A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - signs of summer

little man's first skinned knees

Adios Morning 3's...Hello Pre-K

Well, it appears we have come to the end of the little lady's preschool year.  To say that come September she will be in Pre-K, attending school four afternoons a week makes me want to tear up a bit.  Like so many other parents I find myself asking, "How did this happen?!"  I do recognize I need to get a grip, slap a reign on the ol' pregnancy hormones, and embrace the beauty of our little lady growing up.  After all, she seems to think it is just fabulous news, aging that is.  Just the other day she asked when she would be sixteen, which just about put Jeff in a parental coma.  In reality, watching her blossom over the past four years has been one of the loveliest experiences of my life.  School and all that comes with it suits our gal.  And, while I'm very sad to see this year go, I know that we have many wonderful years ahead of us to look forward to.  It is just the beginning, and with this little lady it's all one, big, adventurous ride!

Celebrating her last day with a breakfast of champions, Snoogles - an Ohio gem of a danish that is sure to change lives.  I know.  It's changed ours.

***

While unintentional, I love the fact that the little lady chose to wear a "tiny braid" for both the first and last day of school, switching from the left side of her face to the right as though it is a graduation tassel.

The little lady and "best friend," Audrey.

I caught this shot just before leaving her for the day - going over the classroom schedule. 

Typical first born, type A child doing what she loves, and does best...plan!

Parents and children gathered before the end of the school day, and were treated to the last story of the year read by Miss Cheryl, and a Popsicle party. The story was a beautiful illustration of little seedlings growing to become an assortment of unique flowers, some that need extra care, others that grow strong and independently, and others wild and free - a true reflection of her class.  Come the end of the story, there were few mothers with dry eyes.

Our little flower.

Popsicle time!

"Hey guys!  This Popsicle is like Memorial Day - red, white, and blue!"

Our little seedling.

End of the year portfolios full of treasures and memorabilia of the little lady's first year.

One final squeeze from Ellen and Cheryl.
After giving Ellen a final hug she commented, "I don't even know what to say about that one!"  I knew exactly what she meant; I feel the same most days.

The little lady and "best friend," Abby

Dining al fresco at the playground to celebrate a fantastic school year.

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
Henry B Adams

***

My bedroom suddenly grew very quiet during the little lady's afternoon play time.  I found her asleep on a bin of maternity clothes.  I guess she took my suggestion of pretending this cozy nook was "her apartment" seriously.  Nothing like a school year to wipe a girl out!

Memorial Day 2012

This year, we were thankful to have a low key Memorial Day planned as a family.  Our day was filled with simple summer activities that brought our crew much joy.

The day began with the annual Shaker Heights Memorial Day parade, just a stone's throw from our apartment building.  The day was a scorcher, so with water bottles full we made our way to the parade site in search of a shady place to park our bottoms.

The little lady initiated a game of hide and seek in a wide open field (catch the irony) to pass the time while waiting for the parade to begin.

 

"OK. Dad. Tell me if I'm hot or cold."  (She was dead serious.)

The waiting is always the hardest part.

Sirens blare signaling the start of the parade.

Seeking comfort and protection from all of the noise.

The little lady ready for action.

Sweet and sweaty.

The energy our sweet ones brought to the parade, was long gone just in time to walk home.

After the little man's nap, we made our inaugural trip to Thorton Park Pool.  This year we purchased a family membership, and I'm confident the little lady expects us to clear our summer schedule to accommodate her earnest desire to swim each and every day.

Post-swim, Jeff fired up the grill with the help of his pint-sized grill masters.  We savored each bite of our petite filets that we purchased Saturday morning at the farmer's market.  And with sun-kissed faces, he and I enjoyed our first sundaes of the season from Mitchell's Ice Cream Parlor once our sweet ones were tucked in.

birthdays and backyard fun

Sunday we made the drive to Wexford, PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) to spend the day with our friends, the Murchs.  Our day was activity filled as the men enjoyed 18 holes of golf, the children swam, and Alissa and I caught up on life as we snacked on tasty appetizers and prepped for the BBQ.  It was a day full of laughter as we chased slippery wet bodies around the backyard, enjoyed the fellowship of friends, and celebrated Alissa's 32nd birthday.  Perhaps, the biggest treat of the day was when the little lady was asked how old Alissa looked and she replied, "Twenty!"  Music to every aging gal's ears.

