The Birthday Boy

Here's to the freshly crowned TWO year old!

Getting this balloon was no small feat, but I knew you'd love it. I'me guessing you will be popping it soon. 

I made banana chocolate chip muffins for breakfast because you can't quite tell me what you want yet but I know you love NANAS!!!!!!!!! so I ran with it. 

And they were a hit. With everyone

You and M could be two peas in a pod but she is way more independent than you, so you are often left in her dust

You adore C and love to lay on top of her while she's in the bouncy seat but thankfully it gives with you

And E who you happen to drive totally crazy sometimes because you get into her stuff

R is the most likely to go outside with you if I tell her you want to play outside (which is just about every waking moment of the day) 

On any given day...

You love to accessorize. If you see your sisters with a coat or umbrella, you want one too - though you are very frustrated by zippers. You also have a knack for finding hair bands and bracelets and commandeering them until your sisters figure out you have their stuff. 

You LOVE to be outside. Getting into stuff. I probably should have bought a broom for your birthday because you enjoy dragging one around the garage. You have dared to get on the bigger tricycle but your little legs can't quite reach the pedals. But I bet you are going to be a daredevil on it once you can work it. You have come to know the word - ANTS - and have started to be more cautious around ant hills due to your run ins with lots of ant hills. I think if I could get a fenced dog run for you and you could see into the house (to see me) you'd live outside with all your trucks and dirt. You also enjoy sitting on a (big kid) stand up swing and just swinging and passing the time. It's probably one of my favorite things to watch you do. 

You are not a great eater. I can count on you eating bananas, cheese sticks and grapes - anything else completely depends on your mood. I do have high hopes for you because I think once you can tell us what you would like you'll be a happier eater. We are just playing a guessing game at the moment. 

I decided to come to grips with your 2-year-old-dom by ripping of the bandaid and cutting your hair in the same day. 

You hopped right up into the chair but then I had to give you a lollipop (It might have been your first ever) so that you would sit still. 

You were mostly happy and totally drooled all over the drape thing - whatever those things are called 

And you left looking a million years older but no less cute than you started the day off, little boy. I think you might be a clone of your Uncle Kev. I hope you have an awesome year and I pray that it will be injury free because you scare me a lot with your fearlessness and I hope you'll always be my best snuggle-giver and just know you've stolen my heart in a way I never knew; I hate it when you cry for me and I take you to tee ball practice some nights not because I want to, but because I don't want you to cry when I leave - even though I know you are totally 'putting on' to get your way. 

All the best, little boy, you are taking us on quite a joy ride and we are all in for the wild ride. 

2017 Summer Swim reCap

The summer swim season has come to a close. Cra-zee. Here's how it went down:

R gained a ton of confidence in the pool. She's swimming across the shallow end by herself and she really only stops to take a breathe. The breathing in line thing still hasn't happened. : ) 

She had a fun summer and this exemplifies her enthusiasm. We really thought she was going to get moved up to 6 and under from Pup Squad and we even had the racing bathing suits in hand BUT it didn't happen. She really really really wasn't ready. She handled it well. I hope with a few lessons over the winter she'll be good to go. 

E had a good season. She was swimming 7-8 which is tough because she turned 7 right before the cut off but it is what it is, you know. 

She rocked out her diving. She finally got it down. She still dives a bit deep but diving is better than flopping. I was really hoping breaststroke would be the same. She's improved but still very much DQ-able if she isn't 100% focused on the kick (it doesn't help her feet turn in a bit when she walks so having to have feet turned OUT for breaststroke doesn't come naturally). E still loves doing IM. And it that even this year was the thing I want to remember the most about her swim season. It was the last swim meet of the season (before conference) and she has practiced breaststroke a lot that week as to not DQ in the breaststroke portion. She did well in her butterfly length and then came backstroke. 

