VanLoon Update

I'm sorry I've been so sporadic about posting lately. It's been a busy couple of weeks! Here's a synopsis of what has been happening around the VanLoon household:

• Since finding out where she would attend kindergarten, Elizabeth decided that she should no longer attend preschool. We experienced several days of tears and clinging at drop-off, which has not happened for years. After lots of long talks, we appear to have passed this mini-crisis.
• Isaac has been busy with back-to-back scoring projects (working on our home computer scoring ACT essays) in addition to his full-time work at Primerica. This is exhausting for him, but we are thankful for the opportunity in this economy. I try to help out by scoring for a couple hours to give him a break.
• Amelie has learned to sit unaided, which opens up a new world of play for her. She has developed her loud yelling voice and makes a lot of noise. She also cut her second tooth today with a great fanfare of drool and snot.
• Elizabeth is still determined to learn how to read more fluently. Isaac and I both spend lots of time listening to her read to us. You take for granted so many words in the English language until you try to explain them to a little kid!
• Amelie now eats baby cereals, pureed vegetables, and some pureed fruits. She enjoys eating solid foods, but makes a big mess both in her high chair and in her diaper. I forgot how much work is it to feed and clean up after a baby.
• We have gotten several opportunities lately to spend time with friends, which all of us enjoy. Elizabeth has even had two friends overnight! Here is a picture of a fort she made a decorated with one of them.

• After encouraging underwater advances in the swimming pool at our hotel in Chicago, we've been working to keep up the positive momentum and expose Elizabeth to more swimming in hopes of upping her bravery.
• I got lazy with working out and eating fewer treats after Chicago, but a friend last night encouraged me to get back on track. So I ran 6.5 miles today and I'm committed to losing 7 more pounds to reach my goal weight.
• I'm researching camping trips and activities for this summer, an activity that I greatly enjoy but that takes up a lot of time and energy. Plus, we need to upgrade tents with the addition of another child, so that's another big thing to research.

So that's the VanLoons in a (very big, long-winded) nutshell. How are things going with all of you?