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this little girl is also loving wearing her backpack these days. She asks for her backpack....walks right into school and hangs it up (she's never walked into school before--she's always asked to be carried). She's a such a big girl now!

thirty five.

Saw this post today. Where will I be five years from now? Well, let's look at where I was five years ago. I was just weeks away from delivering Breanna, I had one bright active little two year old boy at home already and was about to add a little girl to the mix. I couldn't be happier, I was on my way to my perfect life (or so I thought).

Anyway, the thought of being thirty-five is hitting me a little hard these days. It's getting to that "advanced maternal age" where you are done with babies and moving on to the next phase of life that scares me. I am happy, I have had the chance to have three babies, and I know how lucky I am with that. In any case, I just don't like being declared"old". Five years from now, I'll be close to my fourtieth bithday, and honestly every year is a celebration in this uncertian life, isn't it? Five years from now I know for a fact that I will still be appreciating every day and all the gifts I have been given in this life, I know for a fact that my life will not be prefect.

Today, I ran. I ran, I cried and I ran some more. I cried about the fact that Breanna should be in Kindergarten right now, that she should not be wearing a diaper, that she should be able to dress herself. I cried for the fact that that she should be able to describle the color of the sky or tell me what her favorite thing about school is. I cried about the fact that I should be doing housework, laundry, or my hobbies instead of calling and e-mailing therapists, doctors and others for advice. I cried becuase it is not fair that I have to worry so much. Or maybe I just cried because it was a bad morning with the kids. I ran until it felt like 10 miles (not really) and then felt better. I came home, took a shower with my new shampoo and put on some new makeup and felt even better. I slapped thirty-five right in the face today. Thank god for running (and new shampoo and make-up).

P.S. Josh is home today (only to leave again Thursday and Friday) and found out the MOST exciting news. It's not official yet, but he is most likely going to be running the Boston Marathon for the Massachussets Down syndrome Congress in April. He has to raise $3,500 and train to run 26.2 miles, but he is on cloud nine with excitement (and I couldn't be happier for him!)

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"Mommy, I'm all ready for the bus!" (Someday baby, someday---don't rush it)....

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At the end of the day, when I'm cleaning up, long after the bath, the hundreth book, hug, kiss, game, homework, tuck in and and special time, I'm sweeping and thinking to myself, there is no place in the world I would rather be.....really.

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Today.....a morning at church, got locked out of the house, and then a relaxing afternoon with friends....... a delicious homemade pizza dinner and a kid disco dance party. I'm kind of sad that we had to forgo the buddy walk for the first time, me, alone with three kids in the pouring rain just didn't sound like a good time. Hopefully we'll make it again next year.

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Took the kids to a high school Marching Band competition tonight with Helen, Phil and Gammie and Grampa. Boy did that bring back some OLD (but good) memories. The kids loved the music and clapped after every song.....

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Making some Zucchini bread.

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This kid....learning how to drive the lawn mower (a little bit). Seriously, how did you get to be so big!

Look what I won!

go here:)......

Breanna is going to look so adorable in this:)

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Your second grade routines:

wake up 7 am, get Lucas out of his crib and come into our room watch a 30 minute Clifford the big Red dog episode

7:30 downstairs for breakfast, your lunch and red folder are packed in your bag

8:10 AM your alarm goes off on your watch, you go upstairs and get dressed and brush your teeth, put on sunscren and sneakers

8:30 AM leave for the bus.

9-3PM at school

3:25 PM get off the bus and walk home

3:40-4:00 sacktime

4-5:30 play outside or afterschool activity like swimming lessons

5:30 ish dinnertime and doing chores (dishes/helping clean up)

6-7:30 homework, drawing or silent reading time

7:30-8:00 read books with Mom or Dad and Lucas and get ready for bed

8:00 relaxing time with your Starbright book and Mom--lights out!

Trevor, the absolute kindness and wonder of you, it just takes my breath away. I'm so lucky to be your mom:)

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We're loving our new swimming lessons....and as I was told by my favorite second grader, fall arrived at 5PM today!

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Beef stew in the crockpot and fresh bread baking in the bread machine, the wonderful smells are just filling the house this afternoon.....welcome fall!

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Amazing....Josh got to be the number 1 for the trail to Ale 10K his year...and I got a scrapbooking afternoon for taking all the kids to church this morning:)

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Started Track and field today and a beautful day it was!

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we're doing really well at our new am and pm routines (especially thanks to Trevor's alarm watch!)

