Triops update. The triops hatched in late February, and this particular triops has now outlived his 90 day three-month limit.

Only one remains, and he and I have gotten quite attached to each other. I think it's a male, because of the way he seems to get all primal and flaunt his tricks for me whenever I hang out at his area to feed him or to just watch him. He is very fun to watch. He definitely responds to people, coming up to the water and checking you out, sometimes even putting his face out of the water to get a closer look at you while you are getting a closer look at him.

I know he most likely won't make it past this next week. He looks different... not as shiny (although he could be ready to molt), and goes on his back a lot even when he isn't eating. But, the little prehistoric creature still has it in him to give a good show.

During the course of the triops lifespan, I realized some important things that help keep them happy:
1. change the water 2 times a week, but make sure the water is within two degrees during each water change. They really perk up when you put them in new water (although you can get away with a weekly changing, it's not much work at all to sometimes change it twice a week.)
2. sprinkle in a little bit of food at night before you hit bed... they love to eat at night.
3. they love tiny pieces of carrots.
4. talk to them. They really respond to it. I don't know if they have ears, but maybe the vibrations on the water make them aware of your voice? I'm always chit chatting with the triops... I'll say "look at you, cutie pooks!" and "you are such a trooper, look at you go!"

My friend Shmedlee has been growing ladybugs and butterflies. The ladybugs were interesting, they come out of these little poo-looking pieces of deep brown raisin cocoons. I'm not sure when we'll start a new project here as we are now looking into moving into a bigger house.

Kenny's going to be getting another promotion within the next few weeks (his supervisor told him), so it looks like we'll be staying on Cape Cod for life now. I'm happy about it, although I was looking forward to what we had planned should he not get the promotion he wanted this year. I'd just about convinced Kenny to move to New Hampshire (although Florida was also being considered, to start his own business.) I really wanted to move to New Hampshire to be a part of the Free State Project. And I think, had he not gotten the promotion he's getting soon, that all of the family we have in Massachusetts would have played a vital role in getting him to agree that New Hampshire would be the better choice. It would have been a bit hard to convince him, though, because the kids all wanted to go to Florida, although Winter fluctuated between NH and FL because he loves the snow. I plan to visit New Hampshire, even though we won't be moving there, to check out the Free State Project in May. (May 28th, I believe). I will be doing a pretty big blog post about that once I get back.

Speaking of Winter, he broke his arm in two places during school vacation. He was goofing around on the hammock with Barbara (his cousin, my sister Hope's daughter) and they tumbled off the hammock landing on top of each other and CRACK CRACK. Winter nonchalantly walks up to me, looking only a bit miffed, and blurts out "Mom, I think I just broke my arm." No screaming, no crying, just a general statement that almost sounded as if he was more upset he couldn't finish playing on the hammock for a bit longer before we headed back to Cape Cod (this happened at my Dad's house.) There was no doubt it was broken, as I walked towards him to investigate and saw a capital letter Z, made of flesh, danging from his shoulder. My dad quickly put a splint on it (the doctor told Kenny it was a great splint and a smart thing to do) and I called the hospital emergency room to make sure they knew we were coming with a kid who definitely had a broken arm. I suspected right away it was broken in two places, because of the severe angles of the Z that was now his arm shape. When Kenny text-messaged me on the cell phone an hour and a half later, his message read: broke in two places, heading to surgery.

We went to the store to get Winter a pillow and a blanket for the ride home. We also got him a card. I will never forget three moments from the incident of Winter's broken arm:

The way he looked so calm and reserved when he announced he 'just broke his arm.' In two places, no less.

The way he had tears in his eyes when he read the card we'd all signed for him as he thanked us for the pillow and blanket (Spongebob fleece blanket and Finding Nemo squishy pillow.)

Even now, just typing that out, I've got tears in my freakin' eyes. My heart feels full to max. My mind feels at ease, he's such an independent and strong spirit, my Wints.

And the 3rd thing I remember about the night he broke his arm, the comedy break of sorts. On the ride home, as the highway beneath us lulled us all to sleepy states, Winter suddenly spoke. "KC," he said, sounding serious. "KC, I just want you to know something. If you ever break your arm, it hurts like hell."

And then he fell asleep on his new squishy blowfish pillow. :)