Great Minds

Wait.... what's going on here? Is that a birthday cake? Weird, because it's not daddy's birthday yet, so why is he already blowing out the candles? Answer: daddy loves his birthday, loves talking about it's upcoming approach, and loves thinking about his presents. But, he especially loves his chocolate cake, made with extra chocolate frosting that we make him every year. We're going out tomorrow night (the actual big day) for dinner to celebrate, and I thought we might not have time before the babysitter comes to enjoy cake with the kids, so Lizzy and I made daddy's cake today to surprise him. Then this afternoon, Pat calls to ask, "Should I pick up a cake so that the kids can have some too? We might not have time tomorrow night." Remember I mentioned, the guy really loves his cake. I told him we already had it covered, and as long as I'm in the picture, he won't need to buy his own birthday cake;) And yes, the kids (and daddy) certainly enjoyed their cake. Happy (early) Birthday, Pat! We love you!

Enjoying the Outdoors

Lizzy's soccer class has started up again, and while she was hesitant to go and a little nervous, she had a wonderful time once it started. I always admire how she jumps right in, eagerly follows along, and does her best. She seems to really enjoy running around and playing the games, and I love watching her in action. Peter, though he's not officially in the class, runs his own soccer clinic on the sideline. He always sneakily gets a ball from the coach's pile, then dribbles back and forth along the field, and occasionally plays kick-back with me. Running next to him as he dribbles, watching the big smile on his face and listening to his giggles and squeals as his little legs pump away, is the absolute best feeling. It's a win-win, as everyone seems to enjoy soccer.

After the class, Peter wanted to go visit the nearby duck pond. If you are ever feeling down, or your kids are totally bugging with their bickering and demands, here's a tip: hit the local park, or the nearest outdoor spot you can find and.... enjoy. Lizzy found a "flower forest" and dove right in to immerse herself in all the flowers. She was amazed by what she saw and was so excited and happy! Peter loved seeing the ducks, ran to wake them up in fact, and had the best time playing with sticks in the pond. I could feel my spirits lifting as I was drawn into the moment. Do you ever feel sucked into the wonder and suddenly it's like a fog has lifted, and you realize the only important thing that matters is what's happening right now? All those things hanging over you like laundry and chores and everything else just fades away, and you can feel your spirit rising. It's so freeing! Others may call it denial, but I'm going to stick with "living in the moment." It's just so much catchier....

Helper Mommy

Today I got to be the helper mommy in Lizzy's class. That means we got to go early, help set up, and then I got to spend the day helping out with the kids. I played in the sand box, watched some kids on the swings, checked out the art room, and built with blocks. Whew! Those kids are busy, and it is seriously so wonderful to watch their earnest faces hard at work, having fun with projects, and talking with friends. While it's certainly fun for me, what makes it even more special is how much Lizzy loves it. All day yesterday she would tell anyone that would listen that I was going to be the helper mommy today. Today at breakfast, she told Peter, "Peter, guess what? Mommy's going to be the helper mommy today with me. She's going to stay with me all day at school, so she won't be with you!" When I asked her at the end of the day what her favorite thing about school was today, she looked right at me as if it was totally obvious! "That you were there, Mommy!"

Beautiful Bride

Lizzy loves princesses, brides, gowns, and anything shiny or lovely. She saw a picture of me in my wedding dress the other day, and asked me if she could look at it. When we were at Grandma's house yesterday, she got her chance- we brought out my old wedding gown and checked it out. Lizzy even tried in on, giggling the whole time. She certainly makes a lovely bride.

Playing With Papa

Papa is officially retired now, so we get to spend lots more time with him when we visit Grandma. Papa has lots of interesting things to show the kids. He knows all about birds, and has lots of bird feeders, so it's always fun to watch him fill them up. He likes to tidy up his neat yard, and we like to follow him around and watch what he's doing. While we love being Papa's shadows, I'm not sure he's quite ready for us yet...... I don't think he knew quite how loud and messy we were, because when we used to visit Grandma when Papa was at work, we did a pretty good job of covering up our tracks. Papa, as usual, was a very good sport, and I think he'll get used to us:)

Early Riser

Elizabeth has always been an early riser. She definitely follows the motto: Early to bed, early to rise. I'm a morning person as well, but lately it's been getting ridiculous. Pat had to go to the bathroom the other morning at the worst possible time- the dreaded 5:00 a.m. That time of morning when Lizzy begins sleeping lightly, where the faintest little light might be shining through her curtains, where the littlest stirring will spring her from her bead. And I do mean literally spring her. You know how some people like to lazily wake up, doze for a while against their pillow, then slowly make their way our of bed? Not Lizzy! She always pops right up, we hear her quick steps padding down the hall, then I usually feel her touching my arm while saying, "Morning, Mama! Can I have a show?" Sometimes, when even she knows it's too early, I'll hear her peek into Peter's room. I'm sure he's not fully awake, but the sight of her always pops him right up, and he says, "Hi Sissy!" Even when I'm crabby at those early morning wake-ups, I must admit those few moments they're talking together before Lizzy shouts out, "Mama! Peter wants to get out of his bed!" (he is her usual scapegoat when it comes to waking up her parents) are precious. I'll keep telling myself that one day they'll sleep in.....

