The vote squad

We had our votes cast with only a 20 or 25 minute wait ... much better than what most have experienced over the course of this election. Our polling location was busy, but didn't have the crazy-long, hours-wait lines some have seen.

For the record:

• Alena cast the vote in the Butler County Auditor's race between appointed incumbent Roger Reynolds and challenger Jack Zettler. A county government run for years by a monopoly of the same political party is never a good thing, and Zettler is the strongest candidate the Democrats have slated in recent memory. Note: Alena's choice for president was John McCain and "that lady that chatters" (her words not mine), which wasn't happening on my ballot. Thus, in my opinion, she got the vote for the second most important race in our community.
  
  
• Alivia cast the vote for Barack Obama. She's a supporter, but questioned why she couldn't vote for Hillary Clinton. Should he prove victorious after the tallies are made tonight (tomorrow?), the pixie played a part in one of the most significant elections of this country's history that I would have never dreamt to have witnessed in my lifetime (yes, call me a cynic).
  
  
• Trace and Alysse attended the polls during the first presidential election of their lifetimes. Regardless of the outcome, the excitement and anticipation of this election won't likely exist again for years to come. They were a part of it too - rice cakes in hands.

Now ... let's hope.

Our newest school girl

Alivia is officially a school girl. She started today in Miss Tina's three-year-old preschool class, and will attend Monday and Wednesday mornings throughout the rest of the school year.

She was so excited to start school, she was nearly popping. It was her turn to have her own teacher, classroom and school friends, and she couldn't wait. Dressed in record time, teeth brushed and backpack on before I even had to ask, she was ready to bust the door down.

Alena was excited for Alivia too. As big sister, she was encouraging and supportive, even offering advice during the ride there about not picking her nose at school.

Jason signed her in and had to call her back from the classroom's circle for a goodbye kiss before he left. She was ready.

When I picked her up, I asked Miss Tina how she did. Apparently there were tears shed after the morning got underway, as she wanted her mommy or daddy to pick her up. Although she was upset, Miss Tina said she was quickly quieted and her attention swiftly redirected.

I asked her while buckling her in the car if she wanted to go back on Wednesday, and got a quick, definitive "yes." And during lunch, she talked non-stop about her artwork, the playset and the new songs she learned.

Alivia's smile after school as she was buckled in her carseat.

The rest of the day, she flitted around the house showing off her artwork, the letter "G"s she had written in school and practicing other letters as well. She's thrilled about learning and soaks up every chance to do so.

Spookalicious

The girls show off their Halloween duds and can't-wait-for-the-candy grins.

Trace couldn't be bothered for photos, as he was too busy trotting through the yard. He managed to maintain this level of energy throughout the night, right up until bedtime.

It took about three stops and Alysse clearly understood the game - open bag, say trick or treat, receive treat. It almost seemed too good to be true to her.

Alivia would have walked our entire subdivision, making sure to leave no house unvisited. She loved trick or treating.

The evening lived up to Alena's expectations. Tons of "what a pretty princess" compliments, a bag full of sweets and the chance to pass out our own goodies and take in the costumes of others.

The township's fire department brought one of their engines through our neighborhood, making frequent stops to hand out candy to trick or treaters. The real treat for the kids was an up-close look at the truck.

Ten more to love

Here's another 10 I'm loving right now. Some are new to our lives, others mundane, but loved just the same.

10. Cranium's Bloom Neighborhood Sounds bingo. A birthday gift for Alivia, we've already played lots of this game. The girls love it. Listen for the neighborhood sound, cover the corresponding picture if you have it on your bingo card. It's simple, straightforward and relatively quick per game, allowing them to stay engaged.

9. Hope. It's surrounded Barack's Obama presidential campaign from the beginning, and has been a consistent message. He's encouraged voting over boo-ing. He's replaced mudslinging with rising above. Confident there's a way to fix this mess we find ourselves in. Hope. Who can't love that?

8. Our gift subscriptions to Highlights High Five, Ladybug and Cricket magazines. Always a pick-me-up for little ones when their magazines show up in the mailbox, and it provides fresh reading material for us that typically focuses on a specific topic. Activities at the end of each also offers lasting entertainment in the way of games, recipes or craft projects.

7. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight. I love, love, love this book. The girls love listening to it. I can't say I've come across a better read for little girls in terms of inspiring and instilling in them a sense of reaching for the stars. Regardless of your opinions about the book's namesake, the story itself is empowering for little girl dreamers.

6. Small hands working puzzles. Trace has become quite a little puzzle player. He likes working them and has gotten skilled at distinguishing where the pieces go and how to adeptly fit them in their spaces. It's fun watching the gears in his head turn as he completes them.

5. Diapering one butt. It's been 20 months since we've had only one butt to secure a Pampers cruiser to. And for four of those months there were three diapered butts in our house. Please be forewarned, though, our lessening reliance on P&G's Pampers products might serve to further weaken the economy.

4. First attempts at writing. Alivia's interest in forming letters and drawing shapes has really started to develop. She proudly showed off a "y" she penned this week. Tracing letters and attempting to make her own is a source of pride for her.

3. The beginning of sentences. "Thank you." "Get down." "Help me." Alysse is starting to form short sentences with her words. Each day she comes up with a new combination and a better way to communicate her wants, needs and wishes. A chatterbox she's soon to become.

2. Hands willing to dig through pumpkin guts. While our children style their hair with yogurt, pulverize American cheese and eat syrup with their hands, in Halloweens past, we've had no takers in the pumpkin-gut removal category. They always take one look in the cavern and have no interest in sticking their hands inside. This year, however, Alena rolled up her sleeves and dug right in.

1. Halloween costumes that are sure to earn treats. Each of the kids love their respective Halloween costume. There's no crying when putting them on, quite the contrary, there's usually crying when it's time for them to come off. Photo entertainment of such to come soon!

Seeing three in a new way

Sometimes you see people in situations or places in their lives and your view of them changes. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. For whatever reason, that specific snapshot of time takes on a greater significance than all the other ordinary hours and days you might share.

Alivia's turning three was one of those view-changing moments for me. If it was possible, I saw her more beautiful than ever before, more "grown up" in every sense of the words and fell more deeply in love with her.

I saw her genuinely appreciative of the gifts mounded upon her; the perfect balance of timid and social as the center of attention; and compassionate years and years beyond the three she has under her belt.

Her intelligence is above average, her interests are diverse, her passion is contagious. She's the common link between the didgeridoo, turtle puppet and Little Hoot book ... all gifts she loves. A connoisseur of things beyond faddy character toys and plastic gadgets. Actually, a bit sophisticated for her age.

Yet, she's still three and was a bit unsure of actually cutting into the turtle birthday cake. Can't we keep it?, she wondered.

My glimpse of her in the birthday light was a new perspective on how big she's gotten, how special she is and what a gift we were given three years ago.