She was in lane one right next to the shallow end - and I was standing right at the corner to cheer her on. E veered toward the shallow end when she pushed off the wall and she keep going into the buoy line and then hit her head on the wall. She was crying. I kept cheering - you are doing great! Don't stop. Don't stop. And I could see her face and her eyes and she wanted to stop so bad. I felt for her; she needed a mama bear hug in the pool but fortunately I retrained myself 

She recovered and swam breast and free and didn't DQ! It was a 'rough' meet for her she said but to me that was the most defining race of the season. 

At conference she got two 3rds and a 7th. 

She didn't care too much but she might have her eyes and heart and mind set on winning a medal at conference for most points at that meet. 

Nash Rec Swim Team 2020 or bust

M has gotten tons of confidence in the water and I'm excited to see what next year will hold for her. She might be able to get to 6 and under if we go to the pool often over the winter : ) 

Here's to an A+ summer pool season 

7QTs - Swim Team with a chance of crazy

Gracious it has been a busy week - but does anyone not have a busy week these days?!?!?!... 

--- 1 ---

On the way to church Sunday... 

Because sometimes you just need a pretty pic to look at and it makes you think. Or the 3 yr old who sung a tiny amount at her spring program, sings the songs she was SUPPOSED to sing and more on that way home and that makes you think...

"He's got the hoo-l wor-ld in His hands... He's got the little tiny babies in His hands"

If He's got the whole world that means He's got me too which is good because after this morning (at work) I needed some reassurance. Nothing like a really crazy day to make you appreciate the weekend even more. 

--- 2 ---

Sunday the big girls and I hit up out new summer hang out... The pool. 

I had never even seen the place before so it was a bit of a reality check when we drove up and it was the same shape as the pool we went to growing up except it was 4 lanes instead of 10!

#smalltown

Any how they liked it. I joined for them - not for me by any means. 

Adult swim - the last 10 minutes of the hour, every hour - is very perplexing to them. 

--- 3 ---

Monday was Memorial Day so no one worked (thank goodness). We ate a leisurely breakfast and went on a walk around the neighbor that did not end particularly well thanks to R who desperately wanted to ride her bike down the hill but was terrified. 

Lee insisted he wasn't going to do ANYTHING after the week he had had but after about 10 minutes of listening to E and R's bantering he weed wacked backyard of the house behind us (that is still in foreclosure!) because it could be a serious snake haven and planted some plants. 

--- 4 ---

For dinner we had an impromptu family gathering: 

Cousins were involved so all was well in our world... at least for a few hours : ) 

--- 5 ---

Feel free to reinsert the craziness... here aka Tuesday (and the rest of the week)

Tuesday was first swim practice of the year. E had been talking it up. R I wasn't quite so sure about. In December she MELTED down at the Y for swim lessons so I really didn't think she'd want to participate much at all. I mean, if she did great, if not then no problem. I really just wanted her to TRY and get in the water again. 

R made it halfway down the pool (with the coach) and was so proud of herself.

This about a pregnant pic of me as I'll probably post... 

Papa made it and sat through swim practice... Yes Papa showed up at the pool. I cannot believe it. Maybe he'll shock us all and get in next week - wishful thinking I know. 

M is a crazy person in the pool. She does not like sitting in the float and does not want to be held on to so I'll let go of her for a few seconds and she goes under water and once she catches she breathe she wants to do it again!

--- 6 ---

I could, should, and will write an entire post dedicated to this girl and her Nini because it's not just the pregnancy hormones that make me want to cry

--- 7 ---

On my counter...

As soccer comes to a close tomorrow I guess this will be our new reality for the next couple months. Fortunately I'm not coaching and hopefully R will hang in there at swim practice because she is just beside herself that she's in the pool with the big kids.

I have a standing offer for E... once she swims in the 6 and under heats - and not just the Pup Squad - which is for kids like R who either don't want to or cannot complete a lap on their own so coaches are in the lane with them - THEN I will get her the team suit. Apparently not many kids wear the team suit but I wore the team suit when I was growing up so here I go trying to get the kids to relive my childhood - if ballet were not so STINKING expensive then I'd consider signing them up and I'd prove myself wrong in the 'MUST IMPRESS MY CHILDHOOD ON MY KIDS' statement - no one really does that anyways, right?

