Backyard Scavenger Hunt

     Larger Child can be the typical six year old at times (despite his obvious brilliance, maturity, and gifted-ness!).  There are times when he gets bored... and when he gets bored, he gets obnoxious.  He will find ways of entertaining himself, even if that means trying to figure out juuuust how many times he can poke my arm and say "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom..." before my head starts spinning around and the creature from the Alien movies comes out of my throat to scream at him.  Today was one of those days.
     However, instead of devouring his very soul and hanging his lifeless body out to dry, or just sending him to his room, I decided to get creative and find a way to entertain and pass the time.  I created a Backyard Scavenger Hunt.  I got an empty egg crate and numbered each hole one to twelve.  I then taped a piece of paper on the top with directions to pick up twelve things to put in the egg crate.

     He was then instructed to go outside and find items that fit that description and place them in the corresponding spots.  He was super excited at the idea, and ran outside with interest and vigor to complete the task.

     He found:
1. Something hard (a rock).
2. Something soft (a piece of string).
3. Something prickly (a pine needle).
4. Something smooth (a leaf).
5. Something green (grass).
6. Something brown (dirt).
7. Something that is or was alive (a dead june bug).
8. Something straight (a stick).
9. Something in the shape of a circle (the "hat" of an acorn).
10. Something purple (flower).
11. Something man-made (piece of a toy).
12, Something tiny (seed).

     Awesome! That killed five minutes... now what.  How about WATER BALLOONS?!?! 

Bye, Bye Baby

     I am about to drop off my Larger Child for his last day of Kindergarten.  For some reason, I am emotionally overwhelmed by this! There is something so finite about kindergarten graduation.  It is like the official end of the baby I once knew.   I am not sure where the time has gone... but when I look at that beautiful boy, I can still see the baby he was in my arms.  The growth in him has been exponential in the past ten months, since the birth of his little brother, but there are times when I can steal a kiss or two, or a snuggle for a moment, before he remembers that, "Mooooom! I'm not a baby!" Sometimes, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that I have a young man in the house now.
     I am so proud of my (near) Kindergarten Graduate, even if that fact makes the reality of time escaping concrete.  It has been such an adventure raising him through his infant and toddler stages! He has taught me so much, and has challenged me in ways I NEVER expected.  I feel safe to say, since I watched him light up his classmates as he entered the playground yesterday to be greeted with a line of high fives, that these next stages of friends, independence, and maturity are going to be nothing less than ROCKED by him! I just need to hang on tight, and enjoy the ride!

Heading to the playground for the last day! Kindergarten SUCCESS! 

Goin' Beep Beep in my Jeep Jeep

     Smaller Child got a walker a few months back.  It is this super tricked out Jeep walker that frankly looks fun enough for even me to enjoy.  We put him in the walker, and shockingly, to him, it was more like a torture device.  The poor guy would tolerate it for a few moments, and then would start wailing to get out.  Needless to say the walker got parked in the "garage" for several months in exchange for more tolerant toys like the exersaucer, the johnny jump up, and good old fashioned floor time.
     But, a few days ago, I pulled the Jeep out of the garage to see if maybe with all of his awesome cruising skills, Smaller Child might like it a bit more.  This is the understatement of the year.  As soon as his little (big) feet hit the ground he took off! He mastered the art of forward instantly, and moments later he mastered reverse.  He turned in a circle, and switched directions like he had been doing it for ages.  At one point, Beautiful Bald Husband and I left the room for a moment, and all of a sudden we heard SC laughing hysterically in his bedroom.  He had managed to walk his way in there around all of the corners of the hallway and was chasing the puppy in circles in his room.  Which, by the way, is the funniest thing EVER to a ten month old! "Get the Puppy" is now the new favorite game.

The boy has a new freedom and is LOVING it.  To the point that it has become difficult to convince him it is time to get out.  I was nearly late picking up Larger Child from school today because SC was having so much fun going Beep Beep in his Jeep Jeep!