Friday Circle Time

I know I haven't travelled very far down the parenting path, so this may be speaking too soon, but I'm not sure there is anything better than nursery school. It's just the greatest place! Imagine a place where you're free to explore, dirty your hands, dig in the sand, and create amazing projects. A place where you can dress up, run around, climb, and play. No pressures, no stresses, just fun facilitated by the most loving and kind teachers. On Fridays, if the weather is nice, Elizabeth's class has circle time outside at the end of the day. Again, could there be anything sweeter than a group of four-year-olds laughing and singing together on a sunny day? It is a sight to behold!

Afternoon Walks

Every afternoon, after Peter has woken up from his nap, we usually take a walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes we ride bikes or scooter, and sometimes we make it to the park, but usually we just walk. The great thing about walking is that you take your time and you notice- bugs, sticks, rocks, spiderwebs, flowers- everything. Children, and certainly Lizzy and Peter, seem to have a special gift of awareness of the wonder all around them. They see the little cracks in the sidewalk, and they know the perfect spot to find snails. They love to follow the ants' trail, and blow on spiderwebs to watch the spiders scurry away. When the sun is shining, with a slight breeze in your hair, there may be nothing more lovely than an afternoon walk with your two little loves.

A Princess and a Castle

I love this one! I love the eyelashes, and eyebrows. I love the little hair bow and the details on the dress. I love the darling castle, and the clouds and sun. Mostly, I love the imagination, and Lizzy taking her time to create something beautiful and special. I love the care she took in the tiny details.

I See You!

This is Lizzy, Drew, and Paige's favorite game lately- they hide, then shout out, "Try to find us!" while they giggle their heads off. I'm not quite sure how, since they're so tricky, but somehow I always manage to find them.

Want to do an Art Project, Mommy?

Every afternoon, after lunch, Peter goes down for a long nap. Lizzy is all done with her naps now, so we often find ourselves with a few hours of girl-time. While I try to put in a little alone "quiet time," that doesn't always fly, and I quickly hear, "Mommy, want to do an art project?" I always think to myself, of course I do, but could we have a tiny rest too?! But my beautiful Lizzy is a true extrovert, and certainly gets her energy from talking and spending time with others. I'm the lucky recipient (sincerely) of her interesting conversations and games.

I got to thinking the other day, will Lizzy (and Peter too for that matter) remember all these little things we do together? Will she know how much I loved talking with her, and how much I cherished her great ideas and creative imagination? Will she think fondly back to all our projects and games, and marvel at them the way I do? I thought of my own parents, and all the countless things they've done for me, and I had to admit that while I remember many, many of the fantastic smiles and laughs we've shared, there were many I could not! What books did we read together? What were our favorite games? Sadly, I couldn't remember everything! But what I was left with, at the core of everything, was a profound sense of love. Love enveloping support, and laughter, and deep caring- people whom I know truly treasured me. I guess at the end of it all, it's not so much the teeny tiny daily events of games we played and books we read, but what all those moments ultimately create- love in it's most precious state.

Sometimes I wonder not so much if my kids will remember, but will I? Did I hug those babies tight enough, snuggle enough, gaze into those baby eyes enough? Did I appreciate those first smiles, and chubby legs, all those amazing "firsts" that come so quickly with babies? It's so weird to think how quickly it goes. How Lizzy's in her last year of preschool, almost finished with that precious preschool stage, and Peter's totally out of his baby stage, already such a big boy starting school. And childhood sometimes reminds me of one of those old carnival toys. The one where the harder you squeezed it, tried to hold onto it, the faster it popped right out of your hand, shooting away. It seems to me you must try your best to enjoy each day, be present in every moment, and appreciate those small moments, but you must do it delicately and carefully, not smothering the very thing you love the most.

