Hello, little forgotten blog of mine. Tis' the busy season and I have simply not had a second to pay you any attention at all. But I'm hoping it's time to change that with a post. We'll see, at least it's a start.
Several weeks ago Miss Mack came racing out of school with sheer excitement on her face as she delightfully declared she had a loose tooth. I had my doubts as the kids' dentist, my friend, had said it would probably not be until spring. But, upon inspection, I agreed it was indeed loose. Her next question, "Will I loose it tomorrow". To which I replied, "No, honey. Maybe Christmas". Well, Christmas is days away and I'm not sure it will be gone before then. She has been impatiently waiting for this day as she watched all her friends loose their teeth. I'm so excited for her. She thought it would be very cool if the tooth fairy AND Santa came on the same day.
Miss Schuyler has transitioned into basketball season. I'm relieved of coaching duties as Basketball is Mark's responsibility and I will get to enjoy being a spectator, well at least for the parts where I'm not chasing our spiderman around. Schuyler had a fantastic soccer season scoring all but 3 of the goals. I would have to look back at the season but I think this equates to 15-20 goals. She is fanatical about all sports, including football. In fact, now that soccer has been banned until after the new year, the highlight of her day is when she is voted quarterback.
Eli, oh Eli. He is our comic and provides humor relief on a daily basis. Just the other day at the dinner table he proclaims, "Mom, Dad, my head is not screwed on right". Really! Where did that come from. It wasn't until the following day at lunch time when he announced it was screwed on correctly. It is not uncommon to find him parading around in dance costume or princess costume. Unfortunately, this is par for the course when you have 2 older sisters.
My kids truly amaze me and I'm glad that each has a unique personality, making them all the more special. I hope they are always comfortable to be the individuals they are!
Here was an almost Christmas Card photo =)
I'm running one direction, Mark is running another direction and we get home, quickly eat, finish any last minute homework, showers and baths as necessary, sometimes we fit in a book and then it's tuck the kids to bed. However, our work is not done. There is still laundry to do, the table to clear, dishes, lunches to pack, clothes to set out.... You get the idea. It's a whirlwind!
Schuyler was star of the week last week. As one might guess, she brought anything and everything related to soccer in. Soccer pictures, soccer jersey, soccer book, etc... However, she also got banned from playing soccer at recess. Schuyler told me that one of the girls basically made up a story and Schuyler never got to tell the teacher her side. I was a little leary of this until her best friend came over one afternoon and basically confirmed Schuyler's story. I struggle with when to address the situation and when to leave it alone and chose to leave it alone. There is no doubt in my mind that my Schuyler is an extremely aggressive girl, perhaps maybe a little too much for recess soccer. During this "banned" time, Schuyler sat on the side and encouraged her friends. Her homeroom teacher asked Schuyler if she would like to join them, being unaware of the ban. I'm so proud of how Schuyler handled the situation. She informed Mrs. R that she did want to join but had been banned by another teacher. I know she could have chose to say or do something else. She showed character in her response and these are things that warm my heart. I also had the opportunity to join her class on a field trip to Morrill Hall. It was fun to see how much they have learned about Dinosaurs and fossils.
Mack continues to enjoy school and the social life surrounding it = ) She has made friends with a girl she calls Ellie Belly = ) Mack also enjoyed her first sleep over at a friend's house this past Friday. They went to a camp just outside of Lincoln and enjoyed roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, hayrack rides, bounce house, fishing and watching the movie UP projected onto the side of the barn. Such a cool time. She actually slept until 8:45 the next morning!! That is a record for that girl. Mack and I have been enjoying Little House on the Prairie books. Would you believe I never read these as a child. I think I might be more addicted then she is!!
Eli said good-bye to his toddler bed and has welcomed a big boy bed into his room. His sleeping habits have drastically improved as well and he is no longer waking in the middle of the night to find his mama!! He continues to provide comic relief to the family. He does not like PJs anymore but prefers only his pull-up to sleep in.
On a complete whim, I grabbed the kids one evening and went and snapped a few pictures. No change of clothes, no brushing the hair, no planning once so ever! This might be the best way to do it!!
Maybe I can do this blogging thing after all! Ha, we'll see. I'd like to think I'm getting my groove back on but it's still early.
