Back to School, Take Your Time

It's official. I blinked. They blinked. Summer was over and school started.

Tatum went to four days of the summer session of preschool and her first "real" day of school is next week. She is having a hard time, but getting better each day! Liam is officially 11 months old today as I write in the wee hours of the morning. It's official alright, I'm a mama to an almost one year old, a brand new preschooler and you two...

a Kindergarten girl and a Second grade boy!

I wish that I could say that over the summer I was able to fully move us in and get everything settled, but I'm still unpacking a few boxes and still trying to sort through the junk that I should have thrown away before we moved. Your daddy is working away in his fully finished garage (I need to take progress pictures before he's actually done!) because as he says, "the garage is the heart of the home". Whaaaat?

I feel the morning rush, though I'm trying to be better about getting up earlier and being prepared! "Take your time!", Anna so wisely says.

 The night before school started, I found Kieran sneaking the ipad in the darkness. I was quick to get angry, upset with myself for doing so, especially after he came running into my arms and said, "I'm sorry, Mommy! It's just that I'm scared for second grade!" "Oh, Kieran!", my heart sinking inside. "I am the one who is sorry, I wasn't thinking and now I see that you were trying to settle your mind!" Clearly, I forgot to put on my school counselor hat and was in "do this, do that" parent mode.

We sat, we talked, we cuddled.

"It will be okay", I told him. "You will be great!"

And it was, he was.

Kieran's teacher is on maternity leave, so he has a long-term substitute until late October. My sweet, loving boy hugged his teacher knowing that she is only with him for a short stay. Kieran, may you never lose the love you have for others, even when you've never met them. This is a quality that not a lot of people have and so many should. 

Anna waited patiently with her big brother to wish him a great first day of second grade. 

Then, a quick moment to remember the two of us on this day, 

 her first day of Kindergarten.

This day meant so much to her and even more so because I was able to stay the day with all of the other parents that stay with their children on the first day. I cannot even put into words the excitement and wonder that she had anticipating her first day, a day that I am so glad that I did not miss!

Anna's teacher rolled out the red carpet for her students,

took their movie star pictures,

 and gave hugs to every student like they were her own.

 This is one happy girl!

And so, before I blink and blink again, my loves, my prayer is that I will take my time for you, be there for you, and love you the way that you need.

I will slow down, I will just be.

I can't get these years back, so I'll enjoy them in the moment.

May Kindergarten and Second grade be a wonderful step in your long journey.

I love you both and by the way...

take your time!

i'm bored...{the challenges of 7 and a half}

While taking pictures of Liam, Kieran laid down next to me with "the look".

I get it a lot lately and when I tell him, he ends up giggling, because he knows exactly what I'm talking about. "Where's my Kieran? Where's my sweet baby?", I ask him.

His smile returns because he knows that when he says he's bored, it really just means I want you to pay attention to me. 

It's easy to get lost taking pictures of the girls because they actually want me to and will often ask. It's even easier to take pictures of Liam since he's the baby baby, and invariably, the last.

Kieran's my first though, and I'm learning each day how much I don't know about parenting a 7 and a half year old. 

I honestly feel like he is in between the "whatever Mommy says, I'll do without thinking stage, to the I'm becoming quite the independent little guy stage...as it should, but I can't say that I always like it.

It has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with him and that's the part that is so difficult. 

That being said, I'm learning about empathy with limits;

limit setting to let him know that I care, while thinking on his level to best understand him.

When all else fails and he says he's bored, there's nothing that a good hug cannot cure, along with a good dose of being tickled. 

And, when he says, "I'm bored",

that's my cue.

ten months and the nine month post that never was... {liam}

My sweet baby boy,

 9 months have already come and gone and had I had it together, I would have taken your picture at exactly 9 months, except I didn't.

We've been in our new home for just over a month and it's strange to think that you'll never know the home that we brought you to after the hospital. 

Be glad that you get to be you, the happy-go-lucky, easy going little man that you are while your daddy and I continue to unpack the chaos and work on DIY projects that will last for what seems like eternity!

 And so, before the details slip away as they often do, I continue with my high hopes that I will give you a printed baby book (The old fashioned ones are still important to me! You know, the ones where you actually print a photo and gasp...write with a pen?). 

Your nine month appointment had you weighing in at a whopping 24 pounds (96th percentile).

 24 pounds! Twenty-four. Yep, you read that right!

24 pounds Mister. What else can I say? Your 2 1/2 year old sister (who is a tiny little thing) is 25 pounds and you are both in a size 4 diaper (well one of you is since Tatum is on her way to being potty trained-hooray!). I can only wonder what the scales will tip to at a year! You are 29 inches (86th percentile) and growing before our eyes.

At 9 months you had not a single tooth and to further that report at 10 months, still nothing.

That doesn't stop you from eating, and eating, and eating all the table food that I've been throwing your way these past few days. 

At 9 months you perfected the army crawl and at 10 have begun to do a few real strides on all fours.

You are very proud to show us your "so big" arms, and that you are my love, that you are.

You love music, giggle at and cuddle with your stuffed alligator, shake your head "no" and we think we hear you saying "dada". You've got the "mmmm" when you eat good food down, and I'm waiting for the second half when you say mama. You are pulling yourself to stand in your crib when you wake each morning and when I ask you for a kiss, you lean forward and smile...you know just what to do! 

 Your name might have been one of the most popular when you were born and in the past I would have not picked one that was, but you are a Liam through and through to me.

What a love you are, a joy in our lives, thank you for blessing us with your kind and gentle spirit.

Much Love Always,

Mommy