Just Thursday

It's Thursday. Played tennis this morning . . . but I don't really want to write about that. Didn't win. Played well, had fun . . . and, as we tell Big on the Soccer field, that's what it's all about.

Enjoying the newly created car pool that my neighbor and I have set up. For the past two weeks, she's been dropping off and picking up my girls each Tues/Thurs. Now for the next few weeks, it's my turn. I tell you what: car pooling is worth every penny we paid for the new car with more seats. The 'off' days are heaven! So today I played tennis and did not have to worry about who was going to get my kids at preschool. Nice.


The in-laws arrive in the morning. It's just a weekend visit, but we have seemed to find a way to cram a lot of stuff into 72 hours. Football game, pumpkin patch, and soccer are 3 of the items on our agenda. I hope the girls are up for it all. I hope their mommy is, too. I've already thought about keeping Big home from preschool on Monday so she can recover.

We had a play date with a neighbor today, and I left drooling over her house. It's beautiful. She's lived in the 'Hampton for 8 years . . . so she's had time to update and modify her home. Did I mention it's beautiful? I came home to my green sofa and white kitchen and was instantly envious of her lovely decor. I tried to remind myself that we've been too busy moving in and having babies to have time to decorate like she has . . . we will get to it someday. The grass is always greener, as they say.


Enjoyed the play date (after getting over the home envy). Big and her friend play so well together -- and they even let Little participate. I got to stay and chat with my neighbor, who I adore and feel I have a lot in common with. She told me she and her husband are trying for a 3rd child. I told her that I guess Jim and I should go ahead and have a 3rd kid or else we will be one of very few families in the 'Hampton that only have 2. Don't want to feel like and underachiever . . . I mean really. Many of my neighbors just had, are pregnant with, or are actively talking about their 3rd kid. I've heard that "3" is the new "2" when it comes to kids . . . but the old "2" might be just fine with us.


Had left over lasagna for dinner tonight. I'm thrilled that my children have come around to liking Stouffer's lasagna. Yes, the frozen kind. It's a super easy back up meal that I can keep on hand for nights when I just don't feel like really cooking. Both Big and Little gobbled it up early this week, and they were equally as pleased the second time around. I think I have Garfield to thank for this . . . ever since we discovered his cartoons on TV, Big has been in love with him. As soon as I mentioned lasagna for dinner, she was screaming, "That's what Garfield loves!" and then proceeded to eat her entire entree. And Little, in true Little fashion, was super excited because her big sister was super excited. Thanks, Garfield. Maybe I can find another cartoon role model that gobbles up salads, casseroles, and Mexican dishes . . . more non-faves of my kiddos.


Read some of our fall stories to the girls at bedtime tonight. As soon as I opened up and distributed our fall seasonal decor, I uncovered a handful of seasonal books that I had totally forgotten about. I was instantly impressed with myself for putting these stories away at the end of last autumn. It gives us something fresh and timely to read these days -- something that is as nice for me as it is for the girls. "Pumpkin Town" is a favorite, as is "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat". I'd like to thank myself publicly for being so cool and stashing those books away this time last year.


And that's it. Just Thursday around here.

Big Melts My Heart

"Mommy, tell me again what exquisite means . . ."


The girls are in a Sesame Street revival around here. They LOVE that show -- the 'Abby's Flying Fairy School' segment and anything with Murray the puppet, in particular. Each episode has one word that they use throughout to increase preschool vocabulary, and Big is soaking those up like a Bounty paper towel. :)




"Exquisite means that something is very beautiful and very special. Like your sparkly headband -- it's very beautiful and very special, so it is exquisite," I explain to my 4 year old.





"And my Princess bike. It's very special and very beautiful. It's exquisite," she replies.





"You got it," Mom confirms.





"You mommy. You are very beautiful and very special, so YOU are exquisite." As she says this, my face turns to a grin and I bend down to be exactly eye level with my wonderful little girl. I hug her close and give her a kiss.





"You are a sweetie, Big. Thank you for saying I'm exquisite. You are exquisite, too."





I couldn't make this up if I tried . . . she is such a sweetheart, she my heart melts daily just by being around.

Garage Clean Out

Sorry I fell off the wagon there for a few days. You see, we have the in-laws coming for a visit this weekend, and I got all wrapped up in doing some things around the 'Hampton to get ready. Nothing like a MIL to motivate you to clean your house.

Or your garage.

Speaking of -- does anyone keep their garage clean?

We don't. I think it's because it's the one area of our house that I kind of leave to Jim for cleaning . . . and if you've ever seen his side of our bed or his side of our closet, you know how 'clean' our garage stays. (Translation: not that clean.)

About once a year, I get to the point where I can't take it any more. The driveway toys are too dirty, the area where we allow junk to collect has become so overrun with junk we can't use it any more, and the yard equipment has leaked out into parking areas and must be moved to get to bikes. The clutter and the misplaced junk in our garage starts to wear me down, and I have to call for a 'Garage Clean Out' day in our household.

Did I mention we have a 2 car garage and only park on one side? That should tell you the amount of junk that piles up in a year's time. It's nuts.

The last time we did this, look how little Little was . . .

Now about 15 months have passed, and we tackled the job again. This time was a lot more 'fun' -- if you can call garage clean out fun. Both of the girls are old enough to help. And no doubt about it: we put them to work. Everyone worked hard on this project.

Little washed the outside toys.

Daddy hung up big hooks so we could get our um-teen million strollers off the floor. (We have, seriously, a fleet of strollers . . . last count, we had 6.)

And Big walked around with my camera, documenting everything in our house for insurance purposes. Nothing like giving your 4 year old the camera to play with . . . she had a blast and just walking around and shooting everything she saw. Literally.

(That last one is play food from her kitchen, I promise.)

You always find crazy stuff doing this kind of clean out. Big uncovered something I think Daddy wore for Halloween once, and she also managed to find all of her 'swimming' Barbies buried among the pool and beach gear. Little --well, she's so fun. Anything she found was a treasure . . . including Daddy's stud finder, which she called her 'beeper'.

And then there were the paint cans. The lovely woman that lived here before us left us a bunch of junk in our garage in our (at that time) unfinished basement. We had our agent call her agent a BUNCH of times to request that she clean it up before closing, but the only thing she came back and actually got was the darling little 2-seater BMW that sat in our garage until literally a few hours before the papers were signed. The rest of her junk was left for us to deal with. Figures.

The paint cans have been the bain (bane?) of my existence . . . when it comes to the garage, at least. The previous owner left us two cabinets full of partially used -- even full! -- cans of paint. Because we all know that I wanted to use her old, smelly paint to touch up my walls that I had repainted entirely with much better colors within days of our house closing. And because we all know how easy it is to get rid of paint. Yeah, just stick it in the garage to be picked up on Monday.

Um. Nope. It's such a royal pain to get rid of paint. If you have thrown your own cans away in the garbage, I urge you to Google the proper way to dispose of it.

Here -- look at this craziness.

After 3 years of living with this in our garage cabinets, I've now left Jim in charge of getting rid of the paint. And he often follows up on projects like that about as well as he keeps the garage clean.

Something tells me that my paint pyramid tower might still be standing where it is the next time we go to clean out the garage, sometime in 2011.

Anyway, nothing but a good old family clean out going on around here. My motivation has spilled out into the main floors of our house . . . cleaning and putting away my mom's china in our china cabinet, hanging up and rearranging photos on our walls, etc. Like I said, nothing like the visit of family to give you the kick in the pants you need to actually get stuff done around your house.

