Objective Feedback.

I know I've been particularly bad at keeping up with the blog recently. I've been busier at work than I have been in years (not that I ever blog on my work time, ahem), and this semester Momlissa has two night classes a week; factor in the girls' swimming lessons and my pipe band night (and practicing) and it's easy for me to put posting on the back burner.

But since I just got back from a piping gig, and since my three girls are out at the grocery store I thought I'd take a moment and catch up a bit. We've had a request for more Cici stories, and there was a good one this week. As I mentioned, the girls are taking swim classes at the moment; they're in different levels but their classes are the same night in the same pool, one after the other. Cici goes first (and she almost literally swims rings around the other kids in her class), then Ruby.

Since Ruby is almost five now, I don't think it's really appropriate for me to take her into the men's locker room to help her shower and get dressed after her class anymore. So on Tuesday night Cici took her in the women's room. I remember trying this a couple times last year, but it never worked out too well - the attempts would usually culminate in me banging on the door and screaming "GIRLS! GET OUT HERE NOW!" or on at least one occasion asking a female passerby to go in and check on them.

But on Tuesday night it had only been a little while before both girls emerged from the locker room. Ruby was dressed, with coat and boots on, and all of her swim stuff was packed up in the tote bag. As we were getting ready to leave, a woman came out of the room with her own little girl, and she stopped me to say, "Your daughter is such a good big sister. She was so helpful in there, and gave such gentle encouragement . . . I just thought you'd like to know."

I do like to know. It's hard to imagine anything making a parent feel prouder than knowing your kids are at their best when you're not in the room to make sure they are. I couldn't have higher hopes for her in life.