Can I brag?

My not even two year old WALKED all the way to Elm Park. Which is a ridiculously long walk for such a little boy - and he was so happy. Wearing a little blue one piece outfit, with his sister's sun hat perched on his little head. He's so big!

We're pumping up the paaaaaaaaaaaaaty now

I got up this morning and staggered into the kitchen to make the coffee. Once I pressed the little button, I then crawled into the living room to wait for the cable guy to come and fix my cable. That's when I heard the little voice in Jessie's bedroom. She had apparently gotten up earlier and started playing. She was in there, singing her little heart out, and I thought to myself that she's a really happy little kid. Her life is pretty good, and she likes herself. I'm very proud of that...

No extra kids today - YAY. I'm taking Sam out for a morning at the park and then we're coming home for blissful naps and cleaning.

Bright and beautiful Wednesday

And all is well in my world. Kids are all happy - Jessie is doing REALLY well with all this activity. For the next two weeks, she'll be at camp or preschool every single weekday. This is unprecidented in her little life, even when I was working, I still had one day off mid-week. But so far, she's thriving, gets up bright and early and heads off to school with no problems. I'm hoping that it's preview of kindergarten :-)

Sammy is all battered and bruised. We've been outside a lot lately, the weather has been great and his little legs are skinned and bruised all over the place. He likes to run and jump and inevitably falls over while he's doing it. He's talking more and more, coming out with sentences and new words all the time. For all I was so worried about his verbal skills, the pediatrician was right, by the time he's two, he'll be a conversational wizard.

Summer Camp

Jess went off to summer camp this morning. I was really happy to send her off, for a bunch of different reasons. One, I think that the summer will be better if she's got a bit of structure to it, it's only two mornings a week, but I think she'll have fun and still be able to have the freedom of just hanging out time as well. Two, I liked the thought of it being a new environment for her, with new teachers and new kids. It'll expand her world a little bit. Three - she gets swimming lessons, gymnastics and an arts/crafts thing. She cried when Marc dropped her off, though. I know that she's an easy crier, and she's always a little thrown off in new situations, but I'm hopeful that she'll thrive in the environment.

Sam is already asleep, we went to the park this morning and he fell asleep about a half hour ago. He's such a sweetie, and so mad that Jessie leaves him each morning. This morning, he refused to give Marc a kiss goodbye, I think, just because he was so angry that Marc hasn't been around and that when he leaves, he takes Sammy's favorite girl with him.

Preschool Graduation

I know it's corny. I know that on some level, it is, as my husband keeps insisting, completely meaningless and part of what's contributing to the downfall of Western Society (i.e. the celebration and reward of mediocraty) - but dammit, it was so wonderful. My beautiful girl, standing up there in her little pink "graduation hat", with her shy little smile and sweet dimple winking out at me... I started crying once all the kids assembed and started singing, cried right all the way thru the five songs (including one about how ready they are for kindergarten), thru the diplomas (when she was elected Most Confident), and then the slide show. I kept picturing her when she was born, and then all that led up to her at this point, about to embark on her academic career, and fast forwarding thru until her high school graduation. She was so wanted, so loved, and she's so exactly what I always wanted in a daughter. I wish all the time I could have sent a snapshot of her to myself in my twenties, when all I wanted was a baby girl of my very own, when I thought that I'd forever be the aunt, but not the Mommy. She's so perfect, in all of her imperfect glory - the drama, the temper tantrums, , the singing, the dancing, the cuddles and helpful girl that she's becoming, the tiny girl who snuggled into my arms from the moment she was born. It's amazing to me how much we've been thru together, how much we have yet to experience. She's my angel girl, and I'm so incredibly proud of her. And I'm crying all over again....

Lessons

Last night, Sam and I learned valuable lessons. I learned that when he's quiet and playing, that's when I have to double check him. And he learned that eating Mommy's coconut shampoo is not a good idea.

He got the bottle opened, squirted it into a couple of barbie cars, filled the sink in the play kitchen, spread a bunch on the floor and coated his fingers. It was only when he put his hands in his mouth that he started to cry and then I saw it. I call him my coconut baby, he smells delightful :-)

peaceful contentment

I sometimes wonder if I'm tempting fate... like everything is so peaceful and relaxed, I must be gearing up for some horrible tragedy. Or maybe it's just that my earlier years were so tumultuous, between the divorce and all the unpleasant aftermath, then Scott and the drama and crisises that seemed to accompany his life, maybe on some universal scale, I've earned the calm satisfaction of my life now.

I really value my life - the calmness, the peace. The utter contentment. Sam's asleep on my bed, with the air conditioners humming along nicely. Marc and Jessica are out grocery shopping for the week, and I'm puttering in Jessie's room, restoring it to cleanliness after the girls rearranged everything yesterday (why, why do they do that??). Beck's coming out to watch the cherubs while Marc and I go to the dance recital this afternoon, then we're having pizza for dinner. It's just so.... peaceful.

I have no real problems. Not enough money, of course, but even that's getting easier, we struggle now with paying for non-essentials - we can afford a roof over our heads, food for the table. There was a time, in the not so distant past, when that was really a struggle. My marriage is, as it's always been, incredibly good. I love Marc, he's my best friend, and I know that he loves and trusts me above all else. My kids are wonderful, healthy, smart, happy. I have a life that I love, where I feel satisfied and useful and happy. Sure, there are little dramas all the time, Jessie's temper tantrums, Sam's incessant nursing (will it ever end??), Marc dancing off to the gym or to play with the guys, the car needs work and we can't afford to get it done, etc. But overall, things are great now. Really, really great.

I'm having a wonderful weekend.