The Face and Other Thoughts on Parenting

Heber showed me the ad above this week (looks like the mid 80s to me), and I looked at her sweet face and said, that is my favorite face.   It's the face that says, I did it!  I figured it out!  I knew I could do it and I did it!  And also, look mom I did it.  I look for this face.

There is this transition point that came for me as a parent.  When Leo was just a young toddler and he wanted to start doing things on his own, I think I did more directing of what he should do and how he should do it.  After these years, I've come around to waiting to see how they will do.  I try to step back and to see if they will do it.  There is such joy that comes to their faces when they realize that they can do it.  The first time Leo stopped at the curb to wait for me, he turned around with the most excited face because he'd done it.  In that moment, I was so thankful that I didn't yell at him to stop but gave him the chance to be obedient (unlike I had all the other times).  

We have been seeing this face a lot around here lately.  Amy is walking!  She took her official first steps on the 9th and has been moving like crazy ever since.  She is so proud of herself and I am celebrating this big milestone.

 

Leo is potty trained (well, as much as a three year old can be, it's a process).  Didn't I swear that I would never talk about potty training on the blog?  Well, here we are.  I must be a true mother.  Well, it's been four months.  I DREADED potty training, there are so many horror stories that you hear about it.  It has been a really positive, dare I say joyful, process.  He is so thrilled and feels so grown up.  It makes me happy every time I think about it because it was such a good change in our lives.  And you know what, I see the face all the time.

 

 

Watching these little ones grow up is challenging but sprinkled in there are these really happy moments.  This face makes all the sacrifice worth it. 

Life Lately in February

We are nearing the end of February and I am looking forward to spring already.  We've been snowed in for the past couple of weeks.  Snow, in Logan, was not a big deal.  There would be a foot or two on the ground and off we went to every activity.  Here in Virginia, even the rumor of snow throws everyone into a fit and they cancel everything. 

Our backyard view.

I think the universe is set on Heber and I staying home forever.  Last week's mystery brake problem halted all weekend plans.  This last weekend, it was snow.  We decided to still venture out in it and I went to the bead show.  

We continue to work on the house.  I am determinedly painting all the molding and doors.  It's a slow process but my heart yearns for bright white instead of cream.  Heber blew insulation into the house a few weeks back and it was an exceptionally messy and long endeavor.  That may be something we hire people to do forever.  It has made the house nice and warm though.

We celebrated the day of love with our sweet little valentines.  We went to several valentines parties, ate far too many sugar cookies (oh, how I long for Aunt Leda's sugar cookies.  Nothing compares), and made some darling handmade cards.  We're still at the age that it's cool to make your own to give your friends.

 

I taught our preschool coop a couple of weeks ago.  I had one of those days where it all just came together and that the kids were so happy.  I love when things work out like I hoped.  We made these little "aquariums" as our craft.  Rocks/sand scooped in the bottom, fish stickers on the outside.  I've enjoyed being so involved in his first "school" experience.

 

It's been a good couple of weeks even with all the snow. 

 

Preschool

What have I been thinking about lately? 
Preschool.

Yes, I've spent my February trying to decide what preschool to put Leo in in the fall.  It shouldn't be such a big deal but it is.  This is the first time Leo will be consistently somewhere else and will be his first real interaction with school.  I want it to be a good experience.  I am not under the impressions, however, that preschool will affect his college or future really significantly.  I just want it to be a fun, positive experience.  I mean, I still remember being at Karma's Kiddy Korner and making ice cream out of snow. 

Yes, I realize it's February but all the deadlines for registration are coming quickly this month.  People are funny about preschool out here.  There are some that you have to get up at 4 a.m. to get in line to turn in your registration form.  Wow.  I, luckily, don't have to do that but it's been quite the ongoing discussion this month as to what to do. 

It was hard to imagine my sweet little guy big enough for preschool, and then he turned three and decided that he was giving up naps.  The terrible twos have got nothing on the three angst.  Heber and I have been laughing over this quote from Jim Gaffigan, "The person who came up with the term "terrible twos" must have felt really foolish after their kid turned three." We know this all too well.  

Even in all the angst, he is a really funny guy. Last night Leo really wanted Heber to play trains.  The little guy used all the tricks on Heber that we use on him.  "Come on dad, I'm going to play trains without you.  You have one minute dad and then it's time, is that a deal?"  Well played Leo, well played. 

An Unexpected Weekend

Our weekend did not turn out like I expected it to.  We have been planning for ages (we're talking months here), to go up and visit some family in Philly for the long holiday weekend.  When we finally got it worked out, we were going to head up for just Sunday and Monday but we were getting out of town, that was enough for me. 

The highlight of the weekend was heading to a Firebirds meeting.  It was one of the best I've attended and came away excited to do glass.  Here's one of the beads I made there.  We even all made it out to a movie together.  Amy did ok, it's a work in progress. 

Anyway, as we were driving to church, the brake light came on in the car and was flashing that we were low on brake fluid.  Now, I would have simply filled up the fluid but this same thing happened not 2 weeks ago.  It's funny, I've been watching White Collar on netflix lately and the guy has the same error flash on his dash board, he loses his brakes and gets into a car accident.  Total tangent but I thought it was oh so pertinent to my life.  I did not want that to happen to us. 

So, we cancelled our trip so that we could have our brakes looked at.  The last thing we need right now would be for us to lose our brakes while we're driving the three hours and to get into an accident.  It still wasn't what I'd hoped to do this weekend.  Who really would trade a weekend away for a $600 mechanics bill?  Oh boy. 

We tried to make the weekend fun still, even without a car that would fit us all.  We hung up some pictures, we watched movies together, made jiffy pop.  On Monday night, snow started to fall in Virginia and we accumulated about 6 inches.  Which in NOVA is way more than enough to shut everything down.  I heard the stores were jammed and all of the toilet paper, milk, eggs and bread were gone.  Why you would wait to buy toilet paper until a disaster is set to strike is beyond me. Even the base that Heber works at was shut down so he got to spend the day with us playing in the snow. 

 

 

 

 

All in all, a pleasant weekend, just not what I expected.  I'm happy the brakes are fixed but it made me antsy to get out and go away for a weekend.  Luckily, I won't have to wait long, I've bought tickets to go to Chicago (just me!) in March.  I am so excited!

A Beautiful Day

It was a beautiful day yesterday.  It was one of those strange sunny warm days in between all the cold ones.  It begged to be enjoyed.  We drew with chalk, Leo rode his scooter (he's so big) and Amy loved riding the dump truck.  That girl is a new baby lately, so grown up.

Maybe February isn't going to be so bad after all. 

Look!  Do you see that little wisp of hair?  It's coming in!

February

January with its dreary weather and sickness has pushed me into a rut.  Or maybe this is just what regular life is.  I'm not sure.
 
I have been needing some adventure in my life, some fun.  When I fall into these ruts, there's not much to look forward to, so it's time for a change.  On Saturday, Heber was blowing insulation into the house and we needed to get the kids out and entertained.  Big, messy house project with kids, not a good plan.

I went out to this vintage furniture warehouse sale.  I'm not usually one for used things but it was so fun.  There's a corner in our family room that has been driving me crazy for months.  The shelf I had there was just not working.  At the sale, I found a shelf.  I think this may be the first piece of furniture I have bought on my own and that I really liked.  Heber and I usually collaborate on these things.  I'm getting to this place where I know what I like and feel confident about it.  I like the space so much better already.