Earning Stripes

Caroline has been asking for a Girl's Day for some time now.  Since last weekend was a long one, and Todd was able to stay home with the boys, we made Monday our girl's day.  Her first stop was to Monkey Joe's.  I wasn't sure she would have as much fun without the boys, and she was hesitant at first, but she got into it and had a good time going down the slides and bouncing in their bounce houses.  After that it was lunch at Chick-fil-a (in the car, because the dining room wasn't open yet) with a milkshake.  Then we went to a store and she was able to browse the toy section at her leisure.  She also browsed the shoe section at her leisure.  She's a shoe girl through and through.  She was in need of a new pair of flip flops so she picked some out as well as water shoes for when she goes to the beach.  She also smacked all the light up shoes (so they'd light up) because she cannot wear them.  Wide feet she has, wearing regular shoes she cannot.

As a consolation prize, Todd took the boys out for lunch, too.  

Earlier in the week, Caroline was due to earn her third stripe in jiu-jitsu.  She went to two classes that day because she prefers the small size of the lunch class, however the stripes are given during the evening classes.  Todd and I noticed right away that the man who usually works the desk was not there that particular night.  He is the one that checks their attendance cards, notates their stripes, and hands it back to Professor Mike so the stripe will be given.  So at the end of class when they bowed out and she received no stripe, we knew the waterworks were coming.  Prof Mike saw her break down and told her he knew she earned a stripe and she'd get it next time.  Everything would still count.  Those were comforting words coming from him, but she was still disappointed.  Meanwhile, the boys, who knew none of this, had created her a congratulatory TV screen to welcome her home.  

Two days later, Caroline received her stripe.  She had sparred really well that night, so it was well-earned.  She was also quite pleased that Prof Mike had spaced all her stripes equidistant from each other.  

That same night, Henry earned his fourth stripe.  One of Henry's favorite things about getting a new stripe is moving up in the line.  When the kids line up at the beginning of class, they are to line up in belt-rank order.  So, getting a stripe moves them up in the line.  Obviously, you always start at the end and so far, Henry's made his way to the middle.  Josiah did not go to class that evening.  He was busy at home creating more decorations for Henry.  Streamers and Saran wrap and hanging stripes and Henry's face on the TV.  

Mid-week, Caroline had a friend from CC over to the house.  All the kids played really well together, so we'll be doing that a few more times this summer.  It was good they had a fun time because Caroline was not too happy that we didn't get to the pool this week.  For much of the week it was raining and in the 70s.  She would not believe me that it would be too cold to swim.  Plus there was just enough thunder most days that the pool would have been closed anyway.  This week we are supposed to have true summer weather and I am definitely on the hook to take them to the pool.