just in case you didn't know

1. always pay your hairstylist at your appointment. you know it will cost money... pretty much the same every time. you know you will need to bring a checkbook or cash. i get you might forget from time to time. i so get that. but every time? come on. and then how you sometimes think you don't have to pay because i'm cutting your kids (remember, they are actually teenagers.). and sometimes how you forget forever. that's not cool. cut and pay. it should be that simple.

2. never tell a mom with a 2 year old throwing a fit (the 2-year-old, not the mother) that it looks like your baby runs the house. what on earth is a mother supposed to say to that!?! i just say "i know" because i would like to get back to dealing with an age appropriate behavior for my child while i'm trying to catch her brothers on their bikes. and plus, don't you think i already know that? or would you rather me try to explain to you how i'm happy she's throwing a fit like this with me because it means she feels safe enough with me to express how she really feels. and perhaps that may be why she stops the fit when someone else takes her, the safety thing goes away. bottom line, the best way to help is to just not say anything at all. stare if you must, but keep your comments to yourself.

and, now that's out, maybe i won't be grumpy in the morning.

i once knew everything as a mother

do you ever find yourself reminiscing about all the things you knew so much about before you actually did them?
like... being married, managing a household & income, and of course being a parent?
i try not to think too much about those days.
i knew so much back then,
and i have been known to say some pretty stupid things in those days.
i don't like to think about it too much because i wish i knew as much as now,
and i'm afraid i think i know too much about raising teenagers. :)
however, the one thing i do know now is how little i actually know about things
(like parenthood & children),
and i know when to keep my little knowledge tidbits to myself most of the time
(unless i'm talking to my sisters. i still readily share my knowledge in that venue).
because i've been down that road & am still on it,
i let tonight's conversation slide with a smile instead of a slap.
it humored me enough to want to write about it though.
i was chatting with a 1st time mom tonight who i haven't seen since she had her daughter.
her baby is 15 months.
she & maggie loved playing & got along great.
at one point they got a package of wipes & wanted to pull every one out.
i quietly & calmly took the package away
and then asked the mom if her daughter also loves pulling wipes out.
she said yes,
and before she finished her sentence i was excitedly telling her about a pinterest project i made for maggie hoping it would help divert her daughter from wasting packages of wipes or making it a pain to stuff them all back in the package.
after my excited & lengthy description she looked at me and said:
(in the 1st time mother voice, of course)
"i find that it works best to just tell her no."
good.
how did i miss that all this time!?
just say no?
now that's a magic formula.
in a friendly way i told her how lucky she is to have such an obedient daughter at such a young age.
(and she is lucky.)
i can't wait to hear about what a hit the fabric wipe box is after she has her 2nd baby.
oh, and i wish i had a dose of that 1st time mom optimism,
but i wouldn't trade the optimism for the experience that i have now on round 3.

another one bites the dust

sam lost another tooth.
he is now 2 down.
he was insistent that he be the one to pull it out.
i never would have done that.
i hate all things about losing teeth.
he worked & worked and was then sent to bed.
within minutes he said "it's out!"
and it was.

will is pretty sure he is getting a loose one, too. :)

we love the earth

today is earth day.
we spent the day outside doing the things we love,
even riding our bikes to church.
our parenting philosophy has been to allow our children fall in love with the earth.
then they will take care of it.
you will only tend to the things you love.
and they do love it,
especially things in their own backyard.

maggie loves the birds.
all day she wants to go and search for them.
she tiptoes around quietly as to not scare them off.
we have been observing the 2 nests that are built on our back porch every year.

we all love trees,

the apple trees,

the new cherry tree (sam is already identifying the small cherry buds & watching everyday for new growth. he can't wait),

and my personal favorite, the lilac bush.

swinging is a huge hit around here.

mag loves being pushed in the blue swing until she falls asleep.

will & sam are constantly jumping out of the tree on the disc swing,

and will pumps himself all the time on the yellow one.

we do lots of swinging.

the trampoline provides endless hours of outdoor playing.

this is just a snippet of their constantly expanding love of all things outdoors.

will again

remember how will recently learned to ride a bike?
and remember how he does it all day?
and how he crosses the street almost by himself now to get to the sidewalk?
and how he rides with 1 foot on the handle bars?
and how he can go around the block by himself?
and how he is constantly wanting to go on a real bike ride?
and how he loves riding to the bike jump with pete?
and how he wants to build a bike jump with hard dirt in our backyard?
and how he even rides in the rain?
yes, you read that right.
he even rides in the rain.
not without a plan though.
my kids always have a plan or invention.
this one was pretty sweet.
he wanted the umbrella to be taped to his bike to keep him covered.
with what i like to call a little "mom magic",
this bike invention was born.

will rode it.

he loved it.

until he discovered the flawed design.

something about hitting a bump would cause the umbrella to come unlatched and close on him.

he eventually decided it was easier to ride in the rain than it was to ride with a closed umbrella on your head.

fleeting moments

it rained again today.
i had things on my list today for the kids to do.
you know, painting & stuff like that.
my list paled in comparison to my children's natural rhythm.
when maggie refused to come inside this morning despite the rain,
i conceded,
and i let her lead.
she led me on a game of musical chairs using the chairs i'm working on painting.
she led me on a scooter ride across the street,
at first with just her on,
and then with me on too for more balance.
then she found her way to the street gutter.
it was a torrent of rushing water.
such magic in watching the water barrel down the hill and then disappear down a large drain!
even i felt the magic.
she threw in leaves, pinecones, and sticks,
bidding each farewell with a giddy "bye-bye".
then she led her brother to that same magical spot when he got home.
these are the moments that i find myself wishing would never end.
just as this rain will pass,
i know the moments will pass too.
and as i find myself wishing for one more year with will at home,
i will hold onto days like this
and maximize what we do have.
then just as quickly the sun will come,
and it will be a new moment.