Dada Cars Peas

Every Sunday, Daddy goes to Starbucks and picks up a tea for himself, and a hot chocolate for me and the kids. He also picks up a Sunday paper, and he loves to take his time and read through the whole thing, section by section. We all have our parts that we request to read. I look for the pink Time Out section, and read all about the movies and shows. Lizzy asks for the "sillies" which are the comics. And Peter, as soon as he sees the paper, always says, "Dada, cars peas!" He loves to look at all the different cars, and call out the different colors he sees.

Too Tired for Cars

Lizzy was exhausted on Friday afternoon- the most tired I've ever seen her! I think three days of school, coupled with a playdate and not really taking naps anymore totally did her in. She could barely move from the couch, then finally fell asleep there. That didn't stop Peter. I guess he figured if he couldn't play with Lizzy, then he could at least play near her. And she was so tired, she didn't even notice the "Vroom vroom" noises that Peter was making with his cars.

Zoo Facelift

Our local "little zoo" has had a face lift! We were in for a surprise when we stopped by. There were several new exhibits and some wonderful places to climb and explore. We had a lovely time on a gorgeous morning.

Quite a View

Garbage man, do you know how awesome you are? When we hear your rumbling, we come a runnin'! You've got the coolest wheels in town!

Happy Together

No, this isn't another post about water play, though it certainly could be- those guys are out of control on their "making soup" bender. It's an epiphany, or rather a constant warm understanding, of how thankful and joyful I feel that my children have one another. But I don't just mean that they have a sibling, I mean that they have the gift of time to spend with their sibling. I'm so thankful for the moments when their worlds meet and they come together. I'm thankful for their shared giggles and conspiracies. For their teamwork and planning. That they share their lives together. That they have this brief time when they're so little, before life with school and activities gets so hectic, that they can spend their time joyfully playing together.

I had big plans today to go somewhere "big"- the zoo, a museum, somewhere ambitious. Then the kids started playing outside. They started in with the soup, which evolved into cleaning the ground. They rode their bikes and cars around, and generally just whooped it up. A thought kept nagging at me, "but we're missing the ______!" Then, thankfully, I realized we were missing nothing. We had everything that really mattered right here, in the laughs and fleeting moments shared between a brother and sister.

Officially Big Stuff

Here's Peter on his first day of school! All my fears of him having trouble opening up and enjoying himself seem to have been for nothing. The guy pretty much loved it! Today was a short day, and I stayed with him the whole time, but he was chatting away and playing the whole time- it was wonderful to see. As soon as Peter walked into the room, he went straight for play-dough. He loved rolling and flattening it, and he loved cutting into it with the pizza cutters and putting the tiny plastic animals in it. He loved all the cars and trucks, and the little slide. He was happy and busy the entire time, and seemed to genuinely be enjoying himself. He never made it to the art project, but hopefully he'll make something next time. I was so excited to see him making his way around the room, exploring and learning. What fun! I'm so thankful he gets to go to such a wonderful school!

Mama, Me!

Peter has been having more and more to say lately, and it's really fun! Some current favorite phrases are:

"Mama, me!" = Mommy, watch me!

"Wait me!" = Wait for me!

"Go peas!" = Go, please! (usually when we're holding him and he wants to move, or if we stop the care while driving)

"Show peas!" = Show please! (this is being asked for far too often lately!)

"Authuh peas!" = "Arthur, please!" (Peter's favorite show- ugh!)

"I do it!"= pretty much for everything!

"Light on!" = did I mention this guy's fear of the dark?! It's intense!

"Otay, mama!" = okay, mommy

Keep it up, bud! We love to hear what you have to say:)

Water Fun Continues

The "toy" that keeps on giving.....water! Seriously, forget all the plastic crap, what my kids really love is water, paired with it's favorite accessories- cups, bowls, and towels. It seems almost daily that I'll find Lizzy and Peter out front, busily making "soup." Peter loves to pour water back and forth between containers. Lizzy was on a "cleaning" kick yesterday, and wiped the whole porch down with a wet towel. I love it when they can find fun with the simplest of things that are all around them.

What About Me?!

Turns out not everyone is excited about Lizzy starting school. You-Know-Who doesn't like it one bit. Not only does he miss her, he wants to be in on the action too! Lizzy asked me at breakfast this morning, "What are you and Peter doing today while I'm at school?" I told her we were going to Safeway. I'm pretty sure I saw a smirk of delight that she would miss out on that one. When we got home from Safeway, Peter burst into the house, calling out, "Lizzy! Lizzy!" He ran from room to room looking for her. I told him he's in luck- it was time to go pick her up! The silver lining is......Peter loves Lizzy's school too. So it's pretty great he'll get to go on Wednesday with Lizzy!

