A girl that's big

Great news everyone! #3 has finally learned to pump herself on the swing!

I ran inside to grab the camera and when I came out #3 was still beaming, excitedly proclaiming, "I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm a girl that's big!"

As happy as I am that she's is capable of swinging without my pushing her, her happy proclamation settled in my heart. It is so true. In many ways, she is not a little girl anymore. Every month, every week she sheds more and more of her baby ways. In August she'll start Kindergarten!

Maybe it's good timing. Our family should only have one baby at a time and come late August, #3 will have to relinquish her "baby-of-the-family" title to #4.

Yup. I said it.

Swing baby!

I'm sorry. I just had to add this one of Buster for juxtaposition. While my darling, little one was soaring high in her clean sun dress, my apparently red-neck son was shirt-less and barefoot gnawing the meat off a chicken leg.


Have I ever mentioned how Buster loves the feel of a bare chest? He would be shirt-less all day every day if I let him get away with it.

Humble Pie

There's nothing like your kids to keep you humble and grounded, right?

I mean, if I were in danger of having any self respect I'm pretty sure this conversation with #3 brought things right back to where they belong:

{I had just been absent-mindedly listening to her talking about something important like unicorns or flowers or something. Apparently I had been making "listening" sort of comments like, "ok" and "uh huh."}

#3: Why did you say uh oh?

me: I didn't say uh oh?

#3: Yes, you did. You said uh oh.

me: I did? Oh. Well, I'm not sure why I said that.

#3 gives me a patronizing laugh: Mom, sometimes you're not smart.

me: Ha ha. I guess sometimes I'm not smart.

{long pause}

#3: When I'm a mom am I going to be not smart and not cute?

That was a particularly delicious slice of humble pie.

Later that night I recounted the experience to Spouse. He said, "Oh that's nothing." And then he told me about an encounter he'd had with #2 that morning as he was packing his lunch for work. {P.S. Spouse usually takes our left overs but this particular morning there wasn't anything left from the night before.}

#2: Why are packing so many chips and all that cheese?

Spouse: I'm going to make nachos.

#2: For your lunch?

Spouse: Yep.

#2: So, dad? You must like being chubby.

So if you're worried that you're feeling a little too good about yourself just swing by our house. I'm sure my kids will find a way injure that pride.

Spring Break

Last week I had all my children home for spring break and today my house is suffering from quiet and emptiness. It was a lovely week of sleeping in, big breakfasts, play dates, picnics, no homework and no stressed out mom; it was perfect.

I love it when my children have space and time to relax and be themselves, uninfluenced by the pressures of school. They play well together, making up elaborate games and schemes. One afternoon they spent nearly three hours planning for, rehearsing, setting up and decorating for a "concert." I was lucky enough to score an invitation. It read: Your inbited to a consrt at 10:30 tonite. Fortunately, I persuaded the performers to change it to a time I would be awake.

Another afternoon I rounded up the children to head over to the park and found this in the girl's bedroom:


It was a wedding for Cheeky Cat and Pom Pom! I thought it was hilarious.

Of course we did a few things away from home too. Our annual excursion to Shamrock (dairy) Farm was one of them:


The weather gave us the star treatment for spring break. Sunshine, warm afternoons, a little wind - perfect for kite flying or bubble blowing.




Only nine more week of school and then they're all mine again! {If only our summer weather were as perfect as our spring break weather :( }