Saturday, August 31, 2019

What a Gem

When my kids are in school four and five days a week, I have much fewer pictures of them for the blog.  Less hours spent with them simply means less stories to tell about them and pictures of them.  It's a little sad.

So... due to an absence of cute pictures of my children today... I will share this gem:


 

Friday, August 30, 2019

Carpool Parents

Tracey Ann rides the bus to and from school on Mondays... and home on the bus every day.  But, on Tuesday-Friday mornings, I drive her to school because I also have to drive the twins and Lee Lee to school, and the timing works out better to drive her myself instead of having her catch the bus.

So, when I saw this video of the top 10 carpool parents, I laughed out loud... ESPECIALLY parents number 4 and number 6.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Thoughts...

This is what I plan to cling to during this time of transition... as my oldest starts kindergarten, and the youngests start school, and I try to figure out work and motherhood, et. al.

Hubby has a new job, and many things feel very unsettled to start this year.

And yet...


Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Preggers V: 28 Weeks

28 Weeks with Baby Number 5 - hello 3rd Trimester!


28 Weeks with Tracey Ann
 
 
28 Weeks with the Twins
 
 
and 31 Weeks with Lee Lee -- because I didn't have a picture from 28 weeks.
 

How far along?  28 weeks, 3 days

How I am feeling? Pretty good... trying to be organized as our older kiddos start school.  Just trying to take a few minutes here and there to sit down and put my feet up.

How big is the baby?  The size of an eggplant... 14.8 inches long, 2.20 pounds

Sleep: Sleep is amazing.  I love sleep.  I was stressed the week leading up to Tracey starting kindergarten, and I kept waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom (that's not unusual) but then I couldn't fall back to sleep (that is unusual).  Thankfully, I'm back to sleeping well.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  No predictions... just getting excited to find out.

Baby Nicknames: Baby.
 
  Best moment this week:  Oh golly... I'm not sure.  Probably seeing Tracey's enormous smile as she got off the bus from her first day of kindergarten.  She's been back a week now (seems like longer) and our younger three start back today.  Its very tiring to get everyone up and going five days a week... but I am glad to have a routine these days.

Food cravings: Nothing in particular.  Avocados started giving me an upset stomach... so not avocados anymore.

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  The twins are still trying to feel them, but I'm noticing them more and more throughout the day, not just at night.

Labor Signs:  Not yet, thankfully.
 
Missing:  Nothing that I can think of.  This has been a great week.
 
General Attitude:  Trying to plan as best we can and get in a routine to start the year.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  Michigan football starting!


Milestones: I'm now in the third trimester!
 

Monday, August 26, 2019

Sunday, August 25, 2019

First Week

The first week of kindergarten is in the books... and we all agree.

This new schedule is tiring...








 

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Best Intentions

Tracey Ann's new school had a big back to school potluck scheduled for the Thursday of the first week of school (so two days ago).

I was pretty excited.  It was our first school event at this new school, and I was hoping we would make a good impression on the school, staff, and other families.  With our four young children, and my noticeably expecting another, we don't really blend in many places.  Since the school was going to notice our crew, I wanted to make the best first impression possible.

I made my first ever Fruit Pizza and doubled the recipe so it would feed more people, and I dressed the kids in adorable outfits.  We were excited.



The potluck was to start at 5:00.

We leave to pick up Tracey on the bus at 3:30 -- and our intention was not to return home until after the potluck.

About 2:35pm I received text from the school that the potluck was cancelled due to inclement weather.

So... the six of us got to eat the huge (and delicious) fruit pizza because it will not keep for a week... and the kids looked absolutely adorable for a family trip to Wendy's (because I had no dinner planned).






We had the best intentions of make a great impression on the school.  I cannot say we will be able to match the effort next week. 
 

Friday, August 23, 2019

Accurate Picture

This is completely accurate in our household...



Thursday, August 22, 2019

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

First Day of Kindergarten!

