6

Life has been a whirlwind this past month.  We filed for immigration for the kids.  We had a fundraising auction that raised over 2k.  I've been shipping tshirt orders right and left and plan to get a new printing order in soon as we are sold out of many sizes and colors.  To order, check the sidebar over there <---- .="" nbsp="" p="">
But the bestest thing was celebrating the life of the boy who first made me a mom.  The lone boy to grow in my tummy as opposed to my heart.  Sometimes he feels left out because he only has one Mommy.  But then his darling father reminds him that he has a great Mommy and so that is enough. 

We celebrated with all things Wii and Lego.  I felt like a better Mom when he was obsessed with Thomas and trains.  Thomas is so wholesome while his non-stop chatter about Mario and Skylanders seems, well, it seems like I just let him play video games all day long.  Which is not the case.  (Full disclosure:  it sometimes is the case.  But when it is your birthday, you get to do what you want and the boy wanted to play with his new games.) 

We had a Super Mario themed birthday party at the house for him.  Once again, I was insane and built him a pinata. Some folks said I made the box too strong and feared it would never break.  But EVERY one of the 35 kids got a swing at it.  Henry went first and then we went in order of age.  It broke on the very last swing.  So the point goes to me.  I am a pinata genius.  So there.

 It was question box full of coins and other trinkets.

 And I made a couple pin the mustache on Mario boards.  Which we never even used because playing this game when you have 35 kids at a party is ridiculous.  I am taking it as a sign of personal growth that I was totally okay with scrapping this. 

And we had one up cupcakes. 

We did briefly try a Yoshi egg in spoon race.  But when the kids learned that I'd cheated a bit and boiled the eggs, it quickly turned into a "Let's throw boiled eggs at each other game".  Whatever.  They had a blast.

I did, however, learn a few lessons.  Like if you have a big back yard with a trampoline, a sandbox, a swingset, a sloped driveway and a bunch of big wheels and glide bikes, you really don't need any other organized activities.

Except for maybe a big handpainted Bowser target and some water balloons.  I fear we may have made this now a tradition.  Oh well.  It only took Sloan three hours and 4 Motrin to blow up 200 water balloons and me four hours to paint a target that was completely killed in less than a minute for this fun.

My darling Henry, I pray you always understand that you are loved.  You are a treasure.  You are kind and brave.  Smart and funny.  You tell me no less than 40 times a day that you love me, that I'm the best mom in the world, and that I'm beautiful.  And pretty.  And wonderful.  And kind.  Oh dear one, you are easy to love.  I pray you are always as quick to forgive and love and laugh as you are at age 6. 

3…The Magic Number

This girl is three. 

We (barely) made it out of the terrible twos alive.  Her preschool teachers describe her as a party in a can.  I’d say that is about right.  Because most parties I attended in college were loud, left me sweaty, covered in unknown stains, and crying in the corner.  

I prefer the term "hot mess."

She is sassy and smart.  She is the ultimate Daddy's girl and loves nothing more than to be with, sit on, kiss, climb on, or dance with her Daddy.  When I make her mad, she says, "I'm telling Swoan!"

She is always on the move and can often be found standing on her head.  Her athletic abilities are staggering.  She can do pirouettes, hop across the room on one foot, run like the wind, do forward rolls, and leap from the couch to Sloan’s chair unscathed (which are about 4 feet apart).  And trust me, I have not tried to teach her any of these things.  And given her passion about all things pirate, she usually does all of the above while wielding a sword.  She is currently enrolled in a creative movement class and we are hoping to put her in gymnastics as well after the New Year.  Yes, I do think she is a bit young to have 2 classes a week.  But her temperament and energy level are such that I really do think she will do best when her schedule is booked and her boundaries are firm.  Henry and I will just happily read books and try to move as little as possible while she runs circles around us.

She has two imaginary friends with whom she does EVERYTHING.  Their names are Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Walker.  Incidentally, there is a teacher at her school named Mrs. Walker.  Mrs. Walker isn’t her teacher, but since Mrs. Walker is my friend in real life, she just might dote on Gracie a bit.  And Gracie loves her fans.  We once saw Mrs. Walker at a restaurant and she screamed louder than a tween at a Bieber concert.  At least once a day she asks me, “Remember when we saw Mrs. Walker?  I WUV MRS. WALKER!!!”  