Speaking of which, Lee and I are pretty much on board with signing E up for American Heritage Girls in the fall - it is similar to Girl Scouts. I'm not going to get into the politics of AHG vs GS. I never did scouts growing up but Uncle Kev finished his Eagle Scout project - whether he wanted to or not may have been debated but I think now - 10 years later - he appreciates having gone through scouting - camping trips and all. So we'll give AHG a whirl. Hopefully E will meet some new friends and maybe even see some familiar ones from preschool.

Lastly... since I know you really really care...

The ONLY maternity tank tops I like are at the one-stop-red-dot-stop so I finally broke down and ordered some new ones since I had one from when I was pregnant with R and the old one is headed straight for the trash. I probably could have used them 2 weeks ago but the bump is really starting to get bumpy so... I guess all the maternity clothes will be out before too long. I like these because they are stretchy and stay in place and are not a heavy cotton. 

Now if I could only find a few good additions to the preggo-warerobe I'd be set.

Fun Family Fitness

Totally catchy title, right? Probably more accurate would be - The World's Greatest Ideas that come about during pregnancy. But I've had a few of those but this one involved everyone during nap time so this might have taken the cake. 

A few weeks back this post came up in my FB feed about a mile fun/run walk for kids and adults in our area. I asked Lee about it - and got an, if you want to Chicky - and 2.5 seconds later I signed the whole fam up. Probably not one of my more well thought out ideas but great things CAN come from rash decisions, right?

Yes.

We had talked it up with the girls about walking and running and doing your best and if you cross the finish line you got a medal. E can be very motivated by rewards so I was pretty sure she'd be fine. R - well I never really know what's going on in that 3-yr-old mind of hers but I am fairly certain she understood alittle. E asked me about the medals I have for finishing some .5 marathons that are on display in our laundry room coat rack. She was pumped.

So we got the packet pick up and....

Me - If you cross the finish line you'll get one of those

Guy @ registration - Actually only the age group winners will get medals

Me - .... 

Best to get my story straight BEFORE I go promising hardware to my kids who were some of the youngest in the 6 and under age group. 

With our numbers and packets and race shirts in hand we headed home (for E's birthday party which was that afternoon and thank goodness soccer had been canceled that morning due to wet fields otherwise we would have been the family of headless chickens) 

E was super bummed about the prospect of not getting a medal. I told her if she ran really fast she still might get one. She asked if me and Papa were going to get one - which was just comical because I was going to push M in the stroller and Papa, well, I was just hoping he'd finish within the 16 minute time limit. We thought E had messed up the ties for her timing chip and we decided letting them hold on to the race bags with the one-time only use ties and safety pins was a really horrible idea. 

I'm going to a digress for a moment and say that I think that doing family activities is necessary. When those activities can incorporate something bigger than just doing something together (case in point - healthy activity) then even better. There were a bunch of kids running in this race but the number of parental participants was not as numerous as I'd thought it would be. And I think it is probably because some parents are afraid to put themselves out there and not be the first one the cross the finish line. There were some really fast runners in this race but then there were some brave parents - ehem Papa - who went out there and did what they told their kids to do  - Do the best you can. Most parents aren't in the best shape of their lives but our kids don't care - they just want to see us cross that finish line whether it is at 5 minutes or 15 minutes. 

Enough of that. Back to the race: 

You should be able to figure out whose number is whose

The line up:

The Dashing Deacon (his name for himself not mine) - When I signed up he was very supportive of doing this race/run as a family. He is not in the best physical shape but completing a mile in 16 minutes did not seem like a concern for him. But it was for me... 

Me - I probably could have used a shirt that read - Pregnant and Participating. I don't run when I'm pregnant so pushing M in the stroller was a fantastic excuse to walk.

E - She was super excited about the idea of a medal but her motivation went out the door at packet pick up. 

