Sunday Best: Matchy-matchy edition

A crazy week

This has been a bit of a crazy week.  Tom and I had Monday off from school.  Late Monday night, I got a text from our babysitter telling me she was in the ER with her husband and he had pneumonia and type A influenza.  This is the one downside to in-home care as opposed to daycare.  I was scrambling to find someone to watch my kids.  It was like a big puzzle.  I ended up taking two half days from work and Tom took one full day.  Sabrina, Dianna, and Rosie filled in the missing pieces for the remainder of the time.  Sam, especially, got a lot of quality time with his Aunt Di.  It was pretty stressful doing 3 different drop-offs each morning (with Jack actually coming to school with me one of those mornings) and trying to figure out who could watch when.  I am just really lucky I have such an awesome family or I would have used up ALL of my time off for the entire year in one week.

On the plus side, whatever was making Sam so miserable last week seems to have disappeared.  He is back to sleeping through the night and taking great naps during the day.  It is nice to have my happy, smiling baby back.

Funny Faces

Other fun news...my little Ellie-belly finished reading the second Harry Potter book on Monday and is already well on her way into the third book.  I explained to her that each book gets a little longer and more difficult and she doesn't have to read the entire set, but she is so into those books!  And she is actually comprehending them so I am just going along with it.  I do have to remember to check her room each night because she will stay up reading all night long if I didn't force her to put the book away.  She totally reminds me of myself.

Finishing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Feeling crafty

I am not big on crafts. I like the idea of them in theory, but I don't really have the patience or creativity for them. However, last week I was on a roll! Ellie had been giving me grief about our house not having any Halloween decor. So, I decided to make a banner. I didn't have any fabric or nice materials to work with, but I did have construction paper and a glue stick. Ellie cut out the triangles, I cut out the pictures, and together we made our Halloween banner. Nothing fancy, but the kids like it.

 I also went to an activity at church where we made these wreaths. Most people made a neutral or a Christmas wreath, but I went Halloween themed. You can't tell, but the sides are mod-podged with a black spider-web paper. I think I need to paint the wood that shows on the front. Super easy...my kind of craft.

The last is my favorite. It isn't a craft, but it is something I pinned off Pinterest ages ago and just never got around to doing. It is a journal that Ellie and I pass back and forth. The website that I found it on had a template that you could print off and glue to the front of your journal, but Ellie's favorite color is blue so I just downloaded a couple of cute fonts and created my own. Let me just tell you, I wish I had done this earlier. Ellie LOVES it. Plus, it has only been a week, but it has really strengthened our relationship. It makes Ellie feel special and it is something just for the two of us. Also, the teacher in me loves that it gives her writing practice.

Dear Jack at 4 years

Dear Jack,

I didn't write you your letter on your birthday because we were so busy celebrating.  I love that you are now old enough, and opinionated enough, to dictate exactly how you want your birthday to go.  You wanted a superhero party, you wanted everyone to come dressed up, you wanted a bouncy-house, and you wanted a BIG Spiderman for your present.  I am happy to say that you got everything you wanted for your birthday.

Jack, I feel like this past year has been a challenging one for you.  You went from being the baby of the family to being the middle-child.  And while you love, love, love your baby brother, I know that you have struggled with losing some of the attention.  I have loved watching you interact with your brother, though.  From day one, you have always wanted to hold him.  Now he is too big and heavy for you to hold, but you still like to be near him and make him smile.  You are a great big brother.

You are such a boy.  You love superheroes, playing chase, teasing your big sister, wrestling with your friend Luke, and just being loud. However, you are also very sensitive.  You are emotional, quick to anger, and often times fearful.  Your sensitive nature makes you very tenderhearted.  You show concern when others are sick or hurt. And you are very protective over your family.

Jack, lately you have been so afraid of being left.  I always tell you that I will never leave you.  That you are the only Jack I have and there is no one else like you.  I truly mean that, little man.  Happy birthday.

Love,
Mama

Calling all superheroes!

