First #1:  Swinging... by HERSELF!  That's right.  Our little Sophia, just past 2.5 years old, can hop on a big girl swing, pump her legs, and swing ALL BY HERSELF!  Her best friend, Emma, taught her how and now they can be found monopolizing the pair of swings on the school playground.  When I showed up to pick her up from school on Thursday, she made me come over to watch her do it.  You would not believe the pride I saw on her face and the pride that swelled in my heart.  Shit, my eyes welled up with tears I was so damn proud of that kid.  She could tell that it was over-the-moon genuine pride, too, because the hug we shared afterward was amazing.  I'll get it on video next week to share.  She'll be such an old pro by then, though, that she'll probably seem like it's no big deal. 

First #2:  Showering with mama!  I also don't have any pictures to share with you of this event (for obvious reasons), but it was something I've been trying to make happen for a long time.  Both girls showered with me today (not at the same time, for obvious slippery reasons).  Not surprisingly, Sophia made Ella go first.  Ella liked it well enough that Sophia was convinced to get in next.  She was a little tentative at first, but I had to drag her out of there after about 15 minutes!  I'm not sure that we'll switch over to showers anytime soon, but it's always nice to have an alternative to offer.

First #3:  Playdate with real-live FRIENDS!  A few weeks ago, Sophia said to me, "Mama?  Can Emma and Olivia come to my house?"  Emma and Olivia are her friends from school... we call them the Asian posse because Sophia has chosen practically the only two Asians at school as her best friends.  I emailed their moms and conveyed Sophia's request.  Fortunately they were game and we had them over today.  I took some pictures of Sophia with Olivia, but Ella woke up from her nap by the time Emma arrived, so I didn't get back to the camera after that.  It's a shame, too, because Emma's little brother (Christian) is in Ella's classroom, so they were able to play, too.

They played so sweetly in the tent while we enjoyed coffee in the nice morning air:


They ate snacks in the playhouse:


They hugged:


It went down hill for Sophia as it got close to nap time and as more of her favorite toys got played with by STRANGERS' HANDS, but I think we'd do it again.

First #4:  Oktoberfest WITHOUT babies.   Esen and I got a babysitter for the girls last night and went off to drink good beer under a full moon at the Oktoberfest.  It was nice, although I don't think we actually talked to each other the entire time because we met friends there.  Oh well.