R - I was pretty sure when I signed her up she would just stand there and not do anything and it would have been a wasted $20. 

Obligatory Family Pic for the non-existent scrapbook 

The format of the races was the men went first then the women (because chivalry is still alive and well) then the boys and last the girls. The adults had a 16 minute time limit and the kids had a 20 minute time limit. We all got in place for the men's race to see Papa off... 

M only walked in the street a few times which was a bit scary so I held her until the runners passed so she would not get trampled. So the race began and the runners were off and then we didn't see Papa. Mind you, there are less than 100 guys running/walking so I thought he would be in the back jogging but then I didn't see him and I halfway thought he didn't start. 

R played in the dirt which is pretty standard for her during physical activity - she likes collecting rocks on the soccer field. 

E kept asking where Papa was and when he was going to finish. We were waiting at the finish line and I kept telling her that Papa was going to be like the turtle - slow but sure and he would finish. Well sure enough he was rounding the corner at a time I wasn't expecting - as in the 11 mile minute range??? Definitely surprised me and himself by his performance. 

Then E HAD to use the potty - of course - right when Papa finished so we hustled to the bathrooms before the women's race. 

M and I lined up in the back as instructed and I had no intention of running at all but the race started and even the people in the back were running so I caved to peer pressure and M and I jogged for a good portion of the mile. I would TOTALLY have brought the jogger had I known I would be jogging. M enjoyed her spot. She got a little sunburnt and roasted but it was fun. I think I finished around the 14:30 minute mark so jogging was necessary just to make the time constraints. 

Then we had a bit a time to kill before the girls race while the boys race was going on

So what do we do, go to the bathroom of course! I get their timing chips on their shoes and we head to the starting line. 

I told E she was allowed to run as fast as she wanted and there were volunteers in yellow shirts and policemen out on the run who could help her if she needed anything and I would be in the back with R if she needed me. Papa would be at the finish line to meet her there. 

R making nice with the policeman who carried up the caboose of the racers - that would have been her.

So the race started and E was off and R did EXACTLY as I predicted just stood there. Her lip started to quiver and the crowd starting descending on the road so they could watch the runners go down and she looked at me and I looked at her and she grabbed my pinky as tight as she could and we starting running.

I couldn't believe it. R started willing running.

We were going at a good 3-yr-old pace and then we made it to the .25 mile marker. Running in the road with the police car right behind us kind of freaked her out so we headed to the sidewalk and we just walked along. I started talking to the policeman who said he had a 3 yr old at home who would probably get too distracted to participate and right at that moment we walked passed a church with a playground and R lingered at the fence to check it out.

The volunteers cheered for R as we walked down the route. I think around the .5 mile marker she sat down and asked to be carried - which wasn't going to happen. She was mad we were not with the other people who were walking so I told her we could still catch up to them. She held my hand and we kept walking.

Then she sat down again and I told her there were cookies at the end of the race which motivated her a little bit. Eye on the prize, baby. So now I had something to lure her to the end with. We continued walking and I was pretty sure we were well behind the 20 minute pace but at that point I was just hoping she'd finish. Around the .75 mile marker there was a lady ringing a huge church bell which R didn't seem terribly interested in. The sidewalk and road construction filled our conversation as well as this infamous cookie - chocolate or M&M... Then we were so very close and there was a pack of volunteers who were trying to convince her to start running but they clearly didn't know R. I thought she was going to sit down again.

We rounded the last turn for the last .05 miles of the race which was lined with people who started cheering as soon as they saw R. Literally everyone was waiting on her to finish - because the awards ceremony was next. The crowd was so loud and cheering her on and I was about to go into this insane hormonal pregnancy moment -  and the tears filled my eyes and everyone was cheering and R was ACTUALLY about to finish this race I thought she'd never complete and thank goodness for my sunglasses. I caught myself and walked well in front and to the side of R so she could have her moment of finishing the race. The loud cheering crowds could not coax her to start jogging but she smiled so big once she walked across that finish line and promptly demanded her cookie.

