With all the toy recalls from China? Why in the world do people use LEAD paint anywhere in this world for Children’s Toys. Ugh! Luckily we haven’t been affected directly, but tons of my friends have had to turn in Dora toys and Thomas Trains galore. It’s starting to make me sort of paranoid about buying things that are made in China for my kids. Gosh, am I getting more green as I get older?

On the home front, Madeline has slept through the night TWICE this week. I’m trying not to jinx anything. Apparently just getting the sleep book from the library has helped, even though I’m only through about 100 pages. Of course Madeline is sleeping so Claire has been getting up, but what can you do. We just have to awake from our slumber long enough to get Claire to the bathroom and then she usually goes back to sleep without a problem. Madeline is also standing on her own for longer periods of time and taking eeensy tiny baby steps. It’s really very sweet. Her vocabulary is expanding too…she says MMMM when you’re eating something, DADA, GEE (which is her word for all things happy), Kikikiki which is Cookie, but still no MAMA.

Claire has her “orientation” for her preschool this week. She starts on September 5 and will go three days a week. I think she’s excited. Well, somewhere between excitement and not knowing what the heck I’m talking about when I tell her she’s going to a new school. Hard to tell. This morning she drew the most adorable picture of a “frog” on her magna doodle that actually looked like a frog.

Her 3rd birthday is coming up pretty quickly — anyone have any good ideas for gifts for a 3 year old girl that don’t involve Barbies or Bratz (both of which I can’t stand!!)