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Sunday we had simple, super-fun sing-a-long that I failed to take any photos or video from. here's a nice little thing captured by our friend Pat Cook (thanks, Pat!). [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeLqrpa3imk?rel=0&showinfo=0]

Jessica recently bought an amazing baby stroller for Netta at the thrift store (for $2!) and told me how much she wished her mother was here--what fun it would have been to celebrate such an extraordinary find with her! And there would be no other person I would rather discuss the fantastic, depressing presidential election with. What would she think of Donald Trump! Oh man I would just love to sit down and talk all about it with her. We miss and love her so much.

I have no expectation that anyone besides maybe  Bailey and Netta (and perhaps their grandma?) will listen to this entire story. Jessica said today the girls worked together to make a book called "Marco and the Beast", carefully "writing" each page. Below is a secret recording Jessica made of them 'reading' the story back to her. I imagine this could be pretty fun for the girls to listen to in 20 years :). [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/267476989?secret_token=s-7v5c4" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="300" iframe="true" /] And a few photos of the book: by BaileyNetta

Today was pajama day at school for the girls, their third-to-last day in hi-5 preschool. They were SO EXCITED to wear pajamas. On the way into school I asked if I could take picture of them. "Oh man, come on!" said Netta in a embarrassed, slightly dramatic voice. SO CUTE! And in class:

Art has had an extraordinary year on the piano. Sharon, his new 75-year-old teacher(!), is working wonders with Art and pumping him full of all kind of confidence. Something he often lacks. This performance Philip Glass' Metamorphosis was at her annual "big show" at her house where all her students play a piece, earn awards and trophies and more or less reflect on the year. Well, after everyone played she talked about each student a little and what folks have achieved, etc. But before she started that she paused, looked at Art, and said that before she does anything she'd like to talk about one boy first. I wish I had recorded it so Art could watch it again and again. She just publicly adored  him, gushing about how his confidence and playing has blossomed more than she every could have imagined. About how he was scared to perform and now he loves it. How he learned a piece on his own over Thanksgiving break, it blew her away (see that performance here). And she also ...

Mothers Day:

This is now a part of my job, shooting a 'live shot' for the TV station in breaking news situations. Not something I imagined myself doing as a young photographer, and not something I imagine myself doing forever. But it's sorta fun and a technical feat figuring out all the gdigets and gadgets. And I look cool!

As Bailey and Netta finish up their last week as preschoolers, the other day we went to 'kindergarten roundup', a meet-your-teacher type event at their new school in Minneapolis. They were excited and terrified. Had to pluck a crying Netta off my leg when I dropped her off with her new teacher (who seems really great!), she was especially afraid of riding the bus. As part of the evening all the kids ride a school bus around a block, hopefully demystifying to huge scary yellow thing. I was worried about Netta but got done with my parent stuff just in time to see her hope off bus with a massive smile (see below). So there you! Also, sharing a couple forms about each girl that Jessica thoughtfully filled out. So much fun to read through these. What is Bailey interested in? "Superheros, cello, bugs". Love that. For Netta, What might upset her? "see her twin upset or angry or sad". So true.