Crusing CHAMP

While he has the ability to stand unassisted, when he doesn't actually realize he is unassisted, Smaller Child has been perfecting the art of cruising.  He is now doing this one handed.  I wish he would just trust himself and let go.... or maybe I don't wish that quite yet.  Anywho, this was today's adventure trying to get to Mama's phone.

"Hey, what's that?  I want that!"

"I'm gonna get that, Mama... just one more step!"

"Aaaallmost there!"

"Success!"

The Over-Prepared Mama's Take on the Diaper Bag

When I picked up Smaller Child from the Childcare center at our YMCA, the teacher there told me that if she could give out an award for the most prepared and organized Mother, she would give it to me.  She then thanked me for making her job that much easier.  She told me she never has to guess or question as to whether or not SC had something he may need.  She knew I would always have it in the diaper bag.  It may have been one of the very best compliments I have ever received! (Though, I am not sure what that says about me! ha!) But truly, it made my heart sing to hear this.

So, I wondered.... I wondered if maybe the contents of my over prepared diaper bag may be of use to others.  So, here is my take on the "must haves" for my diaper bag.

First off, I have to mention, that it is highly important to me to keep my diaper bag light.  I cannot carry a gigantor child and a gazillion pound diaper bag at the same time.  So, I have to be somewhat selective as to what I put in the bag.  But, first on that list is hand sanitizer.  This is important for many reasons, one being that sometimes juggling a baby and washing your hands at a sink after a diaper change is not always possible.  So, I keep it easily accessible, and clipped on the the bag so I don't lose it.

Next, are the perishables.  I keep a regular inventory of these. Restocking and replacing if they have been in there too long. I keep an emergency empty bottle, enough formula for a small bottle, and a small juice.  I also found that empty baby food jars (cleaned of course) make the perfect container for baby snacks so they don't get crushed and turn into dust in the bag.  The snack du jour right now is Cherrios.

Then, I have the other items needed to keep a baby happy at mealtime.  A bib, a spoon, and a toy.  I find these little toy leashes to be GENIUS. I can attach one end to the toy and the other to the high chair at a restaurant, and then I don't have to keep retrieving it off the nasty ground.  I keep all these items in a ziploc to keep them clean.

Next, I keep a small blanket that I can use to either cover up SC, or lay on the ground for him to sit or play on, a clean burp cloth, and a change of clothes that I also keep inventory of to make sure it is clean, seasonally appropriate and still fits him.

What diaper bag would be complete without diapers?  I also keep disposable changing table covers to put under my changing pad to keep it clean, kleenex, a nose bulb, and VERY important... baby sunscreen.  I also keep a waterproof zip up bag in the diaper bag to place soiled clothes in to keep the other items in the bag from getting dirty.

My favorite item is the changing pad.  I love the little pockets they put in them.  I can keep all of the essentials inside so they are right there when I am changing the baby.

Inside the pockets I keep a good amount of wipes, a washcloth (for my protection!), trash bags for diaper disposal, diaper rash ointment, lotion, soap, and latex gloves. I take regular inventory of these as well to make sure I don't run out.  There is nothing worse then getting all ready to change a poopy diaper only to realize that you are out of wipes.  (If that should ever happen to you *gasp* use wet paper towels.  Not as gentle or protective to your hands, but it gets the job done in a pinch.)

Lastly, the binky pod.  Now, this little guy wasn't around when Larger Child was a baby, and frankly at first when I saw them at the baby store I thought, "how ridiculous is that?!?! who needs a special container for their binky??"  Well, I'm here to tell ya, I DO. I NEED A SPECIAL CONTAINER FOR THE BINKY.  It is so handy! I never have to go hunting for the binky. It is always there, and always keeping clean.  I keep a leash on the binky too so I don't have to worry about it falling on the ground.  The binky pod remains forever attached to the outside of the diaper bag for easy access. I have to say, it was even a little stressful taking it off for this photo.  I triple checked to make sure I attached it back after I was done.

Most important though, is that you keep these items organized, and put them in the same place every time.  I prefer diaper bags with lots of pockets for this very reason.  This way, you don't have to hunt and get all frustrated while you have a screaming, dirty, hungry child in your arms.  You know you have what you need, and you know right where it is.

