Because I know you just come 'round for the baby pictures

The babies are 17 months old now and I suppose sometime soon I'm going to have to stop calling them babies.  They walk and go up and down stairs and are beginning to learn words.  Here are some pictures from the past couple of days.

L.

G., though I don't know why she is looking so squinty in these pictures.  I had to have J. reassure me this was just a face she makes and not something I need to worry about.  I'm like that, you know.

 One more of G.

L., being goofy, as she often is.  A. and P. decided that the babies needed their hair done.  L. was much better than G. about leaving the barrette in.

And now having lured you here with baby pictures, I have some news to share.  M. received the "big" envelope from the college she applied to in the mail yesterday.  Yes, she was accepted into college.  This is probably bigger news for me than it is for her.  There are certain milestones in the life of a homeschooling mother that are notable.  Milestones which confirm that you are not ruining your child's life.  Because as much as we say homeschooling is a legitimate form of education, it is enough outside the norm to cause even the most ardent of us question what we're doing every now and then.  The first milestone is when your child learns to read.  (Though I think the even better first milestone is when your second child learns to read because then you know it wasn't a fluke the first time around.)  The last homeschooling milestone is when your child is accepted into college if that is what they choose to do.  There is a small part of me that feels as though I've earned my stripes.

But the much better part as far as I'm concerned is that after much thought, M. decided she really wanted to stay in the area for college.  And since I'm not overly fond of my little birds leaving the nest, I'm glad she'll be close.