Summer is on it’s way. Another school year is coming to a close, and even just saying it like that is funny, because we haven’t been participating in the whole school thing for long. But when I see new parents I realize that the six years we have under our belts at this point is a substantial amount of “street cred”.

The stuff Keana is doing, and has done this year, is amazing. All this year we’ve worried that she’s being pushed too hard, from the longer-than-average school day, to the level of work, to the amount of homework she’s had. But now that we’re at the end, it’s clear this school has been the perfect fit for Keana. Even now, two weeks before the end of the year, she wakes up every day with an excited, eager look and says, “Is there school today papa?!!” She loves her teacher, she loves her friends (which is practically the entire class), she loves the extra social activities (i.e. field trips, carnivals, fund-raisers, etc.), and she loves her new-found powers of knowledge. She tries to read everything around her and it’s really cool seeing her be able to navigate things in this world, through reading, at such an early age. And I have to say, personally, it brings me great joy to see her tear through double-digit addition/subtraction. I realize this accelerated learning isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t guarantee life-long happiness, but right now, it seems like just the right thing for Keana.

Maia has been changing every day and continues to prove she won’t get lost in the middle child slot. Our little tiny is definitely getting bigger, and her understanding of how the world works and where her place is grows every day too. She does not love school…yet. She wakes up every day and asks, “Do I have school today?” and when we say no, she screams, “Yesssss!” She loves to play at home and I think she loves being the only older sister when Keana’s at school. She also truly misses Keana when she’s at school as they continue to have a really great relationship, being each other’s favorite playmates. Maia will be going back to preschool in the fall, so I think as she gets older she’ll get more into it. In many ways she’s our toughest little baby, and in others she’s our most sensitive. She may not be any more complex emotionally than the other two, but knowing where her thresholds are and what their triggers are definitely takes some deft maneuvering.

Today I decided to go in order. So now, last, but certainly not least, is Aliya. I don’t know if it’s because she’s our last baby or what, but there isn’t a moment that doesn’t go by without one of us thinking how cute or amazing or smart she is. In this past week she’s started standing up on her own, and her fearless exploration has been nerve-racking. She loves to crawl on her hands and feet, not her knees, and while she’s discovered this is a much faster way to get around, it also has caused many-a-face-plant. Of course, she doesn’t let this slow her down. She forges on and can’t be stopped. This is another girl who wants what she wants, and I think that’s good, because being the youngest of two other powerhouse sisters, she definitely will be holding her own. For instance, she doesn’t’ like to just try and stand. She usually is holding onto a couple objects, and as she stands she likes to bang them together or wave her arms wildly with excitement. She’s also started shaking her head “no” when she knows she’s not supposed to do something or if she’s actually saying no. Why is that so damn cute? Oh yeah, and she claps to signal she’s all done eating. There’s a baby sign language move that’s similar, but she just likes clapping. Aliya will be a year old in just three weeks, and as I’ve been remembering what we all went through to get to this point, I can’t help but be thankful and feel blessed.

So what are we doing this summer? Who knows? I do know we need to go camping and get out into the woods. A few trips to the beach will definitely be necessary. Sarah was also researching music festivals that are kid friendly, so that should be fun too. I’m also already anticipating the, “I’m boooored papa, take us somewhere.”; not sure anticipating that will make it any easier, but at least I know it’s coming, which should help, right?