What a cute smile! Love it!
Evan was so excited to get more money from the tooth fairy and now he has less teeth to brush!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tiny Dancer
Chloe started ballet today and loved it! When we asked her if she wanted to go back next week she said, "I am definitely going back!" I have to say, I thought she was gorgeous in her ballet attire! I took ballet for several years and loved every second of it! In fact, I had dreams of being a ballerina at one time. Being in a dance studio definitely brings back good memories.
First Day, First Grade
Evan is loving first grade!! He has a wonderful teacher this year, Mrs. Rust. I took their picture together on the first day, but I didn't have the card in the camera! He is also absolutely thrilled that his best friend Carson is in his class. He has an old friend from preschool and a couple of others from his class last year, but he is also enjoying making new friends. They don't have ice cream this year, bummer, but he will settle for the cookies they sell on Fridays. He's doing great reading and we are trying to get back into the swing of things.
This is our busiest time of year and this year is no exception. Back to school means crazy times for this family.. homework, lesson plans, football, and lots of activities. Chloe started ballet this week and Evan will start fall baseball and soccer soon! It can all feel pretty crazy sometimes, but it's so much fun!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Last Arrow
My dad (a great and wise man and one of my few readers) posted this poem in the comments of my last post. I'd read it before, but I have to admit it has much greater meaning now.
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they do not belong to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far;
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
~Khalil Gibran
And so it is with joy that I allowed the Archer to bend me today so that the last little arrow that I have been trusted with may be sent forth into the great wide world (preschool).
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they do not belong to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far;
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
~Khalil Gibran
And so it is with joy that I allowed the Archer to bend me today so that the last little arrow that I have been trusted with may be sent forth into the great wide world (preschool).
Isn't she the most adorable arrow you've ever seen?
She loves her teacher, Ms. April.
So, yes, it was with joy that I watched her proudly carry her little lunchbox into her room. It was with joy that I watched her greet her teacher happily and sit down at a table and begin playing. It was with joy that I kissed her goodbye with barely a glance from her. And it was with much joy that I hugged her tight at the end of the day today. Chloe had a wonderful first day of preschool. Not the first tear. Nothing but confidence. She has been sent forth into the world. Her first real step of independence. I know she will do great! It will be my ultimate joy to see God's plan unfold in her life.
Thank you, Daddy, for reminding me of my role as a parent. And now, even though I have to admit that the sadness is still buried deep down inside- the stone in the pit of my stomach and the lump in my throat even as I type this post, I will quote another wise man that my dad introduced me to as a young child:
"Yesterday is over my shoulder, so I can't look backward too long. There's just too much to see waiting in front of me and I don't think that I can go wrong."
~ The great Jimmy Buffett, my friends.
I love you, Chloe! I am so very proud of you today on your first day of preschool.
The Night Before Preschool
Any girl knows that before the first day of school, you must pick out your outfit and try it out to make sure it is perfect!
Lookin' Good! She's ready to go!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Another First, A Last As Well
Chloe will begin preschool this year. We took her last night to meet her teacher and see her classroom. She has been so excited! She didn't seem afraid at all as she explored the room and played with her teacher. She is very different than Evan was as he began preschool (she is also a year older and of course we haven't actually left her there yet:). I am so excited for her as well! I know she is ready to make friends and to learn and grow at school. And so as I watched her, I was happy for her.
When we got back in the car she said, "Granddaddy will not believe I am big enough to go to school!" and she had the most excited little smile ever. She was giddy with excitement. And I was happy for her.
But, somewhere deep inside buried under the smiles and the excitement is just the slightest little bit of sadness. Sadness because as excited as I am for Chloe for this "first" in her life, I also have to acknowledge that this is a "last" in my life. The last time my child starts preschool for the first time. I swear these firsts and lasts come and go so quickly! This is one reason I want more children. I'm not ready for the lasts yet. Those lasts hurt somewhere deep inside. And I'm not sure that hurt ever goes away.
With your first it's a different kind of hurt. It's the "My baby is all grown up. How did that happen so fast? How can I slow down time? I miss my little baby!" hurt. That hurt passes. It changes into nostalgia. It does not create an empty place (as long as there is another little baby at home), it just creates those fond memories that you think of with a little slightly, sad smile.
But, with your last it's different. Yes, you can't believe she is all grown up either but also you expected it because now you know how fast it goes. With your last, it's a realization that a time in your life has passed. A time that was looked forward to for the first 26 years of my life with great anticipation is gone so quickly in a mere 6.
My last is beginning preschool. My last is a baby no longer. I no longer have babies. The baby part of my life is gone. And that is a different kind of hurt altogether. I mean, sure, I look back on those memories so fondly. It's not as if I'm overcome with sadness. I smile and laugh and treasure every second of this new stage in my life. It's a wonderful stage. But, still, there is the little bit of sadness. Buried deep down inside. The little bit that leaves a little empty space there. Because there is not another baby at home to bring to her first day preschool.
And so even as I celebrate with whole-hearted excitement my little girl's first, I also must face the tiny bit of buried deep down sadness that comes with my last. In fact, from here on out every first for her will be a last for me. It's a good thing we didn't decide that she would be our last for absolute certain until recently or I would have been a wreck when she was a baby and going through all of her firsts. It was better to tell myself she only might be my last. So, I might have another first step, first word, first Christmas. It is harder when you decide for sure that she will be your last.
