Here We Go Again

Bedtime in our house has become a tortuous process where I spend the day dreading the night. This is a phenomenon that JP and I experienced in the early days of having our first child at home with us. He was such a sweet baby during the day and then BAM! the sun would go down and he would become a bawling disaster of NEED! What about my NEED for sleep? That kid certainly had his days and nights mixed up, but he grew out of that problem and now sleeps like a baby - like a baby should - very little disturbs that kid.

But this tantrum of mine is not about him but about them - THE GIRLS. They have been sharing a room for nearly a year now and the novelty HAS NOT WORN OFF. Every night is a battle to get them quiet and asleep. We've gone from children who went to bed at 7:00 without complaint to children that pester us until nearly 8:30 pm. Their energy just feeds off of each other and just when you think it's over they start again. And now . . . and now . . . wait for it . . . the little one is out of her crib. Just-like-that and she is out. 

Well, it was really my choice as I went in there last night to find her throwing her leg over ready to climb out (she has already admitted to and shown proof that she can climb IN). This is innocent enough by herself but with the encouragement of her roommate, Mademoiselle Knievel, she would have been standing on the rail of her crib before the night was over. I made the on the spot parenting decision to pull the mattress and stick her on the floor. It took some threats encouragement but she stayed on her little rectangle and we all had a great night's sleep. She even took a nap on her "new" bed today without only one exit - sans pants - out of her room.

So here we are gearing up for another night of settling down two rambunctious girls and we do not have the cage crib to contain one of them. Will this be the turning point or the beginning of another year of hoping the novelty will wear off. When Pickle gave up her crib 2 years ago, it was A-W-F-U-L so all I can think is . . . here we go again.

A moment at the ballpark

 As you have read on the site, or maybe even deduced for yourself, life can be pretty hectic around here. We do try to keep it simple but some weeks are loaded with activities. Now that Pickle and The Boy are playing Little League concurrently, and all games are on weeknights, there are potential weeks with a game every night. This week's schedule called for games two nights with ballet stacked on one of those nights.
 Christi usually takes Pickle to ballet because I flat out CRACKED listening to the other parents - moms - last year. Christi has been nice enough to pick me up on this task so I can try and keep it together. The plan was for Pickle and Christi to go to ballet and the other two kids and I would head to the baseball game. I have some small duties with The Boy's team that mainly involve keeping the kids in the dugout from goofing off too much and helping the pitchers.
  So I was trying to keep track of the dugout and New Kid when I look over to see New Kid in the dugout. Only her brother was on the bench this half inning and it made for a wonderful picture.

Hoppy Easter!

That rascally rabbit the Easter Bunny stopped by our house again this year! Pickle did not feel good on Saturday night but she had enough energy to tell me she had her "fingers crossed that there would be eggs tomorrow."

One of my favorite parts about looking at Easter pictures are the clothes the children wear each year. Some years we are still in pjs while others we have dressed for company. As you can see this year we have a nice array of pajamas (on New Kid and they happen to be new!) to beanie and LSU t-shirt. Pickle chose to put on the new dress her Jo-Jo sent and then topped it with a clashing flower coat. Below is a picture of Pickle from 2009 which stands as my favorite egg-hunting outfit to date!

Happy Birthday

To my First Born on the day after your 9th birthday . . . 

Happy Birthday! You have now entered your 10th year and the last year of single digits; I do believe you are excited about this milestone. You are literally and figuratively straddling a turning point in your life and this paradox is demonstrated daily by your actions. You try hard to be a mature tough boy but at the same time are deeply sensitive and youthful. I love this about you and sometimes it breaks my heart as I watch you struggle with this dilemma as you react to something that has happened trying to hold back tears. You care so much for everyone and are always concerned with other's feelings. 

At this time your best friend is still Mickey and he still does everything with you and you tell him everything. Your favorite animal is the chipmunk and you get overly excited when you see one whether it is in a magazine or among the rocks in Colorado. Reading is still your most favorite activity and you fly through books like they are pamphlets. We are amazed you can read so fast and wonder if you really read every word, but you seem to comprehend as you pass the AR quizzes and test extremely well on reading level exams. You will read anything and typically you read it more than once! We're having a hard time finding books to keep up with your pace.

Baseball is your sport of choice and you have continued to play in the the local League every fall and spring. Most days you try very hard and have made some pretty awesome plays in the field just in the last month. You have also learned to play tennis but we have not done a great job of continuing lessons or practice outside of the camp you attend in the summer. I hope we can 
develop this skill more in the years to come. We just returned from your third year of skiing at Wolf Creek. The Wolf Pup instructors remember you from year -to-year which I think  means you are infamous . . . mostly for all the snowballs you throw! This year you spent your second day of ski school alone with "Big Dave" traversing the mountain including Treasure and Alberta lifts!

During this past year we also went to Florida and enjoyed the beach and waves with your cousins and then you got to stay in Louisiana spending 2 nights in Alexandria and several in Shreveport. This gave you a chance to have one-on-one time with your grandparents that was a priceless experience. You then flew home alone! This was something your Dad and I knew you could handle because we know you have the ability to be mature and independent. It is in these situations that I think you shine the most.

I am excited for the next several months particularly as you wrap up this school year which has been pretty tough for you. Your advanced class has tested us all and continues to push you to do more and work harder. We will see how you handle the last term but I predict some change in your academic direction which I think we all need. I have no doubts that you will excel in school no matter the setting and you will learn no matter the environment. You are an extremely smart kid! Speaking of school you recently made the Rubik's Cube team which has you totally pumped and you spend hours practicing your technique. What a an accomplishment!

We love you dearly and are very proud of you. You are a beautiful boy inside and out. Happy Birthday!

Vacation Day 1, Day 2, & Day 3

Vacation Day 1 went like this:

• Kids dropped off at school 
• JP loading the van
• Christi cramming in some last minute work
• Annual Easter Egg Hunt/ School Luncheon
• On the road by 12:30pm
• Pickle rocked this look:
• NO ONE TAKING NAPS
• New Kid finally asleep 1/2 hour before we arrived in Pagosa.
• Made it from Phoenix to Pagosa Springs in 7 hours 45 minutes!

Vacation Day 2 

Sledding was the highlight of our day! The kids also tried to to play outside in the afternoon but soon met the reality of below freezing temperatures and 10-15 mph winds. 

Vacation Day 3
The Boy started the day heading out to play at when it was 12 degrees. Josh and I had bets on how long he would stay out and even started the stopwatch. He ended up staying out well past 15 minutes because he actually put on appropriate layers (and the wind wasn't blowing). We also headed up the pass for more sledding and JP even hiked up and made a few turns on his snowboard.

 JP has spent the afternoon cooking soup and a chicken casserole for dinners this week . . . days 4, 5, and 6 we are going to the mountain!

Pictures from Egg Hunt

Another year another Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Luncheon at Community Montessori. We do love this event because it seems to always be a beautiful day in the school backyard and the kids are so excited to be freed from the building to begin their hunt. They are let out from youngest to oldest and this is the 2nd year that New Kid was one of the first out the door. (Siblings are invited to participate even as non-students so all the kids have been included for many years . . . take note of the cool dude in the sunglasses below.)

One of our traditions each year are to take these creepy lizards and pose them on the kids heads. (See exhibits below: Pickle - 2008 and New Kid 2012)

Mickey

Look what we found Mickey doing while The Boy was at school! P's love for his "Brudda" has not wavered and in fact their friendship has grown recently. Mick is included in everything and is left in fun and strategic places most days before P heads off for school.