One of a kind

A few days ago I realized that I post a lot of pictures of Audrey's crazy outfits or reference them here and there. Part of the reason is that she picks the silliest, cutest, most colorful outfits that crack me up and leave me wondering what the people at Target must think of me for "allowing" her to leave the house in such a state of apparent disarray. I say apparent because it really couldn't be further from disarray since each particular striped/polka dotted/flowered/purple/orange/green/turquoise concoction has probably been sitting on her bed for two days waiting for just the right reason to debut her latest fashion creation.

But that's just part of the reason. The other reason is because Audrey's crazy clothes and color schemes reflect so much about her peronality that I love. So much that I wish I had. So much that I pray she keeps.

Sometimes my mom says how much Audrey reminds her of me when I was little. The big, expressive eyes making every story seem so important. The fluttering hands expressing so much emotion. The loud voice and sing-songy excitement peppering each conversation. The strangers stopping to watch me in all my preschool cuteness just as they watch her. She says that and part of me is so happy. Happy to think of myself so full of life. So engaging. So energetic. Happy to share a part of me that I don't even remember with my precious daughter.

She says that and part of me is so sad, too. Sad that I don't see myself as any of those things anymore. Sad that I can't even remember being those things. Sad that someday Audrey could change from her confident, joyful, free self.

This is obviously about more than clothes. I'm assuming a day will come in the not so distant future when Audrey will want to match a bit more than she does now. The day is coming when she will want to wear something like what "she's" wearing or the brand that "that girl" is wearing. I know those changes will bring about plenty of conversations about how we present ourselves and what is appropriate and how much money people spend on clothes. I can imagine those days ahead. What I can't imagine is Audrey losing the essence of her carefree, mix and match, take the world by storm attitude.

She has such a presence about her. People are drawn to her. She is a mixture of sweet shyness when people first meet her and vivacious energy once she is comfortable. She loves to laugh, but doesn't like being tickled. She loves to roar like a lion, but doesn't like to be scared. She loves to be a big girl, but is a little worried about outgrowing her mama's arms. She loves a good party dress paired with some sparkly shoes, but knows a tie-dye shirt and tutu with tennies is the way to go at the state fair.

She is my daughter. I want the whole entire world for her. And whether she's wearing a tailored suit to her government job or a khaki skirt and blouse to her teaching job or a spit-up stained t-shirt on her couch as she burps her baby, I want her, the grown up version of her, to possess the same strength and energy and charisma and joy that she feels now and that the world sees in her now. That I see in her each and every day as she plays and colors and sings and dances and and learns and loves and loves and loves. Just in case you ever wonder.

simply because there should be photographic evidence when silliness reaches these levels

summer weekend at its finest

We've had a great summer full of splashing, biking, park playing, backyard lazing, gardening, and backyard camping.

I had the ambitious plan of a family backyard camp-out on my birthday weekend. Elliot put the kabosh on that when he realized we intended for him to sleep on an air mattress on the ground. In the same "room" as two parents and two siblings also on said ground. Our intentions were futile. He kept crawling out of my arms saying, "I on the ground. I will crawl. I will talk to you. I crawling on the ground." This would have continued until a certain almost 2-year-old collapsed in a ball of sleep in a random corner of a very cramped tent. I hope it is obvious why this was not an option, particularly when a certain almost 2-year-old's crib was about 100 steps away. Since it was my idea and the bigger kids were having fun, Jim begrudgingly (yeah right!) walked those 100 steps, put Elliot in his crib, and then walked the 10 steps or so to a comfortable, bug-free bed.

While Jim may have thought he was the lucky one, Isaac, Audrey, and I had a very fun adventure and they've been asking to do it again. I obliged this weekend and camped out with Isaac on Friday and Audrey on Saturday, but not before some more summer fun! Our library's reading program offers free evening passes to the local waterpark and we headed that way on Friday afternoon from 4-7. The kids were in their glory, the weather was perfection, the lines were short, the supper was delayed, the bedtime was very delayed, but it was just the nicest night. And a great reward after a wonderful first week of school

Isaac was the only one tall enough to go on any rides, so Jim and I took turns sliding with him while the other splashed with Audrey and Elliot or watched them in the sand/water area. We all enjoyed the kid's area and the lazy river together, too. They all did an amazing job listening and playing together and even headed for home with no complaint. They are getting old enough to handle schedule changes easier, enjoy longer days, and just go with the flow a little bit.

We quickly headed home when the water park closed so Jim and Isaac could set the tent up in what little light remained while I put Elliot and Audrey to a bed they were so happy to snuggle into after such a fun afternoon! Then Isaac and I hit the tent. There is something so precious about time alone with one of my children. The crickets were chirping, the moon was shining, and there were no distractions. We talked, settled into a comfortable silence, talked a little more, and finally gave up the fight and fell asleep. It was a special night for me and my Bug.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's happy!