Jack is cool at school

Today was Jack’s first day of preschool!  Well, kind of his first day.  Until this school year he was attending a Montessori school, but that seemed more like a daycare than preschool.  This year, he is going to the preschool program at Tom’s school 3 days a week.  He has been so excited about going to “Daddy’s school.”  I bought him a new backpack and packed a lunch for him.  He looked like such a big boy walking out to the car this morning with his backpack on.

My Jack is so sensitive and emotional.  He also has some OCD/anxiety issues.  I feel like this year is a perfect blend for him.  He gets the extra attention and security of in-home care, but also the structure and social/educational support of a preschool.  I can’t help but remember how last year Jack would cling to my leg each morning when I would drop him off at daycare.  Now, he asks to go to Ms. Rebekah’s house even on Saturdays.

 

Let’s talk about his outfit, shall we?  This week our temperatures have dropped to a brisk 59 degrees in the morning.  I felt like Jack should wear jeans, but he has outgrown all of his pants from last year.  I have several pairs of hand-me-downs from his cousin, but all of them have holes in the knees.  I put him in a pair of the holey jeans, but the hole was almost too much for his OCD to handle so I made a deal with him that he could pick his shirt if he wore the jeans.  He picked the tackiest shirt he owns…one from Walmart with the Avengers on it.  Then, he insisted on wearing his red jacket that is much too small.  And when he wears jackets, they have to be zipped to the very top and the hood has to be up.  So, basically, my child looked a little ragged for his first day of preschool at the school where my husband works.  I went to Target during my lunch and bought him some new jeans and a hoodie. I may have to do picture retakes. 

Thumbs up after a great first day!

Teething: the bane of my existence

Why do my babies always get sick when they are teething?  Sam has a terrible cold and cough which are making him miserable.  On Saturday, after waking up all night long to take care of a fussy Sam, I had to get all three kids ready and out the door for Ellie's soccer game.  Tom had a cross country meet so it was just me.  We made it there on time, but it was really hot out and Sam started screaming.  At the same time, I have Jack whining and saying he is hungry, he is thirsty, he is hot, he wants to go home...you get the idea.  I am trying to watch Ellie, but I am also trying not to drive the other parents crazy.  Then, Jack starts insisting he has to go to the bathroom.  The only toilets are port-a-potties all the way on the far side of the fields.  I carry my heavy, screaming baby and drag Jack over there only to have him freak out about using a potty that has NOT BEEN FLUSHED!  Needless to say, I was definitely ready for a nap by the time Tom got home.

I know that we should treasure every moment because time goes by so quickly, but there are some moments that I would just like to fast-forward and teething is one definitely one of them.

Dear Sam: 6 months edition

Dear Sam,

Today you are 6 months old.  I have really enjoyed you this past month!  You are much more content now that you are more adept at grasping various toys and inserting them into your mouth.  You are *this close* to sitting up unsupported.  I mean, you sit up, but then you reach for a toy and topple over.

You are going to bed in your own crib like a champ.  We just put you down awake and you go right to sleep.  Unfortunately, you like to wake up anytime between 4-5am, but you wake up happy and talking. You have discovered consonants so your language is very loud and repetitive. It sounds a like "A-GAH, A-GAH, A-BAH, A-BAH!" Your sister and brother like to imitate your sounds and you find it all very funny.

I took you on your first plane ride this past month. Actually, you are the only one of your siblings to ever go on an airplane. I was really worried about how you would do, but you were a perfect angel. It was just the two of us on our little weekend trip and I really enjoyed that time with you.

You have the biggest smile and the cutest chuckle. You really are a happy baby. Even with all the teething. When you were at the doctor, she noticed you were getting more teeth in addition to the two you have already sprouted. You are a leaky faucet these days.

You are still roly-poly and everyone comments on your size. I love it. Your measurements were in the 100th percentile across the board. You are 28.6 inches tall and weight 22 pounds and 12.5 ounces. Not too shabby.

Sambo, I am so thankful you are a part of our family. I thought my baby days were over, but I am so happy to be experiencing these milestones one more time with you.

Love, Mama