My kids have a new hangout....

This afternoon after nap, I had to go into town to run an errand for my husband and decided to take my girls to get a drink and to the park.

It was pretty hot outside, but there is just the faintest snap of Fall in the air all the same.  I just love that - do you know what I mean? Not exactly Fall-ish weather per say, but almost like a smell in the air? My favorite.

So we stopped and got Happy Hour drinks at Sonic (My other fave: making it to "Happy Hour" just minutes before 4pm and getting my giant iced tea with lemon and two small root beers half off just in the nick of time!) and drove to the park. 

It seems like after school lets out, the park can be an iffy place.  There are often a bunch of surly teenagers just hanging around at the bigger park, cussing and smoking and doing things to each other that I don't feel like my 2 and 3 year old need to see.  Call me a prude, but it is just gross.

We decided to try a smaller park on the other side of town, and I was happy to see that we had it all to ourselves.  My kids were happy to remind me that their Strider Bikes were in the back of the car and even happier to point out the empty skate park.

They jumped right in and started having so much fun!

 

(I forgot their helmets.  And I let them ride there anyway.  I suck.  Judge me. I deserve it.  Okay, that's enough judging.  You can stop now. Next time I will  remember them. I promise. I am not a terrible mother, I swear.)

 

 

After a few minutes of these little speed demons having the skate park all to themselves, a big group of boys arrived, around ten of them, probably ranging from age 10 to 13ish.  The were all on Razor scooters and they looked a little rough. 

I got nervous.  I started to hover over my girls a little more. They didn't look like the gross teenagers from the big park that I mentioned above, but they were fast on their scooters I didn't want my girls to get knocked over or run into but this big group of rowdy boys. I decided that we wouldn't leave just yet, but if they started acting like jerks, I would be dragging my kids out of there kicking and screaming.

But guess what? 

Those boys were SO NICE.  At one point, I called out to Hayden, "Watch out so you don't get run over!" and one of the older boys called back, "We won't hurt them! We look out for little ones!" and all of these other boys agreed. 

I tried not to fall over in shock and I thanked them.

My girls were very entertained with some of the cool things that the boys could do on their Razor scooters and were whooping and hollering and cheering them on.  And you know what? The boys were doing the same for my little girls.  They wanted to know how old my girls were and they were impressed to learn that they were just 2 and 3 and were already so adept at riding.  they asked about our bikes.  They even gave my girls a few pointers on when to lift their feet and where to coast to next.  They truly looked out for the little ones, without being put out or annoyed that they had to share their space with us.

When they all left (we were there for two hours - they probably had to get home to dinner) they all called out, "Bye!" and I answered, "Bye, guys! Thanks for looking out for the little girls!" and their said, "No problem! See you later!"

It turned out that I had judged a book by it's cover and then got a pleasant surprise when I was totally wrong.  There ARE nice kids out there.  It gives me a glimmer of hope for this world that I am slowly sending my babies out into.  :-)

When we got in the car, Hayden and Carly couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had.  In fact, we are going back tomorrow after preschool (with helmets) and I can hardly wait to see some of the stunts that these friendly little daredevils learned from their new (much older) friends. :-)

More pics from the Bug's birthday

My cousin just sent me a few more pics of my Bug turning two and the celebrating that we all did. 

 

 

Is that not the most amazing cake?  And is Carly not the most adorable little birthday girl?!

 

Thank you, Erin, Rae! <3

First day of preschool

I have had one kid turn two and another start preschool, all in a matter of five days. 

 

By the time the big day came, Hayden was so excited to start school that she just about couldn't stand it.

 



When we got to her class, she hardly even said goodbye.  She was too busy making new friends.  She did let me get this one picture before she waved bye over her shoulder and dismissed her parents.  LOL

I only cried a little.  The one who was heartbroken was not necessarily me, believe it or not.

It was Baby Sister, who didn't want to leave her best friend at school.

Poor little thing.  She was so happy to see Hayden two hours later that she squealed and threw her arms around her.  

I felt the exact same way.  <3

It has been a great week to be one of my girls, but a hard week to be their mom.

But I know one thing for sure - I am so proud of them both.

Happy Birthday, to my sweet little Carly Kate!

On Saturday, my baby girl turned two.

I can't believe that this happened two years ago.  In some ways, it feels like it was yesterday.  In other ways it feels like it was much much longer.

We celebrated with a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party with all of Carly's friends and family here to enjoy the day. 

 My cousin made a PHENOMENAL cake as usual!

 

And we had an "Insta-Pirate" photo booth. 

 

 

This idea was so fun - it was a HUGE hit.  If you want to see more of the pictures, search #carlykateis2 on Instagram.  It really was SO fun.  Ya gotta love Instagram!! :-)

The highlight of the party for me was when we lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday.  My Carly is usually a pretty shy person.  she doesn't really like the spotlight, especially if the audience is more than just her Mama and Dada and sis, and maybe Gramma and Papa.  I was a little worried that we would all start singing and she would realize that we were all looking at her and she would cry. 