Our Eli man is getting bigger and I don't always realize it until I'm flipping through pictures. Sometimes I feel like we're shuffling the older 2 here and there that we don't get those special little moments with him. So, I'm taking a moment to record some thoughts, random sayings and anything else that pops into this overloaded brain of mine. E-Man does NOT like loud noises. He was still not a fan of fireworks, which meant that all 3 July 4th parties he could be found inside. This also includes thunderstorms. He will tell you he is "scaredy". The spider-man obsession continues. At night, he will ask, "Mom, when will I turn into Spiderman?" It does not matter that we constantly remind him that Spiderman is fictitious. He does not care. Eli does NOT like veggies and I struggle with creative ways to include them in his diet. Baby carrots is pretty much it unless you count potatoes of any kind. He might be a future baseball player. We pitch the ball to him and he hits it like no other 3 1/2 year old I've seen. He recently has taken a liking to baby dolls, but probably not like you would think. For example, he has wrapped their legs in a bind with his sister's necklace and then hung the baby from the bunkbed so Spiderman could rescue her! He showers at any given opportunity. Baths no, showers YES!
I guess I should at least mention his siblings = ) The girls are both enjoying school. Mackie is extraordinarily enthusiastic about school. So much so that she was disappointed we had a 3 day weekend and one night even cried at the dinner table. Silly girl. Schuyler received an extra effort award last week, which apparently is a big deal as one of her friend's saw it on the refrigerator and made a comment. She has also received the highest score in spelling 2, (maybe 3) weeks in a row. However, she is very modest about her accomplishments. She is willing to share with Mark and I but becomes embarrassed when we ask her to share with grandparents.
Mackie had a doctor appointment this week as there were some skin issues that were concerning me. She has 2 spots on her face where there were tiny blood vessels. One formed early this year and the other just recently. The diagnosis was Spider Angioma. In the case of children, they are asymptomatic and usually resolve on their own, although it may take several years. This is the route we are taking. If they continue to spread or get worse or do not disappear after several years, we may consider removing them. If she gets a third we will need to revisit to make sure there is no underlying issue. The other concern was an area on her leg that did not tan as the surrounding skin. The diagnosis for this was Tinea Versicolor, which is a fungal infection of the skin. So, we will try some prescription antifungal cream.
I'm pretty sure this post will take the award for most randomness!! So, back to normalcy, here is our growing boy...
I've been wondering how in the world I could ever get caught up on blogging after basically taking the WHOLE summer off. I've started many a time and then get overwhelmed and quit. I figure the best approach from this point is not to dwell on the past but make an effort starting with the recent, which is the FIRST day of school.
Yep, the kids went back to school on Wed the 18th. Prior to this we got to find there classrooms and meet their teachers at open house. Mack has a teacher that is new to the school. I had fears as I saw that the name began with Miss and instantly started thinking she must be young, does she have any experience, etc... That was when my better half calmly reminds me that LPS is extremely competitive and they actually have to turn good teachers away. And, we are fortunate to be in a good school district. We ran into Schuyler's old teacher at the store and he said all the teachers were raving about her. I was pleased when she called us on the 2nd day of school to assure us (or more me) that Mack was adjusting fine socially and academically to public school. The fact that she was proactive says a lot. If you ask Mack her opinion of her teacher she will say "I have the most beautiful teacher of all the 1st grade teachers. She doesn't make us read, write or do math". Well, that was the after the first few days and I'm happy to say they do actually do work = )
Schuyler also has a fantastic teacher. She brought home spelling words already on the 1st week and I was astonished at how hard some of them were. For example, her list had some of the following words: discrepancy, dramatization, rafters, scrutinize, plankton, etc... Holy smokes!!
Eli is happy to be back at the Montessori and even more excited to see his friend Dalton. I thought without his older sister he might be lost. Not so. Daddy gets a few extra hugs and kisses in the morning but that's the only real change.
Besides school, soccer season has kicked off. I continue to assistant coach both of the girls' teams. Schuyler's team has already had several practices and games and Mack's season will officially start Monday.
I'm hoping that this post will get me back in the practice of blogging but I also know that as the kids continue to get older, I continue to get even busier. So, I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't post every week and will do the best I can = )
Oh my, where does the time go? It seems much has happened in the last 2 weeks. Bare with me and my long windedness!