I Have Everything Under Control

I am standing by my bed, folding the third load of laundry for the day. I look at the clock. It's 3:10pm.

20 minutes 'til we leave for dance. Big is already dressed for her class. Little is already up from her nap. They are both playing nicely with the Princess Castle in Big's room.

I allow myself to think, "Good. We are in good shape. We've got 20 minutes until we leave. No problem."

I continue to fold my laundry. I finish and glance at the clock. 3:17pm. 13 minutes until we leave for dance.

I decide I have enough time to put away the girls laundry -- which requires me to make a few trips from my bedroom full of nicely folded laundry to their rooms down and across the hall. I put away all of their laundry -- hanging items, too -- because, heck, I have things under control. PLENTY of time.

All done. 3:25 pm. We need to leave for dance in 5 minutes -- but everyone is ready. I have everything under control.

I start to round up the girls to make our way downstairs. But, before we go down, Big declares that she has to go to the bathroom. Even though she just went -- and she's fully dressed in tutu, leotard, and tights.

We get her stripped down, she goes potty (she did have to go, really), and we redress her. I glance at the clock in her room: 3:28 pm. 2 minutes. We will be fine. All we have to do is load up and go.

Again I rally the troops, and this time we go downstairs. I decide to carry Little in an effort to save time -- and I realize she has a poopy pull up. Even though SHE just went potty and was changed just before the laundry was folded. I strip her down, change her (nasty) pull up, redress her.

It's now 3:30. OK, now we have GOT to go.

And nobody has on shoes. And now Big starts asking for a snack to eat on the way to dance -- which means that Little must pipe in with a 'Me Too!', naturally.

Big is asked to get the shoes out of the closet as I frantically grab some Ritz crackers and two cheese sticks from our kitchen. I throw them in little plastic bowls to be eaten in the car. Little is supposed to be on 'snack restriction' in the car because she is beyond messy most of the time -- but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Big has held up her end of our deal -- shoes are out of the closet and on her feet as I return to the hallway. I throw Little's crocs on her, stash the snacks in my purse, and get the kids into the car. It's past 3:30 now.

There are 3 stop lights between our house and the dance studio. I get caught by two of them.

And when we arrive at dance, we are 5 minutes late. The studio door is closed. Big does not have her dance shoes on, and the Ritz crackers have spilled all over my purse.

As I fumble over the buckles on Big's patent leather tap shoes, I laugh at myself. Like I said, I have everything under control.

A Big Question

When it comes to raising the girls, there are some things that I keep telling myself, "We will cross that bridge when we come to it." Or "I'll worry about that when they ASK about that."

Getting a family dog is probably the # 1 item on that mental list I have running of things I'm not yet ready to address with my children. I like dogs (ok, I tolerate dogs), but I won't get one until one of my kids asks -- BEGS -- us to get one. There are other things on the list . . . boy-girl party attendance, wearing make up, shaving legs, etc. Most of the items on the list seem like things I won't have to address until LONG in the future, so I'm happy to keep the list running in the back of my mind, paying no real attention to any of those things as I go about life with my little girls.

Today was the first time that one of those items -- the parenting pitfalls that I'm procrastinating -- came off the list. Big asked about something I thought I would not have to deal with for at least a few more years to come.

"Mommy, I want to go get my ears poked so that I can have holes in them and wear earrings," said Big on our car ride after preschool this morning.

Wow. Where did THAT come from? Out of the blue, no warning, no idea where she had heard of getting her ears 'poked' so she can have earrings. Must have been someone at school.

"You do? Where did you hear about that? Which one of your friends has her ears pierced?" I asked in reply.

"Nobody. I just thought of it myself. I want to wear earrings, so can we get my ears poked?"

After informing her that the word is 'pierced' -- not poked -- Big and I had a serious discussion about what exactly that means. I told her that it would, in fact, hurt -- but not too bad. Like a shot or a finger prick -- which sounded OK to Big. I told her that she can't change her earrings for a LONG time after getting them pierced, and that even when she can, she can't wear 'dangling' earrings for an even longer period of time. We talked about your ears needing special care when they are pierced. We talked again about it hurting. We discussed the entire idea of 'getting your ears pierced' for our entire car ride.

The whole time, I was thinking, "She's ASKING to get her ears pierced. I always said I'd worry about that when she asked for it, and now she IS asking. And she's only 4. Is she too young? I can't believe she is asking me already!! She taking things off my list!"

Simultaneously, I was thinking, "Newly pierced ears are a LOT of maintenance. Will she be able to take the constant cleaning, the constant turning, the occasional pain? Am I willing to deal with all of that? Will Jim mind? Maybe we should wait a while on this one."

And, in the back of my mind I was mulling over, "Maybe we should wait and make this a big event -- like for her 5th birthday or something. And where would I take her? Are those little boutiques in the mall sanitary?"

All of this was racing through my mind, just because my 4 year old asked to get her ears pierced.

In the end, I told her that maybe we should wait until she is older, like for her 5th birthday. And she liked the sound of that. I also told her we should certainly talk about it more and really, truly think about it before we do it. And we should ask Daddy when he thinks. I reminded her that it might hurt a little and that it we will have to take special care of her ears for a while. It's a lot to think about.

"I've already been thinking about it, Mommy. I was thinking about it for a while before I asked you," was how Big ended our discussion.

Well, she really ended the discussion with, "When I get my ears pierced, can I borrow some of your earrings?"

Sure, Big. Just take two items off my list of things I don't want to deal with yet -- getting your ears pierced AND borrowing my stuff. While we are at it, why don't you ask for a dog, too?

Flashbacks

It's sometime in the early 1980s -- I'm about 4 years old. My dad is not home -- he works 'swing shift' for the airline, though at my age I have no idea what that means. All it means to me is that he's not usually home for dinner or bedtime, and he is not usually home on Saturday or Sunday like other dads. He works a lot, takes care of our family, and it's just me and mom lots of the time.

We are in our small, two bedroom apartment in El Segundo, CA. My mom and I. It's night -- time for me to go to bed, but I'm not in my own bedroom. I never sleep there. When it's my bedtime, I crawl up into my mom and dad's bed and cozy in on my dad's side. The left side. It's time for me to go to bed, and so I'm laying down, watching TV with my mom.

She's ready for bed, too. She smells like cigarettes and baby powder, and the room is warm and sweet with the humidity of her just-taken shower. It's a small room, even though it's the master in our apartment. There is a big sliding glass door on her side of the bed that looks out onto our little patio with a painted-green floor. The humidity from her shower spills out from the bathroom and steams up the screen on the small bedroom TV, even touches the sliding glass door. Mom's hair is just a little bit wet on the ends as she sits on her side of the bed. Sometimes it splashes me as turns her head toward her nightstand. Sometimes it drips down on to her silky nightshirt, the kind that are so smooth and cool, they feel refreshing when I snuggle with her.

I'm tired. The room is not dark. The TV is on. But this is how I go to bed -- so it does not bother me in the slightest. When my eyelids get too heavy to hold up any longer, I put my left thumb in my mouth and roll over to face away from my mom. I face toward the bathroom. I listen to the local advertising, and then I listen to whatever show my mom is watching for just a few moments before I drift off to sleep. Sometime later, I wake slightly as my dad puts his big arms under my knees and shoulders, carries me into my room. I roll over again and easily fall back to sleep, still sucking that left thumb.


