a little problem with the paperwork...

Lily is getting so big and grown up that she told my mom that there could have been a mistake. She might not actually be seven...she has lost so many teeth that she might really be eight. I can assure you there has been no mistake. She is only seven and I wish she could stay seven for two more years or so.

Last week I took Lily to see an orthodontist. She will be getting her first set of braces in about six months. Before we went to the appointment the doctor's office sent us some paperwork to fill out. Lily had her very own page that asked her things like "What is your favorite food?" or "What do you like about school?" She took this task extremely seriously and spent plenty of time getting all of her answers just right.

When we arrived at the office we went to the front reception area to check in. The first person to greet us Lily wasn't shy to share with her that there had been a bit of her paperwork that she'd forgotten to write down. They were gracious, so Lily continued: On my paperwork, under 'favorite TV shows, I like Author, Word Girl, Wild Kratz, and I forgot Phenious and Ferb. They said that that should be fine and that we could sit down and wait.

As Lily's appointment continued, she would not stop telling people that there had been a 'little problem with my paperwork'. It always took her about five minutes to get the whole statement out. "There is a little problem with my paperwork, under favorite TV shows, I like Author, Word Girl, Wild Kratz and I forgot Phenious and Ferb." By the end, I was dying from laughter. At one point she was talking to someone while there was a mouth piece IN HER MOUTH and her head was clamped down by a machine. "There was a little problem with my paperwork..."

She also managed to mention to every adult who would listen that she had lost seven teeth. Everyone in her class has only lost five or six, but she had lost seven.

Drew visits kindergarten

Dear Drew,

Today was the day you went to visit your school for kindergarten. You were a little bit nervous and a lot excited.

I was so proud of you today. I saw you introduce yourself to another little boy and I saw you help out a friend that was a little more scared than you were. Your friend from preschool was in tears when they told all of the kids to line up. I asked her if she would be feel better if you held her hand. She nodded and left her mom's side to come with you. You were so sweet to help your friend in that way. When I left she had stopped crying and you were still holding her hand. I know that I don't have a lot to do with that kindness that is second nature to you, but it makes me feel so proud anyway.

You had a great time during the visit. I had a hard time not crying when I left my grown up little boy. I may have shed a tear as I left, but I pulled myself together. I managed to talk myself back from the ledge of full-on crying  because if anything, I know you're ready to go. You are smart; you are thoughtful and kind; you love to learn; and you are excellent at making friends.

It is going to be so fun to see you go to school. I am going to love hearing every detail of your day. Believe me, I know that the tendency to share with me won't last forever. So for now I will be glad to listen to whatever you have to share until that day comes.

I love you darling boy. You have a lot to be proud of and you have given me a lot to be thankful for.

Love,
Mom

the next chapter

Reading chapter books with my kids is something I've looked forward to since the day Lily was born...Actually, that might not be true. I think I've looked forward to reading chapter books to my kids before I'd had any kids at all. I love children's books, but there is something magical about reading a book with your kids that you can both gain something from, a book that your child has grown mature enough to understand on a new level.

Recently, Lily and I have started reading the long, lovely chapter books that I'd been dreaming about. Lily became so engrossed in the first two that she would bring me the books on Saturday afternoons and ask me to read. The second Harry Potter book so captured her imagination that when I checked out the audio book for a long car ride, she brought the tape in the house to continue the story after we'd arrived home. She got up early to finish it and find out what happened in the story. I am so excited by this hunger for stories and reading.

Our most recent book was Anne of Green Gables. I wasn't sure if she would understand everything, so I got the more elementary version of the book. ***Spoiler Alert*** I was wrong about her understanding and emotional connection to the book. I was shocked when I read her the chapter where Matthew, the man who had adopted Anne, died. I was shocked because when I said the words, "And then Matthew died." Lily burst into tears. She sobbed for several minutes and the tears continued as I finished the book. She was so connected to the story and the characters that she was truly sad. She asked me why Matthew couldn't have died sooner in the book, when she didn't know him and like him so much. Why did they make him die?

The experience of reading that book together opened some discussions about hard topics, bonded us in a new way and gave us a history of hard topics that will allow me to bring the hard stuff up again later.

Reading to my kids is my favorite part of most days. Now that Lily and I are reading alone together every night, it has given us something to share, a quiet time to be together. I am cherishing the time and hoping that this is one of the routines from her childhood that she remembers most and continues into adulthood.

What are some chapter books that you enjoyed during your childhood? I would love some recommendations!

stoked to skate

This is Drew's first trip to the skate park. I'm sure you can tell by the pictures that he had safety in mind while planning his trip. He was surprisingly daring during the adventure and I had a great time watching him zoom around.

Julianna didn't want to ride on the skateboard, but she did have a good time climbing everywhere.

I feel like the pictures sort of speak for themselves.

can you say....

Julianna: Look, Mommy! Blue ky!

Me: Yes, I see the blue ssss-ky. Can you say 'ssssky'?

Julianna: Sssky.

Me: Yes, now can you say 'SSStivers'?

Julianna: Sstivers

Drew: Can you say 'beaver'?

Julianna: Beaver.

cheese!

Julianna is happy. She is like zippity doo dah happy nearly every moment of her life. That makes my job being her mother pretty easy most of the time. That's all really. Julianna, just by being who she is, gives us all a reminder of what's really important. Life - it's all in how you look at it.

drew's special time

This past weekend Drew got his "Special Time" with Tom and I. Special Time is when the kids get to spend time alone with us doing whatever they want.

During our time together we had lunch, shot big guns at the lake, shook some sand at Tom's office (don't ask me to explain what that means), and then we took a ride at the lake to the top of a very large sand pile. Drew and I had a really good time sliding, running and rolling down the hill.

While we were eating lunch, and really throughout the whole day, Drew just kept telling us how much fun he was having. He was so grateful for our time and attention. He was so sweet. I asked him, "Drew, isn't there anything in the world you don't like?" He thought for a minute and said, "Well, only the things I don't like, I guess." ....."Like, cooked carrots and green peppers and tomatoes that aren't cooked. That's about all, I think." I'm guessing that that means my kid is a pretty happy kid.

Tom and I both thought more than once how lucky we are to be Drew's parents. Our whole little family is pretty amazing, I think.

watch your mouth, young lady!

These pictures are over a month old and I am slacking so much with the blog that I'm just now posting them. This is Lily posing with her Valentine's Day mailbox for school. It's in her typical fancy style and she wanted me to take a picture of her kissing it. So, here ya go.

On the way to school today Lily was telling me that they had finished reading the book The Indian In the Cupboard but they couldn't watch the movie because of language. Apparently there is a bad word used during the movie so her teacher told her they'd have to as their parents to watch it at home. Lily continued to tell me that she knew the s-word, the b-word and the d-word. I was brave enough to ask what they meant. I'm happy to say she has at least a few more months of innocence left. The s-word was "stupid"; the b-word was "butt"; and the d-word was "dumb." I can live with that. I acted shocked and told her she was right not to use that language. And I was grateful that she is unaware of the s-word, b-word and d-word I use on a regular basis.