All my dreams have come true

I dreamed of the day when Alison would sit and read by herself.  

Today, that dream came true. 

 I knew Alison just needed the confidence to read-she can do it, she just needed to believe she could do it.  And just like that it clicked.  I don't know what made it click, but it did.  She made herself a special reading spot (a laundry basket full of stuffed animals and Eli's train pillow) and plopped down with a Dick and Jane book.  I was cooking dinner and all of the sudden I heard her reading!  This morning, she found her spot again and read all morning.  

I am one proud Momma!  She is just too stinkin' smart.

Catching up

The most beautiful thing in the world:

just lay him in his crib, he puts his thumb in his mouth and away he sleeps all.night.long.

And he needs lots of sleep to endure life with his 2 siblings.   

Second most beautiful thing:

 

 the bus. 

 I LOVE the bus.

School is only 10 minutes away, but it would take me an hour just to get her...to get there, get the boys into school, sign her out, wait in line to pick her up and then load everyone back up and drive home.  Alison would get frustrated that I couldn't hear her telling me about her day over Colin's crying and we would all get home completely stressed.  When I realized that the bus was actually beating me home some days (we're the very first stop) I knew it was time for a change.  There's another little girl from her class that rides the same bus and they sit together every day.  The bus driver makes them sit by grade and girls sit on one side and boys on the other.  I like this bus driver!  Alison loves the bus so much that she has even started taking it in the morning.  The first day she rode both ways and bought a lunch at school, she said, "All my dreams have come true!".

A picture of life:

Mornings are busy; feed the baby, coffee, breakfast, everyone dressed, pack lunch, Eli potty and out the door we go to school and the Y and are home just in time for lunch and naps.  So I try to get ready as much as I can the night before.

Here's Eli ready to go in the morning:

Buzz Lightyear is a new favorite and he doesn't want to go anywhere without his backpack.  What does a 2 year old need with such a big bag?  A change of clothes and a good snack is always a necessity.

Alison's teacher sends home a folder every day of all her work.  It's become a highlight for Ben and I to talk with her about her day and hear her stories.  Friday she came home with a picture from art class:

"It's a mermaid, mommy"

Eliot started trying to sing this week.  Any song he hears, he mumbles along, trying to catch onto the words.  It's perhaps the cutest thing I've heard.

For the Grandparents

3 Months

Colin's started smiling and laughing and babbling and blowing raspberries a lot more.  If someone is talking to him, he's the happiest baby around.  But the second he is not entertained, he will let you know that he's bored.

He still absolutely hates the car seat.  I'm about to become a shut-in...that's how miserable it is to be in the car with this booger.  I've tried everything to figure out what it is that makes him so unhappy and I'm sure some people have gotten some good laughs as they've see me drive down the street with giant mirrors and iPads in front of my 3 month old baby.

His redeeming quality that gets us through the car rides and crying for entertainment-he pretty much sleeps through the night, usually only getting up once for about 20 minutes.

What's that you say?

The first week of school is over?

It went by so fast.

It was funny to see Alison realize what a weekend really is.  I bribed her with donuts if she slept in, and it worked.  It was the first day in a long time that she was content to just be at home playing and it was oh, so refreshing.  This morning she asked me, "What are we doing tomorrow?" expecting my usual answer of a rundown of our routine.  I reminded her with a chuckle that she goes back to school tomorrow.

I have nothing but positive things to say about our school experience so far.  I've been impressed with the teacher's communication to us, the activities she's done and even the food they serve at lunch.  Alison's been excited to go each morning, usually waiting for daddy to take her, a good hour before it's actually time to go.  I can't say that days are any easier or quieter with her gone, but I have already been able to do some things with Eliot that I wouldn't have if she were home.  I'm really looking forward to getting into our new routine this next week!

First Day of Kindergarten

 

Well, after a long debate and lots of prayer, we decided to send Alison to Hardy Elementary School for Kindergarten.  She was thrilled, which made the process of letting go, a lot easier.

Walking up to school

It was extremely hard for me to let go...not just of all the control of my little girl, but of the picture I had painted in my head.  I was sad that I wouldn't be the one to see her learn something new or watch the excitement in her eye as she played a new game.  I wouldn't be the one to comfort her when she was frustrated or the one see her make new friends.  It was hard to look past what I thought 'should be' and look to what 'could be'.  Ultimately, our decision came down to Eliot.   We realized that our middle child was lacking a lot of one on one attention and needed some time of his own.
 

Monday I was a wreck.  The bubble I had so carefully surrounded her in was about to pop.  Had I prepared her for all that was to come?  What if she couldn't open her lunch?  What if she had to go to the bathroom, but was too shy to ask?  What if she didn't make any friends?  What if she really isn't as smart as I think she is?

At her spot in the classroom

Tuesday morning came and I was flooded with texts from friends saying they were praying for me and I certainly felt the Lord's peace that day.  There were no tears and only a little panic in the car when I realized I forgot to pack a napkin in her lunchbox.  Her teacher's name is Mrs. Zawodny...why couldn't she have Mrs. Smith?  But she is a very nice, well seasoned teacher, who loves Alison and has promised to take good care of her. 

When we got home, I knew right away we made the right choice.  Eliot plopped down with a stack of books and we just sat and read however many he wanted.  I'm sad to say that has never happened, at least without the interruption of an older sister wanting a turn to read a princess book.  Colin was fussy that afternoon and it took me the whole day just to get a shower in-and that's when it hit me-if I didn't have time for a shower, I wouldn't have time to do school with Alison.  She needs structure and activities and education and I just can't give that to her right now.

playing legos

The report of the first day:

Did you know you could buy lunch at school?!!!  She couldn't stop talking about being able to pick out her own lunch and she assured me that Mrs. Zawodny said she would help her buy it.  We did let her buy lunch today (she picked chicken nuggets, chocolate milk and a bowl of fruit) and we agreed that she could get a "hot lunch" every Friday. 

Can you believe we had to wear our shoes ALL day?!  I could hardly do it!

I told her that I would often think "I wonder what Alison is doing right now" and she said matter-of-factly I was working...she loves her work.

She brought home a picture she drew...she was supposed to draw her family...there were only three people: mommy, daddy, Alison.  When I asked her where the rest of her family was, she said, "I didn't want any brothers on there.  I like it best just you, me and daddy."  I'm not sure what this means or how to handle it...

She was nervous about walking to her classroom all by herself the second day (we were only allowed to take her to her room the first day) and asked a billion times if we would take her.  Rest assure that Ben would not let anything stop him from making sure she got there okay, so today he walked her to the door and got a teacher to walk her to her room. 

Some of the school rules are dumb and communication isn't the best, but so far the kick off to kindergarten has gone great!

Colin's Baptism

 Colin was baptized on August 12th and it was such a sweet moment for our family.  He wore the same outfit Eliot did 2 years ago and George, who married us and baptized Eliot, baptized Colin.

Praying for Colin

As a parent, this day is huge.  We don't believe that Colin is saved by being baptized, but we look forward to the day that he asks Jesus to be his Savior.  The huge part; taking vows to raise Colin to know Jesus...to pray for him and with him, to read the word to him and tell him about Jesus every single day.  It was a huge reminder that this parenting thing isn't just about making sure our kids are fed, clothed and behave well.  It's so much more.

Colin didn't make a peep the whole time, until George handed him back to me :)

Celebration lunch at the bakery

 

Isn't it easy to get wrapped up in the everyday schedules?  Sometimes I forget to stop and talk about the important things, when days are like this:

Eliot just wants to play Thomas, Alison's being goofy and Colin's finally zonked out in daddy's arms.

 

Life certainly isn't perfect and Ben and I often joke that we should rename our blog to 'A Crazy Life', but I am so thankful for what God has given us.  I am thankful for His grace and mercy that He gives us as we raise our kids.  I'm thankful that we are never alone and can always rely on His strength.