I've been having these flashbacks lately. They are induced by Big, I'm certain -- her age, our relationship. She and I had a 'sleep over' in my bed last week, and it was all I could to do stop remembering those countless nights I slept with my own mom when I was her age. I slept with her every night. Every night -- and my dad would, without fail, come in, scoop me up and put me in my own bed when he got home from work around 1 or 2 am.

When I was older, I wondered why my mom always had me sleeping with her. I thought it was me. The only child, afraid to sleep in my own big bed. I always thought it was my doing -- I must have begged to sleep with her. I must have made it hard for her to say no by throwing tantrums or refusing to go to bed in my own room. I thought I was the one wanted to sleep with her.

But now I think that maybe it was she who wanted me in the bed with her. You see, there is nothing in the world more cozy, more loving, more wonderful than cuddling up in the bed with your own child. To smell their sweet smells, to listen to them breathe. Now that I'm the mom, I would do it every single night, if I could. I would let Big or Little (or both) sleep right next to me every night Jim is away if I could. If I didn't fear the battle that would ensue on the nights Jim IS home and we want our bed back. I don't think there is anything more wonderful than sleeping with my children.

And I bet my mom felt the exact same way. I bet she relished having her only daughter sleep soundly right next to her. I bet she loved it. Now that I have my own daughters, I can see how easy it was for her to fall into the pattern of letting me sleep with her night after night. It was comforting to her. It was company in that big bed.

I'll have to assume that is was her that wanted me in that bed with her. I want to assume that. I want to think that she felt the same way about sleeping with her daughter as I feel about sleeping with mine.

Man, I wish I she were here so we could talk about it. I'd love to know for sure.

Home from Hilton Head

We left the 'Hampton this week. The girls now get a 'Fall Break' from preschool -- the whole county school system gets it, actually -- so we took advantage of a preschool/dance/gymnastics free week to scoot off to Hilton Head, SC.

Hilton Head is such a lovely vacation destination. Only about 5 hours by car from the 'Hampton (even less w/o numerous potty breaks required by preschoolers), we've enjoyed all that Hilton Head has to offer a couple of other times in our life as a family. Bike riding, beautiful beach, resort pools, mini golf, fabulous seafood meals . . . it's a great spot for a short OR long getaway.

Of course, Big and Little couldn't care less about the bike riding and beach going -- those girls had more fun pushing the buttons on our hotel elevator than just about anything else we did on our trip. Seriously, I think the next time we need a vacation, we could just get a room at our local Comfort Inn -- as long as it has a dozen or so floors -- and let them ride the darn elevator up and down and up again. Every time we left the room at our resort, there was a battle between the girls about who would push the call button and who would subsequently get to push the button for our desired floor. EVERY. TIME. It was a hoot.

Like the box a toddler's Christmas present came in, the elevator was one of the most enjoyable parts of our Hilton Head vacation for Big and Little -- though we thought there'd be much more entertaining and/or exciting things to be enjoyed.

Kidding aside -- we did a lot of great stuff while we were away. The point of this vacation was to get away just the four of us -- Mom, Dad, Big, Little. We've been on a few trips already this year -- but those were different. This was just US -- no grandparents, not on a mission to visit anyone, just a few days for US. It's fun to do that . . . necessary, I think. The rules feel different on this kind of trip, the plan is always changeable based on whatever your kids want to do, and you don't have to go out to dinner hours earlier than everyone else because your party is so large. It's very, very nice to get away with just the four people I love most and spend most of my time with.

(Don't get me wrong, grandparents and others we've visited. We love you, too.)

We arrived Wednesday, and immediately Big and Little were jonesing for the beach. It was early evening, which is my FAVORITE time to be on the beach, so we happily dropped our gear, put on our suits, and hit the sand.

Ah, yes . . . the sand. That is the only negative about the beach, in my opinion. Being sandy, carrying sand in every crevice of your body, finding sand in places sand should not be once you return home to your far-from-the-beach suburban neighborhood. And to have 2 young kids PLUS sand . . . it's enough to make a Type A person like me totally loose my cool. But -- I told myself before we left not to get annoyed with the sandiness of the beach. Or the sandiness of my kids. Especially when it came to my (still new) vehicle we drove on the trip. And I did a great job of keeping my promise to myself. As I type, the car sits in the garage, fully vacuumed and cleaned out . .. and this was done within an hour or so of our return home. Yes, I felt the urge to clean it almost immediately after we returned . . . but I swear I didn't bitch about the sand ONCE while we were away.

Anyway, back to our beach fun.

The light in the evening on the beach is truly magical . . . so I shot a million pictures while the girls had their first taste of the Atlantic. (I guess technically Big has hit the Atlantic twice before, but it was a true first for Little.)

I love my kids on the beach. They are fearless. They love the water, the sand, the waves. They make vacation so very much fun because they have such blast. Just watching them and playing that first night was enough for me. I told Jim then -- "That's it. THIS was what I've been craving in a beach vacation. Thank you -- I can go home now." Of course, we didn't go home. We eventually got cleaned up, ate pizza in our jammies back in our room, and soaked up some time together.

Thursday we did pretty much the same thing -- we jumped right out to the beach after breakfast, and we hit the pool when we got tired of the salty water. Big attempted a bike ride on her Princess bike we'd brought from home -- and she did pretty good. As well as any 4 year old, I'd imagine. We ate a great dinner together at the Salty Dog Cafe . . . and Big picked out matching pink T Shirts for Little, herself, and me to take home as our souvenirs.

Friday we met up with some buddies of ours -- a family we have known as long as they've been a family. Even longer, actually. They were staying close by on a vacation of their own, so we thought we'd get together and share some fun. We biked, the kids (our two girls and their two boys) all climbed the Harbor Town Lighthouse, and we ended up spending the whole afternoon lounging in the pool at their awesome rented beach home. We finished the day with margaritas -- I mean PORTRAITS. Portraits on the beach. Portraits . . . splashing in the waves . . . and throwing starfish back from the shore. It was a great, great day.

Saturday is was just us four again, and we let the girls decide what they'd want to do. At first the plan was for a round of mini golf and some local island shopping . . .but then the girls decided after breakfast that they would rather swim in the pool and go build a turtle in the sand on the beach. So that's exactly what we did.

Our last dinner in Hilton Head was at our favorite spot, Hudson's. We like to arrive early and enjoy the sunset and the acoustic guitar out behind the restaurant -- a tradition that I think they do every day and one we have not yet missed on any of our visits to the island. We knew we couldn't miss Hudson's -- so we saved it for our last night in town.

This visit to Hudsons -- with both girls along for the first time -- was different from the rest. In the past, we've had a drink on the back deck, eaten our dinner, and enjoyed our quiet, peaceful night together. This time, we felt far from alone at our dinner. We could not move through the restaurant without people stopping us to admire our girls and comment on how adorable and well behaved they were (are). I'm not saying this to brag -- though I am a proud mom and would take advantage of a bragging point -- I'm saying this because it was a major part of our dinner experience.

As we walked around the outside of the restaurant, one family banged on a glass window from inside to grab my attention and mouth "She is so cute!" as they pointed at Little.

Our table neighbors came over to us at the end of the meal to express how grown up and polite Big is (after seeing her lead us in prayer before our meal).

