a random non-Friday but absolutely necessary {this moment}

Thank you, Brandon, for capturing this. 

Dancing Queen

I didn't grow up dancing, not in paid classes at least. I guess this is the reason that getting my daughter into a pink tutu and ballet shoes at the earliest age possible was never on my to do list as a mother. Marie had different plans.

How do I not register my almost 4-year-old for dance when she throws on a tutu whenever she hears music so that she can dance? How could I ignore her impulse to twirl in any pretty dress she ever wears?

I couldn't.

Marie has been in dance for about a month now. She's in a class with one of her best friends. To say she loves it is an understatement.

And, I'll be honest, I can't wait to get to doll her up in a frilly costume come recital time.

William-ese

Taken June 2011

William: Mommy, I wish I could do everything for you so you didn't have to work so hard.

I posted this as my facebook status today and a friend suggested I get his signature on this so I can hold him to it in years to come.

Not a bad idea, not bad at all. 

In the meantime, I am going to bask in the complete love and thoughtfulness that was behind that statement. He might not be able to follow through, but my sweet William meant every word of it.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

There are a lot of recent changes for our family. William starting kindergarten. All three kiddos home with me every morning. William starting violin. Marie starting dance. Anne walking. Brandon in a new-ish calling. Me pregnant.

Yep. You read that right.

I think most who read this blog already know the news, but I thought I would make it blogger official anyway.

Baby #4 is due to arrive around the middle of March. On almost a daily basis in those inevitable moments of craziness we (Brandon and I) look at each other and wonder how we are going to survive adding one more to the chaos. Then there are other moments when we watch our kids playing together and imagine that 4th little someone running along side the others and it just feels so right.

William and Marie are both thrilled. They've been talking about "the new baby" or, in William's case, "our baby brother" since before I was pregnant. I'd like to think they knew just as strongly as we did that there was supposed to be another child in the family.

So, there you have it. "Official" announcement of pregnancy. Check.

Marie and Mommy School

Marie is not attending Joy School or preschool this year. 

I did my darndest to get a Joy School group together. When June and July came and went and I still didn't have a single commitment from anyone, I knew I had better come up with a plan B.

Plan B took about 2 seconds to decide on. Plan B was to keep her home with me. 

Next fall, Marie will have to go to preschool. Teaching Joy School while tending Anne was do-able. Teaching Joy School with a 2-year-old Anne and a new baby would be insanity. Yet, I believe in the Joy School curriculum so strongly that I want to be sure all my kids are exposed to it. Which brings us back to this year.

We are doing our own casual little version of Joy School. 

Each Sunday evening I scan the two lesson plans for the upcoming week (Joy School is typically twice a week) and choose something to cover each day. I include the songs and finger plays in our morning circle time and include an art project at least once a week. (I say this as if we have been doing it for ages. We are on week 3. It's a habit I'm working on. So far, so good.)

Marie has been a pleasure to work with. She loves to sit and color and draw and learn and discuss and sing, in a way that I could never get William to do at that age. And William? He joins us for circle time, but beyond that mornings are his free time (well, besides chores and violin practice). I've found, however, that he loves re-learning all the Joy School songs and discussing the Joy with us. His participation is voluntary and he usually chooses to join us. 

And Anne? Two words. Morning nap.

The Big Day!

Finally. After waiting all summer ("Mommy, do I have kindergarten today?), getting a little teaser for one day and then having to wait another week ... ("Mommy, what day do I get to go to kindergarten without you? What day is it today? I just want to go tomorrow."), ... after all that waiting William's first official day of kindergarten finally arrived.

 He was thrilled and a bit disappointed that I was making him wear a collared shirt and gel in his hair, but mostly thrilled, especially about his Cars 2 backpack.

 Caught up in the rush of getting him to school on time (so overwhelming the first week, but I have since become quite good at that part), I didn't have a chance to check in on my emotions, so I was doing fine. Then I dropped him off in his classroom. As I walked away the tears came and I was grateful for sunglasses. When the girls and I came home it was story time for Marie. She picked "Mommy in My Pocket", a new library book that I hadn't read yet. Not a good idea, it's almost as bad as "The Kissing Hand". I lost it. Try explaining those emotions to your 4 year old ... without continuing to get even more emotional. Not since he transitioned to a big boy bed have I had such a hard time with him growing up. 

Mommy has since recovered and latched onto the excitement that just bursts out of William each day. He loves kindergarten. Loves. It. I adore hearing the tidbits that he shares with me about his day and all that he is learning. 

My favorite kindergarten moment so far was when he came home with a puzzle they had made. It had his hand print on it (they did a unit on "The Kissing Hand"). William pulled it out for me and said, "Mommy, I know when I am gone at kindergarten that you miss me. Whenever you do, just pull this puzzle out and put it together and think of how much I love you." Be still my heart. I love that boy.

Watch out world, here comes William. You couldn't ask for anybody better to cross your path.

First Day of School Eve

 The Menu:

Cheesy Pizza Fondue

Cider Cheese Fondue

Chewy Pretzel Bites

Toasted Baguette Slices

Carrots

Turkey Kielbasa Slices

Granny Smith Apples

Apple Cider Donuts

IBC Root Beer

The theme was based on the primary song with the same title. I was singing with the kids one day and struck by the lyrics, "Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith; Stand like a hero and battle till death." Yes! That is exactly what has been rolling through my heart and mind as I have pondered on the idea of sending William off into the big world to make his own decisions. We'll be singing the song a lot this year. 

 And just to prove that we were really at this party ... yes, we're the two crazies behind all this chaos. 

After our brief lesson and a father's blessing for both William and Marie, a little game of Swap! ended the night.

Here's to another school year! (One which I am quite excited to begin. It's going to be quite the adventure.)