Papa was right there with M to see her finish at about 19:30 - within the allotted time.

Me - Where's E?
Papa - I thought she was with you
Me - Ummmm... no!
Papa - ....
Me - Did she finish?
Papa - We have to find her

We turn around and there she was sitting under a tree with her unopened water

Me - You were supposed to be there for her
Papa - I wonder how long she's been there
Guy Papa has been talking to - Oh she's been sitting there for a few minutes
Me - I guess we'll have to see the results to find out when she finished

Me - How was the race?

E - Good. I didn't see Papa

Me - So what did you do when you finished?

E - Oh I just went and talked to Martha (a girl from her preschool) and then I waited for you

Me - Oh. Did you run really fast in your race?

E - Yes, but then I got tired and I walked a little and I talked to this mama who was in a yellow shirt and she helped me and she was a 'good apple' 

Me - Great!

(Berenstain Bear book reference, anyone?) 

We went to the snack table only to find out that the all of the cookies were gone and it didn't even dawn on me during the race that EVERYONE else probably would have raided the cookies. 

Well played there mom. 

R was content with a bag of peanuts and her water and she was still beside herself, her face was beaming with pride. 

We raced back to the van and loaded up and headed to the birthday party we were late for. I carried R the whole way. 

E - What's a buddy?

Me - Someone who is your friend who helps you get through stuff

R - You my buddy

Me - Yep I was your buddy

While in the van racing to our next action packed activity:

Me - I cannot believe you finished as fast as you did

Papa - Yeah well you know Chicky

Me - I'm proud of you. You finished first out of the family

Papa - Just call me the Dashing Deacon

Me - Hmmm... no. So does this motivate you to maybe go jogging once or twice a week?

Papa - Oh heck no!

Post Script

Come to find out E was the family winner. She finished just under 11 minutes - which shocked Lee and I both. She finished 6th in her age group and was the first 4 yr old to finish (there was one 5 yr old who finished right before her and technically E is much closer to 5 than 4). 

We were expecting E to finish around 13-14 minute mark so Papa probably was not at the finish line in time and thank the Lord nothing happened to her in the 10 minutes she was 'lost' but not lost. 

Still makes me smile when I look at the girls results and see R's name at the very bottom with a time that is almost 5 minutes behind the previous finisher. 

We'll hopefully be making this a family tradition : ) 

This is What Happens When You are Raising Children

Well sometimes…

The other day I went to pick up the girls from school. We had had a busy week of activities with the normal clash of attitudes and personalities - mine included.

Whenever someone goes to timeout or gets on something other than green light - treats are lost. We were on a good streak of behavior and everyone had been getting their treats or even an extra one for being helpful or turning in homework or using good manners.

On this day R when to timeout for a pretty aggregous offense - pulling hair. She and one of her friends must have gotten into it over something and R wasn't happy. She's been in a kind of aggressive stage here when she and E fight/argue - and it is not tolerated. Timeouts. Lose of dessert/treat after dinner. Apologies with "I'm sorry, do you forgive me" and hugs to make amends. (Because around here we say "I'm sorry, do you forgive me")

Except at school I'm not there to officiate. We were fortunate to stumble across this preschool program and mother's morning out nearly five years ago so I trust and know that my kids are accountable for their actions there - maybe not exactly, but similarly as they are at home.

So R was sent to timeout after this tussle with her friend and I'm sure their was wailing and tears because she knows there will be consequences for her actions - even though she is just 2 months shy of 3. Children must be held accountable for what they do.

The bright spot in this is (there is a glimmer of hope) once her timeout was over R went up to her friend and told her she was sorry. {Whew, insert praises and maybe even tears of knowing that maybe, just maybe, stuff she is learning at home is sticking}. And probably that was it between them. I imagine they went back to playing (maybe not together) but everything was normal.

Well in strolls E once her class was over and somehow or another E finds out R will not be getting her treat today and R motions to E with a finger over her lips to not tell (probably me).

Yeah, like that will happen.