The manager told us we had some 'major cuties' at the table as he refilled our water glasses, and the host outside the restaurant told us we won the 'Most Beautiful Family' award for the night as we left the restaurant at the end of our meal.

I kid you not -- it was one family after another, expressing their admiration for our two and four year old daughters. I started to feel like we must be some kind of spectacle to get such attention. Was this the first time people had ever seen two sisters dressed in matching dresses?

I'll say no -- that it really was the kindness of strangers bestowed upon us because we are a good looking young family. Because my kids are polite and say, 'thank you' when complimented and behave plesantly when out to dinner. Whatever it was, I left the restaurant feeling like the most lucky mother in the world to be a part of such a wonderful, awe inspiring family.

Really, that's how I felt as we left Hilton Head this morning. Feeling so lucky, so blessed to have such a great family. I know that I complain a lot about it all . . . the young kids, the traveling husband, etc. I do my fair share of griping right here on this blog, that is for certain. But after a few days like these I just had, it's easy forget how hard it can be at times. It's easy to see how lucky I am to have what I have and WHO I have to share it all with.

Thank goodness for family vacation. Jim and I spent the ride home discussing where we will go the next chance we have to take our girls away again, just us four.

The Warm Up

For some reason, whenever we go on playdates, Big needs about 30-45 minutes to 'warm up' to her friends. Even if she knows them well. And plays with them nearly every day. And BEGS to have a playdate with that person.

I have no idea what this is about. We get all psyched up about playing with a friend, and then -- shortly after we arrive -- Big often turns into a whiner.

"I'm hungry." at 9:30 in the morning, and we ate our breakfast in the car on the way to the event.

"I'm tired." after a 2 hour nap in prep for whatever playdate or event we are attending with friends.

"He/she won't play with me." when we've been there a total of 10 minutes and she just spent the previous 8 minutes telling me she is hungry and tired.

Like I said, NO idea what this is about. I mean, I have a pretty good kid. She's fairly easy to get a long with, and I know she has a lot of friends. She loves going on playdates -- and we do them quite a bit. She gets all excited, talks about it for days leading up (if that much lead time is given) -- even does things like picks out special outfits or plans special games, all in anticipation of playing with a friend.

Then the playdate arrives, and Big suddenly becomes somebody that nobody wants to play with.

Usually, after about a half an hour or so, the playing FINALLY commences, and the playdate goes off without a hitch. It's just getting through that initial period that takes some teeth gritting and behavior management -- mainly by me. I'm the one that gets annoyed. The other kid rarely notices . . . it's just Mom tuned in to the whining and complaining coming out of Big.


I'm sure it's mostly a 'me' thing, anyway . . . I have a feeling Big does not do this as much when I'm not around. She has a tendency to act WAY more difficult -- excuse me, I mean way more different-- when I'm around. People swear she is an angel on the playdates I don't attend, and my dad is convinced Big only misbehaves in my presence. Which is a real shame -- because I LIKE going on lots of the playdates Big attends. It's typically a chance for me to chat with another adult . . . once the first 30 minutes is past and Big is actually playing and having a great time with her friends, and I am allowed the time to decompress and chat.

And no -- arriving early to a playdate does not help. Big just stands around asking me 1,000,000 times . . . "When will so-and-so arrive?!" And then when they do arrive, we still have the same reaction we would have had without me having to be badgered for the 15 or so minutes leading up to our date.


Guess I'll have to start warning my friends about the 'warm up' period. Just so they know that my kid IS fun and that she is worthy of the playdate invitation. And so that I keep getting invited along on the playdates . . . because Mommy needs them as much as Big.

Gooooaaaaallllll!

Just a quick note to record: Big scored a goal today at her soccer game!

And not like last week's goal . . . where she was just kinda standing in the vicinity of the goal and happened to get the last foot on the ball before it went in. I mean, she still gets credit for that in my book, but I'm not sure SHE even knew she kicked that one in.

Today, Big took control of the ball at mid field, dribbled it town in 4 or 5 kicks, then whacked that ball right into the goal. Go Big! It was a hard earned score, with the other 5 kids on the field dragging behind her, trying to steal her glory. But she remained in control of the ball and scored a hard fought, well earned point for her team (who doesn't keep score).

I was so proud on the sidelines, watching my big kid. And to see her little face light up when she realized what she'd done -- and when she realized that the cheering from the fans was all for her -- well, that was priceless.

Hopefully the beginning of many soccer successes to come.

But I'm not holding my breath . . . tonight at dinner, when I asked Big what her favorite part of the soccer game was, she replied with, "Ummmm . . . sitting on the sides and drinking my water from my Princess water bottle. (pause) And snack after the game. (pause) Who is bringing snack next week, Daddy?"

A Haircut

I cut my baby's hair.

Sniff. Sniff.

Well, I didn't actually cut it -- a much more trained professional did . . . and thank God I'm writing about THAT and not some tragedy like Big getting a hold of some scissors . . . but any way you slice it, it was a traumatic event for Mommy.

The time had come, and Little needed a haircut. She's 2+ now, and her hair was really starting to grow in all different directions. I had held out long enough. You know it's bad when Grandaddy -- who thinks the girls are beautiful in any state -- made the comment that Little's hair was getting a little wacky. I was pulling it up every single day because it looked so crazy when left down . . . so I really knew the time had come.

With Big, I was not at all apprehensive about cutting her baby hair. She was just about 15 months old when I took her for the first time . . . much earlier than little sister. But -- I learned my lesson with Big. When you cut those baby curls, they don't come back. The baby hair is never the same after it's cut . . . it's just not baby hair anymore. Big's first shear shocker came when she was so tiny -- and her curls were gone before I knew it. I was not about to do the same thing to Little. So I held out as looooong as I could . . . but I did realize that one day her hair would need cutting. And so that day was last Thursday.

Camera in tow, we visited our favorite children's haircut establishment: Pigtails & Crewcuts.

"The pigtails are for the girls and the screwcuts are for the boys," Big announced as we walked from the car to the store.

Um, yes -- something like that, Big.

The wait was long -- I knew better than to go at 3:30pm, right after elementary school gets out -- but we waited because it was a 'now or never' situation with our schedule. The place is completely geared toward kids, with millions of toys and games, coloring books and movies -- so it didn't matter to the kids at all that we had to wait our turn. They probably would have been ticked if they hadn't been able to wait and play.

When our turn finally came, Big volunteered Little to go first (both girls were getting trimmed), and Little was a little worried. She started to whine and attempted to cry -- but I plopped her into a big yellow taxi cab seat, and she was no longer worried. She did look a little stressed at times . . . but I think that was just fear of the unknown. After all, it was her first time to sit in the fun chair and have her hair cut.

"It hurt?" she questioned.

"No, Little -- it won't hurt at all. Do you want some animal crackers?"

"Kaaa-kers! Yes peeese." And Little was all set. The promise of a lollipop at the end of the cut was all it took for Little to stop the tears and settle in for the big event.

Before I knew it, there was a little ringlet of blond curl being handed to me for my 'first cut' keepsake, and more of those little blond hairs were falling effortlessly to the ground. In about 10 minutes time, Little's baby hair was no longer baby . . . she had a real hair cut. Shorter to even it out all the way around, and little sideswept bangs because they seemed to be naturally growing in that way.

And the whole time -- during and after the cut -- I was choking back tears. Really. I wanted to cry -- and who knows why. Maybe because Little is still very much my baby, and cutting her hair made her just that must LESS baby. Who knows. But it was emotional for me, as crazy as that sounds.

Big got a hair cut next, which was really no big deal. Like I said, she's being going since she was just over a year old. Big is actually getting WAY to big to sit in the car seats they have for little ones -- but she still insists. This time, she sat in the red fire engine and turned the steering wheel back and forth every bit as much as her baby sister had done during her turn. Maybe there is still a little baby left in Big, too.

They look good, the new hair 'dos. My girls have the craziest, curliest-and-straight hair I've ever seen -- but we certainly left Pigtails and Crewcuts looking better than when we had arrived.

And now yet another milestone has come and gone for my second born -- she has officially had her first hair cut.

For the Love of Dinner

I must vent. And this might be a totally ridiculous one -- something everyone does, but I rarely hear others complain about.

If there is one thing that I do daily that, lately, is driving me nuts . . . it's the daily dinner decision.


What's for dinner? What time will we eat? If I eat enough, can I have dessert? Will the girls eat it? What did we have yesterday? What are we having tomorrow?


UGH.



Some days, I want to open our pantry and fridge and tell the girls, "Just eat whatever you want until you are full, then close the doors behind you." (I've never actually done that, but -- trust me -- I really want to.)




For me, the problem with dinner is that I have to think about it almost first thing in the morning. The thought of, "What are we doing about dinner tonight?" always crosses my mind as I put cream in my coffee and cereal on the breakfast table. And day after day, morning after morning, I get tired of planning our dinner before I've even decided what's for breakfast. Sometimes, I have to plan our nightly meals for an entire week before the week gets started to ensure I have what it takes to feed my kids all week long. It's the planning that gets to me . . . I just get tired of it. Tired of planning, of thinking about dinner all the freakin' time.



SO annoying to me -- the planning, the prep, the repetitiveness of it all. But, it has to be done.



It's all about the preparation. I have to plan our whole afternoon around what we are having for dinner and how long it will take to prepare it. Hence the need to start thinking about it in the morning -- I have to start with a 6pm dinner time, back up 30-60 minutes for prep and cooking, which means that our afternoon must revolve around what time the dinner stuff starts. I have to figure out what we are eating for dinner on busy days so that I don't get everyone home in the late afternoon, hungry and ready to eat -- and THEN have to make the dinner decision. I have to figure out what we are eating on not-so-busy days so that I can take advantage and make something that leaves good leftovers for more than one meal. Plan Plan Plan. BLECH.





If it's going to be a 'regular dinner' -- as categorized in my mind -- I probably need to take something out of the freezer first thing in the am in order to have it defrosted and ready to go by late afternoon. A 'regular dinner' is meat, veggies, and starch -- and I try to do that type of meal about 3 times a week.

* Side note: YES, I make full dinners when Jim is not home. I must -- if I only made full meals when he's here, the girls wouldn't get these nice meals often enough. Daddy or no Daddy, I want my girls to grow up with a regular meal at the dinner table. I did, and so will they. *

If it's a 'left over night', then I just have to think about what I'm going to make to go with the leftovers, if anything is needed. Those are easier days.

And then I have my 'quick nights' where the girls get Kid Cuisines, grilled cheese, frozen pizza, fish sticks, nuggets, etc. I try not to have these more than once or twice a week -- I save them for Bunco nights or nights when we are just running from one thing to another.

We don't eat out often during the week because (a) I'm not taking 2 kids out to eat solo and (b) I don't like eating fast food any more often than we already do. Our fast food is usually a quick lunch once or twice a week -- and that's enough for me.



Like emptying the dishwasher, putting away the clean laundry, changing the diapers . . . making something (healthy) for dinner is another chore that has become ridiculously monotonous for this SAHM day after day after day.



You know some of the times I am quickest to snap at Jim? When we have a date night -- or just a night when he's actually home for dinner -- and he says, "What would you like to do for dinner?" Most of the time, my quick reply is: "For dinner? I want YOU to decide what we are doing about dinner." Maybe if I don't stop snapping at him when he so kindly considers my opinion on our dinner plans, he may start trying the 'open the fridge' trick on me.

Anyway, like I said at the start -- I just needed to vent. Dinner is driving me bananas.

Hmm, Bananas . . . that's interesting . . . what can I make with bananas for dinner tomorrow?

This COULD Make it Official

Here she is: our big girl at her first soccer game. As I drove home from Quest Park and an hour of soccer fun, I wondered . . . does this officially make me a 'Soccer Mom' ??

Big is playing Smidgets Soccer -- 4/5 Yr Olds, no cleats, no score, 1/2 field soccer. Jim was a HUGE soccer player in his youth . . . his family literally traveled all over the country for his tournaments and games, and he even pursued college scholarships in the sport. He loves it. As a matter of fact, one of my memories from Big's birth was that the World Cup Soccer games were on our hospital room TV all morning . . . Jim was so excited to be at the hospital w/me so he could watch them all day. Seeing the birth of our child was exciting for him, too.

Anyway, Jim has been stoked about having a soccer playing kid since the girls were each born. And Sunday, it finally happened.

They do start soccer leagues in our area at age 3 -- but I just thought Big was not big enough for soccer last year. I envisioned myself running up and down the sidelines, reminding her that the ball was not HERS and that, yes, the other kids could kick it. We waited until the 4 year old program, and I think it was a wise move. Yesterday was a bit overwhelming for all the kids -- including Big -- and I think trying to do this a year ago would have been insane for us.

The picture above captured only a momentary breakdown -- because someone else got her ball. See? Big reminded me quickly that it's 4 year old soccer. We all have a lot to learn. Luckily, she recovered quickly and there was no more crying after the warm ups were complete.

They started with stretching, received their own individual balls, working on dribbling, then set up the game. It's 3 on 3 soccer -- there are 3 girls and 3 boys on our team -- so everyone gets to play plenty. Two fifteen minute halfs and a halftime in the middle. The total time commitment for the kids and parents is one hour each Sunday, which I think is completely age appropriate.

Oh? And did I mention? Jim is the coach.

During registration, I learned that coaches are always needed -- and since it was on a Sunday (an almost-never-travel day), I thought Jim might be up for it. I mean, he's so psyched about having our kids play soccer, I thought he might like to consider the coaching opportunity. Without hesitation, he signed up for the job. I was so proud of him -- taking on six 4 or 5 year olds is not easy, but he wouldn't miss it for the world. He's been nervous about it the past week or so . . . what to bring for snack, how to organized the kids . . . but it all fell in to place on Sunday with no problems. Jim was even complimented by some other parents about how he handled it all. Again, he makes me proud.

Once the skills session was complete and the game started, the kids were like a little clump of blue and black, huddled around the ball. There is no position playing, no strategy to learn. They just run wherever the ball is and try with all their might to get a good kick in. We are basically encouraging 2 things: don't touch the ball with your hands and kick it in the goal that belongs to YOUR team. And have fun, of course. But, by the way these kids were smiling and going at it, the fun is without question.

We all enjoyed a snack and some drinks at the end (we decided on frozen go-gurts, a big hit), and everyone looked toward our game next week.

So our first day on the fields was a success. Big had a lot of fun -- scored a goal, even! -- and Jim seemed to have a blast out there with his team. The Dragons, they are called. We all look forward to two months of cheering the Dragons toward victory . . . or at least cheering them toward the right goal.

And, by the way, I don't really consider myself a 'Soccer Mom' yet. We have to make sure the kids like the game . . . and, besides, I don't think you are truly official until you have some kind of soccer ball magnet on the back of your car.

Hello?? Are you There?

I'm here with my kids nearly every day, all day. Yet, lately, I feel like I'm not 'with' them enough. I'm not engaged. I'm just passing time, trying to get through each day. I'm here, but I'm somewhere else.



Strange to say that I'm a SAHM, and I feel like I'm not 'with' my kids enough.



I feel like I'm just passing the time from one event to another. Like right now -- I'm sitting here on the computer, Big is watching 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' for the 100th time on the TV, and I'm waiting for Little to wake up from her afternoon nap. And when she does, I'll have to find something to fill the 90 minutes or so between that wake up and my 5:30pm dinner making date. Then it's a quick two hours of meal, clean up, bath, stories, bed. Then tomorrow it starts again . . . wake up, drop off, dentist visit, kill an hour, pick up, lunch, naps, dance class, dinner, baths, bed.



Nowhere in there do I feel like I'm setting aside enough time to actually BE with my kids. I should bust out Big's preschool book and do activities with her . . . or I should at least sit with her and let her snuggle with me while she watches her movie . . . but I want to do something else.



I know other moms feel this way. I know I'm not alone. Please tell me I'm not alone. Tell me that I'm not the only one who -- after repeated requests to do so -- sits down to color with my 4 year old and immediately feels the urge to get up again. As soon as I sit down, I suddenly think of something that that needs to get done. Rarely does 'whatever it is' that has come into my mind actually NEED to get done right then . . . but, for some reason, it's like -- as soon as I engage with my child -- I feel like there is something else I'd rather do. Something else I should be doing.

I'm horrible. But, agian, I can't possibly be alone.

I force myself to do it -- play with my kids, color, watch movies with them. Sometimes I time myself . . . "Sit here with them until a quarter 'til . . . then you can get up and do something else . . ." Like I'm putting my time in.

Granted, it isn't always like this. And it seems to happen more often when we are at home, with the million distractions, million other things that need doing. When we are out of the house, I tend to be much more engaged and fun with the girls. Sounds crazy, but it's true. Sometimes, I even take us places because I know they will get my undivided attention if I do. And I know these little girls deserve my undivided attention more than I seem to give it to them.

What makes me feel real shame is the fact that the girls are not even here, just hanging out, THAT much these days. Weekends don't seem to count becuase I feel like that is my approved 'Check Out' time -- Jim is around to help and play, so I'm allowed to take an extra long shower or spend too much time on Facebook. I don't feel as guilty then. And we go to preschool all week . . . dance, gymnastics, etc. . . so there isn't a whole lot of time left for me to just BE with the girls. Still, when the time presents itself, I often find there are umpteen other things I want to get done.

Maybe it's the constantly racing mind of a mom. Maybe it's the boredom of being a stay-at-home-mom. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm 32 and want to do something more with my free half-hour than play Elefun again or watch the same episode of WorldWorld one more time.

Ah, but when I do 'put my time in' -- I often end up feeling like it was so much fun, so much more than I thought it would be. I find a teaching moment, I get a funny comment, I learn something new about my girls. So, though I might sometimes be forcing myself, I will continue to make an effort to be here more with my girls.

Because Kindergarten is looming . . . and Little wants her independence more and more each day . . . and I feel the pressure of the shortness of time. I will keep putting my time in as long as these girls are here and actually want to spend time with their mommy.

Bubbles

Because everyone loves to take pictures of their kids in the bath . . . .

Last night, the girls got to 'swim' in our master bath jacuzzi tub, and the event was quite a big deal. I am one of those (mean) moms who does not let the kids bathe in my tub too often . . . I just have this fear that if I start doing it too regularly, I'll lose my bathtub to the girls. That would just be one more thing of mine that would not longer be mine, and the 'only child' in me is fairly stingy about it.

Plus, the stinkin' tub is. like, 6 feet deep, so bathing them in their is a nightmare on my back. (That's the valid excuse I tell myself for hogging my own tub, anyway.)

So nights when mommy does let the girls swim in her tub are loads of fun . . . and bubbles. Especially when we turn on the jets.

I thought I'd get the camera out for this experience . . . and naturally, after only a few pictures, Big found a way to bump her chin (no blood). Then she wanted out -- even after all the hype (and the 20 minutes it took to fill the tub!). The pics I got are mostly of Little -- but, darn it, Little deserves to be the star of the show sometimes!

Enjoy my wet babies :)

Favorite Photo Friday

Me & Big, October 2009, Preschool Thanksgiving Party

Just one of those pictures I've always loved. I love her blue, blue eyes -- and the sweet expression on her face.

And, by the way, that's a pilgrim hat on her head. I think she should have been wearing it further back on her head . . . but if you know Big, she wears her clothes (and hats) exactly they way SHE thinks they should look.

This is Harder than I Thought!

Boy, have I said that more than a few times in the past few years . . .


What I mean this time is the blogging thing -- keeping up with it, developing interesting topics, and finding the energy to do it. I have started a few topics, but then I get distracted and don't finish them . . . or I don't develop the blog the way I want . . . or I just get tired and don't get back to the computer.

I want to keep up with the blog, but -- DUDE -- it's hard for me these days.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we have a new schedule. But it's more than that. I feel like we are in a transition phase right now . . . moving from the world of babies to the would of kids. Once, my life revolved around nap times and feeding schedules . . . but now it is more about preschool carpool and dance class start times. I feel like we are entering new territory. And with Kindergarten for Big only two seasons away, I feel like things are just beginning to change.

I'm more tired these days. I have so much more to juggle. I laugh when I look back and think how 'hard' things were before . . . not that they weren't hard, but at the fact that I ever thought they'd get easier. Some stuff is so very much easier . . . but it's been replaced by other things that are as hard as ever.

So, I'm no longer worrying about how I'm going to get through an evening with a 2 yr old and a newborn . . . but now I'm worrying about delivering snack to the preschool lassroom in time (and was it one of the approved snacks? is it healthy? will they eat it?) so that I can get back to the gym for Kate's gymnastics class, and will we have enough time to stop at the store so that I can pick up what I need to make a dinner for a neighbor and a refreshment for our tennis match the next day. I have to unpack backpacks and fulfill preschool requests in the evening while I try to make a sensible dinner for the girls, and try and find time to return a phone call or answer an email before I loose all my motivation and end up vegging on the couch (and, ultimately, falling asleep).

Somehow, blogging gets forgotten at times.

I know, I know. Those of you with older kids may laugh at this -- I realize it's only starting to be crazy this way. That's why I said I feel like we are in a transition. It's going to get nuts around here in the next few years, I can feel it.

Thank God for good friends, great neighbors, car pools, and play dates. Those are the things I'm relying on to get me through the elementary and middle school years. I know I won't be able to do this alone!

Please bear with me. I pledged to be back to blogging -- but, I must admit: It's harder than I thought!

Another Quote from Little

We've been watching a video from the library this week -- one of those Scholastic videos with 4 or 5 story books animated and read aloud. We LOVE those around there. I just ordered a big box of them through Big's school Scholastic order -- HERE is a link to them if you aren't familiar.

