evie's in the purpose coat

Evie got to help hold the wings of a fabric representation of a Madagascar bat

Evie and her teacher, Ms. Ecos, comparing notes on how they did during the echolocation exercise

Field trips resume!

It's so nice to get to accompany her on school outings again.

Last night, we went to see a movie and after it was over, Evie told me she needed to go to the bathroom and asked me to hold her coat for her.  I told her I was going to the bathroom too and I would show her something she could do with her coat while in the stall.  I pointed out the hooks on the back of the doors and told her she could hang it there.  When I came out from my stall, she was already washing her hands and she had put the hood of her coat on her head.  She said, "See, I found another way to do it."  I said, "That's excellent!  See, you're becoming self-reliant and independent.  And that's what I want you to grow up to be, a self-reliant and independent woman."  She paused and then said, "We'll see about that."  HA!