HIDE AND SEEK

I found myself busy this morning [nothing new there] working on some homework with Ava. Her assignment? Oh, only to go online, research the planets, choose your favorite one, answer 6 questions about that planet and then put those six questions into a report format and include a drawing of said planet. Then, as if that was not enough for a 7 year old, she will need to present her report to her class on April 2nd.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that she is learning all of this at such a young age. But I guess I am just baffled by all of it as if I rememeber correctly, in 1st grade I was coloring, painting, learning to read, practicing my numbers and playing at recess. I could not imagine writing a report, then presenting it to my class. My oh my, how things have changed.

Anyway, like I was saying, I was busy helping Ava research Jupiter, looking up fun facts online, helping her to answer questions, draw her picture and all that jazz. The boys were keeping busy as usual. Anthony had shut himself in the playroom battling it out with Anakin and Luke Skywalker in their starship (the boy has quite the imagination). Lucas had snuck into the pantry and snatched out our Sam's Club vat full of pretzel sticks and was snuggled up on the couch watching Sponge Bob. And Olivia was, well.... Olivia was nowhere in sight, most likely getting into something she should not be getting into; 'cause that's just how she rolls.

I decided to leave Ava to finish up coloring the drawing of her planet and go find Miss Olivia. This was probably a good idea, as I found myself really getting into this report of hers. Wanting to draw the planet, color it, and just plain old help out a bit too much. My job was to simply assist her in completing the report. Not to do it for her.

So Ava went about the task of coloring her planet, and I went about the task of finding Olivia.

I looked in her favorite places. The bathroom on the main floor, the laundry room, the playroom, the bathroom upstairs, her bedroom. She was nowhere to be found. Then I heard her chattering away to herself. But where was she?

My search was finally over when I found her here:

In the closet, on top of her changing table (climbed up all by herself), one shoe on, pulling all her wipes out of the box, and eating a god knows how old candy necklace that she must have found hiding somewhere in this house. To top it off she has this "what's the problem Mom" look on her face.

Turns out I can't take my eyes of that girl for a second; not even to help Ava with her all important Jupiter report. What a little stinker.

BABY

We had our ultrasound yesterday which is always such an exciting time during my pregnancies for me. I never seem to tire of getting a glimpse of my babies before they make their way into this world. Being able to see arms, legs, itty bitty fingers and toes. All those tiny, beautiful features that makes that baby mine is so unbelievable. The kicking and rolling around in my belly, it is all just so sweet; and quite frankly, amazing.

Here is a picture of our little peanut; our sweet little....

Baby boy!

I just love this picture of him - all snuggled up inside his temporary home; nice and cozy. Take a look at his little hand, his ear, eyes, nose and mouth. Is there anything better? Nothing but sweet baby boy goodness.

Gosh, I love him so much and I have not even met him yet.

A NEW DAY HAS COME

When I received the call that Ava had gotten in to St. Croix Prep charter school on Wednesday, March 3rd at about 4pm (yes I remember the date and the time the call was received as this was a HUGE call - a call I have been waiting for ever since she was in preschool) I was in a state of shock. So much so that I was not sure what to say to the lovely lady who was waiting patiently on the line for me to respond to her telling me they had an opening for Ava. An opening that I had long since given up hope on being that there are an average of 2oo kids on the wait list for each grade [yes, wait lists are that long.] An opening that needed to be filled on March 22nd to boot - a mere two weeks away. So I am sure you can understand my inability to come up with a single thing to say to her. But don't think for a moment that my mind wasn't swirling with a myriad of questions that I wanted answers to.

2 weeks from now, really? How did a spot open? I thought we were, say, 150th or something on the wait list - how on earth did the spot become available for her? Why can't she start after the summer as a 2nd grader? Will her brother Lucas have a spot in 1st grade for next year? Will Anthony, Liv and the baby [presently cooking away in my uterus] automatically get a spot in Kindergarten when it comes time? Will this have a huge affect on Ava, being that she has been at Lily Lake now for almost two years, established her friendships and is very comfortable there? Will the kids accept her at the new school; Welcome her, and make her feel comfortable?

My inner ramblings were stopped by the ever so patient woman on the other end saying, "Mrs. Shelton, I know this is a huge decision; but just so you know this opportunity will most likely never come around again. We had a student leave as his Dad had a job transfer, this rarely happens, and this is why the spot opened up for Ava. I understand what a huge decision this is for you and your husband, and I want you to take some time to think about it, but I just want to be honest with you."

