23 months!

One more month until Parker is two!

Accomplishments this month include:

• His biggest change this month is moving to his new class!  He is now eating in the big breakfast room and working more on a curriculum.  
• More talking!  He isn't very intelligible, but he is definitely speaking more in "sentences" now.  He's putting together more words now.  He says "Hi Mommy!", "Hi Daddy!", "I want Daddy!", "oh no!"
• He climbs about a foot up on the wire fence at school.  
• He loves to sing to Wheels on the Bus (he more so hums the tune and will say "beep! beep! beep!" when it's time).  He also hums the Caillou theme song and will fill in a couple of words into it.  
• He loves to say "one (a little hard to understand), twooooooooo, deh (three)!" and then he'll do something.  
• He always wants to use a fork or spoon now when he eats.  He does pretty well with them!
• He's gotten a lot better about drinking out of a cup, thanks to him having to drink out of one in the breakfast and lunch room at school.
• He tripped while running at daycare and konked his head into a metal doorstop.  Ouch.  He had a massive bruise on his forehead most of this month!
• He loves playing with his little monkey dolls and even baby dolls.  He'll say, "Shhhh!  Night night Baby" and put the doll to sleep.
• I'm starting to play some "manly" shows for Parker (Handy Manny, Thomas the Train).  He loves them.  The funny thing is that the girls also love them.  They ask to watch them now.
• We started the potty-training game this month.  Ohhhh, to just be able to snap my fingers and he'd be potty-trained.  We have had zero luck so far, except just to get him used to sitting on the potty.  He's in the class at school now that works with them on the potty, so hopefully he'll pick up on it there, too!

His new room at daycare.

Be there for your child

One of the hardest things I'm grappling with lately is the fact that I can't be there to take Sydney to school, visit her classroom or eat lunch with her occasionally, or pick her up. I was asked to be the room mom, but had to pass- I knew I wouldn't be a good one because of work. (And that stinks.) I also dislike how rushed we are in the morning. There's rarely time for me to braid Sydney's hair like she wants me to, or hang out or play with the kids in the morning. They eat breakfast at daycare, so I don't even get to make them that. It's always a go-go-go routine that has to happen for everyone to get to where they need to be... on time. 

Well, today was an opportunity for me to be there. I left school yesterday to go to the doctor- sore throat + fever = tonsillitis. I was told not to go to work today. Last night I didn't feel well, but today I felt pretty normal. I got to feed the kids breakfast; play with them; braid Sydney's hair; calmly leave and first take Sydney to school; drop Taylor and Parker off at their school; take a leisurely walk at the park; eat lunch with Sydney at her school; and do a lot of other shopping/stuff around the house. Now I'm waiting in line to pick her up. 

It just felt so good that I could be there for the kids. Show them that it's not really me who's the monster in the morning- that's just my running-late-for-work personality. ;) 

I guess I should realize that it's because of work and the hectic schedule we lead that I truly appreciate these things. I definitely don't and won't ever take them for granted!

Sydney got to pick 2 friends to eat at the special table with us. 

Waiting to get my girl!

Happenings

Besides going back to school, here are the latest things going on with us!

Sydney enjoying lunch out with Raegan and her cousins.

Tooth #2!

Ice cream truck day at school. (from Parker's teacher)

Future waitresses: Helping the Chili's waiter make the guacamole.  

Ice cream truck day at school, this time from Taylor's teacher!  I think Taylor liked it... what do you think?

GT fan day.  (I swear I love the Dawgs.)

Bye balloons! 

Silly sisters.

My favorite trio.

Taking a break on a walk around the neighborhood.

Painting canvases in downtown Lawrenceville.

Taylor's interpretive owl.

Pool party/grill out with some friends.

First Day of School

All three kiddos had successful first days of school in their new classes!

We attempted to take first-day-of-school pictures, but it was still pitch black dark outside, and Parker would not cooperate.  But, we managed to get a few!

An idea I got from Pinterest.  She'll wear this shirt every first-day-of-school until she graduates, and you can see how much she grows!

