Friday Fun October 28, 2011

Today was all about TGIF!  It’s been a rough week, and I’m looking forward to the weekend.  The kids are going to Nana and Papa’s house, and Jeremy and I get to work on the basement and have a date night!  So grateful to have the grandparents so close by.  So before the kids leave us for 24 hours, let me reminisce about all the good times we’ve been having…  picture style…

Fun times at the park for the kids, and fun times on Diptic app for Mommy.

The Gun Show at the Fall Harvest Festival

Sack races at the Fall Harvest Festival... Good reminder that I'm getting old, but still tons of fun!

We bought the kids scooters. Mason loved hers for the first week, but now it sits in our exercise room waiting for more action. Cooper loved buying his, but doesn't want to ride it. Oy oy oy

Hayes had his first metro ride! We were so excited to share in the fun with him.

A windy and cold morning at Carters Mountain, but came home with lots o' pumpkins!

We celebrated Mason's birthday several times. She was on a sugar and present high for about 2 weeks!

Ok, I think taking a look at those pictures will help remind me of all the wonderful memories we’ve been creating this fall.   It’s been going by so fast, it’s hard to remember it all.  And IF I miss the kids tomorrow, I can easily take a look at this post.  But mostly I think I’ll focus on my alone time with Jeremy and enjoy the quiet of a house with no kids.   Happy Friday to you all!

The Other One October 26, 2011

I feel there has been a lot of focus on Mason lately.  We celebrated her birthday for two weekends in a row, and I dare say she got a bit spoiled from it all.  We tried our best to keep Cooper feeling loved as well, but I can tell he is feeling like “the other one” and having a hard time with Mason getting all the attention.  So it’s time for a Cooper-centric post today!

Cooper started playing soccer in mid-September.  He was really into it for the entire month leading up to it.  All he wanted was to go to soccer practice.  We bought him socks with the shin guards built in, and he wanted to wear them all the time.   For the first two practices, he was way into it and doing a great job!  But then the third time, he quit with just 10 minutes left in practice.  And the time after that, he didn’t play at all.  We skipped a week due to our trip to Hershey Park, so this Saturday will be the test.  Will he or won’t he?  He promised me he would play, but I can tell he’s already wavering on that.  He says he just wants to play real games.  I sure hope Coach Louie can wrangle all the other kids well enough to get them to play another “real game” so Cooper can get into it again.  I think he believes that because he scored a goal in the last “real game,” he knows everything and is a soccer star now.  Is it all kids that think they have mastered something after one lesson or just mine?

His first practice. Loved seeing him smile.

The second practice... Even with rain pouring down, he didn't want to stop.

The third practice... Doing great, and then a sudden stop...

Cooper’s favorite iPad app is ABC Play.  It is the alphabet of sports with pictures and videos to watch and learn about the different sports.  He is way into it and could tell you about almost any sport on this app.  From underwater hockey to bungee jumping to motorcross…  He knows it all.  He knows which videos he likes to watch (definitely likes the Michael Jordan basketball video over the Harlem Globetrotters video), and he knows how to work it all.  Granted, the app is made to teach kids the alphabet, but Cooper is learning more about sports than the letters that make up the sports words.   The best (and most annoying) part is that he has to have the right equipment or uniform on to watch each video.  If he is watching rugby, he needs to have his rugby shirt on.  If he is watching basketball, he has to have his basketball next to him.  If he is watching cricket, he pretends his baseball bat is a cricket bat.  Seriously, the kid is way into it!  Unfortunately it means he changes his outfit about 4 times a day, and the laundry lady (me!) is having a hard time keeping up.  I don’t mind, though, because he loves sports and is finding some real passions.

Cooper and Scott on the iPads...

Cooper is a sweet boy.  He’s a sweet boy who is also three, so we’re having some issues with the dreaded (and often underrated) Terrible Threes.  There is a lot of talking back, a lot of no’s, a lot of whining, a lot of stomping of feet, a lot of potty talk.  Oh!  The potty talk!  What is it about little boys and their love of potty talk?  This is definitely one of those things that is nature, not nurture!  We’ve been having some issues at his school that may be related to being three but also may be related to external factors.  Jeremy and I are very concerned about it.  We’ve always loved our daycare, but he has a new teacher, and we’re worried it might not be the best fit for him anymore.  Unfortunately we live in the DC Metro area, which means that every other daycare has waiting lists.  We’ve been on one waiting list for over a year, and I don’t have much hope he will ever get in before kindergarten.  So the search is on.  Please think good thoughts that we can find a better fit for him that will help bring our sweet boy back because I can’t go too long without his snuggles, his smiles, and his silliness!

I want this sweet boy all the time! Who wouldn't?!

Autumnal Whirlwind October 24, 2011

It will be November next week, and I have no idea where October went.  It has come and gone.  Fall is still lingering a bit, but just like the leaves when the wind blows, our life has been a whirlwind lately!