Anyway . . . our video contains James Marshall's redition of 'The Three Little Pigs" and in it, the Mommy Pig cries as her three piggies are leaving her at the story's start.

As the Mommy Pig is crying, Little asked me today, "Why Mommy Pig crying?"

"She's sad," was my quick response.

"Why she sad? Why she crying?" Little asked again. She wanted a better, clearer answer.

"She's sad because her three piggies are leaving her . . . they have grown up and are moving away. All mommies are sad when their babies grow up and leave. You and Big will grow up and one day move away, and then I will cry," I explained.

"You cry like Mommy Pig?" Little again inquired.

"I will. When you grow up and move away, I will cry," I firmly replied.

Her deep blue eyes looked right into mine, and she said, "Then I will give you my lovee."


What a little heartbreaker! One day she will leave and I will cry -- and I only hope something as simple and as wonderful as her little lovee will make it all better.

Living in Fear

I am currently living in fear that one or both of my girls are going to get sick.

It's inevitable. With back to school comes 'back to germs' -- and we've somehow made it through the first two weeks without a problem. I feel like it's just a matter of time.

I'm watching the girls like a hawk. We are washing hands like madwomen. Any unusual cough sends my heart racing with fear that someone is about to puke. Any lazy or lackadaisical behavior has me rubbing foreheads and tummies in search of a fever. Heaven forbid somebody sleeps in -- I've learned by now that late sleeping isn't usually a chance to be overjoyed . . . it's usually cause for alarm because it's often the first sign of illness. Today, when at mom/me gymnastics with Little, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I got a phone call on my cell from an unrecognized number . . . I was paralyzed with fear that Big's preschool was calling to report her sick and request my prompt attention to the matter.

It's really, really silly. But it's like I can't control it. Seriously, I'm terrified! What am I so afraid of, anyway? So -- they GET sick -- what is the big deal?

Honestly, there is only one thing driving my fear: vomit. I hate it. Loathe it. Can't tolerate it in the least. These girls of mine could get any flu or nasal/bronchial virus out there, and I would be the best mom and take the best care of them. I would snuggle them and do anything at all for them. But, GOD FORBID they bring home Norovirus . . . I just cannot take it.

Of course, I would take just as good of care of my girlies if they were puking . . .but it's just the whole process of the stomach virus that brings me to my knees. Literally.

It goes like this: one kid starts puking. I get her through the 6-8 hours of vomit fest, and then she is just out of it for the following 48 hours. Within usually about 12 hours of the end of the first vomit fest, the second child will get sick -- or I will come down with it. Either way, I spend days agonizing over the slightest stomach cramp or any slightly 'off' behavior displayed by the yet-t0-get-sick kid. Then, without fail, the other kid or I or BOTH of us start to get sick, and we are puking for another chunk of hours. Then everyone is feeling lousy and awful for about 2 more days. It SUCKS -- for lack of a better word. There is nothing more miserable, in my opinion.

I know all of this so well because we battled TWO different rounds of the Norovirus last year. Once in September, then again in January. And I got it both times. And I've HAD a stomach virus at least once a year since Meg was born. It's just about the most miserable thing in the entire world, in my opinion. Like I said, bring on the colds or sore throats . . . but please, please, no puking. And especially when Jim is out of town. Lucikly -- as I knock on lots and lots of wood -- Jim (or someone) has been around to help in the times when I've come down with the stomach virus simultaneously with a child. I don't know what I would do if I were to battle Queen Noro all alone.

Anyway, just wanted to share my fearfulness. I'm so scared. Living in fear stinks. Strangely enough, there is a very, tiny, itty bitty part of me that wishes we would all just get sick already and get it over with!

Favorite Photo Friday

Our Family, June 201, 2010, American Girl Cafe

Back to an old habit . . . Favorite Photo Fridays.

This one is a very recent family photo -- taken on Big's 4th birthday, after our dinner at American Girl Cafe. I just love it because we are all looking AND smiling. Is it a taste of darling family photos to come? Is it possible that I might start to get more family pictures where we are LOOKING at the camera simultaneously?

A mother can dream . . .

"Because you wuv me"

Both girls were sitting at our kitchen table this afternoon, working hard on their own individual coloring projects. Big was drawing a map . . . "In case we can't find our way home tonight after we go out to dinner," was her explanation. Little, in an effort to keep up with her constant 'monkey see, monkey do' philosophy in life, was also working on her own coloring activity in a Disney Princess coloring book.

Big was sitting at the head of our oval kitchen table; her sister was sitting 2 seats away. Their lunchbox filled with (washable -- because there is a God) crayons was between them. Without saying anything, Big got up and moved herself and her project to the seat directly next to little.

In her most mommy-like voice, as if she were quizzing her little sister, Big asked Little, "Do you know why your big sister moved over closer to you? Do you, Little?"

Without looking up from her Princess Jasmine coloring page, Little said, "Because you wuv me."

Their mommy, coloring along side them, felt her heart melt right there at the kitchen table. It melted into a little puddle, and she leaned over and kissed that sweet little blonde head of Little's. What a sweetie.

Of course, Big had to ruin the moment by correcting her little sister and informing her that she had really moved her seat to be closer to the crayons . . . but I know that there was a little part of Big deep inside that did move because she just loves her little sister to the moon.

Tennis

Ay-yi-yi. (Is that how you spell that?)





It's been a long time since this old lady has played tennis.

Me and my good ole' tennis partner, circa 2003

I've mentioned before that I'm hardly an athlete -- that working out just is not my idea of a good time -- and that I'm not as coordinated as one should be to attempt any type of game or sport. But tennis . . . well, I've played tennis before, so I guess it's the only semi-athletic thing that I can/like/will participate in.



It started shortly before high school. I was told by an uncle of mine who had a son at the Naval Academy that playing a high school varsity sport would help get me in to college. So, being that I was very college driven, I felt that I had to pick a sport.

Soccer? Tried that -- a lot of running, and I wasn't very good when I did get the ball.
Softball? Tried that too -- hated every minute.
Track? Forget it -- wouldn't voluntarily run or jump unless someone ruthless and dangerous was chasing me.
Basketball? Again, waaaay to much running and jumping for me.
Tennis? Hey -- maybe that could work . . . and, even if I don't get to play on the team so much, at least I'd look really cute in my little tennis skirt while sitting on the sidelines.



I started taking tennis lessons at age 14. I took lessons on and off for about 2 years, then I joined my high school's team. I found that doubles tennis was a lot more fun -- and less individual pressure -- and that I could probably make Varsity quickly if I was willing to play doubles. That was all it took. I played the #2 line of Varsity Doubles for my sophomore and junior years of high school. Oh, and I did I mention? My high school was not knowing for their stellar tennis teams. As a matter of fact, if I had gone to just about any other high school in the area, there is no WAY I would have made the team.



I played those 2 years in high school and figured, "A Varsity letter in Tennis and 2 years on the team -- that should be enough for a college recruiter to appreciate." And that was that.



About 6 years later, I was a new college graduate, and many of my college buddies and their friends about town were looking to form a competitive ladies tennis team. They were all of average ability -- they needed a player -- and I needed an excuse to buy more tennis skirts. I joined the ranks of ALTA Tennis and played faithfully each Sunday morning for a few seasons. I really enjoyed it -- I had a partner that I played so well with, and our team WON a lot of matches. I still was not the greatest player in the world (or on the TEAM -- or even on the court during any particular game -- for that matter), but I liked it.



