Back To School

Lil' Spitfire, can it be you're already old enough to be going to school in the big big world? You are so incredibly excited, you've been waiting patiently the whole, long two years since your big brother started.

Summer has flown by and I can't believe today is already the first day of school, and the first day ever of school for Spitfire. Last night I asked him "What is Mamma going to do without her big helper?" and he said "The baby will help you." "He doesn't know how to help yet, not like you." "Don't worry Mamma, you'll figure it out." So sweet! While getting ready this morning he kept saying "I wonder what it will be like." in the dreamy voice.

Before bed I asked the boys what they were excited about and if they were nervous about anything. When Spitfire realized he wouldn't have recess with Big Brother he had a moment but Golden Curls stepped up and was so encouraging, "It's ok, you'll have so many new friends to meet and play with." Melt a Mamma's heart!

Mr. Golden Curls was far more reserved and harder to read. Very calm about it all. He's in 2nd grade this year and was very proud to be moving to the upstairs hallway but I think he's also big enough to get a little nervous at the start of the year.

This has become his picture taking face. It makes him look mad but I think it's what he puts on when he wants to look like a big kid. I can't wait to pick them up and hear all the reports. It's awfully quiet in the house today. My Little Mister is napping and all I hear are house noises and Pug snores!

Life's A Stage...

Not being angry, just being a pirate!

...lately anyway. When your kid goes to a magnet school for the arts the end of the year is all about the stage. Right now we have two after school tap rehearsals and attend two dance recitals, same with violin. Next year that doubles with Spitfire starting...along with the cost! It's completely worth it though, and honestly the price can't be beat. The whole year of dance and violin costs what one month of lessons in each would be in the real world, we could never afford it. I L.O.V.E this school!

Golden Curls is in the middle.

All the scurvy little pirates tapping away

The grand finale brings all the K-1st grade tap and ballet students up

And now he's a violinist! He did such a fantastic job! For as easily distracted as he can be he sure turns it on while on stage.

The grand finale, yep strings do them too. He's right up front, behind the music stand.

On the far left. He has terrible form but he makes it work for him. I'm so proud of all the work he's put into violin, with practices at home and after school rehearsals, it's been a lot for this first grader! And a lot for this Mamma, I'm ready for summer break!

Dear Mr. Golden Curls,

I can't believe it was 7 years ago today that you were born, how can it be?! 7 years is one year longer than your pappa and I dated before getting hitched. 7 years is longer than I have ever lived in one house or one town. 7 years of motherhood is worlds longer than any other job I've ever had. And yet every single day you amaze me bitty kid. Amaze me with your curiosity, creative spirit, and your humor. Every day a tiny piece of little boy is replaced with big boy. I love you birthday boy!

Time, Please Slow Down

Just slow down a little tiny bit! Another Easter is here, the Little Mister's one month birthday come and gone, and my Golden Curls turning seven in a matter of days. It's too much, Time! I know how quickly it all goes, could you slow down just a smidge?

How gorgeous are these boys in their Easter duds?! Wish the photos were better, I was down to just my cell phone cam today.

Little Mister smiling in his dreams. Maybe he's dreaming about next year when he gets to hunt eggs, eat too much candy and run around like a banshee with his brothers.

The Little Mister was not into his Easter suit like his Mamma was, he especially disliked wearing shoes, so as soon as we were home he rocked the Easter casual look. Those fantastic kissy lips are what happens when someone pulls the paci plug on ya' for picture time!

Brothers Three

I can't believe its been three weeks since the Little Mister arrived. It already feels like that was lifetimes ago, like he has always been here. I've been really surprised at how easily his big brothers adjusted to having him here. There really has been no adjustment at all. A few times we've been asked questions like "Why does Mama have to hold the baby all the time?" and once or twice heard statements like "Ok, it's time to put your baby down." but all in all its been a smooth and calm transition. Nothing like adding number two 20 months after the first, with all the terrible twos tantrums, double dose of diapers and general chaos that brought with it. In the picture above Three is in the background. It took about 3 hours before he could come out and meet the family, something that did not make for a happy mama!

