Kindergarten kid

So nahla is on her second week of school. So far this is her 3rd full day and she LOVES it. I was nervous she would think it was to long and be tired. Besides a few weeks of summer school this was her first time being in school so eight hours is a long time!

It's quiet at our house. A lot less crying on Lilas part.

Nahla always comes home with the best stories and we have a pretty long walk from the bus stop in comparison to the other kids so I get to hear all about it. One thing we adopted at dinner about a year ago is called roses and thorns. You go around the table and tell your best part of the day and your worst. It was an easy way for robbie to get to hear what happened during the day and it helped Lila practice talking. So now I ask her that on her way back from the bus as well. (Nahlas worst part of the day usually is that "the day is going to end")

It's been weird to have her gone for such a long time without an update about what's going on. I keep getting the feeling I need to check on her, but obviously I can't lol.

She loves her teacher and likes her class. She gets to do show and tell every Friday. She had her first one this past week and brought in a music box robbie picked up from goodwill that he couldn't end up selling. She practiced her "speech" on Robbie's friend and us the night before. It was super cute and she said it went well. I was afraid with common core going on that kindergarten was going to be a lot different then what I remembered, but she seems to be doing a lot of projects and playing which makes me happy. They go out for recess 2 times she says even if it's "really hot and sweaty and her underwear stick to her butt" lol

I'm so relieved she loves school. Every morning she's waiting by the door long before Lila and I are ready to walk to the bus. She always walks about 5 steps ahead of us the entire way to the stop.

My only scare happened last Friday. As we were waiting for all the kids to get off the bus nahla didn't come. I went up to the driver and he called her to the front. Nothing....for what felt like 5 min. My stomach dropped. And then he's like here she comes. I asked her why she didn't get off and she said a boy was sitting by the window so she couldn't see the traffic. (This was the worst part of her day that day) mine too haha..

Little moments

I was reading an article recently that talked about living in the moment. It talked about cherishing things that we can find troublesome or even annoying at times.

The writer pointed out that at one point you fed your baby their last bottle. You picked them up for the last time. Buckled them in their car seat for the last time. At some point you will make their last lunch for school. You'll walk them to the bus for the last time. You'll hold their hand for the last time when crossing the street. In the moment you never realize that this is your last time. In fact I can't remember the last bottle I fed Nahla. I can't remember the last time I had to burp Lila. The girls are just now learning how to buckle themselves in the car. I remind myself every time Nahla calls for help that the seatbelt is stuck that as annoying as it is to fix I won't be able to do it forever.

So every night when the girls come rushing out of their beds for "one last kiss" I always take it. No matter how tired I am or how much I wish they understood that bedtime means bedtime. Because one night they will stay in their rooms and one kiss will be enough. And the thing is I never know when that night is coming.

So with any weird quirk, annoying task, or frustrating phase I remind myself that at one point it will end. At some point I will miss it.

live in the moment and love those little moments

From the mouth of a 3 year old

Now that Lila talks she says the funniest things. She's also very animated. We have a hard time understanding her sometimes so she will use actions as well. One recent memory - Lila comes running into my room. Face bright red, tears, etc she is so mad. She jumps on my bed and screams "nani rip" when I don't answer fast enough, mostly because I was stunned that her eyeballs were somehow still in their sockets as it looked like they might pop out at any second, she starts the actions. She gets into a squatting position waves her arms in front of her like she's furiously digging up dirt. (Similar to what sparky does in my flower bed) and screams "Nani rips" "Nani rip" tears, red face, potruding eyeballs, furiously digging. The problem was fixed within the next minute or two. Turns out nahla had ripped her coloring picture on accident. Life is hard when you're 3.

So she's got some other phrases she likes to throw around. All created by her.

A favorite

"Poopy goopy"
- Lila loves Mickey and Minnie. She loves watching the clubhouse. Turns out she doesn't like Goofy. Which is why she says he's poopy. She tells me he poops his pants. I don't know where she got that idea from. When the Mickey Mouse clubhouse song comes on and they introduce all the characters she will as well
TV- "Mickey"
Lila- "Mickey"
TV- "Minnie"
Lila-"Minnie"
TV- "goofy"
Lila- "poopy goopy"

Etc.

Another recent phrase-
"Hug a bug"
- she would say this and burst out laughing. It was always said as a joke. Finally I asked nahla what hug a bug means. Nahla says its when a bug comes in your room and you hug it. Lila seemed to agree that is what it means. Why we say it randomly throughout the day as a punch line I don't know.


