It was only a week ago that I had three very excited trick or treaters anxiously awaiting Sunday evening and now we've got neighbors with Christmas lights up and snow in the forecast?!
Just like when we left off last time, we are busy. This week has been a blur of play dates, parent/teacher conferences, a dentist appointment, a daddy trip, and an unexpected (by me anyway) day off from school on election day. This week our kindergartner is learning about her history. When I asked Hannah what she did in school one day this week she said, "We talked about Mickey Mouse because I guess we were bored". Ummmm, well the note that came home with Mickey's History read slightly differently than that. Together we read Mickey's History book and then, as assigned, we looked through pictures from Hannah's history. Because that would have been an overwhelming amount of pictures without some editing, I did go through and pick out the infant, toddler and now pictures myself ahead of time. I think it is a sign of the times that I was able to just go back to the blog post I wrote from last year when she turned 5 and read her first 5 year history to her. I bet there were other moms with scrapbooks and blogs who did the same. A fun assignment, but also a little hard. It is really starting to hit me how we just do not have babies anymore--we'll have another 6 year old in just a few weeks. Hard to believe. I think I'm in trouble because she is already interested in wearing my clothes. Well, just my scarf, but still...
This picture was taken last Sunday morning outside of Sarah's preschool. We were there for a church service where Sarah was supposed to sing. I knew she wasn't going to sing when she got up that morning, but we went anyway. This is the only picture I took because I was sitting on the ground in front of the group of kids singing with my 3 1/2 year old on my lap. Had it been Nathan or even Hannah at that age I would have reacted very differently. Easy to move on when it is the 3rd child. No forced crying photographs. We just enjoyed the rest of the service and then went home.
When I say "enjoyed" the rest of the service, I'm being generous (okay, kinda lying). It was difficult to enjoy a service with kids who are not used to being in an actual service. By the end we had lost our patience with the almost 6 year old. We have had several occasions to lose our patience with her lately. She has made some choices that have not been in line with the choices we would have her make and most of the time I am at a loss as to what to do. She is so much like me. In so many ways. Like a mirror I don't want to see. It scares me. Yesterday she chose to go upstairs and cover her face in my make-up. She put on enough to be considered ready for hi-def TV and when I asked her if she had it on, knowing full well she did, she looked me in the eye and said, "No". This just a few days after we put the Halloween candy out of reach because I found an astonishing amount of candy wrappers "hidden" under her dresser. I know my mom is reading this and thinking, "Wow, that sounds familiar".
Confession time: Once when I was young (not this young--I knew better for sure), I found some candy hidden in my mom's closet for someone else. I ate it. I think all of it. I am pretty sure I tried to lie about it. And I'm sure there are other examples of candy I ate that I shouldn't have. I still have such a candy addiction and the dental bills to prove it. (Sigh)
Alright, so last weekend was our first non-Belgian Halloween in 3 years. Kids had a great time. This was the first year I just got to kind of hang back and watch while they ran up and said their "trick or treats" and "thank yous" on their own.
Didn't get a lot of pictures. Daddy stayed home and manned the door. We were gone for almost 2 hours and have the heavy bags of candy to prove it. We met up with Hannah's friend and her little brother. Those two had a blast. Sarah was even hanging in there with all that walking (she did have the wagon if she needed it). Nathan was the one who was ready to call it a night first--he was cold, which we knew he would be, but he insisted he would be fine. Lesson learned. (I think).
There were a couple of houses with more of a monster motif than Sarah cared to visit and it was proud mommy moment when her big brother and big sister came back with an extra piece of candy for her on those houses. It was not as proud a moment when I heard someone at the door say, "You have TWO bags?!" and then saw that Sarah had, in fact, picked up two bags and carried them to the door. She said she was trick or treating for Max. Nice try.
As always, this week has had its ups and downs. It hasn't been all bad with our almost 6 year old...feel like I was a little harsh in that earlier paragraph. Her conference went well. Her teacher thinks a lot of her and she is doing very well in kindergarten--as she always has, she saves her sweetest self for school. I had a chance to visit today (3rd grade popcorn fundraiser day) and saw her busy at work in her classroom. So cute. And busy. God bless teachers.
Nathan's conference went well. His teacher had very nice things to say about him as well. I see how happy he is every day after school, but it always helps to hear that he has reason to be happy from someone else. I got to see him in his classroom today as well and I am interested to find out exactly what was going on in there when he gets home this afternoon. He was wearing a yellow fisherman's hat and busy. Too busy to say "hi" to mom. :)
School is definitely in full swing and I am finding myself very busy even with just the two of them in school. This is what our office looks like at the end of every week (and most days of the week)...
School pictures are in that pile. All three came home with them this week...
Apparently, "everyone" saw his pictures due to a mix up and someone started saying they were "So Cuuuuu---uuuuute!" His teacher told him to take it as a compliment. He said to me, "It was sarcastic, Mom!" I found myself wondering how knew to use the word "sarcastic" and then did my best to comfort him without really having a clue what would be comforting--I mean I've been there (haven't we all?), but what is comforting? The world is harsh even in 3rd grade.
Busy weekend and week ahead--we'll be daddyless for several days/nights. We're all anxiously awaiting Nana's visit. Hannah is thrilled to be able to to introduce some friends to her Nana next weekend. I can't believe we've moved the party (actually a small outing to the mall with two friends) up this year. I'm having such a hard time with the birthdays this year (even mine). We've moved out of the baby stage...and we're not far from being out of the preschool stage. How did that happen? I miss my babies. Not that I want more babies. I miss my kids being babies. Sometimes. Not always.
I'm struggling with finding enough time to do what I want and need to do. There are dishes in the sink, beds still unmade (unheard of with me around!), laundry to do, and so much more, but I wanted/needed some time to do this. I have not read for my Bible study in several weeks and didn't even go today since I volunteered at the school instead. Apparently "The New Testament in 9 Weeks" was a bit more than I could fit in this fall. The way I work is, if I can't do it all, I don't do it AT all and that is exactly what has happened. I'm not beating myself up about this. I need to reprioritize and I know that, but it works better when I WANT to, not just need to...so I wait.
Speaking of waiting...I've put off two little girls long enough. Time to get back to them and the other stuff that needs me. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment