After our first official day of summer vacation on Monday, I sent the kids to one more day of child care yesterday and reorganized the toys in their playroom and the basement storage room. This is becoming an every-six-months routine.
When facing a long winter of playing inside or summer spent mostly at home, I find it helpful to do a little purge (only one big garbage bag for Salvation Army from yesterday) and shift bin contents to accommodate all that was acquired since the last clean-up. For example, the one big arts-and-crafts bin is now two medium-sized bins, one designated just for play dough toys as we now have quite a few, and the other for finger paints and other supplies.
I hoped to organize a few other areas of the house as well, but as is typical, the day was only so long. After I picked the kids up we played outside and ate sandwiches at the picnic table for dinner. When I mentioned that they hadn't seen the "surprise toys" in playroom yet, Michael set down his roll-up and announced with a mouthful that he was all done. I convinced him to take a couple more bites before he insisted that we go in and play.
Both kids tend to remind me of that Meijer school supply commercial when they discover these old toys that they've played with before but that have just been stored away for a while. Michael came running out of the playroom with the tiny shoe box of rocks that are fun to spill around when playing with dinosaurs (and I couldn't figure out which bin they should be stored in now, so out they came). He held it up and shouted, "Mommy, it's rocks!" I just love him.
I hope the enthusiasm for this batch lasts a good while. Anyone wish to place bets on how long until I'm taking advantage of my better organized stash and bringing up more?
These aren't all toys. Some are bins our outgrown items, MoMs club supplies, all kid-related stuff.
As I cleaned up dinner one night this past week, I caught a glimpse of Mike and the kids in the living room. He was on his hands and knees with Michael on his back, giving him a horsey ride. Sophie was walking beside them, leading Mike along and calling him Tinkerbell.
In moments like those, the decisions like what preschool, which house, and what the heck is for dinner tomorrow all seem equally insignificant. I got the most important choice right for Michael and Sophie, and I couldn't be more grateful.
To Mike, my dad, Mike's dad and grandpas, and all men who give their time and hearts to our young people, happy Father's Day! Thanks for all that you do.
We took this picture right after school/work one afternoon, Sophie with paint on her shirt and a random bow in her hair that disappeared at the child care center weeks ago. Gotta love a little authenticity! I got the idea here.
The school year is almost over. Just a few half-days of exams and a couple days of grading to go! Then I hope to blog a little more regularly again. Until then, here's a little phone dump.
One night recently a couple of tigers helped me make dinner (Michael and Sophie made the masks at school that day).
You know how you love watching those videos of your first steps, Michael turning in circles and then finally taking step after step, and Sophie wobbling on one foot and then the next to Daddy with his hands out to catch her? Me too. Daddy and I had our cameras ready to roll for days knowing you were both about to do it, knowing you were about to reach a first, and we were excited about it.
Sadly, on Memorial Day 2013, you experienced a first that Daddy and I feared was coming. You lost your first person. On that day your Gigi died.
I regret that we didn't take dozens of pictures like this one over the last few years, not just so we would have them, but so Gigi and Papa would have had that many more snuggles with you...and you with them. Papa better watch out, because I hope to make up for lost time.
Do you remember when we took you to visit Gigi in the hospital? I hope you do and that it helps you to understand this loss a little bit. You saw Gigi in her bed with tubes to help her breathe, and you seemed to understand that she was very, very sick, that she couldn't talk or hug you, and that we were all very sad because she probably wasn't going to get better.
We talked that morning about how when people live a long, long time like Gigi did, sometimes their bodies can't get better when they get very sick. You gave Gigi pictures you drew for her, told her you loved her, and we made sure you said very clear good-bye's before we left. Like those first steps, we knew that visit would probably be the last time to say those things, so we tried to prepare as best we could.