Then I got engaged, got busy with wedding planning, and didn't know where I was going to live after getting married . . . so I hung up my racket. I thought I might be taking a few seasons off, but I wasn't really sure. And, again, that was that.



Now it's been 7 years. I've had 2 babies, 2 houses, and 2 different careers. And somehow, I have let someone else talk me into playing tennis again. I find myself digging out my skirts once more, and this time, the teams is serious and the ladies are all good players.



I'm rustier than I could have ever imagined. I haven't played in ages. It all feels so foreign. But I'm trying. Like I said, I never was a GREAT player to begin with . . . and now there are 7 long years standing between me and my once kinda decent ability. Yikes.



Wish me luck. The first game is next week.

And please don't say, "Break a Leg . . ." because I might actually do that in an effort to make an excuse for my horrible playing ability.

The New Schedule

Part of the reason that I stopped blogging so much was our schedule. Our daily schedule. You see, once upon a time, I used to get a nice chunk of 'free' time in the middle of the day . . . time to do laundry, catch up on dishes, return phone calls, maybe watch a tivo-ed program, and/or blog. That time, sadly, has passed. Sure, I still have a 2 year old that faithfully naps, but I also have a 4 year old that only naps on occasion. My afternoons are no longer wide open, with time for myself and anything I might like to do. I feel a lot of mom guilt when I take the mid-day time I could be spending with Big and use it to do things like blog or talk on the phone. So, my blogs have disappeared as quickly as Big's afternoon naps.

I know you are thinking, "Yes, but you have time at night . . ." and that is very true. I do put the girls to bed each night around 7:30pm, giving me 3-ish hours to myself in which I could sit here at my computer and blog. But, to be honest, many nights come . . . and I come down the stairs to my quiet main floor, both girls snuggling their lovees and drifting off to sleep in their beds . . . and the last thing I feel like doing is getting on the computer. I think I might have burned myself out on the whole computer thing. Back in the days of super busy HD Portraits, I used to jump right on the computer to edit photos, check email, etc., any free moment I had . . . but now I just don't want to. I'm over it. There is nothing on the computer that I can't look at later, when I'm in the mood for it. That's just the way it is. I'd rather watch TV or read a magazine with my free time -- return those phone calls I don't make during the day, take that shower I just never got around to. Sue me for being lazy.

Or maybe you are thinking, "You could have 'Mommy's Quiet Time" ' and require Big to lay down or do something like read books for a while each afternoon. Yeah, I've tried that. It works sometimes, and it doesn't work other times. Not to mention -- I don't get much time in my week for JUST Big. I could still take my mid-day time, but I feel that my days at home with Big are certainly numbered . . . Kindergarten and a full day 5 day a week schedule is on the horizon . . . so I've just given up my free time for, what I think to be, a greater cause.

But back to our schedule . . . yes, the schedule was a big reason why the blog took a back seat these past couple of months. And now that I look ahead to our next couple of months, the schedule is again rearing it's ugly head again. I have tried and tried NOT to over-book our lives -- especially being that I'm the only one here to deal with the busy-ness when it takes over and sends me to the brink -- but I feel as if I'm on the verge of doing just that: over booking us. We have preschool Mon-Thursday now, with Little going 2 of the 4 days. That, alone, is seriously taking some getting used to. (Whaaa Whaa, I know -- but it IS quite an adjustment for ALL of us!) We also have dance class for Big one afternoon, and then there is gymnastics for Little another afternoon. I've got a little mommy/me class I'm doing with Little one morning each week, and then I have my own tennis commitments two other mornings. The weeks are very full -- despite my conscious desire to not keep us all busier than we need to be.

It's enough to make me crazy . . . remembering who has to be where when. And remembering it all in enough time to do the necessary planning it takes to get us all there. Ugh.

Welcome to a new phase, Mom. I didn't realize it would come so soon -- only at ages 4 and 2 -- but it's here. Gone are the lazy mornings, the ability to shower mid day when the kids are sleeping, pajama days, and deciding what to do for the day after breakfast has been eaten and cleaned up. We are now in a new phase that requires lots of preplanning, scheduling, and showering every day before the kids get up (if I plan to shower at all!).

The new schedule is certainly taking some getting used to. So, how am I adjusting?

One day at a time.

P.S. --

What, you might ask, is Big doing on this Tuesday afternoon while I have found time to blog? Napping? Nope. Sitting in front of the TV, watching Word World. It seems that she, too, enjoys vegging out when she has some free time. I guess she gets it from her Mama. But she just came in to the office and asked me to come and sit in the living room with her . . . and how can I say no to that?

Back on Track . . .

This was the first week of school for Big. She's off to Pre K.

This was also the first week of 2 year old preschool for Little. She's growing too fast.

It was the first week for me and my newest endeavor: the neighborhood tennis team.

No firsts for Jim this week. His first 4 day traveling week since the 3rd week of July, but that's about it.

Anyway, since we are back on track with schedules and routine, I thought I'd try and get myself back on track with the blog. There are so many things I am constantly wanting to write about . . . our life, our experiences, our troubles and our successes . . . I think I'll see if I can get back into the swing of this blogging thing. And I like that it keeps a record of my life. A journal. I've missed that.

We will see. I can't promise myself that I'll be daily as I once was, but I can't promise I won't be, either. I'm just going to see how it goes.

So . . . to start off . . . our summer . . .

I'm happy to report that for the first time since the summer of 2005, we had a crisis-free, non-life-changing summer. Hallelujah! Five summers in a row of chaos . . . Big's birth the summer of 2006, a new house and a miscarriage the summer of 2007, Little's arrival in 2008, my mom's death and my dad's illness in 2009 . . . and then -- FINALLY -- nothing of importance to report in 2010.

I prayed for that. We did have a little health scare with my dad that turned out to be nothing as May turned into June . . . and all the while I was thinking, "Nope. He's fine. There is no way that God will give me another summer like this." Thank goodness I was right. We made it through the summer unscathed. Hooray for that.

We did our awesome Disney trip, then celebrated the girls' 2nd and 4th birthdays a month later. We made it through the anniversary of my mom's death mid summer, which was by far the hardest part of the summer season. We had a very nice 4th of July, and we enjoyed a nearly 2 week trip to the midwest and the Dahlby home at the Lake of the Ozarks in the days before going back to school.

Now were home, and all the usual stuff that comes with the fall is starting to happen. The girls are both in preschool this year -- Big goes M-Th, Little just T & Th. I am starting to play tennis with the neighborhood ladies . . . a game I played in high school and for a few seasons back in the early 2000s. It's been a looooong time since I played, and this week's first lesson totally showed that. Hopefully I will get better in time -- and if not, it's going to be a looooong season. Jim is back to his normal routine of traveling, though I can tell he is trying very hard to be around as much as he can. The end of summer is always, always so busy around here. I can tell that Jim is trying to be around for as much of it as he can, even with his hectic, never ending, overplanned work schedule.

I'm room mom for Little's preschool class. Jim is the soccer coach for Big's team. We've planned a little beach vacation for our clan of 4 in mid-September. Big has already picked out her Halloween costume. Fall is upon us (though it's still mid-August), and we are hoping to hit it full force, coming of a fairly event-free summer.

And now I'm back to blogging. At least for now I am. Like I said, we will see how it goes. I missed you all -- and if you missed me, then welcome back :)