The big boys are just so, well, big, that its made it easy to keep their routine pretty much the same. They've been doing most things by themselves already so there's no feeling that it's the baby. They are both very curious about him and count themselves baby experts. They seem especially into him when he's crying because it's a signal to them that they can interact with him. They like to be the one to calm him. Mr. Golden Curls had the hilarious insight the other day that "Right now he's the crying type but pretty soon he'll be the smiling type." I think he's ready to be the recipient of some smiles!

Three boys. Oooh boy!! Not sure I really know what I'm in for but I have a feeling it will involve a lot of noise, band-aids and the need for me to have regular, girls only vacations.

One of these things is not like the other! Ok, there is still a chance that the Little Mister will end up blond, his hair is looking lighter already and Spitfire started out dark headed and now look at the blond! But he is dark haired and darker skinned which is making his dark and handsome Pappa very happy!

Her Majesty Of Bed Rest

Still in the womb and this child is already giving his mamma troubles! Tuesday's appointment brought less than stellar news...bed rest. I went in for a regular 'ole appointment at 9:15am but high blood pressure and a high fetal heart rate got me rounds of monitoring and a sonogram that kept me until about 2pm. Above is a picture of me on the morning of my second appointment where I was still hopeful to receive good news and have the sentence lifted, no such luck. So it looks like I'm doomed to finish out my pregnancy on my butt...my ever numbing butt. I actually didn't think it would be so bad because I felt I had already entered the end of pregnancy mega lazies, but man, I was really underestimating how much I was still getting done.

Now we go back in on Monday to test for Preeclampsia, oh but first another new experience, collecting a jug 'o pee in my fridge for an entire 24hrs. There's just nothing quite as humbling as pregnancy, childbirth and the embarrassments brought on by rearing children. Anywho, if I test positive then we'll be induced immediately. If I test negative then it's a waiting game. I'll go in twice a week for monitoring and I'll go with bags packed because any of those appointments could lead to the surprise news that we have to induce right away. Personally I'm saying a little prayer for negative test Monday and this baby coming on his own in a week or so!

My sentence allows me to do anything I want as long as I'm sitting or laying down, which encompasses surprisingly few activities. Thankfully I'm allowed to shower, but no housecleaning, no leaving the house and no morning cup 'o joe...gasp, no shopping for baby things, ok that one choked me up a bit. But look at my sexy help! The day before I was sentenced my fantastic husband brought me home this gorgeous apron and a rose, just because. I was really excited to wear it and get some work done, maybe even some cooking, oh well. My husband did a stellar job through the first two days of bed rest but we thought we'd better call in heavy duty reinforcements, mom-in-law! She swooped in on Thursday and by the end of the day Friday had the house back in shape. A true blessing because it was going to be torture to spend the next days or weeks glued to a chair and staring down all the things that needed picked up and cleaned!

One of the many side effects of having a giant pregnant belly and little boys is the belly is likely to be used as a ramp for cars. Hey, Spitfire is just anxious to play with Baby Brother. Actually he really really is excited and Golden Curls too. Spitfire is also my exposed belly police, he's at just the right height to be able to see my tummy peak out if my shirt rides up even the tiniest little bit. He likes to encourage me to correct this atrocity by gasping loudly, pointing at the offense, and whispering urgently "Mamma, your tummy!" A few days ago Golden Curls caught sight of my confused no longer an innie, not really an outtie belly button and disgustedly blurted out "Ewwww, that's gross!" Sweet, sweet memories.

Crafty Hearted: Better Than Diamonds

I am proud that my boys are so incredibly creative already, not so they can be my little drones, but because I feel like creativity is an incredibly important skill. It's something I can nurture in them that the school system can't. Whether they become artists or bean counters, it will be something they can use to express themselves or problem solve. It gives me a little reward to see their little minds at work, it's like a whisper letting me know that keeping them home with me until Kindergarten didn't damage them with my imperfection. Add creativity to the sweet generosity of a little kid and my heart is mush, especially when that kid is mine.