Like showing you Gigi in the hospital, Daddy and I thought it was important for you to experience Gigi's funeral, to sit with family as we cried and hugged and cried some more. We told you that Gigi had died, and that it meant her body stopped working and we wouldn't see her again. We told you what happens at a funeral, who would be there, and that many people would cry. Gigi was Daddy and Uncle Nick's grandma, Papa's wife, and Grammie's mom, so lots of people were going to be sad. You were ready to give and get lots of hugs because that helps everyone when we're sad.
Because Daddy and I loved Gigi so much and were so sad that she died, we wanted to be sure we didn't miss any of the funeral. You sat right behind us with Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) in case you needed to leave. We made sure that they brought you into the church in a way that you wouldn't see Gigi's body. We just didn't feel it was time for you to see that. It turned out that you did just fine. Michael did announce that he had raisins and that he wanted more raisins a couple of times, but even in those moments your innocence and cuteness seemed to help a lot of sad people that day. I believe Gigi would have been happy that you were there with all of us.
Do you remember hearing this song at Gigi's funeral?
One of her friends made us all cry even more by playing this and inviting us to think of Gigi dancing...with Uncle Ryan in heaven. As time goes on we'll talk more about what people believe about heaven and certainly more about Gigi and Uncle Ryan. There's so much more to share with you when you're ready.
What I'll tell you for now is that Daddy and I both keep thinking of Gigi's voice latley, proudly saying, "Where are my babies?" She always called out for you when she arrived for Christmas and Easter and all other family get-togethers if she knew you were there. Whenever Gigi called us on the phone, often worried about how we were doing during bad weather or having heard about one of us being sick, one of her first questions was always "How are my babies?" Many of Gigi's church friends told us how she always had a new picture and a story of you two to share. In all of these ways Gigi showed us that you brought a special kind of joy to her life. She loved you very much.
Having lost all of my grandparents over the years, I can tell you that when people love you with joy in their hearts for your whole life, that love sticks with you after they're gone. It stays with you in your memories of them. Daddy and I, with the help Grammie and Grandpa and Papa and Uncle Nick and Aunt Molly, we're going to do our best to tell you what we know about Gigi's life. That way all of our knowledge and memories of her will stay with you, and her love for you can lift you up in that special I've-loved-you-forever kind of way. In that way she'll live on.
With one class to go in the session, Michael and Sophie received ribbons at gymnastics yesterday. Knowing this was happening, I was sure to finally bring my phone along to capture some of this fun. Here's a bit of what I got in between lifting my shorties up to the bars, handing them rings and ropes, and making sure they remembered to wait their turns.
Sophie on the bar.
Michael on the rings.
Not the best stuff, but I tried. They've done way cuter, way more impressive stuff, but you can always ask their Grammie (Mike's mom) or Grandpa (my dad) to vouch for that. Both of those grandparents filled in for Mike after his recent surgery, and like all grandmas and grandpas they're completely unbiased regarding Michael and Sophie's cuteness and abilities, I swear. ;)
Aside from the confidence this class seems to have given Michael and Sophie, it also inspired a new ending to games of Follow the Leader at home.
This is how their gymnastics classes end--the bye-bye song, stickers, and stamps. We told their teacher about the bye-bye song showing up at home, and she said that happens a lot. It is pretty catchy.
For the second year in a row, Mike and I took Michael and Sophie to Greenfield Village to ride Thomas. Basically it's the same train we ride there several times a year but with the big blue guy pulling us along. It's also crazy expensive for the little you get out of the deal, but we parents are suckers for our kids' excitement.
Last year Michael and Sophie were just getting into Thomas, but this year he is big stuff around here. On the train Michael didn't want to sit in anyone's lap, squirmed to get back down when I lifted him to see Thomas up front when we were rounding a corner, and I think it was because he very literally wanted to ride on Thomas. That's what we talked about all week, and he wanted what he envisioned.
We brought along the grandpas...
...and Grandma and Grammie, too!
I couldn't resist going vintage with this picture of Sophie and me on the carousel.
The village had a number of activities especially for this kids during this event. They really loved the little cars...
...and feeding them gas when they were hungry like Mommy and Daddy do!\
Whenever I got nervous about giving my toast at my friend Kelsey's wedding (the purpose for our recent trip to AZ), I reminded myself that it was truth, that it was what rang in my heart when I thought of this moment in my friend's life. I worried that it wasn't funny enough, that it didn't give enough detail, but ultimately Kelsey was touched. Because of that and the handful of solid compliments that night, I feel inclined to share it here. It didn't come out exactly like this, but I was pretty close. I started by introducing myself and then...
I’ve had the privilege of being Kelsey’s friend for a very long time.In fact, our friendship that began in elementary school will reach its 25th anniversary this fall.
I’m honored today to have been a part of this beautiful celebration of Kelsey and Anthony’s marriage.
Almost seven years ago I got married, and one of my favorite photographs from that day is of Kelsey, an hour or so before the ceremony, pen and paper in hand, putting the final touches on her toast.
What makes me love that picture is the fact that I can actually see Kelsey’s writing in it, that familiar print that I see these days on birthday cards and in the covers of picture books she sends to my kids but that always reminds me of our note-passing days, of yearbook pages detailing our teenage heartbreaks and the inside jokes that sent us into belly laughs that particular year.I believe it was in those days that we really solidified this lifelong friendship. (I believe this is where I started sounding pretty choked up, but I rallied on!)
With Kelsey’s wedding day approaching, as I became more and more excited for her, I realized there’s a part of me that longs to write a note, to fold it up, write Kelsey’s name on it, and pass it to that sixteen-year-old version of her at her locker.If I could do that, I wouldn’t spoil all the fun of life’s surprises, but there are a couple of things I would say.
The first is this. As pretty as you are in your teens (although you don’t seem to know it), you become even lovelier over the years.While the rest of us are starting to show our wear, in your thirties you look more gorgeous than ever, particularly on April 28, 2013.You’ll see what I mean. (That part got a big woot-woot. She really did look amazing!)
The second and more important thing I would tell that sixteen-year-old Kelsey is to keep listening to your gut, to that instinct of yours that drives you to do your own thing, to paint your bedroom walls a bold green and to later dye your hair a similar shade.While your sense of direction will occasionally make us all wonder where exactly you’re heading over the years, things work out as they should.The right paths will cross when it’s time, and the adventure will continue.
To this Kelsey, and to Anthony, I wish you many years of belly laughs, inside-jokes, a strong partnership for the ups and downs to come, and a lifetime of treasured memories between each of your many anniversaries.
To Kelsey and Anthony...
Reflecting back this week on that whirlwind weekend, I now find myself hoping that I can guide Michael and Sophie to value their friendships, to let them grow and change as they do, and to be witnesses (perhaps even on paper) for the many chapters in their friends' life stories.
I'm hopeful they will be that for each other as well. I'm also hopeful that Mike and I can start making more kid-free vacation plans!
One of my dearest friends got married in Arizona last weekend, and Mike and I made a quick weekend getaway out of the occasion. While I would have loved more time with Kelsey and palm trees and my husband, the many days home with sick kids this year really ate up my personal days. It's good that we planned this adventure to be a quick one. Here I am at 8 A.M. drinking a terrible glass of Pinot Grigio at Detroit Metro Airport last Saturday morning. The justification for that (and the wine soon after on the plane) was that I wanted to sleep on the way to Arizona so I would be somewhat prepared for the time difference and ready to hit the ground running for the rehearsal and whatnot. And it was my first time flying away from my babies. Yes, babies. Back off.
Yes, I did sleep a bit on the plane, in case you're wondering. And no, I didn't get tan. My Irish skin just doesn't do that.
Michael and Sophie stayed at my parents' house and were pretty excited that Mommy and Daddy were going on an adventure on an airplane while they were on an adventure of their own. I left some little gifts for my mom to give the kids each morning, and she sent texts with photos like the one below to tide me over.
