5 on a Friday: KID UPDATES

 1. Harry. HE IS A JUNIOR. WHAT. We are in the thick of all of the things re: LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. I just cannot even. Like, no matter what path he chooses, he needs to move out when he graduates high school, likely to go to a 4-year college, and I cannot even imagine life without him every day. He is really successful in forensics this year (in oratory no less), and he is moving into tennis season. He continues to be active in the young progressives club and in local political elections-- he's a heck of a canvasser. He has a wonderful group of kids he's been friends with forever; he refs hockey games to make a little extra cash, and he's been hired back at the pool for another summer of lifeguarding. He's pretty awesome, you guys.

2. Jack. Jack is loving his freshman year in high school. He is on the speech team doing solo humorous acting, and his speech is wonderful-- every week he is closer and closer to making a final round, and we love to watch him perform. He had a good freshman dive season and got to live his dream of diving from Memorial-- a dream since he was 9!! He was in the fall play, and he has gone with his charming and delightful friend group to both school dances. He is having success at the things he does because he is not afraid  to join new things, and he is very good at setting goals and working toward them. He also plans to lifeguard this summer, but he has to get certified first and can always man the front desk if needed. He's so, so, so sweet with Minnie and still treats us to his cooking and baking. In a nutshell: he's a delight.

3. Cooper. Cooper is a human ball of energy. He can go from 2.5 hours on the diving board to ninety minutes on the ice and STILL have energy to spare. He's crushing it at school, had a great hockey season that wraps up Sunday, and is loving being on a competitive dive team. Baseball is sloooooowly winding up, and he is thinking about trying out for spring hockey-- mostly because he NEEDS a couple hours of some kind of sportsball every day to be as successful as he can be at school. He did not end up loving winter swim, but he did stick with it until the very end when the practices were focused on the state meet (that he did not try to qualify for because he wanted to go to his hockey tourney instead). Selfishly, I still want to see him swim year round because he's good at it, and it is EXCELLENT exercise for the other sports he plays, but perhaps we will try a different club next fall.  He is excited for a summer of baseball, city swim/dive, and street hockey with neighbors. He's an excellent big brother to both of his sisters and is always top of Minnie's favorite bro list.

4. Dorothy. WHERE TTO START? Dorothy is SO funny, you guys. Some of the things that come out of her mouth! OH MY GOSH. You would not expect a pretty little (she's very little-- like she and Minnie might wear the same size shoes someday soon) 9 year-old (NOT 10 YET, darn it) to find funny the things she does. I am pretty sure it's the inappropriate TV she has unfettered access to. Also all the big brothers. She's having a lovely time in 4th grade, adores her weekly swim team practice, and dances 4-5 days a week, depending on rehearsal schedules. She's excited for summer swim and softball, dance competitions March-May and a national dance competition in Florida in July. And how could I forget summer dance, which is a 10-week audition for next year's teams? If you cannot tell, she is all-in when it comes to the world of competitive dance. At the same time, she is having her birthday party at a really junky arcade where she loves to play pinball and vintage games like Paper Boy and Tapper.

5. Minnie. OH MINNIE. I feel like this whole BLOG is about Minnie. You know she loves her library, swim, and gym schedule, talks up a storm, enchants the whole family with her sturdy deliciousness. WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?