This girl absolutely rocked her first day of kindergarten!



She never showed even a hint of nerves as we drove the 30 minutes to the bus stop.  
She bounded up on the bus with such enthusiasm that I actually had to ask her to come back down and give me a hug goodbye.


The only tears that did happen that morning were Lee Lee's when she realized she wouldn't be riding the bus.



I called the school around 9:00am just to make sure that Tracey made it from the bus to her classroom... and of course she had.

Tracey later told me that a nice girl from the bus made sure she found her classroom.  On the after-school bus trip, the same girl also woke a sleeping Tracey up to tell her that her bus stop was coming up.  What a sweetheart.


I think Tracey is disappointment to hear that she is not buying a hot lunch tomorrow, but she is very excited to return to school.

I am so proud of this courageous little beauty.




 

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A Big Day

God, be with us, today is a big day.


My oldest baby is heading off to kindergarten.  All-day, five-days-a-week, brand new school, will-ride-the-bus kindergarten.

I have ridden a roller coaster of emotions the past two weeks as we have prepared for this day.  It is not that I cannot believe my baby is starting kindergarten.  It is not that I am sad to have her grow up.  She is ready for kindergarten.  She is healthy, and happy, and intelligent, and curious... I am so excited for her to grow into a strong, brave, independent, beautiful young lady.


What I have realized over these past two weeks is that for five-and-a-half years, I have feared adults in Tracey's life.

I have feared adults at the playground, the supermarket, in the parking lot, at the shoe store.  I have been afraid of evil adults regarding my daughter (and all of my children).  My job, as a mother has been to protect my innocent baby girl from those who could do her harm.  I have been on guard and on alert much of the last five-and-a-half plus years.


Of course, I also fear cleaning supplies, and high tables, and choking hazards... but, above all, I have feared my fellow man.

Now, she is ready for kindergarten.  She is nervous... but she is ready.


Now, for really the first time as a mother, I am fearing children.

I am fearing the other children in the school who are not mine and who I have not raised.  The children who use language that Tracey has never heard.  The children who do not share our believes or disbelieves and who think they know everything.  The children who are unkind.  The children who see the world differently than we have taught our child to see the world.


Ever since her siblings were born, anywhere Tracey went without one of her parents, with almost zero exceptions, she has been with a sibling.  We teach our children to look out for one another -- to travel together -- to help one another.

And now, my oldest child; my first born baby girl is going into her very own school with no parents and no siblings.


It is not that I am afraid for her -- I know she can do it.  I just know she has never been asked to do anything like this before in her life and tomorrow is a big day.  I know she will love her new school and she is so ready to learn everything this year will teach her -- but I also know that I can't do this first day for her.

This is my first day of a kindergarten... but this is not about me. 
This is the first day of the rest of her life, being asked to rise to a level she's never had to before.


When she started school at age 2, and then moved up to preschool at age 3, there were tears when I said goodbye.  But I was able to physically hand her to a loving teacher and wave bye-bye.  Then, the kind teacher, texted me a picture within ten minutes showing me that my baby girl was happy and engaged and the drama was over.


Tomorrow, she has to climb on that bus herself, and she has to be brave as it drives away without me and without her siblings.
 
Tomorrow, she has to get off the bus in front of that big new school and she has to walk inside and find her cubby and her classroom -- (of course kind teachers will be there to help).

Tomorrow, she has to navigate the first day of kindergarten.  She has to make new friends.  She has to remember where her lunchbox is for the first time in her life.  She has to remember to keep track of her lunchbox to bring back home.


Tomorrow, she has to get back on a bus at the end of the day -- hopefully with her backpack and lunchbox.

Then, tomorrow, she has to stay on the bus until she reaches the stop where I will be waiting. 

For my five-and-a-half-year-old, that is a whole day of education right there.  She has never done any of those things by herself and tomorrow she will do it all.


I will end this post with what is written inside Tracey Ann's backpack:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
- Deuteronomy 31:6