Further August activities

The last post was getting long, and children started needing attention! So, after we returned from WA, we introduced Gretchen to rice cereal. She had been watching us eat for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to wait until we were back from vacation before starting her on solids. Like most kids, she had some initial reservations about this strange, white stuff that smelled like milk, but didn't quite taste or feel right. We now make it with water instead, which is much easer for me!! She now eats 1 - 2 tablespoons of rice cereal at a time. We've tried carrots (not interested), and I'm going to introduce a new veggie this weekend.
The Alaska State Fair is in August, and we took Quin and Gretchen. We met our friend Paul, and his mom, at the fair, and it was great having extra eyes to watch for the running toddler! Quin wasn't that interested in the animals when we looked at them, but as soon as we left the barn, all he could talk about was visiting the animals again. Quin was able to pet a rabbit and see some baby chickens! He really liked the baby chickens!!
My mother-in-law, Carolyn, won Best in Show and Division Champion for her sweater! Great job on such a beautiful sweater!!
We walked by the right spot at the right time: the Toddler Trot was about to begin! We signed Quin up, got him to the start line (with a lot of other parents), and the kids were off! Quin wasn't quite sure what to do, so he turned to me, grabbed both my hands, and I ran the race with him. Until he tripped. By then he knew what to do, and took off running. He almost ran out of the race track!
We ate a lot, had a great time, and the kids were great! We were at the fair for 6 hours, and E learned how useful a stroller can be! Quin was fasinated with the rides, but we decided he was too young this year. We stopped off to look at the animals on our way home, but all Quin wanted to see was the baby chickens. He is still talking about them, and knows that "baby chickens say peep, peep!"
It was a long, hard day at the fair.

August also saw the start of school. Quin has been looking forward to school all summer, and we were counting down "one month to school," "two weeks to school," and finally "school starts today!" Quin picked out his clothes, got dressed, and was ready to leave 15 minutes early! It was hard explaining why we couldn't leave immediately! When it was time to go, I loaded Gretchen, loaded Quin, smelled something suspicious, unloaded Gretchen, unloaded Quin, changed an extremely nasty diaper, then back into the car. Quin was so excited about school, it was hard keeping him focused on getting his slippers (indoor school shoes) on, hanging up his backpack and rain gear, and getting a kiss good-bye. He wanted me to stay for all of 1 minute, then he was off doing his own thing. *sniff* My baby is growing so quickly!
Gretchen wants to go to school also, and wasn't happy about staying home.