Lena's 5!

My sweet, spirited, stubborn, independent, smart, nurturing, funny little girl turned 5 last week. 

I can't think about it too much or I'll start crying again. 

Too late...

We celebrated her actual birthday with a few of her favorite things: First was a trip to Starbucks for chocolate milk and a scone.  Then we headed to Half Price Books where she found a couple of books she couldn't live without.  After we had browsed for awhile, she started looking for books her brother might like.  I told her that today was her special day and that I wasn't planning on buying books for Sam.  She looked down at the two books she had found for herself and said she would put one back so we could get a book for Sam too.  Well, my heart just broke for her love for her brother, so of course I got her both of her books and one for Sammy.  I love that my kids always think of each other.

 

Then I dropped her off at Rich's office for lunch and an afternoon with Daddy (while I attended her parents-only preschool orientation).  The Fashion Meets Music Festival was gearing up downtown, so there were street vendors and rides everywhere, which she thought was awesome!  I think it worked out to be a very special day for her. 



 

 

 

That night I cooked her requested meal for dinner and she opened a couple of presents.  A low key but special day. 

We talked about doing more of the low key special birthdays and less of the big 20 person parties from now on; reserving the bigger parties for milestone birthdays.  The parties are so much fun and special in their own way, but they just seem a little overkill to keep doing every year.

Let's be real...some of our motivation is selfish.  It's a lot of extra work and expense for Rich and I to throw these parties.  But most of our motivation is the expectation of excess.  It seems extreme for our kids to get so much for their birthdays when so many kids get nothing.  It seems out of balance with what we're trying to teach our kids about the world and their place in it.  We want them to know that they're special and unique and loved and cherished, especially on their birthdays.  We just think there are better ways to do that than grooming inflated expectations.

But this year was a milestone for Lena - 5 years old!!  So we had her big birthday party this weekend with her friends and family.  She chose to have another beach themed birthday party (same as last year), so out came the beach balls and limbo pole and swimming pools and hula skirts.  Good times.

 

It was storming most of the day, so the majority of this beach party was indoors.  No matter.  Rich played Marco Polo, limbo and a giant beach ball game with the kids in the basement, then upstairs for sand pudding, beachy snacks and presents.

As the party was wrapping up, the rain stopped long enough for the kids to move outside, so they got to splish splash (just like the invitation promised) after all! 

 

My sweet girl.  Slow down...it's moving too fast.

 

Confused, Praying, Writing and Urine-Soaked

Sorry for my absence.  I'm certain that the three of you who read my blog must have been pining away for a post from me...well wait no longer.

I've attempted several posts this month but have had a difficult time organizing my thoughts.  While a cluttered mind is nothing new for me (especially during the summer months when I tend to get restless and crazy), I've added a few new burdens to clutter it further. 

One being that my church band has been disbanded.   

The circumstances under which this disbandment occurred are awkward and disappointing and sudden and impossible for me to understand.  And the result is that I'm sad and confused and pissed and even more confused.  The church wants all of us band members to continue on under a new band leader, but none of us quite know what that means or how to feel or what to do.  So we're all praying and talking and trying to figure things out. 

I've seen my bandmates socially several times since everything went down...Jamie, Greg, Mike, JT, Josh.  We've talked and laughed and vented and taken in some awesome local music together, still no closer to answers but comforted just by being with each other.  I adore these people.  I miss these people.  I miss making music with these people and being a part of something with these people. 

God's plan is eluding me on this one.  This all occurred out of decisions and actions that were not God-like, so maybe this wasn't God's plan.  Maybe that's why it's been so hard for any of us to figure out.  I don't know.  I need to keep praying to see the light here because for now, I'm waiting it out in the dark.  And I don't like that. 

The second thing adding to the chaos in my head is my writing. 

Writing is as cathartic as it is oppressive.   But as I get older I'm finding out it is something I need.  So I'm making time for it whenever I can.  I have no aspirations of publication or greatness.  I'm simply trying, as a friend of mine recently suggested, to take pleasure in the fact that I'm playing with the words. 

The third mess in my mind has also been a mess on my floors and a burden on my laundry...potty training Lena. 

It's about our sixth attempt, but she's doing so well this time.  And Sam is a huge helper, cheering her on, turning on the bathroom light for her.  They are the best kids, honestly.   

So that's me this month: confused, praying, writing and urine-soaked.

Sam is "Gwoing Up"

Sam has been doing a lot of responsible things lately without being prompted. He brings vitamins up to Lena every morning when I'm dressing her, he helps her take off her shoes, he feeds Miles, he lets Henry out when he rings the bell, he's very interested in brushing his teeth (thanks to a lesson at school about it). When I praise him for doing these things, he says this to me:

"Tanks (thanks), Mommy. I'm a big boy now - I'm gwoing (growing) up!"


To which I smile and sigh, because he is growing up...way too fast in my opinion. Excuse me while I bust out in virtual song for a moment, hearkening back to "Fiddler on the Roof"...

Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? I don't remember growing older. When did they?

This is Sam's very first school photo. He really is gwoing up.

Potty Training - Day Two: Give Me Strength

Yesterday was our first real day of potty training.

After many half hearted attempts by us and by Sam, we've decided to get down to brass tax here and get this thing knocked out.

He just turned three. It's time.

I would consider yesterday a success: 6 pees on the potty and 3 accidents. Sam took it all in stride, too. I'm so proud of him.

We prayed the night before for patience and perseverance for Sam and me, and God was listening. Even Lena was patient as we set the timer every 30 minutes and sat in the bathroom with our expectant listening ears on as we awaited Sam's next successful pee. It was an exciting day.

Today, not so much.

It's just been one of those mornings with which all moms are all too familiar. Everyone, including me, woke up on the wrong side of our respective beds/cribs. There's already been lots of crying (not by me, but I'm not counting myself out yet) and impatience is running rampant.

Lori told me yesterday that when you pray for patience, God doesn't give you patience - he gives you opportunities to exercise patience...how did she get all the brains and the beauty?

So that's what today is, right God? Yesterday was an easy day - no patience necessary. Today is the real test. Today Sam's refusing to pee, Lena's tantruming about everything, and I'm feeling the urge to yell and threaten instead of parent.

Well, bring it on. With your help, Lord, I will squelch my urge to freak out, I will distract and nap Lena appropriately, I will persevere with potty training without traumatizing Samuel forever, I will bake a giant ham for dinner, and even bust out some songs and dancing...together we will turn this day around and be victorious!

AMEN!

Sam Pooped!

Yes, yes, yes.

Amen.

It's happened.

Sam has made that all important first poop on the potty! Just like a big boy. He cried really hard the whole time he sat there, but he told me he had to go and was dancing all around. So I put him on.

He was scared to death, the poor thing. I hugged him tight while he sat on the potty and finally, through the sobs and tears, we heard a plunk. Then he suddenly stopped crying and smiled. "I poop, I poop!", he yelled. And I started crying (of course) and yelled right along with him, "You pooped, you pooped!". Lena came running in and started clapping. It was a funny, special moment

After we cleaned up, we put a sticker on the empty potty chart and he stood proudly beside it. Finally. My big boy...

Guess Who Walked?

LENA, that's who!

She's taken a couple little unassisted steps here and there over the last month, but tonight she took seven unassisted steps. SEVEN!

Three cheers for Lena!

Hip hip hooray!
Hip hip hooray!
Hip hip hooray!



Here she is tonight, proudly standing in honor of her accomplishment (pay no attention to the kitchen set in the background. It hasn't made its way to the playroom yet).