My Backseat View

Sometimes when I peek into the back seat, this is what I see. It warms my heart instantly, and makes me so thankful that my children have one another to love and seek comfort from. I could hear Peter fussing around, and Lizzy said to him "It's okay, Peter! Why are you getting so upset?" I didn't know that she had reached out to him to calm him down until I turned around. Lizzy often does this for Peter. She seems to know when he needs a hug, or someone to hold his hand, or a friend to play with him. She has no idea the power she holds. How thoroughly he adores her, how much he seeks her approval, and how much he learns from her. I am thankful daily for her loving heart, and the kindness she shows him. Lizzy often includes Peter in what she is doing, even when he's grabbing at her things or pushing his way in. I am amazed by her generous spirit. And the generosity is mutual. Peter allows Lizzy to be the leader. He defers to her ideas and follows her guidance. He lets her shine with her sunny spirit and happily follows along. He knows when to give her her space, and when she needs a snuggle from mommy by herself. Peter has an open heart, that accepts his sister's love it all it's forms, and God bless him, he's persistent enough to come back when the "love" isn't quite so nice. What a blessing it is to have a sibling! When I'm struck to my core with love for my children, sometimes I'm equally amazed by the love they have for one another.

Beach Day

Is there anything better than a beautiful beach day? We decided to visit one of our favorite beaches in Half Moon Bay. To clarify, we LOVE the beach, but we are NOT lay out in the hot sun types. Usually, believe it or not, we end up wearing jeans and sweaters to the beach and barely putting our toes in. Saturday was a gorgeous day though, so we were able to enjoy the sand and water this time. We put up our beach tent (a wonderful gift from mom) and played in the sand for a long time. Peter loved playing with his dump truck and was so happy just digging around. He's so much bigger this spring than last, and he's so much more fun at the beach. Last year, the wind and sand really bugged him, but this year he was so happy, and really into the whole thing. I loved watching him dig and explore and just having so much fun sitting in the sand. Lizzy started combing the beach for shells and "treasure" the moment we got there, and she found quite a collection. We had a wonderful picnic in our tent and watched the huge waves roll in and crash on the beach. After lunch, we buried both kids and turned them into a "mermaid" and "merman" and they loved it! They laughed through the whole thing- so much fun! But the best part of the day was playing in the water. As someone once said about Lizzy at the beach "she's never cold, and she loves the water" which pretty much sums up why she is so fun to play with. Lizzy put her suit on, and had the best time splashing in the tide, and chasing the water. Peter saw what fun she was having and joined her. They both loved playing around in the waves, and it was just the best to hear their giggles and see their little dancing feet splashing around. I'm looking forward to many more beach trips this spring and summer.

Sprinklers

A sure sign of spring: the sprinklers are coming out! Very often on Friday afternoons, someone will put out their sprinkler toys and people will congregate as they're out on walks. Usually there are treats, and drinks for the mommies and daddies, and the kids love getting soaked and running around. It was so nice on Friday, we were able to put our suits on for the first time this spring. I don't think Peter remembered what it was like having a bathing suit on, because he wasn't too sure about his swim shirt, but he went with the flow. Poor guy didn't have any flip-flops, so he had to wear his socks and tennis shoes with his suit (super nerdy) but thankfully didn't seem to mind at all. Peter tentatively put his foot in the water, and really seemed to enjoy jumping around once he got the hang of it. I kept flashing back to Peter last spring and remembering what a baby he looked like in his darling little swim suit, just starting to pull up and begin and scoot around. Wow, what a difference a year makes! He looks like such a big boy now in his swim suit, and really enjoyed the water. Lizzy loved running around with the big kids and dashing in and out of the sprinklers. We were having so much fun Amy ordered pizza for all the kids and everyone, even the little ones like Connor and Peter, sat together on the picnic blanket and ate their dinners! Everyone wants to be part of the crew, I guess:)

Amy's Birthday Lunch

It was our dear friend Amy's birthday, so we had a special birthday lunch for her at our house. We zipped home right after soccer, and our friends can to play, eat lunch, and of course, have cupcakes. It was a gorgeous spring day, so the kids were all having lots of fun playing out front on the roller coaster, with bubbles, and in the sandbox. When it was time for lunch, the little boys sat with the mommies, and the big kids had their own picnic out front. It was a really fun, special day, especially when all those little darlings sang "Happy Birthday" to Amy, and helped her blow out her candles. We decided we should have many more playdate lunches, regardless of birthdays, because everyone loves playing and having picnics!

"I Can Do It"

Lizzy has been itching to visit Fairyland again, so today we had a free day and decided to go. Lizzy and Peter love to just run around and explore all the different fairytales and nursery rhymes. Today, however, running around took a backseat to climbing. I've mentioned before that Lizzy LOVES climbing lately, and no climbing challenge seems too big for her these days. We spotted this big crows nest, and Lizzy wanted to climb up to the very top. First, she tried the shaky ladder, but once she was a few feet up she decided it was too scary. She even tried the net a few times but couldn't quite figure it out. We left this pirate area and looked around at other things, but it wasn't long before Lizzy wanted to give it another try. "I know I can do it!" she kept saying. And guess what? She did! She scaled that net like a pro, and made it inside the crow's nest. After a little help from me, she was able to figure out how to get down, and then did the whole thing again by herself. She kept exclaiming, "I told you I could do it!" And that seems to be the essence of it all: stick with it, persevere, and with a little help, anything's possible. I so admire Lizzy's determination, bravery, and constant willingness to challenge herself to try new things. Great job, Lizzy!

"My Family"

Lizzy presented this beautiful picture to me this morning. She had been in her room drawing, and I wasn't quite sure what she was working on. Boy, did I love the result! I don't think she's ever made a picture of all of us before (certainly not on her own). I love this picture so much, because I love how she included small details about each of us that show who we are. We're standing on a beach by a river. Lizzy is in a big pencil phase now, and loves to use pencils to draw and write. I LOVE watching both kids draw, write, and create. It amazes me how they are learning right before my eyes, and I am in awe of what they are capable of. I've watched each tiny step along the way- beginning to hold a crayon, scribbling, making circles, getting more control and beginning to draw lines and shapes. It is amazing all the little pieces that come together as children learn, and I am constantly in awe of their work, their patience with themselves, and their dedication to plug along and improve.

The Beauty of Time

Yesterday I was in the midst of the usual morning drudge (dishes, bed making, getting dressed) when Lizzy asked her daily morning question: "What are we going to do today, Mama?" What almost escaped my lips was "go to Target," but somehow that awful statement (seriously, is there any bigger horror than dragging two kids along on errands?) never passed my lips. Instead I asked, "What do you want to do?" Well, Lizzy's thirst for adventure is legendary, so she was quick to say, "How about the big zoo?" I thought to myself, "Why not? We have no real place to be today, and errands can always wait until another day, right?" Oh, the luxury of time! It is a blessing beyond measure to be able to have time to enjoy the day, enjoy one another, and have fun together. We packed a quick lunch and were on our way. Since our friends Nicole, Abby, and baby Ella live so close to the zoo, we told them to meet up with us. They were only able to stay a little while, but it's always fun to play with Abby. Lizzy and Peter are both at such a fun age now. They love being out-and-about, and have such fun exploring the world around them. Lizzy loves to climb now, and is eager to climb pretty much anything she can. And Peter is right there too, trying his best to keep up with his sister.