One she picked up from mama-
" Nauughty Nauughty"
-Lila doesn't like cleaning up her messes. So she ends up on time out until she's ready to pick up. I would always tell her it's naughty naughty to make a mess and not clean up. Now she says it whenever she thinks anyone is being Nauughty Nauughty. Drawn out like that..with a smile and a finger shake. Sparky, nahla, robbie, me..herself none of us escape the Nauughty Nauughty line

My nahla

My Nahla,

You are starting kindergarten in a few short weeks. We have been finding clothes, choosing your favorite backpack and going through your list of supplies. You are so excited! In fact after your short few weeks in summer school you can't wait to go back and get your locker. You're excited to meet your teacher and make new friends. I know this will be so easy for you. You have always been so very outgoing. You are such a free spirit. You throw caution to the wind and jump in. I admire that about you.
I'm so excited for you. I have had the privilege of watching you grow for 5 wonderful years. I've gotten to open my eyes to your face next to my bed every morning. I've had my partner in crime to run errands with. Someone once said parenting is letting your heart walk along side you. Truer words could not have been spoken. You have my heart to carry with you. I'm not worried about you. You are rebellious, kind, smart witted and strong willed. But I will miss you. I will cherish these next few weeks we have. Time moves so fast. You are the world to me in every beautiful way.

I'll leave you with what I always tell you

If you love a flower don't pick it up
If you pick it up it dies and ceases to be what you love
If you love a flower let it be
Love isn't about possession
Love is about appreciation

Being a parent is slowly letting go. Even when it's hard and when you aren't ready, because you never are. But loving someone is letting them be, letting them grow and letting go.

Thank you Nahla for bringing so much color into my life. Our life may be changing but it will always be just as beautiful.

I love you.

Mama

Little lila

This post is dedicated to sweet little Lila. A few months ago Lila started speech classes. Finally we are getting to see more of her personality coming out. Lila regularly comes and talks to me during the day. She will carry on conversations and ask questions..this is huge! Two months ago we could hardly ever get a response to a simple question. In fact I was terrified to potty train her because I didn't know how either of us were going to communicate very well.

So in honor of all her hard work..these are some of my favorite things about Lila.

1. She is a cuddler. We usually watch cartoons in the morning while we wake up in my bedroom. Lila likes to lay with me on my pillow and watch together. She even naps with me sometimes.

2. Lila loves everything little. She classifies things by size. Big things are mamas or dadas. Little things are cute babies. She will take on a high pitched voice whenever she talks about these little things and shows everyone when she finds a cute baby. Blackberries, crayons, carrots, flowers, clothes, pretty much any item that's small gets the aww cute baby response.

3. Lila still loves Minnie and Mickey. Robbie just said "I wonder if there's a kid that exists that loves Minnie more then Lila" I don't think there is.

4. Lila likes when things are clean. She gets excited when I fold clean laundry. Especially if it's hers. She is overjoyed that I would clean her clothes for her. She always smells them and goes mmmm good clean. Lol clean floors, bathrooms, clothing, dishes, anything clean excites her.

5. Lila likes to just sit and talk to me. If I'm working she's almost always next to me talking about what I'm doing or about Minnie or Mickey lol. She's very observant and chill for a three year old.

6. Lila loves to lift up my shirt and slap my stomach in a low voice saying "ooo big baby" she then does the same thing to herself.

7. Nahla and Lila were talking about having babies and Nahla told Lila she needed to be married to a boy she loved first before she could have a baby in her stomach. Lila countered that she loved daddy and planned to marry him. Nahla broke the bad news..not that it would be a terribly disgusting and incestious relationship..but that mommy already is married to daddy so she has to find someone else to love. Lila was a bit heartbroken by this.

On a side note, Nahla thinks it's going to be hard to find a boy to love because they are all so yucky.

no more diapers

This is the first time in 5 years that I haven't had to change diapers daily! 5 years of diapers and now none!
Lila is fully potty trained. She was super easy and caught on quick once she was ready. Honestly with both kids I have no idea how I taught them to use the potty. I really think it's something kids teach themselves. It has been the most daunting task of my motherhood career. I have a few short months before I have to start changing diapers again and I'm gonna live it up. Plus it's like 50.00 a month in savings!
Sure I still have to wipe the occasional butt, but I'll take it!
Loving it!

the joys of being pregnant for the 3rd time

Last night something happened that has never happened before.

Our girls starts sharing a room a month ago. They are always sneaking out after lights out doing things they shouldn't be. And not until like 10 or 11..sometimes this goes on until 12 or 1. We've been a pretty exhausted group lately. I had taken a shower around 9 and was laying in bed starting to relax when I hear little feet running on our wood floor. Too tired to get up I yell "go to bed" I am effectively ignored. I hear them giggling in the bathroom. At this point im super annoyed. It had been a long day. I yell again "girls get in bed" a few minutes later I realize I have been ignored for the second time. I'm pissed. I just talked to them before lights out for the 100th time explaining the rules of what going to bed means..who knew rules needed to be involved to sleep? I stomp as loud as I can out of my room and throw open my door in an attempt to send some sort of fear of authority through them. I have never been scary to them. Part of the reason they feel free to ignore me if I'm not around to physically move them back into their rooms. I scream at the top of my lungs "get in your beds!!!" I don't know if it was the Reddnes in my face or the yelling that scared the crap out of them and sent them running back to their beds. I really think that it was something else..as I was screaming in my bed tshirt no pants...I peed all over the floor.

The joys of being pregnant...

When I went back to clean it up, my own urine, I noticed a puddle down the hall. Apparently I'd scared the piss right out of sparky too.