First of the Last

Today Lizzy had her first day of school- yay! But it's the last year of pre-school- boo! Her nursery school has been so adorable, so full of wonder, play, and amazing learning experiences, I never want it to end! I remember when we sent her in her apple dress on the first day of school when she was just two. Now, she is a tall, capable, eager little girl, the traces of that baby fading more and more each day. Elizabeth was excited this morning, and eager to go. As soon as we walked through the gate, she fell right back into the routine. She ran to the art room and did the daily project, then hit the monkey bars. Look at how hard she's trying! I bet she'll nail those suckers pretty soon. When I picked her up, I loved hearing all the little snippets about her day on the ride home. I loved seeing her big smile and silly laugh as we ate lunch together and talked about her day. When I told her Peter will be going to school with her on Wednesday, Lizzy said, "Oh! I bet you'll miss us a lot. But that's okay! You'll get in a little reading time." I guess that's true, but she's right- I miss her already the minute she's out the door.

Street Dance

Our neighborhood has an amazing party every September called the Street Dance. It is so much fun, and we always have a great time. Lizzy loves to hit the face paint and body glitter station first. She got an adorable ladybug this year, and Peter had a baseball put on his arm. There were bouncy houses, balloon animals, a visiting firetruck, and lots of running around and eating yummy food. We did the cake walk with Drew and daddy, and I even won a cake! Lizzy picked out my prize- adorable white cupcakes with pink chicks on top. The best part of the night though, was when the sun goes down and the music starts! We all love dancing, but Lizzy really has the moves, and she had a great time dancing with all the kids. Sometimes she wouldn't even dance with me, because she wanted to edge closer to the big girls- sigh. What a great night with wonderful friends!

Two's a Crowd!

Lately, when it's nap time, Peter keeps trying to pull a fast one on me. If Lizzy is laying down for a rest (a rarity these days) Peter tries to sneak into her bed and "sleep" next to her. He moans and groans when I tell him he needs to go to his own bed for his rest. Sorry, Peter, you can't fool me. You may get a good snuggle in Lizzy's bed, but not enough rest!

Peter's Gym Time

Peter has made his triumphant return to gym class. With Lizzy's school starting next week, now Peter has some extra time on his hands. What better way to fill it then with some gym time! Daddy was able to stay home with Lizzy this week, so I could take Peter. We had a great time! How wonderful to have some special time just with my boy. Peter loved climbing, running, and jumping. He loved the balls and hula hoops. He's still not crazy about the parachute, but he seemed to enjoy himself. By the end he kept asking me, "Mama, where Lizzy go?" I guess a little alone time is all we need. Let's get back to that sister!

Mud Pies

Trevor came over for a playdate this afternoon. I loved listening to the kids working together in the backyard making mud pies in the dirt. Of course Peter had to join in the fun too. Who would want to miss out on that?!

Exploratorium

School hasn't quite started for us yet, so we were able to squeeze in one last "summer" day-trip with our usual favorite companions- Auntie Elizabeth and Caroline. We broke from our usual hot-spots and tried the Exploratorium. I hadn't been there in years, so I really didn't know what to expect. It was wonderful! Picture a giant warehouse full of amazing hands-on activities for the kids to explore. They loved it, and I had the fleeting thought that I wish I was there just with Pat, so we could do the experiments too with no distractions:)

Santa Cruz!

We all made our triumphant return to Santa Cruz after taking a year off. Last year Grandma was sick, and our cousins were busy with a wedding, so it just didn't work out for us to go. At the last minute, we decided it just wouldn't be Labor Day without taking our annual trip to the beach, so we decided to pack up and go. What a wonderful weekend it was! The weather was amazing, sunny and perfect both days. We loved getting to play at the beach all day. Lizzy and Peter had the best time running in and out of the water, playing in the sand, looking for shells, and flying kites. When Peter got tired, he curled up in the beach tent and took a two hour nap on his towel! It was truly wonderful to watch all the kids laughing and playing and just having the best time. At night we had dinner together, our usual BBQ with lots of treats sprinkled in. I loved sitting around the table laughing and talking together. Grandma brought s'mores for us to enjoy after dinner- her favorite. Grandma was a complete champion the whole weekend! Even on two recovering knees, she was able to walk down to the beach (and back up to the hotel up that super steep hill) and back and forth to the boardwalk. How wonderful to see her having such a great time! The kids loved the boardwalk too! They enjoyed going on the rides and were amazed by all the lights and the action. I loved getting to have such a wonderful, fun weekend with my special family.