Aaaand, that's the contents of the bag.  Maybe next time I will tackle the Mom purse?  Or, maybe not.

Mother's Day

     Today is Mother's Day.  This is the seventh Mother's Day I have had the blessing to celebrate.  Every year, for the past seven years, on this day I try to take a moment and reflect on motherhood.  Think about my gratitude, my children, growth, change, and love.  This year is no exception.
     This year I have an overwhelming surge of gratefulness to my children. It occurred to me this morning,  that I am who I am today because of these kids. They have been the main push on a daily basis to get me to WANT to be a better person. They have been my inspiration, my strength, and my support. They are my drive. I want to be the very best me I can be, so I can be the best Mom I can be for them. They have each taught me so many lessons on patience, sympathy, empathy, surrender, excitement, chaos, compassion, and love. Every day, I learn something about myself because of them.  I cannot help but think how lucky I am that God chose me to be their Mom.
     I also started thinking about my Mom this Mother's Day.  I began to further understand how she too must have felt these similar emotions towards me and my brother in her life. One of the greatest lessons she taught me was the unconditional love a mother possesses towards her children.  She loves us. She loves us FIERCELY and COMPLETELY.  She loves us all the way, every bit of us... even the parts that she may wish she could change or take away... she loves those too because she knows that even those parts make us who we are.  I understand this now, because this is how I feel about my children too.
    As I reflected on my Mom, I also thought about BBH's Mother too.  I felt a wash of gratitude for her for bringing him into my life.  She raised him to be the amazing husband and father that he is, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
     Grandmother's too. I thought about my Grandma. How special she is to me.  How she has taught me strength. How she has blossomed in a time when many women would wither.  My other Grandma, and how much I miss her.  How I wish she could have met my children, but how much her influence still flows in this family.  My children's grandmothers.  My Mom and my Mother in Law have got to be the two BEST Grandmas (GeeGee and Nana respectively) on the planet, and how lucky my kids are to have them both in their lives.
    What a beautiful and precious gift this Motherhood. What a blessing and a teacher it is. It is absolutely, unequivocally, and unquestionably the MOST important thing I will EVER do. It is, without a doubt, the BEST thing I have ever done, and I hope to always be grateful for the amazing women who came before me to show me the way.

Happy Mother's Day.

Earning A Belt

     Larger Child started his evolution in to tae-kwon-do about three years ago.  His Nana heard about a new school opening up that incorporated Christian teachings into their karate curriculum.  They were young, new, and very reasonably priced, so he and his cousin both got signed up to take classes. He seemed to instantly enjoy the classes, though at the time the only other regular interaction he got with kids his own age was his once a week Mother's Day Out school.  But, he was always eager to go, listened well, and enjoyed mastering new skills.
     Fast forward a couple of years... Larger Child is still taking classes, but we are having arguments to get him to go. It became a fight to get him up and ready... He was pouty and argumentative.  We finally had to have a talk with him about it. Through this time period, he learned that if he signs up to do something, he cannot quit until his commitment has been upheld.  He must see things through.  Mommy and Daddy will not allow anything less.  He finished the semester grudgingly.
     We assumed that would be it. We thought he tried it, decided it wasn't for him and was going to move on.  But something happened.  I am not sure what exactly, but he wanted to go back. We explained that if we signed him up for the next year, he would have to commit to finishing without complaint.  He seemed okay with that.  So, our five year old gave it another year.
     By this point, he had become a big brother.  Now, I am not sure if this fact had anything to do with the change we were soon to see in him, but this fact to infiltrate every part of his persona, so I would like to think it may have had some impact on his class as well. He found a new determination and a new focus.  He began to practice at home.  He quit complaining. He never had to be talked in to going.  It was something he looked forward to.  I was proud, and quite frankly surprised to see the welcomed change.
     Then came the end of the year belt testing.  This is when Mama had to learn her lesson about letting go.  He had new forms to remember, and new skills to master.  I wanted desperately to learn them myself so I could work with him and make sure he had it perfect. I knew though, that he was getting to an age that he would have to start taking some responsibility for his own preparation and readiness. I HAD TO LET GO.
    Today was his belt ceremony.  After a week of wondering, "Did he do it? Did he do enough? Will he be disappointed?  Will he be heartbroken?  What do I do if he doesn't?" etc, I got to see him walk up on stage and get his yellow belt.  I got to see him beam with pride, and I was beaming right back at him!!