1, 2...32!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - 17 weeks (almost)

Date night with Jeff and Pablo.

Roomies

When selecting a title for this blog post, it was a toss-up between "All good things must come to an end, " and "It's about time." 

Yesterday the little lady and I prepped her bedroom for the big transition.  Joey would be moving in that day, after approximately 26 months of sharing a room with Jeff and I. We were all a bit giddy about the move, and after Jeff disassembled and reassembled the crib (a job I have never envied), the little lady took one look at her brother's bed and asked, "Will Joey be sleeping in here forever, until we move to our next house?!"  When I confirmed the good news, she squealed with delight.  Social to her little bones, she would prefer the company of others even when she sleeps.

When it came time to put our sweet ones to bed, we didn't have the opportunity to stagger their bedtimes as we normally do, so we shared a story, and I took turns rubbing their cheeks and singing them to bed.  It didn't take long before we heard the little man's voice, "Sissy!  Wake up!" (Followed by giggles.)  Over the next hour we heard snickering, chatter, fake snoring, banging, and at one point found the little lady in the hallway wrapped in a blanket escorting "her other friends" back to sleep.  Come 9:00 pm they finally had settled, and Jeff and I enjoyed the thrill of moving a table lamp back into our bedroom, reading and talking in our own bed before dozing off. 

I must admit I fell fast asleep, content and deliriously happy.  We were woken up at 2:45 am with an urgent message from the little lady.  "Excuse me Mama, Joey is awake."  Jeff and I took turns reassuring our little man that the new pad would provide all of the usual comforts of the old, and eventually he fell back asleep. 

Overall, it was a relatively smooth transition.  Hopefully tonight with the addition of a new fan and less warm blankies, our sweet ones will sleep through the night. 

Jeff and I look forward to the luxury of having a child-free bedroom for the next six months until the next bambino makes his/her way into this world.

The little lady's new play area in our room for "quiet time."

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - "lion's cave"

little conversations

Today was a day full of activities.  The little lady had her first official independent play date, sans little brother and watchful mother.  The deep satisfaction she felt upon being dropped off, left a smile on my face, though hers was bigger. 

After a late dinner, the little lady and I found ourselves lying weary on her bedroom floor, cooling ourselves under the ceiling fan.  And, as she lay in the crook of my arm we began to chat.  With faces close, we discussed creation, baby Pablo's gender, what it means to die, Jesus' death on the cross, heaven, and Uncle Brad.   It was a beautiful and unexpected moment.  Minutes later, the little man wandered into the room.  He quickly found his blankies, got cozy and eagerly joined the conversation.  Not long after, Jeff found his way into the room. 

How easy it is to let little moments such as these pass us by as we rush about our days, keeping routines and familiar rhythms.  Tonight was a sweet reminder to slow down, listen, look, savor and cherish. 

Camera happy

An entertaining subject for quiet afternoons spent tinkering with my new camera.

inviting.

silly.

bored.

playful.

sweet.

goofy.

sassy.

sassier.

CNS class picnic

This morning, we picked up Panera bagels and cream cheese, and headed to Orange Park for the little lady's end of the year class picnic.  We woke to bright, sunny skies but on the drive over I whispered little prayers as cloud after cloud rolled in. Confident that rain would not spoil her special day, the little lady assured me, "Mom, it's only partly cloud now.  It'll be OK."  (Thankfully, I have my very own miniature meteorologist to rely upon.)  The morning turned out cool, but lovely as parents, teachers, classmates, and siblings enjoyed the freedom of being outdoors making memories.

Thrilled to be seated by one of her "best friends," Audrey.

(Clockwise: Joey, Addy, Becca, Neko, Charlotte, Audrey, Hadi)

The little lady's beloved first teachers, Miss Ellen and Miss Cheryl

We have grown to love these two special women and appreciate the hard work they put in each day as they nurture, guide, stimulate, listen to and encourage our little lady while she spends time outside of our home.  It has been a very special and positive first year of schooling for our sweet gal.  She has truly thrived under the gentle leadership of Ellen and Cheryl.  I know full well she will miss seeing their bright and cheerful faces as we break for summer.  Thankfully, many of her classmates spend their days at the local pool across the street from our home, so we will look forward to encouraging those friendships during the hot months of summer.