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A REALLY good day=

good talks with some other really good moms and a playdate in the am

a really good 2 year old lunch and nap

some quiet time in the afternoon to myself

seeing T get off the bus all smiles after school

Good snacks and a nice family walk with the dog (who cleaned HERSELF off in the water after getting all muddy)

a pizza dinner out where the kids ate everything (even the salad)

a special ice cream dessert treat (Coldstone!)

playing football outside until dark, doing homework and calling a night (early)

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Today...brought the beginning of some cooler weather around here. After school and work we took to the woods for a little treasure hunt:)

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First day of little kicks soccer and I must say you did fantastic kicking that ball! (what a difference the third child makes--no crying, so clinging, you followed directions, it was amazing!) You loved it:)

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2.5 years.

You......

are playing soccer on a team (and are doing great at it!)

are potty training

love to give high fives

make us laugh (and make us cry)

can't wait to go to preschool

eat everything except bananas (even broccolli and fish)

sleep 3 hours in the afternoon and 11-12 hours at night

your favorite food is oranges

your favorite color is blue

love to bring my a pile of your favorite books every morning in bed

LOVE books

love dipping food in sauce, dressing or peanut butter

your favorite books are your "truck books"

you love vanilla milk (so do I!)

are not a breakfast person

beg for snacks all day long

run around in your underwear or no pants

love playing outside on the "playground"

your favorite TV shows are "Gee and football"

give the best hugs and kisses

My favorite things that you say:

I don't know, I don't know

Ahhhh, Much better

MMMMM....Tastes kinda pretty good

Dad, you put my steam roller up there, you need to say sorry....

I LOVE this thing...

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The Story of today.....

We started off on a really ambitious family walk to get everyone some fesh air and exercise. The moment started off really great, like this (what a moment...)

and quickly went to this......

and this.... (which resulted in Josh walking 3/4 of a mile back to the car to get a stroller in addition to the backpack we already had with us.)

and then finally we were home to some nice cool showers, a nap, a big chicken dinner and some football.

And thus, football season in our household begins.....

The End.

drained.

Mostly on this blog,
I really try to focus on the joy and blessings of this life
(and there are many.)

Sometimes, parenting and life and the world just sucks you dry. Then you get kicked out of the children's area public library because your special needs child might "scare the fish" with her happy and excited voice that she can't control or understand is too loud(really happened). Then your seven year old refused to lift a finger to help around the house because he was "too tired" and your two year old...well was just two (as in crying all day for some reason or another..) When your kids eat silently through dinner food they would never normally touch, they have to know we are frayed, right? Somedays, bedtime doesn't even bring a calm to my nerves. Maybe a glass of wine is in order tonight.

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I haven't posted a picture of you in a while, you are just too busy! You are another reminder that life is never what we planned on (but is sometimes better..), You, have grown up so much this summer. You are really into right now: playing with your cash register, Curious George, sandboxes, the dog, cheese sticks, juice, getting people's attention by tapping their arm, five little monkey books, apples, school, your farm CD. We love you, pretty girl.

Making Plans.

Gosh knows....I've always relied on my abiliy to make plans, and in fact try to plan my whole life. That has changed a little. Read here for inspiration.

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Another tooth lost.....(that makes five!), remebering 9/11, and a really fun sleepover with Mike and Michelle (thanks for helping us clean out our attic!).

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I'm so glad we had time for this today....our little quiet time, just you and I. I think you needed it (and so did I). I'm loving our little conversations right now, everything you observe just comes right out of your mouth. I'm glad we looked for leaves and acorns and brought them back home to paint them (your idea). I'm glad we saw a caterpillar and stopped to watch it crawling for the longest time. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.....

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Homework.

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2 Years.

It took to to start sleeping through the night. Before that we were pulling our hair out with the crying, the sleep deprivation and all the different sleeping arrangements we tried so we could just get a few ZZs. Now, it's just a distant memory and you are sleeping like a champ 12 hours at night with a two-three hour nap after lunch. You are talking like a champ now too (I love when you say, " I LOVE this thing..."), and are doing well with the potty training. I guess you had alot of lost sleep to make up for.

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What you are into at SEVEN:

The RIPSTICK, which you have been saving for all summer and got to try for the first time at Aiden's house. I've never seen you work at something so hard in your life.

