Summer Days

Forgive the super blurry picture. I was trying to take a picture on my phone while two children were climbing around me. This is the outfit Katie came out wearing after I told her to go get dressed for her first day of soccer. Not only is that a skirt, but she had flip flops on too. (We're new to this sports thing.) But after I did a little explaining, she found some suitable shorts, t-shirt, and tennis shoes. And a rain jacket. It was pouring, but Oregonians continue on in the rain, I have learned. She LOVED it. She honestly enjoyed every single minute. I am so glad we decided to branch out from dance for a little while. 

Nothing says summer like eating fudgesicles on the back step.

Oh, these two. They make quite the dynamic duo. I always find them off giggling together. They squeezed into this contraption at the park today, and were having a blast rockin' it like crazy.

I had a yard sale last week, and I promised the girls they could have a lemonade stand....a lifelong dream of Katie's. They also sold cookies and brownies. I think they made just as much money as I did on the yard sale. 

Katie lost her second tooth tonight. You can see the permanent one already has come in behind it. We've been working on that stubborn tooth for weeks. 

 

I didn't get a picture of Gracie, but she started princess dance yesterday. She was so happy to be in the big girls dance class. Last fall she did the 2-3 yr old session, and loved it, but she was the oldest one in there. She was a little intimidated by her teacher yesterday, but she did great, and has been studying her little positions diagram faithfully. 

I don't like having to be busy with lessons, so we don't do them year round. This summer they each got to pick one activity, and then we'll be done with lessons until next spring or summer. I have found we are much happier as a family when we keep our schedule open. 

Amelia is talking like crazy. I don't think she is ever quiet. She repeats everything we say and picks up songs so quickly. She goes around belting out "Let It GO" and "Happy Birthday"  and "I am a CHild of God." On our way to church, we sing songs to warm up our voices ( a tactic I employ to limit the number of arguments in the van on the way to church), and I let each girl pick a song. Grace almost always picks "Away in a Manger," and this time while we were singing, Amelia joined in. I was so surprised she had learned it and was singing along, and it was so gosh darn cute, I almost had to pull over. Hearing a 19 month old sing is the cutest thing in the world. 

Amelia started nursery in May, and LOVES it. Well, she loves snack time and singing time, but then she's ready to go take a nap. Who cares about toys? She'd rather go snuggle down and go "night, night."

We are pretty excited (and still a little surprised) to announce that our sweet bundle will be a BOY. I am not sure we will know what to do with him after being in a girl groove, but I guess we'll figure it out as we go along. Katie is beyond excited. She was literally praying for a brother. Every day she asks me how big the baby is now. 

It's been awhile

I am trying to treasure these few years I have when my children are young and underfoot. With Katie going off to kindergarten in the fall, I feel the need to enjoy them while they are young even more intensely. I am so grateful for these simple days of preparing snacks and loosely supervising unstructured playtime. My heart fills to the brim watching an elaborate game of pretend taking place in my living room or in the privacy of a bedroom closet. I get such pleasure out of watching little Amelia being ushered into the world of make believe and get such satisfaction out of seeing the three of them traipsing around with their very serious job of pretending. Oh how I wish these days could go on forever....

And yet life is never perfect. I lost my temper at bedtime to tonight and turned into monster mommy. Now all the wee ones are sleeping, and I'm wiping away tears of regret. Not much to do but ask for forgiveness, pick myself up, dust myself off, and start over tomorrow. Luckily I have the most forgiving little souls to wake up to. For that,  I am ever so grateful.