Max and Esme

As one of her birthday presents this year, Esme got a butterfly house from Grandma and Grandpa.  I'm happy (and relieved) to report that we manged to hatch and release 5 out of 5 butterflies successfully.  They only took a few days to go from caterpillar stage to building a crysalis, and another week to hatch from there. We kept them in the house for a few days to watch them and set them free in the backyard on Saturday.  Proof in the attached pictures.

Esme happily greeted Mrs. Blumenfeld on Tuesday morning and walked into her kindergarten classroom without a backwards glance.  I picked her up at 12 and we walked home with a couple of other girls from her class.  She lamented that she hadn't yet made a new best friend, but I cautioned that it would be good to get to know everyone first!   When we got home she promptly sat down to make her teacher a card. She dictated the note to me which went something along the lines of "I had a really nice time at school. I can't wait to come again. I think I will make some new best friends. I am happy. I hope you had fun too. Good bye." and she signed it Thank You, Esme.  She reported to me that she had learned something about Mrs. Blumenfeld, that "she is a very pleasant person."  I think Esme had a good day.

Esme started kindergarten yesterday and Max entered the third grade.  Both seemed to have a terrific first day.  I'll write some more detail soon, but wanted to get a picture up first!

On Sunday, Max spent several hours working on a project in secrecy.  The result was a miniature aquarium for his sister which he presented to her with a card and wrapped in a bow.  The aquarium has two levels, incorporating a variety of exhibits, learning centers and games.  There's even a ticket counter and a poster for an IMAX movie. Esme was suitably pleased with her gift and her dollhouse people have been enjoying visiting the aquarium for several days now. 

The picture that greeted me on my blackberry when I landed at JFK on Friday night.

Is (1) the name of Hiccup's pet firebreather in the How to Train Your Dragon series, (2) how Max's mouth is beginning to look, (3) makes the tooth fairy grumpy, (4) all of the above. I'm in London this week, but my morning update included this note from Peter: Max lost a tooth, literally, having pulled it out and left it somewhere at the Khoos'. He left the Tooth Fairy an explanation, and also a questionnaire, which she completed tersely, even submitting a self-portrait. (Apparently she's familiar with Aquinas.) He did receive two of the four state quarters he requested. No telling how long it took to find those.

OK, it's officially time for a new camera. I'm posting this blurry slide show as proof of my inability to take decent photographs. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery for a small, easy to use and affordable camera option? Max turned 8 on August 12th.  He was very pleased with his gifts - a new big bike from us and a baseball bat from Esme.  On Friday I brought both kids to work with me in the morning and we spent the afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History, Max's favorite place in NYC.  We toured through the African Mammals exhibit along with the Reptiles and Amphibians room where Max taught Esme about endangered species.  For the rest of the weekend the kids worked on projects involving endangered animals - creating a diarama, playing zoo, planning a lemondade stand to raise money to protect habitats.  Esme woke up the next morning announcing that she no longer wanted to be a princess when she grows up, but will work to save the animals. ...