The next day we hung low, biked, mowed the lawn, checked the garden, and generally relaxed. With nothing on the agenda, it was a perfectly lovely Saturday. But all along, Audrey was looking forward to her sleepover, too. She was a little worried about the dark and the unusual noises, but she did a great job. We, too, shared easy conversations that camping, even if it is in your own back yard, brings about because of the quiet and the close proximity and the darkness. That Audrey is such a special girl and I'm sure we'll share many late night chats for years to come!

right before we took down the tent

Sunday was breakfast, church, naps/rests, and beach! I told you this was the summer weekend to end all summer weekends! We biked over to the beach to splash the 90 and humids away. The kids splashed and jumped and cannonballed and swam and attempted hand stands and dug and buried toes and constructed moats and slopped ice cream sandwiches all over their bare tummies and looked for fish off the dock. Jim and I did many of those things, the most notable exception being the slopping of ice cream on our tummies!

Isaac's toes are up because he does not want fish bites

loved the ice cream sandwich. Not so crazy about the sandy/sticky combination it brought on

Yes, it was a lazy, family-filled, water-splashing summer weekend and it was perfect. Just in case you ever wonder.

Nothing better

The sound of three kids laughing is music. The sight of three kids performing a play complete with homemade scuba diving costumes, rehearsed lines, and song and dance is priceless. The sound of three kids huffing and puffing around the yard as they chase other in a rambunctious game of toilet tag is hilarious. The sight of three kids sharing stories and laughter and hugs and tears and silly faces is precious.

We never had a master plan for our family. We married young and assumed we'd have kids someday. Then, the longer we were married, the more content and close we felt as a couple and we decided we didn't want any kids. It is so strange to think of that time because it's hard to believe I ever thought there could be a future that wasn't this. This huggy, noisy, laughy, wordy time that is our life.

Obviously we changed our minds and there was an Isaac. Then there was an Audrey. And finally there was an Elliot. We don't have the biggest family or the most kids crammed into a few years, but a few people thought we were a bit batty when we announced that we were having our third baby in four years. We made the conscious decision that if we were going to have three kids, we wanted them to grow up close together and share experiences together. With that said, we firmly believe that all families turn out just how they're supposed to turn out and that sibling spacing works out any which way you slice it. This is just a glimpse at our thought process as we pondered trying for a third baby. Plus, we figured if we ever got out of the diaper changing, lack of sleeping, hauling kids in carseats stage, we'd never go back!

That's not to say that it wasn't hard and isn't still hard at times. In fact, I remember a conversation that I had with Jim shortly after Elliot was born. I told him, or maybe cried to him, that I loved all of our kids and wouldn't trade any of them for anything, but I wished they weren't all awake at the same time. At the time, it was just easier to handle two at a time. Now, my non-hormone raging, non-sleep-deprived current self realizes that if they'd all been awake at different times I would have been even more tired. That would not have been pretty!

But now, more than ever, I wouldn't trade any of it for all the riches in the world. They all play together beautifully (usually). Isaac helps Elliot get his pjs on. Audrey tries to teach Elliot to read. Isaac and Audrey set the table together. They run through the sprinkler together and learn together and wonder together and sing together and sometimes (gasp) whine together.

And if a kid wants a sidekick, there's always one a room or two away. The other day Isaac and Audrey were playing together until Isaac decided he wanted to read his fantasy football magazine on his own. Audrey was sad for a minute, but then she realized that she had a plan B. She found Elliot and he was more than happy to play with her. Isaac was ready for some fun a little later so they all played together.

This family. These kids. This man I share it all with. There's nothing better. Just in case you ever wonder!

superpowers

Audrey got new flip flops a few days ago, her first pair of ($2.50) flip flops, and she was feeling pretty fancy. We took a bike ride that first night and she quickly proclaimed, "I can go so much faster when I'm wearing my flip flops." Then she got a little gleam in her eye as she zoomed down the sidewalk as if she had a little something up her sleeve.

Audrey has never been a fan of going up or down sidewalks. There are a few roads in our neighborhood that have quite a bumpy descent onto the road because they haven't put the final coating on it since there is still so much construction going on. This causes Audrey (and Isaac before her) an unnecessary, in my opinion, amount of angst, but it's her fear so I just get off my bike and give her the little boost that she needs.

Well, on this particular night, donning her fancy purple ($2.50) flip flops, Audrey got just the nudge she needed. In case you didn't know, purple flip flops can outsmart and outbike even the bumpiest of sidewalks. Audrey stopped to look for cars and told me of her plans. There was not an ounce of trepidation in her voice. She thundered down the sidewalk and turned back to declare her victory over the sidewalk with a whoop and a shout and a beaming smile and an "I just went down the sidewalk all by myself and I wasn't even scared!" She shot up the other sidewalk and was on her way. This girl, she's going places!

In case you were wondering, they're also great for biking through sprinklers! The shoes are just that magical!

pride. joy. accomplishment.