Mr. Golden Curls is 6 years old now and he has always been a creative spirit and a problem solver. At Christmas time with my parents we were all sitting around after having opened gifts and he was roaming around the house. He kept passing through saying "I'm looking for a bead. Do you have a bead?" It is not strange for him to be on a mission to make something but when he presented my mom with this ring made out of a twist tie from one of his new toys and a cut piece of straw for a bead we were pretty blown away. As far as I know he's never seen jewelry made like this but he had the ability to go measure Grammy's finger, create a bead, and get it twisted onto the wire just right. Then he gave it to her with the words, "I didn't have anything to give you for Christmas so I made you this."

Van Gogh: A First Grader's Account

Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh

Conversation with my 6 year old:

"What did you do in art today?"
"Watched a movie."
"A movie, in art class?"
"Yeah. It was about an artist, I don't remember his name but he did a bunch of stuff before he was an artist. Then he was so sad he cut his ear off and sent it in the mail. Then he was friends with this other artist and he went home and got so mad at his friend that he shot himself."

My husband and I looked at each other with hugely wide eyes, my 5 year old laughed and we spent the next 5 minutes explaining why that was sad and not funny and wondering why the heck a first grader needs that much background on an artist. Then when they were in bed we howled with laughter and wondered, who's next on the list?!

I Have A First Grader?!

What an absolutely handsome boy! Today was the first day of 1st Grade. I was a little worried about how he would do, he was not excited about going like he was last year for kindergarten. Last night at the open house he was uncharacteristically shy with his teachers. When he got home this afternoon I was chomping at the bit to know "How did it go bitty?!" "It was awesome, we got to hold real mice!" So there you have it, 1st grade is all good. Let's hope that goes for the non-mice days ahead of us as well!

While big brother was at school Lil' Spitfire is home for another year. Last year he got to pick out a new board game that just he and I could play on the first day of school. This year, thanks to my bro and sis-in-law, we've upgraded from board games to Wii, sweet! So we picked a bargain bin Wii game from Best Buy. He played that game all morning long and was in Mater-National heaven.

Toothless Grin

Mr. Golden Curls has had his first loose tooth since before the end of school. Last night Pappa gave it a tug and just like that, our first visit from the tooth fairy! Mr. Golden Curls was so incredibly excited and proud, as you can see from the napkin wielding victory dance below. Up top is him with his tooth fairy pillow that Grammy made him.

He asked me what the tooth fairy was going to bring him and I told him "pocket lint and gum wrappers." He didn't buy it and told me he thought she'd bring him a golden penny. In the morning he discovered she'd brought him a gold, dollar coin and thought that was pretty wicked sweet. Then he told me "last night I had a dream that the tooth fairy put together my thing and your joke and wrapped my gold penny in a big giant pocket lint." I almost fainted since the night before I talked Pappa out of doing exactly that when I saw him pull the lint from the dryer!

High Seas Adventurers

I am so thankful for Vacation Bible School, the boys love it, it's free, and it gave me 3 hours every morning for a week all to myself! It couldn't have come at a better time either since Pappa was gone all week for the second time this summer...but not the last. I got to head up decorations which meant I worked my tush off until the night before VBS started and then I got the best break ever.

What a change for Mr. Golden Curls from last year...he loved it and participated! Last year, well, not so much.

Lil' Spitfire couldn't get enough of VBS, he adored it last year too. This year he wowed his teachers with his smarts.

My beautiful boys! Who has so many beautiful boys living under one roof?! I do! And I'm loving the smirky smile Mr. Golden Curls' giving my camera these days.

My Boys

My husband loves the cliche ugly Father's Day tie so this year I got he and the boys matching ugly ties tees...pretty cute for ugly ties eh?! I got them from Super Sweet Creations on Etsy. Can't go wrong with handmade!