Special Friends

Lizzy and Paige are becoming quite adorable friends. It's amazing to see the age difference closing, and Paige is such a big girl now! She's no longer just Drew's little sister, she's now Lizzy's special friend. She gives hope to Peter that one day, he too, will be a super big boy and part of the crew:)

Bouncy Playdate

On Friday afternoon Amy had us over for a playdate. We had such a wonderful afternoon! Matt had put up the jumpy house, and the kids had a blast bouncing all around. Then, the big kids became completely immersed in "cleaning" Connor's truck. They were loving washing, scrubbing, and drying the truck. I was loving watching their interactions. I'm fascinated by their personalities, and I love those moments when everyone is working together and busy on a project. We were all having such a great time, Amy ordered pizza and we made a night of it. We're so thankful our dear friends are just right around the corner!

Special Sister

As the kids are getting older, they are relating to one another more as peers. Peter's not a baby anymore, and he really loves to be a part of the group and right in the thick of things. In his own quiet way, he demands attention from Lizzy, and insists upon being a part of her games, or silently copies what she is doing. If Lizzy is coloring, Peter grabs paper and wants to color next to her. If Lizzy is playing in her room and wants to be alone, Peter quietly stands in the door way and watches. More and more, Lizzy and Peter will play together, but as "playing" has increased, so has wrestling, chasing, horseplay, and arguing. I'm often reminded of my mother shouting out, "I'm not a referee!" because I find myself increasingly feeling like one, and it can drive me crazy! As I've learned over and over, however, there is always beauty in the chaos, those lovely, miraculous moments when things fall into place. The other day, Lizzy was trying to put Peter down for his nap. I overheard her reading him books in her room, "Look at this page, Peter!" I melted as I heard her lovingly telling him the story, and him following along with his excited comments. She even spread out a blanket for him to lay down on and rest. And then yesterday, I put Peter in his crib because he was fussing around, and I heard Lizzy go in his room and hold his hand through the slats. She brought him some of his favorite cars and played with him until he felt better. Then, just this morning, she included Peter in a game of taking blankets and making "homes" for all the stuffed animals by the fireplace. She encouraged and directed him, and when they were done they read books together. I'm making a conscious effort to capture these loving moments, and truly cherish them. It can be so easy to fall into the drudgery of the bickering, but then I lose sight of the love and kindness occurring all around me. I'm so thankful my kids have one another to share their lives with! They are so lucky!

Goodnight, Babies!

"Mama, you'll have to be quiet......the babies are sleeping!"

Backseat Driver

Peter is usually a pretty happy passenger in the car (as evidenced by the first picture). He keeps up a steady stream of conversation- mostly by pointing out all the cars he sees: "Oh, mama, red car! Blue car! Red truck! Bus!" He is also very great at pointing out the kinds of cars of people we know: "Papa's car! Dada's car!" Safe to say, the guy loves cars (and colors, I guess). He can get a little bossy at times, though. He doesn't like it when I stop driving, and will say, "Go, mama, please!" He also can get a little bent out of shape if I'm not driving the direction he wants me to. But what really sends him over the edge (as evidenced by the second picture) is pulling into the Safeway parking lot. Maybe I should start doing some of my shopping on my own?!

Beat the Heat

What could possibly be better than an ice cream on a hot afternoon? Kissing those messy cheeks is about the only thing I can think of:)

A New Girl

It is amazing for me to watch how Lizzy's drawings are evolving. She loves to draw girls in dresses, and it seems like every day she is adding a new detail to make them even more special. Now, she has started drawing eyes as circles with eyeballs- no more dots. And the dresses are getting the special treatment too- lots of cute decorations like these adorable little hearts. I love to watch her learn so much, and it is marvelous to see her express herself through her drawings.

Sign Time

And the signs continue- I love it! I love to see the writing, the creativity, and the imagination. This is Lizzy's new favorite treasure- a silver, shiny box we found in the dollar aisle at Target. She put it on our bookshelves and made these two signs to go next to it: "Lizzy" and "no." When I asked her what they meant, she told me, "That is Lizzy's box. Don't open it because scary things may come out." Now......we just have to work on learning a few more words to add to her stories.

Little Spiders

Boy was it a hot day today! But that didn't stop the kids from braving the heat and enjoying the park. They loved climbing all over this web structure. I always love to see how kids involve themselves, and find a way to be included. Lizzy and Paige dove right in, and were climbing all over. Lizzy was able to make it all the way to the very top! She was bouncing and hanging from all the ropes. Peter checked it out for a while, then found a perfect spot for him- climbing and sitting on the bottom ropes. Everyone happy and everyone involved- just the way I like it!