A sweet friend made this for Sydney.

Stephen and I took Parker and Taylor to the daycare, where they were beginning the young-two room and the 3-year-old room, respectively.  The biggest thing for Parker in his new room is that he gets to eat in the big breakfast room!  Taylor was so excited for him to be with her.  He also gets to bring a backpack every day!  They both are working on the Abeka curriculum and had to bring in school supplies.

Taylor in front of her new room.

Breakfast time!

After we left the daycare, Stephen, Sydney and I grabbed a bite to eat at Chick-fil-a.  Sydney was so excited that she really didn't eat much.

We then headed to her school- the doors opened at 8 AM, so we got there a little early to make sure we didn't have to sit in traffic.  We got a good parking spot, we took a few pictures, ran into some friends, and then headed into the halls of the school!

Sydney and her friend, Isabelle, (who is in her class and also went to her daycare) were excitedly walking to their class.  They went into the room, put their bags up, found their seats, and began working on their coloring assignment.

We gave her hugs, walked out the door, and... bam!  It hit me.  I was that parent who cried all the way down the hallway to the car.  You know that ugly-cry, when you're trying to not cry, but you just can't help it?  Yep.  That was me.

Stephen picked her up from school, and when I got home from work, we got the full report.  She had a lot of fun.  She is very fortunate in that her wonderful teacher goes to our church, and she knows 4 kids already- one from daycare, one from the 'hood, one is a cousin of our babysitter, and one goes to our church.

Taylor and Parker also had great days in their new classes.  They're getting to be so big, I can't believe it!

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

My baby starts Kindergarten tomorrow... this little poem represents my current emotional state.

We drive by the "big school" every single day, and ever since she could speak (maybe 2?), she would say "Hey Big School!" and "I go der when I 5".  Well, tomorrow is that day, folks.  Where does the time go??

Sniff.  Sniff.

"I Trust You'll Treat Her Well"

Dear World:
I bequeath to you today one little girl...in a crispy dress...with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long.. and a flash of light brown hair that bounces in the sun when she runs.
I trust you'll treat her well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning...and skipping off down the street to her first day of school. And never again will she be completely mine.
Prim and proud she'll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say "Goodbye" and walk with little lady steps to the schoolhouse.

Now she'll learn to stand in lines...and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She'll learn to tune her ears for the sounds of school-bells...and deadlines...and she'll learn to giggle...and gossip...and look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy 'cross the aisle sticks out his tongue at her. And now she'll learn to be jealous. And now she'll learn how it is to feel hurt inside. And now she'll learn how not to cry.

No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the sidewalk. Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn and kiss lilac blooms in the morning dew. No, now she'll worry about those important things...like grades and which dress to wear and whose best friends is whose. And the magic of books and learning will replace the magic of her blocks and dolls. And now she'll find new heroes.

For five full years now I've been her sage and Santa Claus and pal and playmate and mother and friend. Now she'll learn to share her worship with her teachers ...which is only right. But no longer will I be the smartest woman in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time...she'll learn what it means to be a member of the group...with all its privileges and its disadvantages too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud...or kiss dogs...or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms...or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer.
Today she'll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. And I'll stand on the front porch and watch her start out on the long, lonely journey to becoming a woman.
So, world, I bequeath to you today one little girl...in a crispy dress...with two blue eyes...and a flash of light brown hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I trust you'll treat her well.

 Author: Victor Buono

Tough Love

I don't know what has been up with our girls lately.  It's like they get together and plot... you know, mean things; bad behavior.  Don't get me wrong- they're usually very sweet and happy.  But a couple of events lately have had us cracking down hard on them... and it's not fun.