This seemed to snap me out of my momentary inability to speak out loud and the questions came flowing. [Oh, the poor, poor soul on the other line that was inundated with all of my questions and made to answer each and every one.] I asked every single question I asked myself above, and was given answers to all, answers I quite liked. I was confident that we could not pass this opportunity up, as if we did I had a feeling we would regret our decision for a lifetime.

What to do, what to do? Well of course, sit down with The Mr. and hash this all out. The only problem was that the Mr. was out of town on business until Saturday evening so I was unable to sit down with him, go over the pro's and con's and make this huge decision.

I was told to wait until the husband arrived home to talk with him, make a decision and call back on Monday.

No more than 2 minutes after getting off of the phone I picked it up again and called the Mr. I did not even seem to find the time to say "Hi." and just started in: "You-won't-believe-what-just-happened-I-got-a-call-from-st-croix-prep-and-they-have-a-spot-for-Ava-what-are-we-going-to-do?? His response was, naturally, to advise me to slow down and talk in a not so panicked voice. We attempted to talk about it for a bit, though that proved to be very difficult as his cell phone was breaking up every few seconds. I decided it was best to get off of the phone with him and get on the phone with my Mom. She was always a good voice of reason in situations like this.

We talked and talked - well, I talked and talked. Going over all the pro's and con's, all the "what ifs" all the worries, everything. I talked about how I never thought about these kinds of things before having kids, you know, the tough stuff. I talked about how hard it is being a parent sometimes, trying to make the right decisions for my children, and trying to do what is best for them is never ever easy. She listened, agreed, and gave me her input. In the end she helped me to realize what an amazing opportunity this was for Ava, and even though it was hard, and somewhat scary to be the one to make such a huge decision on behalf of Ava, we just simply could not pass it up. I agreed, got off the phone and felt good about saying yes. I love my Mom.

Then I sat down with Miss Ava to talk to her. I wanted to pick her brain and see just what she thought about going to a different school. Before I could even finish my sentence she was crying. I mean all out sobbing and panicking, crying out "No, I don't want to leave my friends Emily and Zoe or Mrs. Tolaas Mama, Nooooooooo!!!" What was I thinking? I could not do this, I could not tear her from what she knows, her friends, teachers, her comfort zone. How could I?I decided to press on and continue talking to her about it in the hopes she would calm down, listen long enough to think about how fun this change could be. After assuring her she could still have her weekly play dates with Emily and Zoe, and that we could visit Miss. Tolaas too she seemed to warm to the idea. Even asked me some questions. "Where is the school?" "Will I know anyone?" "Can I go see it before I start going there?" "What will my teachers name be?" I answered all of the questions, and with each answer I could see her excitement growing. We ended our conversation with her saying "Alright Mama, I want to go to that new school."

Whew. Now I just had to discuss this all with the Mr. when he arrived home, call back the school and give them an answer. For the next few days, this decision consumed me. I changed Liv's diaper I was thinking about it, I folded laundry I was thinking about it, I laid awake at night thinking about it. All I did was think about it. You may think I was making a mountain out of a mole hill here, and maybe I was a bit. But this was my daughter, my Ava Marie. She would have to leave the school she knows and loves, not me. She would have to adjust to a new schedule, new friends, a different way of learning; not me. I was having to make the decision, yet she was the one that would be affected by the decision I made. In my eyes this is an incredibly important decision, one that I needed to think and think and think about.

Saturday finally came, and when the Mr. got home we talked about it. We talked and talked - again, I did most of the talking and he did most of the listening [he is good like that.] We decided that we had to say yes.

Monday morning came, I called the school, and with much anticipation I accepted the spot for our Ava Marie. After I hung up the phone I felt like a huge weight was lifted off of my chest. It was such a bittersweet moment for me - thinking of the amazing opportunity that Ava was given being able to get this type of education, and thinking of what a great adventure this was going to be for her to make new friends. But at the same time I was sad to think of her having to leave Lily, where Emily and Zoe, her brother, and teachers were. Where everything she has grown to know and love and find comfort in were.

Today was her first day at St. Croix Prep;

Anthony, Liv and I drove her to school and dropped her off at her classroom. I left her surrounded by her new teachers and students welcoming her. I was happy. As we walked back to the car, Anthony and Liv hand in hand, we chatted about how they would someday get to come to this school. Anthony seemed to like the idea, while Miss Liv did not have much to say most likely because she was concentrating on keeping up with her brother.



