Thursday, March 23, 2017

Boy Howdy Wants to Grow Up

This afternoon, the kids and I were cuddling on the couch. I was holding my little girl cutie face and her smile just intoxicated me. I can't imagine life without that little smile. I pulled her into my arms and told her that if I held on to her forever she wouldn't grow up. Boy Howdy didn't seem convinced of the idea. She has to grow up. She's going to turn 4 on her next birthday. "Nope, I told him, "if I don't let her go, then she'll stay little forever." Cheeks started squirming in my arms and Boy Howdy cheered his fate of being able to grow up, go to high school and someday be a dad (I'm still not positive that he knows of any other thing to be when he grows up and I am not about to disabuse him of it). Finally I let Cheeks go and caught the Boy in lieu of his sister. "Ha ha ha, now you can't grow up. You have to be my little boy forever," I told him. At first I'm pretty sure his cries were fake, but eventually they became very real. "But I want to go to high school!!" he wailed. With a little more convincing, I eventually let him go.

I signed Boy Howdy up for Kindergarten a few days ago, and while the experience wasn't emotional for me, it was surreal and has started me realizing just how little time I have left with them in this beautiful stage of life before everything changes forever. I'm not ready.

Cheeks sleeping at the bottom of her brother's bed. The night before, she was sleeping on the floor right next to it. I guess she loves him.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Sunshine Makes Everyone Happy


 
We have had an especially rainy, dreary winter. I know we've seen the sun in the last couple of months, but I honestly can't remember when. Thursday night I may have had a nervous breakdown PLEADING with Heavenly Father to see the sun. I've been so edgy lately with the children, I was hoping that the weather was mostly to blame, not just me being a jerk of a mother.
The next morning, Friday, started out gloomy but quickly changed to sun. I felt certain a loving Father took pity on his very emotionally fragile daughter. The sun was shining, Matthew caught an early flight home from his business trip to Michigan, we went to a park all together as a family to soak in the almost spring sun. To top it off, Matthew and I walked around downtown Salem in the early evening hours getting the most of the last remaining rays. Wonderful day!! Boy Howdy even got the rare special treat of wearing a short sleeve shirt and his sandals to the park. His cup truly runneth over.

Saturday was rainy, but this morning, we were blessed with more sunshine. We got to walk to church, and Boy Howdy was allowed ANOTHER short-sleeved shirt. He was so excited he even wanted to wear a tie. Now, the tie was about three years too short for him, but he was wearing any tie so we let it go. But it was just too entertaining not to take a picture for the future. (Especially with Cheeks and her funny little expressions)

Yay for milder temperatures, Yay for sunshine and Yay for not feeling quite so edgy.

Wonderful Stage

I know that I am blessed. Right now, at this stage in my motherhood, I am very blessed.
The babes are both in preschool two mornings a week and doesn't start until 9:30 which gives me a perfect amount of alone time without having to wake them up to get it.
They aren't yet at the extracurricular age so we don't spend time running from one activity to another.
They wake up sometime between 7 and 8 and then proceed to spend thirty minutes to an hour cuddling with me in bed while they drink their milk which Matthew has lovingly prepared for them and put on my bedside table. We often don't get out of bed until at least 8 or sometimes 9 in the morning.
They are playing more independently lately, leaving me time to tidy up and/or get other things accomplished.
We have passes to fun places around town and in Portland and the kids are good about not running off making outings much more enjoyable.
I can lie down or take a shower during the middle of the day without worrying that the children are going to run out in the street or tear apart my house.
We have no real schedule yet. We are active, but not busy and I am in love with that. I realize that in a few months when Boy Howdy starts kindergarten in the fall and the bus comes for him at 8:15 this list will basically disintegrate. So I have been relishing this very special time in my children's life for the last 6 months and will continue to do so until September when our lives change forever.