Mack celebrated her 6th trip around the sun or what most people refer to as her Birthday. The original plan was for a very girly tea party on Saturday after her game but another classmate was having her bday party on the same date and time. So, the tea party idea will remain on hold for next year and Mack instead opted for a slumber party with 3 of her closest friends. Her guests arrived at 5:30 and we began with pizza and breadsticks. Next was dessert and presents. I got the most delectable cupcakes from The Cup, champagne flavor, pink on the inside with white frosting, a tiny little flower on top and 100% organic. Unfortunately, I don't think my clan of kids truly appreciated the fineness as the frosting had disappeared but there was much cupcake remnants left on the plate. Oh well. After the present opening, it was time to do finger nails and toe nails. I was so glad to have the assistance of my niece and her friend who were in town to visit the University. I'm afraid my two hands were simply not enough for all the demands requests of the girls. One of the girls had to leave for a t-ball game leaving with us with only 2 extras for the night. So, we headed outside to play and secretly hoped to wear them out so they would sleep. Things got a little hectic at this point with one of the girls on Eli's motorized tractor not aware how to steer and nearly running into Mark's truck, Eli falling off his bicycle, Schuyler needing assistance to get her sweaty knee pads off, etc... So, we decided to head in and quiet down with a movie. Just as everyone was settled, Mark calls me from upstairs with that voice and I know. My heart is racing and I sprint up the stairs. There in my husbands loving arms is our little boy, his big blue eyes welled up with tears and the saddest little face I've ever seen. In the madness, I had assumed Eli went in the backyard with Mark to mow and Mark had assumed he went inside with me. In actuality Eli headed up to the next block on the bike path adjacent to our home. He was smart enough to know he couldn't come back down as he hasn't mastered using the breaks on his bike (a story for another time). So, he stood next to his bike looking sad and luckily one of the neighbors brought him down to us. It made me feel horrible. In fact, just rehashing it makes me feel it all over again.
Back to the party, everyone watched High School Musical 3 and then we attempted bed time. Originally, we had Eli and Schuyler on the pull out bed and Mack and her 2 buds on the blow-up mattress. Eli was having a hard time so he came upstairs. Multiple reminders were given to the girls to be quiet and rest. Then, big bad mom went downstairs to monitor. After no luck, I took Mack back to the bathroom to have a chat. We returned and then dad came to lay down the law. He said if they were unable to go to sleep we would have to call their parents and let them know. That did the trick.
Saturday, we celebrated grill out style with hamburgers and hot-dogs and family = )
Moving on, last week Schuyler attended the UNL soccer camp. It was an all day event from 8:30 - 3:30 Monday thru Thurs. You would think after a day of soccer she would come home exhausted and tired. Not so much. She was in the house long enough to tell our nanny hi and good-bye and was outside again for more soccer!
We are continuing to enjoy our nanny whom I truly believe is Mary Poppins in disguise. She cooks, cleans, and takes wonderful care of our kids. I can't believe how fortunate we are to have found her.
One more random thing. I went to get Eli's summer hair cut and was going to go shorter, not so shaggy, with a little razoring on his neck and by his ears but keeping the length and curls on top. Well, apparently the hair dresser and I were on completely different planets b/c now Mr. E has a very short hair cut. The curls are gone and it's the shortest it's been since he was 9 months old. But, ihe loves it and that's what is most important. I would love to share pics but I'm so behind on blogging I'm not even going to tell you how behind I am on pictures!!
Basking in the morning sunlight beaming in through our window.
We love you Mack!
With the kids out of school, it now truly feels like summer. Last Friday, I spent the day with Schuyler while the other 2 enjoyed their last day at the Montessori with their friends. Schuyler wasn't up for a run but instead chose to roller blade along side ahead of me. We went 3.4 miles or so. She is so good on the trails, slowing down to look back periodically and knows all the places to wait while I catch up or stop and look for cars. She was in full gear, elbow pads, wrist pads, knee pads and helmet with her MP3 player in tow. She is good little rollerblader but we were not without incident. As we were close to the end of our jaunt, I see her stumble on the skates and fall forward, MP3 player flying. I go sprinting to her and see her crying. She looks up and says, "My MP3 player, where is it? Is it broken". I assure her that it's fine and I'm much more concerned about her. She continues, "If it's broke, I want to save my money for another one". I reply, "Honey, if it's broke, Mom and Dad will by you a new one." Isn't funny how kids think sometimes. She did have a minor injury. Of all places on her hip, a big strawberry and a bruise that was initially small but has now morphed into a large, colorful bruise.
The girls have easily adjusted to the new routine of being at home but Eli is a bit slower. He doesn't understand the days of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wed.... so he has always differentiated by "school day" and "stay at home day". Now everyday is a "stay at home day". His new terms are now a "Sam (our nanny) day" or "a mom and dad day". Seems to be working for now. We are all enjoying our nanny. She has started the kids reading program by a trip to the public library, gone to the zoo followed by a picnic at Sunken Gardens, gone swimming and a bike ride to the elementary school. I need to incorporate a little more arts and crafts but this is exactly what I wanted for the kids = )
Eli is in a "testing" phase. He uses the words stupid and poopy which we do not allow. Let me rephrase, poopy is reserved as a bathroom word and stupid is not allowed at all. He also thinks it's hysterical to spit. So, we are dealing with these not so pleasant behaviors. And the beat goes on..... and the beat goes on....