As I drove away from Ava's new school I felt an overwhelming sense that all was well. Because I knew; I knew we made the right decision for Ava.

MY NOT VERY MODEST GIRLY GIRL

It has been extremely nice here in Minnesota over the past week or so, which is really rare for this time of year. It has been so nice that the kids have been paying outside pretty much from sun up to sun down. Riding bikes, scooters, playing tag and baseball, swinging on the swing sets... You get the idea, all that summer fun sort of stuff.

You could say that this is sort of Olivia's first summer in the sense that she can actually walk around unassisted, hop on a bike and scoot around in the cul-de-sac, and even join the bigger kids when they run around the yard playing various games. She may not get what it is everyone is exactly doing, but she has such fun and manages to keep up with everyone.

She enjoys her time outside so much so that she has gotten into the habit of waking up in the morning and immediately making her way to the back door; desperately reaching for the doorknob to get outside and start her day. Problem is she is still in her pajamas, hair sticking up everywhere, a full diaper and no shoes on to boot. Not exactly the attire that is necessary to go outside in. And let's just say I am usually found in the same state of disarray; minus the full diaper of course.

Once I pull her away from the door, a tantrum ensues while I attempt to make her look decent and feed her breakfast in order for her to get on with her day. Not the easiest thing to do while one is in the throws of an all out tantrum, but I manage to get it done, and get her on her way outside.

It seems that after a week of going through this routine she has caught on to how it all goes down. This is where I found her this morning; all set and ready to get outside to play.

Shoes on, check. Clean diaper, check. Shirt? Nope. Pants? Nope. Socks? Nope. Hair combed and out of the face? Nope. Looks like we have some work to do in regard to this whole getting ready for the day thing. But I guess I need to give credit where credit is due as really, 1 out of 6 isn't bad for a 1 year old.

THE KING OF STALL TACTICS

Lately, Anthony does not seem to want to go to bed when that clock hits 8pm. When I yell out my nightly "time for bed!" He does a great job grabbing his blanket and monkey pillow pet, running up the stairs, brushing his teeth and plopping that cute little butt of his in to bed. The problem comes when I try to leave the room so that he can actually fall asleep.

For a few weeks he would simply say, "wait Momma, wait!"

"What is it that you need anything?"

"Ummmm.... Ummmm...."

"Goodnight Anthony."

"But Momma!"

"Yes...."

"Ummmm... I love you."

"I love you too."

"Momma!"

[By this time he is really trying my patience]

"Yes Anthony."

"I love you to the moon."

"Alright, goodnight."

"But Momma!!!"

[Yes, still not done stalling if you can believe it.]

"This is the last time I am coming in here Anthony Thomas."

"Umm, Ummm... I love you to the Moon. And the Stars...... And the Sun. Blowing you kisses now."

"I love you too. Goodnight Anthony Thomas."

"Goodnight Momma."

If you can believe it, this usually would mark the end of his nightly let-me-try-and-stay-up-as-late-as-I-possibly-can-and-drive-Momma-nuts-by-calling-her-back-to-my-room-one-hundred-times routine.

I think he started realizing that I was beginning to tire of this nightly routine, so he decided to switch it up. Now, after I tuck him in, give kisses, and say my goodnights, he says, "Momma, can we talk?"

And this is where he starts in with a myriad of questions and random thoughts. Things that I really wonder where in the world he comes up with. Last night I made it a point to keep all of his questions and thoughts in my memory bank so that I could record them here. As it is a really good example of what crazy things his little mind thinks up.

"Miss Jana tooted at school the other day and she said excuse me. No one said anything to her though. It was not a real toot though, just a pretend one."

"How do you make stickers sticky?"

"How do boogers come out of your nose?"

"How do you make lights? I know they put glass on first, but then you tell me what they do. O.K. Mom?"

"How do you make lasers?"

"Do you want to see the letter Ava wrote me for my birthday again?"

"I know all the bad words you can’t say: Damn it, stupid and I hate you. But you can say ruh-roh." [Scooby’s way of saying uh-oh.] Lovely, right?

I amazingly come up with answers to each and every one of his questions. Some might not be all that accurate as I really don't know exactly what stickers are made of that makes them sticky, or how lasers exactly work. But my answers seem to make him happy, and that is really all that matters, right?

Then just when he realizes he is about to lose me, and that he will have to succumb to sleep:

"We can’t forget to say prayers Mom."

"I love you to the moon, and the stars and the sun."

"Mom!! I love you to everything."

"Mom!! Goodnight."