Audrey is learning to read. Just ask the neighbors. She has been known to answer the door holding her learning to read book. It was a coincidence since we were about to start her reading lesson, but she was more than eager to tell her little friend and her friend's dada ALL about it. Up until now, the book has focused on following directions and learning a few letter sounds. But, today (cue the angelic choir), Audrey read her first words. The look on her face makes her the poster child for the words excitement and pride.

did you see that? Because I'm pretty sure I just read!

the now-famous first word 

 In truth, she's read a few words, like cat and games, in books, but this is her first bona-fide word from her reading book. She is thrilled and I am so excited and proud for her! What a big day!

the (organic) apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Audrey and Elliot helped me make zucchini cake and zucchini bread yesterday. They tried the bread yesterday and wanted the cake for snack today. Audrey took one bite and got a very serious look on her face. “Hmmm. This is sweeter and more like sugar. Is this a sometimes food?,” she asked. We talk about good food choices and how good, healthy food gives our body energy and helps us stay healthy. We can eat as much as we want of those foods. Then there are sometimes foods that we just have sometimes and in smaller portions because they don’t have good vitamins to help us grow up strong and healthy. I guess the talks are sinking in.


We were driving to the grocery store this afternoon and saw workers cutting down a large patch of trees and large trucks hauling them away. I pointed it out to the kids since construction vehicles are a pretty big deal around here. Isaac gave an exasperated sigh and said, “Uuuuhhhhhh, they’re chopping down our oxygen. Why would they do that? We need it to breathe!”

summer

so close to actually pedaling, he's content to scoot around

enjoying an afternoon rainshower

they pull out chairs, grab golf clubs, and "catch birds" almost every day

enjoying the bounty of summer

Quick, take a picture before somebody gets hurt! Surprisingly, this did not end in tears, but there were certainly lots of giggles!

first day of school

We started school yesterday. It is safe to say that everyone here was ready. Our door crashed open at 6:52 am (our rule is no one out of their bedrooms until 7. Wake up when you will, but keep your yapper and your door shut until 7). Before us stood one boy dressed, his bed made, asking when we'd start school. There was the issue of breakfast to deal with, but even that was interrupted with many when will we start school questions.

Audrey and Elliot, sensing excitement in the air, joined in on the asking. Once we finished our heart pancake eating frenzy, we brushed teeth and got started on our day.

I made a back to school questionnaire for each child to fill out. It asked things like favorite color, bible story, song, book, summer memory, etc. My favorite answer was Elliot's response to his favorite color. He told me, "Sunrise is my favorite color." How adorable is that? Then they answered questions like what do you want to be when you grow up, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why, and what would you do with $100. Then, of course, they drew/colored their self-portrait. I will have them fill out the same questionnaire at the end of the year to see how their answers have changed, penmanship improvement, drawing skills, etc.

our first grader!

our pre-k/kindergartner

our 2 yo always in on the action!

the crazy gang is ready to learn!

presenting their questionnaire information

working on her self-portrait

entertaining himself with playdough

drawing self-portrait

We studied history together, did handwriting, reviewed math, and read together. Audrey was beside herself with excitement to start her learning to read book. She is so ready since she's trying to spell things on her own. She knows all of her letters and the sounds they make and just needs a little help putting the puzzle pieces together. It is so fun to watch her mind work and it is working like crazy right now! Isaac is so excited about starting spelling and gives a hardy cheer when I mention spelling.

It was an amazing first day. We are easing in slowly with a few subjects this week, mostly for Elliot's sake since he is used to two full-time playmates and will now have to entertain himself a bit when I'm busy with them. Two days is and he's doing great. It will be an adjustment for all of us, but it is so worth it!

What's Elliot up to these days?

This boy, adorably delicious and scrumptious, is not missing a thing!

He is learning like crazy and making us smile with his many silly faces, voices, and dance moves. He's also crashing into things a lot, making me think he's having a growth spurt since he seems to have forgotten where his body ends and the rest of the world begins.

He knows the letters A and E and points them out often. He spells his name when I write it on his art work: E-L-L-I-O-T. It's so cute to hear him say the letters as I write them down. He loves to tell us he's two and wants me to write the number 2 next to his name and on the chalk board and on the dry erase board. It is a bit of an obsession for him these days.

CHEEEEEESE!

Try and tell me you don't want to eat him!

He enjoys using his verbal skills to make his wants, the good, the bad, and the ugly, known. The other day he was whining and I said I didn't want to hear him whine, I wanted to hear his talking voice. He quickly, and loudly, retorted, "I don't want to talk. I want to cry!" Point taken. So I walked away. This was apparently not the response he was looking for, so, lo and behold, the talking voice reappeared. Aaaah, the lessons a 2-year-old learns. He makes every day brighter, every story more exciting, every laugh a little louder. What a joy he is. Even when he really isn't. : )

summer math

   one yard in ridiculous need of mowing
+ three kids who must keep themselves entertained while mama mows
+one sprinkler
+one kid-created obstacle course
______________________________________________________

The big finish. And, it's shower time!