    He looked at the new belt with near marvel...

His brother was pretty fond of it too!

These are his instructors (Sensei?) With Jake wearing his new belt for the first time. They are incredible and loving people.  We are blessed to have their guidance in our child's life.

So proud of my Sugar Bee.  What an amazing boy his is!

My Little Giggle Monster

Smaller Child is just flat out a happy baby. His laugh melts my heart. 

Happy Ten Months, Little Man!

Mother's Day Tea

       This Friday, my Larger Child's kindergarten class invited the moms to join them for an afternoon of celebration of all things Mom.  I luckily found a wonderful friend to watch Smaller Child so I could go and devote 100% of my attention to Big Brother, without distraction.
     Larger Child was clearly very excited about this day. He talked about it all week, reminding me of the time, and even letting me in on some of the "secret surprises" that would be in store for me.  When I dropped him off for school that day, he swiftly kissed my cheek and said, "See you soon Mom! I'm so excited!"
     We were greeted at the door with a flower and the hand of our child to escort us down the "Red Carpet" (strip of red butcher paper) and introduced to the class one by one. Larger Child was beaming, which of course made me beam as well.  He pulled out my chair and informed me that this was where I was suppose to sit.  He also didn't fail to mention to me that he wasn't allowed to sit in a chair, they were "for the Mom's" but that he was allowed to sit in my lap.  I looked at his hopeful eyes, and instantly swooped him up to put him in my lap.

     It dawned on me, at that moment, how much this boy has grown.  Yes, the 45+ pounds of boy crushing my lap did help reenforce this fact, as did the lanky legs and long arms that touched the ground almost the same as mine did. But, it was something more.  His eloquence. His demeanor.  His spirit.  He has always seemed older than his age, but there was something there that day that helped me to realize my baby boy was no more.  There was a full fledged young man with me, a young man learning manners, chivalry, and kindness.  It was nearly overwhelming.

   After some cuddles and chatting, he then proceeded to show me the gifts he had made for me.  A Mother's Day card, ceramic print of his hand, a paper teapot and teabag, and a place mat.  He had worked hard on these gifts, and his pride was glowing in his face! I was touched!!

     The place mat may have been one of the cutest things I have ever seen. One side he drew a picture of the two of us in a flower field.  The other side was a drawing he did of me, and some of his favorite things about me. 

I mean, come on.... does it get much sweeter than that???

     The kids then all filed up to the front of the classroom where they sang us a few songs (including You Are My Sunshine) and recited us a poem that each of them had memorized a line from.  I am pretty sure you could get a group of kindergarteners to do anything in unison and it would be just precious.  But, because one of them was MY kindergartener, and he was singing those songs to ME, well... my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. 

     After the adorable entertainment, they each served their mothers cookies, fruit and pink lemonade.  This was one of the surprises that he had made me privy to before that day.  We had a long joking discussion about me being lured there under false pretenses, asking him where my tea was! (I love the fact that I can use language like that and joke with my six year old in that way and he not only understands, he is as equally prepared to joke back!) He also let me know, in a slightly disappointed tone, that he wouldn't be allowed to eat until after the Moms were done. 

     After snacks, we were lead outside and informed that we would be planting a flower in the school's butterfly garden together.  We chose a begonia.  Jake and I planted it together, and discussed how he could come and visit the flower and remember how we planted it together when he did. 

     After the flower planting we headed home.  I thanked him again, and squeezed him hard. I told him how much I loved him and how grateful and proud of him I was. I was THRILLED to spend this time with Larger Child. I was even more thrilled at how much it seemed to mean to him. It really was a wonderful day. 

Chuckle for your Day