I honestly have to look back through our pictures to remember all we’ve done.  Mason started kindergarten and art class on the weekends.  Cooper started playing soccer.  We’ve ridden our bikes; the kids got scooters.  We’ve been to Fall Festivals, pumpkin patches, apple orchards and Hershey Park.  We’ve celebrated Nana’s birthday and Mason’s birthday.  We’ve started the renovation of our basement.  We’ve hung out with family and friends, and we’ve had a lot of fun.  Obviously there are pictures for everything along the way.  I’ve already shared some of it with you, and I know I’ll share more in the days to come as I sort through them all.

Tonight, I just wanted to check in.  To remind you I’m still here.  To remind myself I can still write.  It’s been one of those Mondays, and I needed a breather.  I often forget how much writing calms me.  Writing and working out…  That’s next on my list for the evening.  I keep saying I’m too busy to write, but I need to do it.  I know it can’t be forced.  Something fun should never be forced or else it loses the fun.  That’s kind of how I have felt lately.  I didn’t want to force a post out of nothing.  I didn’t want to just put up pictures.  I wanted substance, but whenever I had some free time, the “good” just wasn’t there – I wasn’t feeling it, so I didn’t force myself to sit down and write.  Tonight, I just sat down at the computer ready to buy some new music on iTunes and get the new OS 5.0 for my iPhone, and I just felt compelled to write something.  I was compelled to share my thoughts, and that’s what I’ve been waiting for.  Just something to start me off again.  So be warned…  I may actually post more than once this week!  Despite the autumnal whirlwind all around me, I am ready to sit down and share all the good that’s been happening lately.

Lesson Learned October 17, 2011

Last Friday was Mason’s 6th birthday.  She couldn’t have been more excited.  In addition to turning six and getting a lot of attention, she was so excited that I was going to come and eat lunch with her and share cupcakes with her classmates.  I was excited to go myself.  Even though Mason’s school is just across the street from my office, I haven’t been during school hours yet.  Shame on me, I know.  But now that I know it is so easy, I may just do it more often.

Because of travel schedules for Jeremy and Kristin, and because Mason’s real birthday present is a trip to Hershey Park next weekend, I struggled to figure out how to make the actual day special.  I had read in the Happiness Project book I’m reading that most happiness comes in the planning of an event.   So I decided to make a big deal out of Mason and I going to the store to pick out the cupcakes we would take to school.  (As is the case with most schools, we are not allowed to bring homemade food.  It must be store-bought.  Kind of disappointing for a baker like me, but I actually like store-bought cakes because I love the sugary icing.  Yummy!)  So Mason, Cooper and I drove to our nearest Giant grocery store.  I picked Giant because I knew I would have to pick up the cupcakes the evening before, and the location was the best for doing so at rush hour.  (First lesson learned – don’t pick a bakery by location only.)  We went straight to the bakery and put in the order Mason had been thinking long and hard about.  A mix of chocolate and vanilla cake with a mix of pink and yellow frosting.  I ordered 3 dozen.  Her class only has 2 dozen kids, but I knew it was going to be “Dine with Dads” day when I brought them in, so I figured I’d order extra to share with the Dads in attendance.  When we picked up the cupcakes Thursday night, Mason was even more excited.  The pink was hot pink – her favorite!  And they smelled delicious – all that sugar just waiting to be eaten.

I joined Mason for lunch, enjoyed some time with her friends, and then she was ready to pass the cupcakes out to her classmates (and they were eager to eat them!)  We passed them out and still had more than a dozen left in the box.  (Second lesson learned – “Dine with Dads” day means that kids and their Dads can eat all over the school grounds.  If it were a sunny day, they could have set up outside for a picnic.  Or on rainy days, as it was today, they can spread out to other classrooms so that everyone has a place to sit.  Therefore, not all the kids were in the cafeteria eating with us.  3 dozen was way too many!)  As Mason dug into her cupcake, I noticed that the pink frosting was getting everywhere.  Not a huge surprise since it was such a deep color.  What was a surprise (even though I should have clued in on it earlier) was that the pink icing was disgusting.  Mason had a horrid look on her face and didn’t want to finish her cupcake.  I took a bite of the one I was holding and almost spit it out.  Again, I should have known, but to get such a deep hot pink, they had to put a lot of food coloring in that frosting!  Sadly, all we could taste was the red dye.

Now, I’ve never been very health-conscious.  I’ve never gotten into all the “hype” about dyes and what is in our foods.  I figured I grew up just fine eating all that stuff, so why can’t my kids.  But after eating what tasted like a chemical-filled cupcake, I just might start looking into this stuff.   I don’t think I’ll go overboard and ban anything with dye in it at my house.  But I’ll at least avoid ordering cupcakes with hot pink icing!  Lesson learned!

