NanoMania, part 2

I'm relieved to report that my children's return to school was just fine.  Dennis stayed home late to help walk them in (just in case they didn't remember the way, and to give them each a little boost of courage.)  Both of them lingered in the doorway, but they got there and came home happy.

A quiet morning at home with Joe.

Meanwhile, Joey and I spent a riveting morning feeding laundry to the washer and dryer and generally sorting things out after our vacation. We saved our trip to the grocery store until after school, at Ella's request.

Ella and Alex are no less keen than they was three weeks ago to collect all of the little gift-with-purchases that they're offering at the supermarket.  And it's been easier than I expected for the kids to amass a large collection of the toys. Joey has a particular fan in the checkout station, and every time we visit she quietly slips him a few extra nanos.  (Although, since what she's slipping my two-year-old are small choking hazards with metal beads inside, perhaps she's not such a fan after all...)

Ella decided that if Joey could get a handful of extra toys on each supermarket visit, with her and Alex added to the mix, they'd make out like bandits.  So as we walked to the grocery store, she coached her brothers on behavior: "Okay, I'll be a sweet and kind big sister. Alex, you be a cool, helpful boy. Joey, you clearly know what to do. Be adorable and innocent." "Yeah!" the boys chimed, ready to lay it on thick. Clearly, the charms of my children are unsurpassed. That supermarket checker will never know what hit her.

Joey promptly forgot his role upon entering the store, instead focusing on being insistent and ridiculous, wanting desperately to push my large shopping cart.  He was so much trouble that I gave up and sent Ella and Alex off to look at the toy aisle while Joey and I lurched through the aisles.  Our list was short, luckily, for Dennis and I are sticking with salads for a while after that week of overeating. Funnily, the Ella and Alex were so mesmerized by the toys and candy, Ella negotiating with Alex as to what he get her for her birthday, that they missed their big moment entirely, and the poor cashier was denied their fine performance of "The Three Good Kids."  Never mind. Joey still pulled his weight and they went home with a little pocketful of toys, which they crowed over happily.

Ella also took a little sack of extras to her class, and was proud beyond words that she'd managed negotiate a couple of deals with her classmates. I got the sense, however, that more than anything she's really relieved and happy to have something to connect with her classmates about. "I made them so happy when I traded with them, Mom!" she said. Now that I can support.

A magician never reveals her secrets.

In other news, Ella is still determined to build a vanishing cabinet, although Alex has finally gotten it through to her that he will no way, no how, be climbing inside.  He will not be disappeared.

Ella has her eye on Joey.

I've been leaving her on her own for the construction of this one: I'm so curious to see what she comes up with.  But the creation process has been torrid, with shrieks of frustration every five minutes or so, in between the noise of her sawing through cardboard with a bread knife.  Dennis was a little concerned about the knife and offered to help, but she told him, confidently, "Nope, Dad, I've got this one."  All that whittling she's learned in school is coming in handy.