So you can agree that this little boy of mine is the king of Stall tactics when it comes to bed time, no?

DINNER GUESTS

Tonight we had the pleasure of dining with Jilly and Scooter Shelton.

They enjoyed some carrots for dinner while nestled all snug and cozy in their beds with matching blankets. The rest of us dined on hamburgers, corn and waffle fries while sitting in our usual chairs at the dinner table.

I do have to say they were quite nice dinner guests, and will certainly be invited back. But I was a bit jealous... Being served dinner in bed, now wouldn't that be nice? Ahhh, the life of a Zhu Zhu pet.

MY VERY FIRST LOVE

I was in the basement a few days ago, taking on the arduous task of cleaning out bins full of old and forgotten stuff from years past. Most everything I tossed away, wondering why in the heck I ever took the time to pack it away and store it in the first place. But then I came across a bin full of tiny treasures. A bin full of notes from my girlfriends, you know the kind, the notes you would pass back and forth all day long in the hallway as you were making your way from class to class. Notes filled with the really important stuff that middle school kids talk about - you know, the Oh my gosh, Sam broke up with Suzie and is now with Tracey. And the I can't believe Matt and Sarah are boyfriend and girlfriend now. Or I am so mad at Angie because Lisa told me she was talking behind my back. All the notes ended in Your BFF (best friends forever) and WB (write back).

Oh the days....

Anyway, as I was reading through all of these gems, I had the pleasure of coming across one from my boyfriend. My very first love. Now when I say boyfriend I mean the kind that holds your hand and walks you home from school everyday, writes you love notes and passes them to you in the hall, and talks to you on the phone for endless hours each night.

That was pretty much the extent of it, but at that young age this was all too special. I remember the butterflies I would get in my stomach each time he would take my hand and walk me home. I remember racing home from school each day, wondering when he would call to talk and what sweet things he would say. I remember each time he would pass me a note in the hallway and I would run anxiously to my next class to see what he had written. Oh, the love notes....

I always melted over how he wrote my name and dotted the i with a heart.

Here we are in front of the Nativity Gym doors at recess one day. Nick Buri was his name, and boy was I ever in love. Thought it would last forever and ever - turns out it lasted about 6 months. Go figure.

Ahhh, 6th grade true love at it's finest.

THE GIRL WHO GETS INTO EVERYTHING: PART 2

If you read my last post, you understand what a handful my Miss Liv Grace has been as far as the getting-into-everything-in-site-and-driving-momma-crazy stage goes. I decided I must write a part 2 to that story as she did something this morning that was worthy of being added.

I was busy making a cup of coffee to wake my tired self up this morning, and trying to get in a few minutes of talk time with the Mr. before he left on yet another business trip; when Miss Liv decided to strike again. She was literally up no more than an hour before she got her little mitts on the box of goldfish, planted her little butt on the carpet in front of the T.V. , and began watching Dora while enjoying a little after breakfast snack. Not a problem, right? Wrong.

Apparently she decided a small bowl full was not sufficient enough, and that she needed the entire extra large Sam's Club style box of goldfish. Not only did she need the whole box in hand, she also decided it needed to be dumped out on the carpet so as to not make it too difficult for her to get at them.

After about 30 minutes of picking up Goldfish off of the floor and another few minutes of vacuuming up the crumbs, all was well in the world. At least for the time being.

That girl is always keeping me on my toes....I wonder what will be next?

THE GIRL WHO GETS INTO EVERYTHING

Miss Liv loves to get into things. When I say "things" I mean anything and everything that she knows she should not get into. She plays in the toilets happily splashing around in the water, unrolls all of the toilet paper, pulls out all of the folded, clean laundry basket into a heap on the floor, climbs on chairs, into cupboards and gets treats she should not eat.... The list goes on and on. And on. Never mind the playroom that is a mere 10 feet away, filled with all kinds of toys, books, and videos to keep her busy, right?

Needless to say, the stinker pretty much needs to be watched all of the time. As if she isn't, things can happen. Bad things. Bad things such as this:

While I was busy making dinner last night, she Climbed up onto her changing table and proceeded to rub half of an extra large bottle of baby lotion in her hair.

When she had sufficiently lathered her hair up with the ever so nice lavender scented lotion, she decided to move on to something else. That something else was Anthony's leftover birthday cake.

Let's just say she needed a bath last night.

Here's to hoping she grows out of this I-am-going-to-get-into-everything-in-site-and-drive-mama-crazy stage soon. Very soon.