A couple of weeks ago, Stephen and I went on a date night.  Our sweet babysitter came- the one who came basically every morning this summer.  The girls love her.  Well, our babysitter had to text me during the play because the girls were not listening to her.  When we called her back, she was apologizing profusely for bothering us (not a worry), but that they were refusing to go to bed, they were yelling "NO!" at her, and they were... gulp... hitting her.  Well, I think Taylor was the hitter.  We asked to speak to the girls but they refused to get on the phone.  A huge part of me was so upset that I wanted to leave right then and there... but, we sat back down, followed up with the babysitter about 30 minutes later, and she said that they were in bed.  I didn't really enjoy the rest of the play, because I was so mad, but I was glad they had at least stopped that terrible behavior madness.

You always want to think that your kids are going to behave when you're not around.  I mean, I know they're never going to be perfect... but you want to think they are respectful to others.  Not in this case.  Uggh.

So... Stephen and I talked on the way home.  What to do?  So many punishments don't really resonate with them.  We decided that they would be on restriction for a week.  No TV.  No sweet snacks.  No computer/cell phone/ipad.  No friends or fun events.  And the restriction was even extended by a day because the girls snuck twizzlers out of the pantry and ate them.  Overall, the 8-day restriction went well- they respected the punishment (besides the twizzler incident) and even reminded us sometimes if we were doing something that went against their punishment.  One sweet thing was that, on her own, Sydney wrote the babysitter an apology letter and walked it up, with Stephen, to her house.

OK, so that punishment came and went.  Then today... oh, today... it was horrible.  And it was just Sydney this time.  We went out with a few of Sydney's friends this afternoon, and her BFF was going to come back and spend the rest of the day and night with us.  I think what started the meltdown was when she wanted her friend to sit in the very back of the car with her instead of Taylor.  Taylor didn't want to move her seat and got upset when I asked her if she would (she often times gets and feels left out with Sydney and her friends).  So, Sydney's friend sweetly said she would sit in the middle row, by herself.

Sydney was doing everything under the sun to annoy Taylor and make her cry- just to prove a point to me that she and Taylor argue and shouldn't sit by each other.  She was hitting Taylor, pushing her, sticking her tongue out at her, and much more.  It was a scream fest the whole way home.  I started counting how many times Sydney hit Taylor (21) and when we got home, she had to go to time out for 21 minutes.  When she got off of timeout, she was so cranky, she kicked her brother and almost made his head hit the corner of a dresser, she yelled at me, was screaming/crying... it was INSANE.  So, I added more time to time out.  Of course, all this time I was threatening that I'd have to call Raegan's mom and she'd have to go home.  I really didn't want that to happen.  But, after threatening her 4 times, I knew I had to follow through with it.  So, I let her mom know and she came and picked her up.  I felt terrible, but knew I needed to prove a point.

Sydney was SO upset.  But I'm glad she knows now that we're not going to be playing with her.  We also went to a pool party/cookout tonight, and she wasn't allowed to swim.  She was so bummed when we got there and she had to watch.

Is this going to help?  Who knows.  But, I think it's worth the attempt.  I am also now officially terrified about the teenage years.  If she flipped out today over literally nothing, how's it going to be when her first crush breaks her heart?  Or her best friend stabs her in the back?  Sigh...

Favorites

As a teacher, you end up enjoying the students you teach... ok, most of the students you teach.  Typically, even the ones that drive you crazy on a daily basis, you look back on them and smile.  

But, then there are some kids that stay in your mind as your favorites.  You think about them often, smile and laugh at memories, and know that they'll be in your hearts forever!

Two of the best of the best that I have ever taught came to visit me at Open House this week.  I'm telling you, it completely made my day... no, my week... no, my year!

My adopted children, Brandon and Kimberly.

Something must've been funny. ;)

So... I started looking back at my 2009-2010 pictures, and just had to include some oldies (but goodies!).

The sweetest siblings... Brianna, Brenton, and Brandon.

Kyana made the blog, too!  Such super-smart kids.

And now they are off to college... cannot believe it!  I'm very proud of their accomplishments- they have done more in their 18 years than I think I have in my life.  I know the future holds awesome things for them.

If you want to follow the talented and hilarious Brandon's You Tube channel, check it out here.