Wedding weekend

We just got back last night from a week in Virginia for Lucy's wedding. It was a whirlwind weekend of parties, family, and activity, and I managed to get exactly zero pictures. But the wedding was wonderful--beautiful, perfect, sweet, and lovely. Here are some facebook pictures:

All the pictures I took were post wedding: kids getting to drive Grandpa's tractor; acorn collecting; and a fantastic trip to the safari park courtesy of the best uncle ever.

School: one week in

The transition to school has gone pretty well! Both kids are smiling and talking about the fun they had when I pick them up.

The hardest part so far is the mornings with Lucy--specifically, the 50 feet between the school parking lot and her class, which should take less than a minute but inevitably takes much longer (one day about 25 minutes). She has a rough time with her shoes and socks (required at school), even though she need only wear them between the car and class, since they take them off in class. And yes, you read that right--one day it took 25 minutes, between tantrums in the car, tantrums in the parking lot, and tantrums on the ramp into class (and she still wasn't late--I've been arriving early since I know the meltdowns are coming). I'm pretty sure every parent and every administrator witnessed those. I was pretty close to turning around and taking her home, but then I would be stuck with her! I know that sounds bad, but she has fun in class and does well in class, and then I get a break--from the tantrums and screaming and battles. Last night before bed, we were talking about how much she screamed in the car yesterday on the way to school, and I asked if she has tantrums like that in her class. "No," she said. "I am good for my teachers. I try extra to be good for them." So I asked, "Why don't you try extra to be good for me, too, then?" She answered, "I can't." Hmm... we'll have to talk more about that one.

Nate has had nice things to say about his teacher and the other kids in his class. He loves recess best (they get two) and has been excited about the foods I'm sending in his snack and lunch. He's adjusting well!

Levi is getting used to the quieter house, especially since we still have plenty of out-of-the-house meetings, park dates, and errands to keep us busy.

First day of school

We had a great morning!

Truth be told, I teared up when Nate walked into his class. I was glad he didn't even pause to look back, though!

Lucy had a little bit of a hard time walking from the car to her class because of her shoes (there was a 10-minute delay while she took them off and put them back on a couple of times. I arrived early for this reason), so I actually didn't feel too misty-eyed when she went into her class successfully. :) Here she is with one of her new friends she met at the kindergarten park playdate last week:

And now it's just this guy and me.

We went to the school's opening ceremony together, which was for 1st through 8th graders (so we saw Nate).

Then he asked me to take this picture of him.

Now we're home and it's pretty quiet!

Back to School Party 2012

This year's party (our first) is actually called the Night Before School Party, since we aren't really going "back" to school but starting it for the first time. I wanted to make it special and fun for the kids so we can start a fun tradition that is pretty simple for me to accomplish (dinner? already do that anyway. dessert? not too hard. invitations and decorations? simple to print out and blow up.).

I bought a small gift for each child as a surprise waiting for them at the dinner table. Nate got a mini Simon game. Lucy got three new puzzles--something she has been asking for. Levi got a car.

At dinner, we took time to say what we love about each child, and Nate and Lucy also told us what they're most looking forward to at school. I told Nate I love that he is a leader and that he is a good singer even if he doesn't like to sing. :) I told Lucy I love that she is compassionate and that she loves to color. I told Levi I love that he is affectionate. Nate said he is most looking forward to playing with friends at school. Lucy said she is most looking forward to coloring.

Swimming and school

We've been swimming a ton this summer. At the beginning of the summer, Levi would stay on the top step, having fun but still afraid to put his face/head in the water. After no lessons and no parental pushing, here's what he's doing now:

We are less than one week away from the start of school! Nate and Lucy start on September 5. I'm planning on doing a small "night before first day of school party" for dinner on Tuesday, with their favorite foods, dessert, decorations, etc.--something to make it special but not too involved (so I don't have to live up to anything too huge next year!). Both Nate and Lucy are excited but nervous to start school. Nate has been saying he doesn't want to go, but I know the reason for that is he wants to keep playing video games for hours a day. I know he's going to love school and hope it's a smooth transition.

Camping

We had a great time this past weekend. We went for only two nights this time, which I think was one night too short. (By the time you get there and get set up, the first day is done. You have a full day the next day. Then the next morning you have to pack up and leave!) Our other camping trips have been four nights long, which was long-ish with children our kids' ages. So I think three nights would be perfect!

Here are some pictures my friend Cassi took.

Levi and Lou playing baseball

I don't know what I was talking about here.

Long-awaited day

The kids have been counting down to tomorrow all summer!

Craft day

At the beginning of the summer, I promised Lucy we would have a craft day some time. I got everything together and made a (very simple) craft day last week, with painting, finger painting, and pipe cleaners. (When you don't provide day after day of amazing parent-led crafts, then painting, finger painting, and pipe cleaners make for an AMAZING craft day. It's all about expectations... keep them low. Haha) The kids (especially Lucy) loved it.

Mothering in the moment

I have been reminding myself that these years are short with the children at home... that I will regret hours spent ignoring or "shooshing" them. With two weeks of summer left, I am imagining what it will be like in two years, when all of them will be heading to school and I will wonder if I did enough with my time with them. Will they remember their earliest years with fondness? Or will they remember the yelling, impatient mother I sometimes (often?) am? I won't be able to get these years--or my children as their youngest selves--back. Oh how I want to be the best mother I can be for them--sometimes despite myself!

Life snapshot #3

It's hard to believe it has been over a year since my last snapshot. It's definitely time for a new one.

The good

• It's so easy to go places as a family now: no diapers, no strollers, no nap schedules. We went to the fair a couple of weeks ago, and everyone walked, fed him/herself, and went to the bathroom him/herself (Levi is almost there)--it was so pleasant! 
• We now officially have three great-sleeping kids (knock wood). Levi was a pretty good sleeper previously but would come to our bed most nights. Everyone still slept, but it obviously wasn't as restful. 
• Jon and I celebrated 10 years of marriage in June (and it was his birthday on Friday!), and I feel we're closer and stronger than ever.
• Homeschooling was a success this last year when I consider the goals I set for myself: spend time with Nate; do some fun learning things; read and work on math but generally take it easy on academics. I also came to the realization that this year of homeschooling was a "make-up year" for Nate: he didn't get to be home with me when he was 3 and 4 years old, like he should have been. He was in school 5 days a week at that time. So this year was the year he should have had at home with me when he was 3. 
• I am so pleased with how Nate is eating. That sounds silly, but I've found it so essential to the bigger picture for him--his attitude, behavior, etc. 
• Summer is nice!--care-free, fewer commitments, swimming--just fun.
• There are moments and days when the children play really nicely together. However....

The difficult

• Much of the time it feels like the kids are fighting, arguing, yelling, rough-housing, etc. In turn, I start each day with my patience already run out (there just isn't enough time overnight for it to refill). Things that wouldn't have bothered me 5 years ago are now impossibly frustrating.  
• Because of some outside forces (some beyond our control, some not), finances are stressful right now. We've had to make some tough decisions recently, which I'll detail as we head into the fall. 

How nice that the good far outweighs the difficult!