The past 2 nights Schuyler, who has ALWAYS been our excellent sleeper, has been extremely scared and had difficulties falling asleep. Well, last night we found out why and it has to do with a TV show she watched. Schuyler is very good at choosing "age appropriate" shows. She stays away from violence, profanity, etc... and in general knows the channels we consider acceptable. So, I guess you could say we have a joint monitoring system. Anyway, she found a show about incredible survival stories on National Geographic, Discover Channel, History or something of this nature. I sat down with her to watch the top 3 and kind of wondered in my head if this was something she could handle. They truly are amazing stories of human triumph and perseverance. For example, Beck Weathers who was left for dead on Mt. Everest, the 1972 Uruguayan Air Force plane that crashed in the Andes that was carrying a rugby team and family, Steven Callahan who was lost at sea for 2.5 months, or Aron Ralston who was trapped in a canyon and had to amputate his own arm. Point being, while I think this show was educational I think it has her scenario spinning in her head, something I'm sure she gets from her mother. In fact, she had DVR'ed the show but now asked that it be deleted, which I will happily do so she can sleep peacefully.
And for more off the wall information, I have an inflamed eye. I had been waking up with my eyes matted shut and very blood shot. A shower and allergy eye drops seemed to relieve most of the symptoms but the corner of my right eyes continued to be irritated and itchy. I then noticed a small, clear like pimple on my eye. Apparently, scar tissue under my eye, from a high school basketball injury, is inflamed. We're trying OTC drops but may need to resort to steroid drops if it does not go away. Oh the joys = )
There you have it, folks, our weekly ramblings.
Miss Mack graduated from Kindergarten last Friday with her other 2 classmates. Yes, a giant class of 3. I have to admit that I am a bit old fashioned and still believe that small numbers are best. However, there were many reasons behind our decision to send Mack to the Montessori for kindergarten and we had to weigh the pros and cons. In the end it was the right decision for her. Mack, we are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished in your 1st year of school. I'm astounded by so many things... your reading ability, word recognition, spelling, math facts, leadership, awareness of community and so much more. Mr. Tim actually introduced you to multiplication and division! It was wonderful to watch you have your moment on the stage, with a look of pride shining on your face. I have so many hopes and wishes for you.
I hope that your enthusiasm for school continues for many years to come.
I wish you continued success in the classroom.
I hope you hold close and nurture the friendships you have made and look forward to ones you will make.
I hope that you'll have many more talented teachers just like Mr. Tim.
I love your confidence and hope it will follow you to elementary school.
Mack was so excited to walk off the stage with her diploma in hand and her graduate t-shirt in her bag that she almost forgot give Ms. Ann a hug!
All the kids preformed songs. There were 2, one designed for the primary children and a second for the toddler children. Ms Mack delightfully participated in both. However, Eman was not the least bit interested, choosing to instead stand up and down, up and down, lie on his stomach with his head on his chin and just smile with his mischievous grin. Each child is so unique and I can see we'll have a whole new set of challenges and opportunities with him = )
Our plans for memorial day seemed to be in a constant state of flux. Mark ended up wording Saturday a.m. so the kids and I ran errands, went to the park, and got Schuyler's hair cut. After their naps, we thought we make good use of the family pool passes so the kids and I went swimming and left Dad at home to do yard work. Sunday, we left bright and early to head for Hastings since both sides of Mark's family were in town. We had a great time. Eli became good friends with his 2nd cousin Grady and we enjoyed visiting family out at Mark's aunt and uncle's farm. There was lots of 4-wheeler fun to be had by all. Eli, who last year was very timid, was quite the opposite this year, with his white hair flying in the wind, a perma-smile on his face and shouting "Wooooo hooooo" every time they raced past the front porch. Completely unplanned and unprepared, the kids spent the night with Gma and Gpa in Hastings, borrowing some of cousin Justin's old t-shirts that were going to be donated to Good Will as PJs. This allowed me the rare opportunity to get some projects done as I usually have little helpers or I'm up at midnight!
The school year comes to an end today for Miss Schuyler. I'm excited to pick her up. They had a hard day of watching Peter Pan = ) It is also play date week. Schuyler had her good friend over yesterday since she'll be spending most of the summer with her mother down in KS. Mack's play date is tonight since tomorrow will be her last day at the Montessori. Eli will return in the fall but he is wanting a play date as well but that will have to wait for some other week.
I'm trying not to freak out as I prepare the house for a nanny (and myself). This is forcing me to become organized, something I have always struggled with. So, here's to the beginning of summer.
The "active" participant in the performance.
Proceed with caution. There are uneditted pictures below. (GASP!). Mack receiving her diploma.
The hug she almost forgot.
