Starting school and kid catch ups

At this moment, 3 kids are at school, one is sleeping in their crib, another is rolling around in my abdomen refusing to be forgotten and I'm here at the computer, shamelessly eating a Hershey bar and trying to catch up.

It's day 3 of school for the big kids,

Ava in 4th

 and Luke in 1st.

I even got out my real camera for the occasion.

The first two days went fairly well, however, this morning, not shockingly, was a hard one.  Ava is having a hard time.  Sleep is not coming easy to her because of her stress and this morning it caught up with her.  She was exhausted.  And she did not want to go to school.  We avoided a major freak-out, but my heart is just so sad watching her struggle.

The cruel combo of difficulty with school and the effects of moving are really taking their toll.  Dan and I are just holding on for the ride and saying lots and lots of prayers.  It is so hard to watch your child have a bad time and know that even though the storm will pass, even on the best days, things will probably never be easy.

She had her first riding lesson which has been promised to her for over two years.

She got really nervous beforehand but as the lesson went on, she loosened up and said she kept wishing it would never end.  She also wished she could ride everyday and not just Saturdays.  I hope she continues to love it.


Luke seems to be adjusting well.

 He has a really nice teacher which helps.  He gets a little nervous and shy but he doesn't let it stop him and he just goes with the flow. He may be a little kid but he is a huge blessing to me.



Finn's latest obsession has been wearing Max's underwear over his clothes.

  He's even requested to sit on the toilet which Dan obliged once, but I will not.

 Diapers might be more expensive but they are so much easier than dragging two babies into nasty public restrooms to relieve a tiny bladder.

He's still not saying much but very obviously understands 99% of what we say.  He says "Da!" for Dad and "ba!" for ball and for bottle.  He has started saying "Hi" the past couple of days.  Sometimes he calls me "Ma!" but not very often.  "Popscicle" has become a dirty word in our house and I've told the kids I will spank them if they say it within his earshot.  He LOVES popscicles and would eat them the entire day.  If he hears mention of one but doesn't get to eat it, he throws a gigantic tantrum.  It probably has a little to do with the fact that he has been cutting 8 teeth (basically every tooth in his head) simultaneously.  And as you may have guessed, he has been quite grumpy the past few weeks.

 But my goodness, a cuter baby there never was. His dancing is amazing.  I will get it on video if I have to die doing it.  It's hilarious.

Max is in the exact same preschool class he was last year and I think that it'll be good for him.  He got to a point a few months ago where he did not want to go to Primary at church, but thanks to Leah's brilliant suggestion of drawing a heart on the palm of his hand to remind him that I loved him, he started going again.  He thought he might need a heart for preschool but so far he hasn't.

Max had his preschool well check  a little while ago.  He had been very worried about a shot but when it came time, it happened so fast it kind of took him by surprise.  When I said, "You did it!" he was shocked.  "I did?! I did it?! I did it!" and then still being shocked and not knowing what to say or do, he looked back at the doctor and just started thanking him profusely.  "Thank you! Thank you so much! I did it! Thank you so much for my bandaid!"

The doctor said he hoped preschool had a football team because they'd surely want to recruit Max.  At 4.5 years old he is 50 pounds (95%) and 46" (97%).

The thing about Max is that he can be so stubborn and such a pill.  He cries unreasonably loud and long over unnecessary things.  He can push people's buttons (especially Ava's).  He burps way too much.  But on the other hand he has this charm about him that people can't resist.  And he has a heart for loving.  He vocalizes every day, multiple times a day who he loves and how much he loves them.  And he's says things that make us all laugh.

Here are some of the recent standouts:

"Mom, you're so fat." (If he says that after I have the baby, it will not be funny)

"Mom, love is really gross, but I love you anyway."

When he tells me to do something instead of asking me I always say, "Yes, Master" just as a silly reminder to ask instead of boss.  So one night after a long day and a drawn out bedtime routine, I walked into his room where he was playing instead of changing and I said, not in a mean way, but perhaps in a bossy one, "Put your pajamas on now."  He stopped playing and looked up at me.  And with a totally straight face said, "Yes, Master."

We've adopted Friday night as a Family Game Night.  We were setting up for another round of UNO and I was shuffling the cards because I am a shuffling professional.  I could probably get a job in Vegas.  But Max kept slowly trying to reach his fingers between my perfect bridges hoping for a turn to shuffle.  I said a bit patronizingly, "Sweety...." to try to deter him.  He stopped and looked up and said, "Don't call me, Sweety."

We've been watching Full House re-runs all summer and he is constantly saying, "How rude!"

Dan is hands down the best dad ever.  He is so fun and silly with the kids.  Over the years he has developed a whole arsenal of characters he plays.  Kirby the Butler reminds them about their manners, One Eyed Willy, the Pirate chases them to bed demanding his eye be given back. There's Loopy, the sad faced, slacked shouldered lurch who can't help but change frowns to smiles, Buster McGee, the boxer, who will "bust your chops" if you don't do what he says.  And the newest recruit, The Kung Fu Champion.  Upon his introduction, Max was thrilled.  He said, "I can't believe it! I can't believe you unlocked another character, Dad!" He might have watched Luke play one video game too many.

He loves to write me notes.  They usually say something along the lines of:

"Dear Mom, I love you so much.  I want to keep you forever.  Please don't pick another kid.  I love you so much.  You're my baby.  I love you, Max."

I can hear his little voice "reading" it now and I hope I never, ever forget it.