As this is being recounted to me when I pick up the crew, R knows she's in trouble and won't even look at me even though I'm holding her. She knows. She knows.

No treat box for her. She is sad but she knows why. We get out to the van and I ask her why she pulled her friend's hair and I get either silence or an 'I no-nooo" (I don't know). She finds a lollipop on the floor that was not put in the treat box from a few days ago and she picks it up and ask "I get desss-ert".  No I tell her, you don't get dessert when you hurt your friends. She screams. I mull over the situation.

Well we get home and in between lunch prep and talking to Lee and unloading bags, I send R's friend's mom a text to the tune of:

I am really sorry about what happened at school today. Please know we do not allow behavior like that at home and R will face consequences for her actions. Please DON"T HATE ME FOREVER accept my apologies.

Did I have to do this? No, of course not. But I kind of wanted to clear the air with this mom because children are a reflection of their parents, right? So when my kid pulls out another kid's hair that's a perfect reflection of Lee and I as parents?

Well no, of course not. Did I feel embarrassed about it? Yes, alittle. Does my child test the boundaries of acceptable behavior? Often. Do other kids at school do the same thing? Yes. We have been on both sides of story. In this case we were on the testing side of things. We have been on the receiving side of things too and you know when my child was the one hurt, it is nice to get a text or a Facebook message or a stop in the hallway and it go "I'm really sorry about what happened...." (not like this happens with any frequency but if you combine the time that the girls have spent at school it is probably going on 6-7 years so OCCASIONALLY serious offenses happen; most of the time it is little stuff not worth discussing)

Well between the lunchtime rush and putting kids to rest and the new phone which did not have my ringer transferred, I missed a call from the mom. She left me a voicemail and something she said struck me as so true:

"This is what happens when you are raising children"

YES. Yes it is. Our kids do crazy things at home and it is not nearly as big of a deal because no one knows about it if there is a squabble between siblings but stick them out in the real world and it changes. We are raising our children to be kind, polite, generous people but sometimes (just like their parents) they stumble. And sometimes they hurt others. It is just part of raising kids and it is how we parents react, redirect, and refocus our kids on the right thing to do that is what's important.

I finally got the nerve to call this mom because after that message I WANTED to talk to her. So we talked a bit more and all was well. But it is so reassuring to me that my kids are surrounded by kids whose parents are being challenged the same ways we are. These parents, like us, are holding their kids accountable for their actions. Yes, of course there is unconditional forgiveness, BUT there are varying levels of consequences for when bad decisions are made.

Whew... that was a heavy post in the making but I needed it. I need other moms to know that you may have the star student most days but on the days you have the hitter or the hair-puller it is going to be okay because us moms are all struggling with similar situation. 

It is hard being a mom; but I bet if you reach out to other moms you will find yourselves in the same boat.

Recent Ponderings...

1. I have a profound respect for E's 2 yr old teachers... Today's practice with 3 yr olds was pretty comical. I think before the end of practice every kid has stood in the goal and started gnawing on the net... Excellent

2. The Fireflies uniforms are super cute. I wonder how next week's game will play out. Now onto searching out end of season trophies.

3. I have it in my head that I am going to sew E and R a dress (or two). Seriously there are some way cute A-Line dresses with appliques that I have seen on FB that are $40! Hello... for two girls that is $80... Not going to happen. Kriss and Nani have my back and we are going to get crafty/domestic!

4. Speaking of crafty... Papa's stocking. Seriously this pattern has 1000000 quarter stitches which is a major problem on really tight/new cloth... problems.

5. Why does our front yard have so many weeds? Because I find pulling weeds therapeutic? Yeah I know its weird.

6. Father-daughter dances that involve 2 yr old girls should be banned. Seriously. Such unnecessary, un-controlable waterworks is so crazy!!! E ADORES her Papa... and to see them together... ahhhh my heart melts down into nothing. All the unnecessary frustration with her/the girls makes it all 1000 times worth it to see them together. I think when E and R actually do get married I am not going to be able to be at the reception while that dance is going on : )