She is a horrible eater.  She would prefer to just eat cheese, crackers, bacon, and Honey Banana Chobani yogurt.  She will pretty much do anything, including keeping on her sleep cap or pooping on the potty, for the promise of a chocolate chip.  And her heart is so big that it is unacceptable to her if only she gets a chocolate chip.  EVERYONE present must eat a chocolate chip with her.  So I take one for the team and eat the chocolate.    

She continues to love her Pinkie and loveys.  She is learning to sit for long periods of time while I do her hair.  Of course, this requires the help of Pixar and snacks, but yesterday I spent 5 hours braiding her hair in the hopes we don’t have to mess with it much during the next two weeks while we move. 

And now, I’ll leave you with her interview.  The answers in italics are my explanations of her own words.

Favorite color: Purple

Favorite Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Favorite Song: Jesus Loves Me

Favorite Food: Pizza and Candy!!!  (And of course she asked for candy after answering this) 

Food that is yucky:  beans (actually ALL vegetables are hated equally. She goes to bed without dinner a lot.  A lot.  But she weighs 34 lbs, so clearly, she isn’t starving.)

Favorite Restaurant: Angelo’s

Favorite Sport: Dance class!

Favorite TV Show: Little Einstein’s

Favorite Movie: Mary Poppins (We watch it at least once a week.  We are watching it now.)

Favorite Toy: Lego Soup (She likes to “cook” with legos at her kitchen.)

Favorite Game:  Hide and Seek (*ahem* not so much the seeking)

Favorite Thing at School: play toys with my friends and see Mrs. Walker on da pwayground

Favorite Place to Go: Costco

Favorite Thing to do with Mommy: Spin to music

Favorite Thing to do with Daddy: Cuddle

Favorite Things about Henry: I can’t remember. (I do.  I’d have to say that he has never once hit her or pushed her despite her constant fretting, pushing, sitting upon or toy stealing.  In fact, we’ve had to teach him to use his hands to pry her off of him sometimes.)

Favorite Thing About about Myself: I don’t know.  I gotta tink about it.  I SOOOOO funny. 

If I could go anywhere in the world it would be: Costco. 

When I grow up I want to be: I want to be Gracie Mommy.

3 words to describe myself:  energetic, silly, mischievous

My wish for the coming year:  to be a witch for Halloween.

Five year Interview

Favorite Color: Light blue

Favorite Book: the Bible

Favorite Food: Pizza

Food that is yucky: Spaghetti with Sauce

Favorite Restaurant: Angelo’s

Favorite Sport: Soccer

Favorite Show: Thomas and Friends

Favorite Movie: Wall-E

Favorite Toy: Thomas trains

Favorite Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Favorite thing at school: Playing on the computer

Favorite Season: January, it’s the first one.

Favorite Place to Go: Our condo at the beach.

Favorite thing about Mommy: We like to play puzzles.

Favorite thing about Daddy: His pancake flipping skills.

Favorite thing about Grace: That she’s my sister.

Favorite thing about myself: Jesus is in my heart.

If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be: Disneyworld!

When I grow up, I want to be: a sailor, just like Daddy.*

When I was little I used to: Be in Mommy’s tummy.

Three words to describe me are: Awesome, Giggly, and Expert.

My one wish for this year: For Charlie to hurry up and get here.

*Ummm, Sloan is in sales.  He's not a sailor.  But this was Henry's answer.  Awesome.  

Angry Birds Party

On Saturday we hosted Henry’s 5^th birthday party.  I attempted to convince Henry he really wanted a party at Monkey Joe’s or the pool, but he said, “No, Mom.  We can invite more of our friends if we have it at our house.  It will just be easier if we stay here.”  

Easier for whom?

But I do so love an at home birthday party.  What is the point in having a house if not to share it with your friends and celebrate the life that God has given you?  I mean, why have a dining room table that seats 12 adults comfortably if not to squeeze 22 preschoolers around it?  (Of course, my dining room isn’t large enough for the table with the leaves in it, so we had to put it in our living room.) 

He wanted an Angry Birds party.  So I googled “Free Angry Birds Printables” and was able to find and personalize this invitation.   

My buddy Melissa made 2 dozen cupcakes which I added Angry Birds Rings to, while Henry and I made this heck of a cake.  

For activities, I made a green pig piñata.  It was our Spring Break activity.   

Tips for making a piñata.  Figure out how you are going to hang it before actually making it.  And DEFINITELY before stuffing it with 15 pounds of candy.  Also, only do three layers of paper mache.  You  might worry that it won’t be sturdy enough to withstand the whacks of kiddos.  False.  5 layers will be akin to making it out of airplane grade aluminum.  And it will take parents wielding their children as bats to break it down. 