Side note: The yellow frosted cupcakes weren’t that much better.  And honestly the cake was just ho-hum.  Maybe it’s the problem with cupcakes versus a sheet cake – the ratios are just off in large commercial kitchens.  I was less than impressed and realized it might be worth traveling a little out of my way and paying more than $10 per dozen for good tasting, dye-free cupcakes next year.  Yet another lesson learned.

Six Years October 14, 2011

Dear Mason,

Six years ago today you hesitantly came into this world.  Despite being a week late, you were in no rush to join us.  After several hours of waiting for drugs to get the ball rolling, Dr. Novak gave us a choice – go home and come back the next week to try again or head to the operating room for a c-section.  We had already waited 41 weeks for you, so we were definitely not going home!  We would leave that hospital with a baby.

I know we’ve told you this story many times, but you were born to Beastie Boys’ song “Girls.”  It was very appropriate, although we didn’t know you were going to be a girl until Dr. Novak pulled you out.  I had been asked in the operating room, right before the process began, to guess the sex and the weight.  Without even thinking about it, I said, “Girl. 9 lbs.”  My prediction came true…  almost…  You were just over 8 pounds 15 ounces, so they rounded up to 9.  And in that instant of hearing, “It’s a girl,” our lives changed forever.

Some of my favorite memories are etched in my mind, but thankfully I have pictures too.

You started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks, and Daddy and I were so grateful! We're still waiting to see if you are a true early-riser like me or will sleep in like your dad.

You started smiling at around 3 months and then became fascinated with your tongue around 4 months. We got to make many "Wassup!" jokes. Your smile has continued to be one of my favorite things.

You fell in love with the beach the first time we went before you were even a year old. We believe you will be going to college in California. Heck! You already have owned two Stanford t-shirts! We really need an excuse to visit, so can you please?

I hate to tell you, but you've always had stinky feet!

After having an egg allergy for a couple of years and not getting to eat a lot of baked goods, you have certainly made up for it. Nothing can get between you and your cake!

You have looked out for your brother since the day he was born. Even in the moments of fighting, it is clear you both love each other, and we look forward to seeing the two of you grow up together.

This picture captures so much of you. From your love of fine dresses to your love of swinging... The swing at Jen and Scott's will always hold a special place in my heart because I have seen you mature on this swing. You love the wind in your hair, and I love the fearlessness I see in you.

You have the perfect mix of girly-girl and tomboy. From High School Musical to Star Wars. From dressing up to sneakers. From dance class to soccer. You never cease to amaze me.

You make your mark! You have shined all your life, and I hope you keep that light burning bright forever! You shine so bright, I have to wear shades.

You are determined. Some think that is a nice way to say stubborn, but I hope you stay determined to always do your best. Just make sure to not be so hard on yourself when you think your best isn't good enough.

My favorite memories of you are when you have no guard up, no stinker in you, no worries on your mind... They are when your laughter fills a room and when your love is surrounding everything. Those are the best memories.

Six years ago you brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face.  And today, you do the same.  My tears, though, are tears of joy and pride.  My smile is big and bright because I love you so much – all of you!

On your sixth birthday, I wish for one thing…  Keep on dancing like no one’s watching!

I’m Official October 13, 2011

One of my goals for this fall was to get more involved with our community.  Over the past several years, Jeremy and I have felt like we didn’t really know many people in our neighborhood.  It’s an older suburb, and we live on a busy street, so our neighbors range from the elderly who have lived in the homes since they were built in the 1940’s to middle-aged singles to young singles.  There are not many families – or at least we didn’t think so.  The families all lived in the blocks surrounding us on the less busy roads.  We believed that once Mason started Kindergarten, we would meet the other families and get to know them well. At least that was my goal.

We’re into Month 2 of Kindergarten, and I honestly don’t feel any differently.  Sure, we met some people Back to School Night, but no one I can consider a fast friend.  I’ve realized, though, that I usually sit back and wait for people to come talk to me.  I rarely go out of my way or approach first.  To reach my goal, I’ll have to get out of my comfort zone.  And that is exactly why I decided to volunteer with the Girl Scouts.

The Daisies are Girls Scouts for Kindergarteners and first graders.  We thought it would be a great way for Mason to meet other girls in her grade and get out and be active.  Since a lot of the activities involve crafts and exploring outside, we thought it would be a great fit for her, and she is really excited about it.  Let’s hope that continues once it gets going!  On the other hand, I am excited because I’ll get to meet other moms from the other classes.  I’m out of my comfort zone because I was never a Girl Scout myself.  Not a Daisy, not a Brownie… nothing.  So this is a whole new world for me.

I have volunteered as the troop photographer, which means I will need to be at all the activities taking pictures of the girls and their experiences.  Then, at the end of the year, I hope to make a slideshow and/or scrapbook for each of the girls in the troop.  Photography definitely interests me, and I like that I’ll get to do this with Mason and meet other mothers and daughters.  Our first meeting is next Sunday, and I hope it is the kick-off to a wonderful year.  First up, though, is going to the Girl Scout store for Mason’s uniform.  Then she will be official too!