The Hive
October, 2009
We're back! I hate to think that this poor site is only due a once-yearly update. But once again, it's been one, crazy heat wave (and we're not just talking about the weather). We've been burning the midnight oil on personal stuff and trying to keep ourselves sane during the day. At any rate, that means a LOT of photo updates are headed your way. Daddy's been home for much of the summer and we're trying to get into the fall routine. Enjoy the summer updates - hopefully we won't throw so much at you next time.
caitlynn
Caitlynn has started kindergarten already! She's not old enough to be in the public K program, but the teachers at her school put her into the kindergarten class along with four other little ones. They're calling them Jr. K-ers, but they're responsible for keeping up along side the kindergarten routine and workload. Caitlynn is doing very well, thanks to the wonderful teachers and friends at Kindercourt. She's going five mornings a week, packs a lunch (okay, Mom still does that), and comes home with homework. She's writing her name and the rest of the alphabet and numbers and is reading without assistance. We're so excited for her progress. Her favorite thing seems to remain anything in the realm of princesses but we're trying to break her of that perfectionist mentality.
cameron
Cameron is growing (and growing smarter) by the minute! He's a little handful and very independent. "By self!" is often heard around the house if you try to help him with anything. Hard to keep up with, this little monster puts us all to the test. But when he's a lovebug, he is the loviest lovebug there ever was. He's now in a preschool program where Caitlynn started and is already winning the hearts of all the teachers there. The teachers at Caitlynn's school absolutely can't wait to get their hands on him (probably next summer). We're continuing music classes on Fridays with teacher Mona and still get a few "mommy days" during the week. He still relies on his froggie to get himself to sleep but we've been able to (for the most part) reserve frog for the crib because he takes an immediate affinity for his thumb once frog is in hand.
nikki
Operating under the new name, five.thirty.one design, Nikki is continuing her consulting business. She's had some fantastic clients thus far and is really enjoying functioning as a legitimate "business" (with a "real" bank account and everything!). It's still giving her ample time to spend with the kids. Things are pretty hectic trying to negotiate the work, kids and all of her projects, but at the end of the day, when the kids are peacefully asleep and the dishes are still in the sink, she sighs a sigh of resignation and waits for it to start all over again tomorrow.
mark
Mark had a terrific summer off - call it "funemployed" and we had some wonderful family time to enjoy. He's back on the job as of end-September with a new company called Equinix. It's a new space so he's getting used to it but his commute is only about 10 minutes and that makes life a zillion times easier on everyone. It's Nikki's favorite part of the job! Still planning October surprise trips, Mark pulled another winner out of his hat this month and took the family to Disneyland. You never know what he has up his sleeve.