Lord, help me when my last has her first day of kindergarten!
When we got back in the car she said, "Granddaddy will not believe I am big enough to go to school!" and she had the most excited little smile ever. She was giddy with excitement. And I was happy for her.
But, somewhere deep inside buried under the smiles and the excitement is just the slightest little bit of sadness. Sadness because as excited as I am for Chloe for this "first" in her life, I also have to acknowledge that this is a "last" in my life. The last time my child starts preschool for the first time. I swear these firsts and lasts come and go so quickly! This is one reason I want more children. I'm not ready for the lasts yet. Those lasts hurt somewhere deep inside. And I'm not sure that hurt ever goes away.
With your first it's a different kind of hurt. It's the "My baby is all grown up. How did that happen so fast? How can I slow down time? I miss my little baby!" hurt. That hurt passes. It changes into nostalgia. It does not create an empty place (as long as there is another little baby at home), it just creates those fond memories that you think of with a little slightly, sad smile.
But, with your last it's different. Yes, you can't believe she is all grown up either but also you expected it because now you know how fast it goes. With your last, it's a realization that a time in your life has passed. A time that was looked forward to for the first 26 years of my life with great anticipation is gone so quickly in a mere 6.
My last is beginning preschool. My last is a baby no longer. I no longer have babies. The baby part of my life is gone. And that is a different kind of hurt altogether. I mean, sure, I look back on those memories so fondly. It's not as if I'm overcome with sadness. I smile and laugh and treasure every second of this new stage in my life. It's a wonderful stage. But, still, there is the little bit of sadness. Buried deep down inside. The little bit that leaves a little empty space there. Because there is not another baby at home to bring to her first day preschool.
And so even as I celebrate with whole-hearted excitement my little girl's first, I also must face the tiny bit of buried deep down sadness that comes with my last. In fact, from here on out every first for her will be a last for me. It's a good thing we didn't decide that she would be our last for absolute certain until recently or I would have been a wreck when she was a baby and going through all of her firsts. It was better to tell myself she only might be my last. So, I might have another first step, first word, first Christmas. It is harder when you decide for sure that she will be your last.
Lord, help me when my last has her first day of kindergarten!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Check-ups... Check!
I took Evan for his 6 year check-up two weeks ago. His stats were:
Weight: 50.5 pounds (75th %)
Height: 49 inches (>95th%)
And Chloe went for her 3 year check-up today. Here stats were:
Weight: 30 pounds (25th %)
Height: 38 inches (70th %)
Both kids were healthy and doing wonderfully developmentally. I'm so thankful for healthy kids! They were also brave as brave can be when it came to the finger sticks and (for Chloe) shot. Not a single tear was shed! That earned us some Marble Slab today:). (And I do mean "us").
Chloe did prove to be just like her momma and have a shy bladder. She was unable to "pee in the cup" which is the highlight of Evan's visit. I believe that must be a male, female thing. I guess she will have to be like me and load up on fluids on the way to the doctor so that she is nearly about to burst when they call her back. I swear I must be the only woman in history who at 9 months pregnant could not pee on demand unless I purposely loaded up on fluids:).
And in other check-up news, I had my yearly physical with my primary doctor today, too. I am also healthy and doing well developmentally and I will refrain from posting my "stats", especially the percentiles which would probably be the exact opposite of Chloe's. Anyway, I do get to see a podiatrist to have a bunion removed from my foot. Can you believe that? How old am I anyway? (I forget). I'm not looking forward to this procedure (which will probably be in October, hopefully over my fall break) since I've heard the recovery is actually fairly extensive, but I am looking forward to actually being able to fit my left foot into the same size shoe as my right again. And I'm hoping I might even be able to wear "cute" shoes again... once I can walk again, that is.
Weight: 50.5 pounds (75th %)
Height: 49 inches (>95th%)
And Chloe went for her 3 year check-up today. Here stats were:
Weight: 30 pounds (25th %)
Height: 38 inches (70th %)
Both kids were healthy and doing wonderfully developmentally. I'm so thankful for healthy kids! They were also brave as brave can be when it came to the finger sticks and (for Chloe) shot. Not a single tear was shed! That earned us some Marble Slab today:). (And I do mean "us").
Chloe did prove to be just like her momma and have a shy bladder. She was unable to "pee in the cup" which is the highlight of Evan's visit. I believe that must be a male, female thing. I guess she will have to be like me and load up on fluids on the way to the doctor so that she is nearly about to burst when they call her back. I swear I must be the only woman in history who at 9 months pregnant could not pee on demand unless I purposely loaded up on fluids:).
And in other check-up news, I had my yearly physical with my primary doctor today, too. I am also healthy and doing well developmentally and I will refrain from posting my "stats", especially the percentiles which would probably be the exact opposite of Chloe's. Anyway, I do get to see a podiatrist to have a bunion removed from my foot. Can you believe that? How old am I anyway? (I forget). I'm not looking forward to this procedure (which will probably be in October, hopefully over my fall break) since I've heard the recovery is actually fairly extensive, but I am looking forward to actually being able to fit my left foot into the same size shoe as my right again. And I'm hoping I might even be able to wear "cute" shoes again... once I can walk again, that is.
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