The Rankin Zoo 

I have been terrible with the blog. Sorry about that. Here are some updates.

Coral
Coral finished up her first year of preschool. She had a week (or was it two?) and has started a two week summer session. There are a handful of kids in her new class that were in her old one but it’s mostly new kids. I asked her the other day how her new friends were and she said, “they’re not my friends yet - I’m not used to them.”

The outdoor pool opened and she’s really enjoying that. At Aunt Carole’s house she cruises around the entire pool on her noodle. At the pool by our house she has discovered that she can touch the bottom in the shallow end (she must be a foot taller than she was last summer!). She tried on her snorkel gear the other day and like it - but she has to get more used to it before I think she could really snorkel. Her swimming is coming along. I suspect that by the end of summer she’ll be swimming like a fish.

Recently (today) Coral joined the world of Twitter. She has noticed me tweeting before so I asked her if she wanted to try it. I told her how you could use Twitter to tell people what you’re doing during the day. When I asked her if she wanted to try it her response (I didn’t make this up) was, “No. I don’t understand it.” I think that’s what I said the first time someone told me about Twitter! I’m not sure I get it now either.

Coral still really loves her sister. She’s not too rough with her. If we take Pearl away Coral usually responds, “don’t take her, she’s MINE!”

Pearl
Pearl is 7 months old now! A couple of weeks ago she got her first tooth and now has two cute little bottom teeth. She’s still a smiling machine. She loves to spit and blow raspberries a lot. Her hair is getting longer and it’s still red. She is super chubby. She can’t sit up or roll over yet but she holds herself up well on her tummy and she really likes to stand if you hold her hands. She sits/stands in the exersaucer and really seems to enjoy it. She’s still sleeping in our bed but is a good sleeper and hardly ever cries.

She’s scheduled to have surgery in a couple of weeks to correct her strabismus. It’s supposed to be a pretty routine procedure so we’re trying to not worry about it too much - but of course we’re a little worried. If it’s successful it will be nice to have her eyes lined up.

I’m sure there are many details I’m forgetting - but that’s all I have right now.