"Thanks for the pinwheels, Mom. They're almost as cool as a vacation."
The kids slept well, had no accidents, and only mentioned that they missed mommy and daddy toward the end of the last day. Couldn't have gone better, really. We're lucky that my mom really knows these two so well after caring for them a couple of days a week during the school year, and they clearly felt at home with her and my dad.
We're also lucky that Mike and I didn't die and orphan our kids, not that I worried about that compulsively for weeks leading up to this or anything.
Chaparral Suites - Our hotel in Scottsdale was a taste of paradise when back home spring was taking its sweet time kicking into gear.
The weekend in Scottsdale included the wedding rehearsal at the breathtaking Royal Palms Resort, a visit to Kelsey and Anthony's house (got a peek at Kelsey's dress--perfection), a dip in the pool back at the hotel, an amazing gazillion-course rehearsal dinner at Noca--a restaurant run by one of the groomsmen, lots of girl time in the bridal suite on the day of the wedding, and the emotional and beautiful wedding itself.
Rehearsal Dinner
To commemorate our trip we picked up an Arizona Christmas ornament at the airport for my parents as a thank-you and one for ourselves. I also found this book for the kids:
Thanks to this book Mike and I are now confident in our pronunciation of saguaro, ocotillo, and javalina, and Michael and Sophie love taking turns finding the numbers hidden on each page.
One of the reasons I didn't blog much leading up to this getaway was that I was putting some of my writing time and energy into my toast. I'll be posting that in the next day or two as well.
As is the case with so many activities we do as a family of four, I don't have any pictures of Michael and Sophie participating in their gymnastics classes yet. With our one-to-one kid-to-parent ratio, pictures can be tricky to take when also spotting those kids on rings and bars.
Even without photographic proof, I hope you'll believe me when I say that Michael and Sophie love their gymnastics class and are doing great! We go every Saturday morning, although we've missed a few due to other fun--Easter egg hunt, their own birthday party, a weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's. Mike and I have been enjoying this weekend ritual as well and can't quite break the habit of stopping for a mid-morning meal afterward. :P This weekend we also stopped at a mom-to-mom sale and our neighborhood park before bringing the kids home for their nap. I love when we're able to wear the kids out so thoroughly!
You might recall from my post five months ago that my primary motivation for getting the kids into a class like this wasn't really for them to learn the proper form for a forward roll. It was to help them to become more confident. I'm sure it's partly just a matter of maturing a bit and growing physically as well, but overall Michael and Sophie now eagerly enter parties and play dates without any visible anxiety. They're more sure-footed on playground equipment, needing very little help, and they seem more willing to jump and climb in all sorts of situations like jump-houses and mall playscapes.
For example, Sophie kind of blew Mike and me away when she lifted her foot as high as her ear and pulled herself into this wagon climber...
I know it's not exactly phenomenal, but we were proud of how she clearly just believed she could do this and did. I was just about to point out that little wheel sticking out up front for her to step on, but yeah, never mind! Who knows whether or not any of this stuff is thanks to gymnastics, but it certainly hasn't hurt.
By the way, both kids are solidly in underwear during the day and just wear diapers when sleeping. The diaper peeking out of Soph's pants in that video has to do with not quite pristine undies after the day in child care and a doctor's appointment just before this. With all my talk of our potty training journey, I thought I'd better explain. Speaking of the doctor, the kids were more brave there than ever before as well!
Chances are, I know, that these positive changes could also have to do with my own increasing comfort and confidence that Michael and Sophie can handle themselves. To me they have reached a physical size and agility that gives me the cue to step back a bit more. It's funny to think that a lot of kids are this big at one-and-a-half or two-years-old...I wonder how that must change things. Anyway, I know Michael and Sophie feed off of my vibes for better or for worse, but it all goes hand-in-hand really.
