School started a week later this year, so that meant one more week of summer. I took the last week off, and did fun and exciting things with the girls. Since both LB and C Bear are in school this year, I felt it was really important to live it up a little. One Wednesday, I took all three girls up to the beach with some friends. They had a blast, and were so easy. I expected melt downs and contrariness, but they helped, listened, and had fun.

On Friday, Little N went to daycare, and I took the older two back to school shopping, got haircuts, had a “ladies lunch,” and had fun at the arcade. They each got a new dress, shoes, and a hair accessory. They both chose the same unicorn dress, the same unicorn shoes, but different headbands. LB got cat ears and C Bear got flower headbands. It was cute to see them pick out items, and try to hunt for items on their school supply list. For lunch we went to Johnny Rockets, and we got a milkshake to share. They loved that! After lunch we headed to the arcade where they played games and won prizes. It was fun to spend the day with them, and not have to break it up due to a nap (looking at you Little N). Later that night, we went to Back to School Night where we got to find out and meet the girls’ teachers. I’m pretty excited about who they have this year.

Come Monday, I was ready to see LB off to second grade. Summer is great, fun and easy (i.e. no homework), but having all three at home at once can lead to bickering, fights, and whining. Oh the whining. Someone always doesn’t want to do what the others want to do and then that leads to a melt down. It also helps that LB LOVES school. Like she can’t wait to go back love. I took the day off, and we took our standard first day of school picture using the same template that I used in previous years (yes, I am one of those type of people, I can’t deviate).

Well summer is officially over in our house. I know that we are only half way through August, but in this house we are already in our second week of school. I am the parent of a first grader. Let that sink in. A first grader. I mean I knew it would happen, but it’s just crazy to me that LB is now in first grade. The scary part is that she looks like she is old enough to be in first grade. How did my baby get there? Sending her off on her first day of school was just as hard as kindergarten. I wonder if it will ever get easier to send her or the other girls when it’s their time to school. Maybe it’s just hard because she’s my oldest. LB going back to school got me thinking about her and how much she’s grown. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to put keyboard to computer and reminisce about the little girl who made me a mom.

Dear LB,

As I saw you disappear into that classroom on the first day I was a little sad. Sad that you wouldn’t be home with me and your sisters on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Summer was much too short. Did I do enough with you? Did we have enough fun, read enough? I’m always wondering if I’ve done enough for you and with you. You are such a delight. You have a sweet disposition and are willing to comfort your little sisters when needed. You also always cheerfully help me with things. You like to make things and go places. In more than just looks you are so like me. I’m glad you are mine. I wish you a happy school year. That you will make new friends, and learn new things. Together we will conquer this thing called reading.

Love,

Mom

As the saying goes “Time flies.” It’s been a little while since my last post, and during that time, I’ve been thinking about time.  Mostly how time continues marching on even though I wish it would stop so I could take a breath every now and again. My girls are getting bigger before my eyes, and although I feel like I just posted, it’s been two months. I’ve also told myself that I have time to lose the baby weight, but in reality my baby is almost one. At times I can be so impatient and I wish for things to hurry up, but I always end up realizing that time just goes by too fast.

Facebook recently showed me some vacation photos from a trip two years ago. C Bear looks like a baby, and in fact she wasn’t even two then. It seems like just yesterday, but also at the same time so long ago. I feel as if time is playing tricks on me;  alternately going slow until I realize that it’s too late or time has really gone by. LB has a month left of kindergarten, C Bear acts like a teenager, and Little N is almost one. How is it time for my oldest to graduate kindergarten and my youngest to be one?

Maybe I need to slow down and savor this time, but how do I slow down when we have swim lessons, birthday parties, family events, work, school, and church. I’ve thought about simplifying my life, but I haven’t figured out how or what to cut back on. I think it stems from the fact that I like to do it all, be apart of it all, and master it all. The truth is with three kids I can’t do it all or master it all, so I’m slowly paring down on hobbies, and committing to healthy lifestyle and fun times with my kids. The rest will have to wait until it’s the time to pick it back up. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.” At this time, these verses speak to my heart.

I must have jinxed it. Writing a blog post about the lack of winter surely was a bad idea. About a week ago we got our first real winter storm. In March. Of course. Silly me for thinking that I was home free. It dumped enough snow that a snow day was called for at both the elementary school and preschool. Only Little N’s daycare was open, and since I was staying home with the older two, there was no way I was having my husband drive around town to drop off the baby, while I had to be at home and pump. I also had to work at home that day. I’ve decided that working at home with kids is an art form, one that I don’t care to master. I much prefer to go into the office and work, but it is a nice option to have for snowy days.

Tim took the older two sledding last weekend for the first time too. They enjoyed it, but only for a short amount of time. Two times though. The last time he took Little N too so I could get some work done. It was nice to see the white stuff, but I am definitely looking forward to spring with it’s later days and slower pace. I feel winter it always overbooked, like we are overcompensating for the dreariness of the weather.

Also included for everyone is the growth of Little N. She’s getting so big. She’s trying to stand up and enjoys walking with her little walking musical toy. That joy alone makes my hear warm and glad we bought the bigger house even though cleaning it much more time consuming, but who are we kidding, I wasn’t built for three kids in a little house.

Until next time.

Winter. We haven’t had much of one this year, and for that I’m thankful. I know, I know. I should care about the snow pack, not having a drought, and the summer. I just can’t muster up being unselfish in this way this year. You see, my oldest is in kindergarten in a district that loves to call for two hour delays and snow days. I’m not opposed to it for safety reasons, but it puts quite the wrench in my carefully orchestrated life. Our life right now is pretty crazy. It’s tax season so I’m working full time now, our kids go to two different daycares (LB and C Bear go to one that is preschool/before and after school care and Little N goes somewhere else), and my husband works full time with an extra work project. So you see I have little room for change or error. But that’s only part of the story. The other part is dressing kids for winter. Ugh.

Last Thursday, our school district called for a two hour delay. No big deal. I was working from home that day. I would just have to switch up my schedule of when I worked a little bit. The problem though was that there was no snow in our neighborhood. I was a little annoyed. Apparently in other parts of town it was blizzard conditions. By the time 10 o’clock rolled around it was snowing quite hard at our house. Right before we had to leave for school. Great. I got LB and C Bear all decked out in boots, snow pants, mittens/gloves, and winter coats. By the time I had them all bundled up, it had stopped snowing. There was no way that I was going to undo all that dressing. So we walked to school with almost no snow on the ground and clear blue skies in full snow gear.  And this was a lucky day. C Bear didn’t fight having to dress for winter. Usually she fights wearing a winter coat. Sometimes I give up and let her carry it. She always ends up putting in on though. She hasn’t reached the t-shirt and shorts in winter phase yet, thank goodness.

And then when we get home, all these winter clothes end up on the floor in the kitchen and living room. It amazes me how much surface space little kids clothes can take up. And so I have to remind them to put the clothes away. So for these reasons I’m grateful that it hasn’t really been winter this year.