Sneaking up on people to scare them.
reading to your brother and sister at night.
NOT liking to do chores or homeowrk or sharing a room with your brother anything else that seems like a chore. (I don't like chores either).
growing out of all your clothes
bringing your lunch to school and hot linch a few times a month.
Star Wars
hiking
the color green
surfing the net
I-pod Nanos and your playlist (Run baby Run)
your grandparents and cousins
Playing with your action figures in the shower and bath
running, riding your bike and scooter, swimming
Halloween decorations for the house
waterparks
playing on the swingset and doing tricks
your friends
decorating your own room and picking out your own clothes.
But Boy, you just take my breath away.

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Friends.
People who know you, people who are at the same place at the same time. People who are totally focused on their kids as much as you are. People to laugh with and eat good food and drink good drink with. People to be silly with and people to play PIG with outside until it gets dark. People who love your kids as much as they love their own. People who are easy to be around who appreciate the essence of childhood in late summer.

I just want to bottle this life, the way it is right now. I never want these good times to end. This is the good stuff....the best stuff......

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Today.....
some winter girl clothes organized
some hats, boots, mittens and snowpants collected for washing (b/c we will need them soon!)
One scraped knee bandaged, medicined and kissed.
and a whole lot of silliness and playing all evening after dinner

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Just a fantastic day for rasberry picking (and a couple of apples too!) at Dole's Orchard. We'll be going back later when it's more fall-like for apples. I love this place...it's so peaceful. The kids did so great, this was first year of no backpacks and no crying, just big kids. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the beautiful morning.

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Just you and I in the mornings now...going for walks, exploring outdoors, and finding our (quiet) rhythm again. You are oficially on your way to being potty trained (no accidents today at all number 1 or 2!)

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Today:

A early work day (REALLY early) so I got to get out on time to see the kids get off the bus (it was the first day for the Kindergartners in our neighborhood).

A nice walk with just my girl to the bus stop pointing out all the mailboxes.

Beal's cheesecake ripple ice cream (probably one of the last of the season).

some new wrestling moves (The flopification pot--courteousy of Curious George, and massive tickle attack).

alot of pretending to be scared (Trevor likes to try to sneak up on people and scare them).

And FINALLY when the energy wore down (thank god Josh can handle all that boy energy)....bedtime.

growing. (and a letter)

2009

2008

Trevor and Breanna,

Today was your first day of school! I can't believe how fast you guys are growing and even this summer the change in you guys.. I want you both to have great school years and just remember that I'm your biggest cheerleader:) Love you.

Trevor,

Today was your first day of second grade! You were so confident getting on that bus it was so great to see you without any worries whatsoever. I'm so glad you have your best buddy in your class. I know that last year was a huge growing year and this year you just going to keep building off that great foundation. You are reading everything in sight and I know you are just going to soar this year with everything. You have an A+ attitude. I'm a little sad that as you get older, things seem more and more "hands off" with the parents being there and knowing everything about what you do all day. It's hard for a mom to let go especially when It just seems like I was holding you in my arms as a newborn yesterday.

However, I know what a fantastic and kind person you are and what a great friend you are to all. With those skills, you are going to excell at whatever challenges you face.

Breanna,

This year, you turn five. It is your last year of prechool. Girl, I know that you are going places. This is going to be YOUR year. YOu are going to be so ready to march our of that prechool and straight into Kindergarten that you are going to make my jaw drop. YOu contuinue to surprise us on what you can learn and we really are just scratching th surface of the person that you are. So go get them my shooting star, show them what you can do! I'll be your biggest fan every step of the way:)

Love ,

Mommy

First Day.

Change is always hard for me, especially when I see you guys growing up so fast. Gosh I wish you could have stayed in early preschool and first grade forever. You both had great first days.

Memorable Moments:

The excitement.

Eggs for breakfast.

Pictures

A BEAUTIFUL day

Your "bus plan"

How you had your own camera out to take pictures of Breanna

Gammie coming to spend the day with us (and make some yummy relish)

the quiet house

You waving to us outside the bus window.

Breanna in green stars

that you loved your class, your friends, your teacher and the "really comfortable" red chairs

That you actually had to do "work" anf have music n the first day

riding bikes and playing outside afterschool.

That I didn't have to miss a minute of your smiling faces and your stories about your day.

Make your own pizzas for dinner

How tired we all were at the end of the day.

What I will miss....

Riding bikes with you at Lucas' naptime

having a full house for lunch

beach and waterpark days

having those seven year old conversations all day long

The hum of Breanna's toys, watching Curious Georgeand Clifford and and that cash register.

waking up and lounging in our PJS until lunchtime if we wanted to.

YOU and YOU.

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First Day of school!