a fave

it rained today.

and my baby is delightful in every way.

tales of easter

 i know easter has passed.
it is my favorite holiday so a little documentation is appropriate.
i love it because i love spring.
the sun just seems to shine differently on easter.
maybe a little brighter?
something about seeing the earth in this awakening stage brings me renewal,
and i love that feeling.
i love easter,
but i also love easter outfits.
i always pretend that i should live in the south and make these totally foo foo outfits for my kids,
complete with petticoats, easter bonnets, knickers, & dutch boy hats.
i don't live in the south,
and despite how i tried i couldn't find knickers for my boys.
maggie was not nearly as foo foo as i would dream about,
but i did make her dress and petticoat nonetheless.
the boys got coordinating ties.
perhaps my easter dream closer to being fulfilled.

ps....
will added a new element to my dream.
he wanted to wear his bunny suit for the easter egg hunt.
so typical.

the "know i can do that" boy

our goal for spring break was to teach will to ride a bike with no training wheels.

little did we know that we wouldn't have to do any teaching at all.

pete put him on the bike, gave him a little push, and off he went.

he did it on the 1st try,

and he hasn't stopped riding since.

as we crossed the street for the sidewalk,

will said as confidently as he is:

"i know i can do this."

we kind of knew it, too.

that is exactly the kind of kid will is.

full of silent confidence.

he knows his abilities,

and he uses them as he needs.

it is just who he is.

now he does it on a bike.

all day.

by himself.

bless this child.

still something about her

my baby turned 2 today.

it's hard to believe.

not so much that the time has passed quickly,

it's more that she is exactly the same as when she was born.

her spirit is distinct,

charming,

free,

determined,

and overwhelmingly familiar to me.

we made her a life slideshow video for her birthday,

and i was stunned to see that the vibe she sends today was the same exact vibe as the day she was born.

everything so much the same that  i could've just re-posted this post and this post from her birthday last year.

i think the only things that are different now are...

she now has a lot more hair & it's a lot curlier,

she talks a little bit more.

she now says mama, dada, bubba, baby, bubba, uh-oh, bye-bye, no, peeeese (please), & go.

her nonverbal communication is the same.

she can communicate anything she wants & understand everything you say.

now she just does it by tapping your leg & pointing.

her clothes are bigger.

she's growing out of 2T into a 3T,

but she still has a petite stature.

she still won't wear anything in her hair,

but she loves picking out bows everyday.

she still loves books,

but now her favorite is brown bear brown bear & the zebra book (she likes the babies).

she doesn't eat much at all anymore.

other than milk, strawberries, pancakes, & peanut butter balls i couldn't tell you what she eats.

babies are still her thing.

she likes real ones & doll ones.

now she just knows which doll she likes.

it's always the same one.

if you try to sneak another one in she throws it out of her bed and says "no! baby!"

she still loves being outside,

more than my boys ever have.

she still plays independently,

except for when she's trying to jump on the tramp with her brothers.

the main difference now is that she can let herself out now.

she can push a kitchen chair to the door,

even unlock it,

and out she goes.

she can get her shoes herself,

but she mostly prefers to be without shoes.

and a shirt most of the time.

now she's not just crawling in the grass.

she is riding a tricycle or toy motorcycle down the hill

or going in & out of the playhouse.

but she's still swinging.

she still loves her daddy but maybe more than last year.

truth be told, i think he loves her more this year, too.

i know it by how protective he is of her & by the light in his eye when she is around.

from the time she wakes until the time daddy gets home she is saying "daddy go bye-bye!"

she will tell that to anyone she talks to during the day.

she knows the sound of daddy coming in the door,

and she runs to him as fast as she can every time.

she squeezes him tighter than she did last year and smiles & kisses him more, too.

and she spends more time with him,

especially if she can go on the motorcycle.

anytime she sees a motorcycle she calls it a "go".

if she sees one going down the street she screams "daddy go!".

she didn't do that last year.

she is just as easy to manage as she was last year.

she's still a dream sleeper & nowhere near giving up the nap.

she gave up her paccie though,

only because we lost them all.

no adjustment period needed.

she won't stay in the shopping cart anymore.

that's different than last year.

she can climb out of the strap,

and she does so within the 1st 5 minutes of being in the store.

now going to the store can be trouble with her,

especially the beauty supply store.

she runs off,

she throws fits, 

she knocks stuff off the shelves,

and she tries to steal nail polish.

that's definitely different.

she still thinks will is the funnest boy.

he can still get her to laugh like crazy.

he can make her scream now, too.

sam protects her more than before.

she loves her brothers more than ever now,

and she thinks she is one of them,

she is just as tough.

she can get herself a drink out of the refrigerator dispenser now.

at one time it was nice that we had a lock. 

that kept the water out of the floor for awhile.

now she has figured out how to unlock it.

she can clean up now,

so she does.

she just gets herself a towel & does it.

little assistance needed.

she likes cleaning. 

she  can pick up anything out of place.

she didn't have an indoor birthday party this year

and no decorations other than the canyon walls.

that suits her better.

still had cupcakes though.

this year they were white with strawberry frosting.

she decided to ride a scooter at her party.

she couldn't do that last year.

perhaps a few things have changed,

but she is still MAGGIE,

and we hope she always will be.

spring break

this week is spring break.
everyone will be home together for a whole week.
we are not going anywhere,
just having a "stay-cation".
as part of enjoying our family time
we are all taking a break from the internet.
we don't want any wasted time together.
if you need to get a hold of me,
don't email me.
just call me,
preferably on the home phone.
that would feel just right for what we are going for this week.
it will be a welcome change.