We also had an egg hunt (because we were trying to help those birds out!).  The eggs were filled with little toys and trinkets.  I figured between the cupcakes and candy, toys were in order.  Otherwise the party favor would’ve been Type II Diabetes.  Each kid could find a dozen or so eggs.  While we found our eggs, it began to rain.  (We were racing against the threat of thunderstorms, so I was worried about missing what was Henry’s biggest desire for the party—the water balloon fight.) 

And how should you best end an Angry Birds party?  By launching water balloons at three giant green pigs.  (Because what is the point of having teenage cousins if they can’t be targets at your 5^th birthday party?)  

Oh, dear Henry.  You have been a joy since you were just a blob of cells in a photo.  Since you were the wiggler kicking me in the gut while we watched Ninja Warrior from our hospital room.  Since you fought your way out of the NICU and into our home.  My darling Henry, you fully deserved that Courtesy medal you won at your soccer game.  

Two more days until you are a whole hand.  When did that happen?

Why I Love Fall (also Photographic Evidence that I'm a Really Good Parent seasonally)

I love Fall because I don't have to shave my legs as often.

I love Fall because of three words: Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I love Fall because orange and brown and red look fabulous on me.  

I love Fall because I love college football.  

I love Fall because the air is crisp and I can finally wear a jacket.

I love Fall because it starts to get dark earlier and I can convince my kids it is bedtime an hour earlier.

But mainly, I love Fall because Fall weekends mean festivities.  It is pretty easy to be a good parent in the Fall.  Saturdays are full of free carnivals replete with snow cones and bounce houses.  Oh, and did I mention that I love Fall because of all the candy?  Cause I love candy, too.

So here...in no certain order, is photographic evidence for my children that I'm a fun parent (at least for one season) and that I love them (all the time, but sometimes Mommy just can't sit outside when it is 90 degrees outside or she will melt and she can't breathe in the Spring).

  Field Day of the Past.  You know, where there are roller coasters and pony rides, tractor pulls, and dump trucks full of corn.  And also where they have historical displays of things from days gone by--like wagons, tee-pees, and typewriters.

 

Miniature train displays at the NC Transportation Museum when we went to a Day out with Thomas.  Why we got no pics with the actual Thomas train detracts from my good parenting as I was too lazy to wait in the line when it was raining.  Also, I may have been stressed out from yelling at my husband for being unable to read my mind.  But clearly, I am a fun mom who takes her kids fun (and educational!) places.

The State Fair of Virginia.  I'm fairly certain that our 18 hours in 2 days visit to the State Fair qualifies us for some type of parenting award.  I mean, I didn't even let my shoes falling apart ruin our fun.  For realz, yo.

And then there was the weekend leading up to my surgery where I was a REALLY fun parent.  All of the following pics took place on the same weekend.  It's gonna blow your mind.

FRIDAY NIGHT:

3rd Annual cookout in our driveway for the Monacan High School Homecoming Parade.

 The Crowd:  The Perrys and their neighbors, us, and the Longs.

 The parade.  Yeah, at the end of our driveway.

The adorable candy catchers: from L-R: Nathan, Anna holding Emily, Abigail, Cooper, Gunner, Henry, Gracie, and Katherine.  (Katherine clearly is too cool for parades in her bucket seat.  We'll give it time.)

SATURDAY:

And because a weekend is not complete without two parades:

I give you the Midlothian Day Parade and Festival.

And because we're fools popular, we followed up the parade with a Monkey Joe's birthday party.

SUNDAY:

After church, we of course went to Chesterfield Berry Farm, where we picked pumpkins, panned for gems, played in more corn, rode the barrel train, shot paint guns, and played king of the mountain.

 (Because nothing says I'm a good parent quite like a 4 year old with a weapon.)

Are you tired yet?  

This weekend is perhaps why I was so looking forward to the time off my surgery afforded me.  Because nothing helps you nap quite like anesthesia...

Grace's birthday.  Outside our traditional Dunkin Donuts birthday breakfast.  

Opening her sit and spin.

Stoked about her scooter.  

The time we learned that Gracie is afraid of candles on cakes combined with people singing to her.  

So like any good parent, I took one for the team and ate the cake myself while letting the birthday girl eat as many Oreos as she wanted. 

And then this past weekend, we also had her Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday.  I'll post about that later.  I'm kinda overwhelmed by my parenting awesomeness.  And also, the two Thomas shows that I allowed Henry to watch while I did this post are over.  So I gotta get back to the actual parenting.