I was surprised when the exact opposite happened. 

My girl glowed.  She smiled and sang along, loud and proud, so happy to be the Birthday Girl.

Two is hard. Challenging. Bittersweet. Exhausting.

But it is also fun. I like watching her little personality really taking shape.  She is determined, brave, bold, snuggly, funny. 

 She loves animals, her sister, being dirty, playing outside, and doing everything to a chorus of "All by myself!" and a constant singing narrative.  She sings everything she is doing as she is doing it.   It is ADORABLE.

 

 

She's independent, ornery, and has the funniest little sense of humor and an impish little grin that just melts me. 

 

 I just adore her - even when she makes me crazy. 

 

She came into this world in her own way and she has been doing everything her own way ever since.

 

But you know what? Whatever it is this kid grows up to be, whatever "show" she grows up to run, she will always be her mama's baby Bug.

 

Love you to bits, Carly Kate.  <3



growing pains

My Hoot Owl is growing up.

FAST.

Her current loves:

• Legos.  This child LOVES Legos. Especially Lego Friends. It is an obsession.  If she isn't playing with her extensive Lego collection, she is talking about Legos or hoarding a little mini fig in her pocket or watching these painful interesting YouTube videos of grown men reviewing Lego Friends sets or planning what set she will ask Santa to bring or which one she wants for her birthday. 
  
  She is really quite good at following the directions in the sets as well as putting together her own creations, and I really enjoy spending time playing with her.  (We also spend a lot of time protecting the creations from Carly. One of HER loves these days is smashing Hoot's Legos.)

 

• Being outside. She is an outdoorsy girl and is becoming quite the daredevil.  She loves riding bikes, digging, gardening, swimming, getting dirty.  My little nature girl.

 

 

 

• Playing with her sissy. They fight pretty much non-stop, but they couldn't live without each other, either.  If you ask who her best friend is, she doesn't miss a beat before she answers, "Carly!" They love to play outside, play house, read books, ride bikes.  They do everything together.  They are thick as thieves.

 

• Fashion.  This kid has a style all her own - I just love it.  She poses for pictures like a boss, too. LOL

 

 

She really is a big girl now. 

 



 

In a week and a half, she starts preschool. 

She is so excited, every person within earshot for the last two weeks has heard, "Hey! Did you hear my BIG news? I am old enough to go to SCHOOL!"

I feel like this was just yesterday.

(Just look at those eyes!! And that one little tooth!! ::dies::)

Of course, it was not. She is not a baby anymore.

But she is MY baby.

I am happy for her. 

....

I am.  Honest.

....

Okay, I will admit it. I might be happy for her, but I am sad for me. 

This will be the first time (aside from her going with my parents) that we have truly been away from each other.  It is the first time that I have ever trusted someone else to care for her.  It is the first time that I have allowed anything from "the outside" in. 

Letting the outside in is scary.  Other kids, other adults, other homes, other lifestyles and philosophies on life. 

We have never had a babysitter (except my parents) we have never left them alone with other adults.  I am careful about what they watch on TV and what they see us doing and saying to them and around them. 

That is something about the SAHM gig that I never really put my finger on until now.  When you are in the trenches with a baby (or two) you are so hyper-focused on the trials of babyhood that you sort of lose sight of the fact that one day, they will be big.  You are in total control of their environment here at home. I lost sight of the fact that someday they would leave the nest - only twice a week for a couple of hours at first, but it is all leading up to more.  And in that gradual leaving of the nest, you are no longer in control of, well, anything.

It is a very bitter sweet reminder that no matter how much I try, I can't keep either of them small.  I can't shelter them forever, no matter how much I want to.

I know Hoot is growing up, but I want her to stay a kid for as long as she can.  Adulthood is long.  Really really long.  And there are a lot of jerks in the world. (And they had all better stay away from my sweet girl or I will go Mama Bear on them.  Just saying.  But I digress...)

I love this kind, bossy, thoughtful, Lego-obsessed, blue-eyed little smarty pants more than I could ever explain to you. 

Please, sweet Hoot, don't ever let "the outside" get to you - stay sweet and fun, stay YOU.

Know that for every one thing in the world that I want to shelter you from, there are a hundred things that I want you to see and experience.  It is just hard on a mother to watch her babies grow and change, but it is a bittersweet fact of life.  Preschool is just the beginning of the world opening up it's doors just for you.

Just remember this, sweet girl - no matter how much I cry when I drive away from your preschool in a little more than a week, no matter how sad I am for me, I am truly simultaneously overjoyed for you.  You can do anything, be anything, have anything - and this is the beginning. 

And most of all, child of mine, never forget that no matter if your adventure of the moment is a few hours a week at preschool or something much bigger or further away, the nest is always here, and your mama is SO proud of her wise (grown-up) little Owl.