The Graduate

Today was Mr. Golden Curl's Kindergarten graduation and I must admit, I got misty-eyed. I just can't believe he has learned and grown so much in the past year! Tomorrow is his last day of school and then he's mine all mine for the whole summer, yea!

He had a speaking line and did it perfectly and he didn't even need an entourage of little girls nudging him when it was his turn to go up :)

Mr. Golden Curls with his teacher. I'm so thankful he had such a patient, understanding teacher because he spent most of the year being pretty tough which can be easily misunderstood. It truly made the difficult task of letting him spend his days out from under my wing so much easier knowing that he was in such capable, loving hands! I also had the honor of making her baby book, which you know I love! (you can see that here)

Last night he was honored with a very special award in a ceremony that required him to don some dressy attire, snazzy. He received the DaVinci award for math, super smarty!

What a handsome couple of boys! Who makes such gorgeous boys?! Lil' Spitfire has been tagging along so nicely. None of it is about him, though he'd like it to be, and he's still been a trooper! He'll also be incredibly happy to have his brother home for the summer, Mamma just isn't very exciting!

One Dino-mite Birthday

Ugh, bad dinosaur pun, bad...but we had a crazy weekend last weekend and it was so much fun! Friday night was Mr. Golden Curl's 6th birthday and we had it at the new T-Rex Mini Golf place in town. It was way cooler than I expected...I think I may have had more fun than the kids!

sand art table

Brothers tee up at the 18th hole

Grammy tries out her skills with a captive audience

Diggin' for bones at the Dino Dig

Make a wish bitty!

My husband's sweet, he let each kid pick out what part of the cake they wanted!

Legos and super heroes, doesn't get better than that for a 6 year old boy!

This is Mr. Golden Curl's "girlfriend" that he's "gonna marry some day." Except that a week before the party he informed me "We're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore because she got a whole new life and that means she has to have a new boyfriend so now we can't get married." I told him being friends is way better anyway. How cool is she though? A pretty little girl who makes dinosaurs eat each other is cool in my book!

The course was all black lit and very dark. The kids were all pretty nervous with the animated dinosaurs and noises and I was impressed that they all made it through the entire course, though several nearly jumped out of their skin!

The boys all mini-golfed out and ready for a good nights sleep!

The next day Grammy and Grandpapa braved a day with the boys while the Bohemian and I had a fun day selling my wares at a craft show.

Drama King

Picture from Mr. Golden Curls' first Christmas play

Oh Mr. Golden Curls. Such drama I have never seen in a 5 year old! He already loves the stage. At the school's Christmas play he started blowing kisses to the crowd as the curtain closed. Get him near a microphone or camera and he turns it on. His love of drama extends past the stage and always has. Until recently a brotherly attacked tower was the end of the world, a shirt that got stuck was his undoing and bugs, loud noises, things that move by themselves...well, forget about it.

This morning we entered a whole new realm of drama, girls. It's been a few months since I picked him up at school and he introduced me to a little red-headed girl and declared "This is my girlfriend, I'm going to marry her someday." They've been inseparable. They aren't in the same class but play on the playground and his daily complaints of so-and-so not being his friend on the playground have been completely replaced by stories of "my girlfriend." Well, tragedy has struck his tiny little heart. The school has started separating girls from boys at recess...don't really get me started on that, I'm annoyed but can't decide if it's just because my boy is disappointed. This was our conversation this morning.

Mr. Golden Curls: "Well, I'm just really sad this morning."
Me: "Why bitty?"
Mr. Golden Curls: "Because they split recess and now I can't see my girlfriend"
Me: "I'm sorry, I know that's hard."
Mr. Golden Curls: "Yea but she's just too pretty to let her get stolen away by another love."

Ugh, did I give birth to a tiny Romeo? Today he's sick over love lost, tomorrow he'll be declaring his undying love to a girl who's name he doesn't even know? And all at a mere 5 years old, I can't imagine what we'll be dealing with when he's riddled with the crazed hormones of puberty!