She's got nerve

Neve at the annual Fireside Elementary PTO fundraiser chose to get a photo taken with the school's pet snake, Coco.  Granted she changed her mind as the photo was snapped, but the girl's got nerve.

Graham said...

You know the saying - 'Ol' Johnny never has any fun'. (He meant:  All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy)

Neve said...

"Well, can I see 'em?" after confirming with our nanny that she, like mom, has boobies.

Phoenix!

I'm a moderate-to-severe Michael Jackson fan. He "pops" up (ha ha) a time or two on my playlist when we clean house, including this gem (Xscape - 2nd post mortem album release - Love Never Felt so Good )

Hear the line: "BABY! Every time I love you..."

Audrey, with intensity, interprets this: "PHOENIX! Every time a little!"

Kindergarten

Day One

...and just like that, it begins.  Audrey started Kindergarten Tuesday, August 26th.  Look how excited this girl is!  Wants to be a hairstylist, and already making fashion waves and garnering compliments this week with a 'messy headband' look.  

Day Three.  Messy headband.

After her first day, she said the best words a parent could hope to hear out of their little girl "It was fun!"  YESSS!  We know Audrey is on the introverted side, and since she has an October birthday she's one of the older children in Ms. Roger's class.  Great decision on our part to wait.  She just missed the cutoff last year.  So far so good:  Joined at the hip to a classmate named Lila.  Excited to tell us all about her day.  Opinionated about what she wears.  And may I not forget - grumpy and tired and working through this change once she's home for the day.  There've been extra tears and time outs and sister fights too. 

During play at home all week it's been, "let's play school!"  Neve gladly joins in this new and exciting game.  Throughout the day Audrey tells random stories.  "Today Ms. Rogers said 'All eyes on Ms. Rogers' and some kids said, 'Who's Ms. Rogers?' and she said 'I am!'" and "There's a rule at school 'No hats'" and "After 100 days we are going to have a party so we put a straw in a jar every day and I already know that we are on day three".  These stories erupt all day long and I love it.

Did I cry?  Surprisingly not yet (mom, you say tears are coming and I'm sure they will when I least expect it.)  We're just all adjusting and maybe it will hit us soon that we now have a school aged child and I have to get kids ready for school every day by 7:40 and we're all out the door and this new routine is permanent and it's only a matter of time until she's visiting colleges and getting her first job (at Supercuts?) and a man comes along asking Graham's permission for her hand and then I'm a grandma and God help us.  It begins.

Steamboat Springs

I'm figuring out how I'll blog going forward, as the drive to create, write, express gets stronger over time. For now, a rough go at our 11th anniversary trip to Steamboat Springs!

I worked a crazy night shift Friday night and we left Saturday afternoon. Luckily most of the packing was done and Graham took the girls out to garage sales while I slept the morning away. We left *just* 45 minutes later than we had planned (excellent!) and we were off through the mountains to beautiful Steamboat springs, dog and all!

 

 

We rented a cute cottage at Steamboat Campground. It was perfect - a loft with two double beds, a bathroom, a kitchen, a tv, wifi. We're THOSE kind of campers. Neve's word for our cottage? "Cabinet." Like cabin. "I REALLY like our cabinet!" "This cabinet is perfect!" "Are we going home, or back to the cabinet?"

 





Cabinet



 

Graham's great at planning vacation days. Sunday morning after a relaxing breakfast we loaded the mini and drove to Fish Creek Falls for a hike. Half a mile on a paved trail was perfect for the girls. It was sunny and mild and we stopped at each information station to read about the flora and history of the falls. Little ground squirrels scampered everywhere, switching their tails. Corrina was in the Ergo. It was a little chilly. The view of the falls, which apparently is the source of water for all of the southwest from here to Yuma, AZ was beautiful.

 

 

Audrey

The girls did great until... we approached two hikers discussing a dog they had just passed. "There's an aggressive pit up ahead! Watch out." they warned. Audrey immediately froze and demanded that we turn right around and get to the car. When she senses any amount of danger, a switch flips and she's done. Just like me. It took coaxing and reasoning for five minutes for her to reluctantly continue on the path. And frequent stops and whines to go back to the car. What I put my parents through...  It wasn't until we reached the base of the waterfall and turned around that she relaxed a little. Neve on the other hand, with no sense of fear, paraded on and even hiked off the path down a rocky hill to the water, where she and dad took off their shoes and waded. "Mommy, that watuh wath COWD!" she reported. Corrina slept. Like a baby.

 

 

 

Corrina

All weekend, especially in the evening, Corrina watched me. She is a content little soul for the most part (except at night, on this trip) but she always had eyes on me. Her little chin and her drooling and her chubby arms waving haphazardly around, knocking her face now and again. Sweet chums. I can't stop kissing her. When she didn't want to sleep at our 'cabinet' at night, I was halfway glad because I got to lay her on my chest and hold her gently while we felt each other breathe and fell asleep, calmed. She's warm. She's soft and she just wants to know, 'where's mom?' Graham noticed that she LOVES him and he makes her smile and giggle, especially when she's held by me.

 

 

Neve

On the front deck of our cabinet, Neve 'worked out'. She'd do push ups that weren't really anything at all. She was so excited that there was a bathroom (as we continue to potty train her - it's all about the BM). No accidents for a while now. Every time the thought crossed her mind, she'd say, "...and there's a POTTY in our cabinet!" At some point Saturday morning when I was sleeping she fell (dad was watching her) and she got a scab near her right eye. She just got over a huge bruise and scab on her left eye from falling off our bed and hitting (per her report) our dresser. Combine that with her short hair cut and she looks like one heck of a tomboy these days. A beautiful fearless tomboy with the cutest lisp on earth.

Dad

Did I mention what a great vacation planner G is?  In case I didn't, he IS. He planned every activity. I love this. I just have to sit back and take care of kid details - dressing them, feeding them, toileting them, nursing one of them, keeping an eye on them - and Graham takes care of the rest. Monday we went to Strawberry Hot Springs. He'd been there before on a Whole Foods 'planning retreat'. ..."Back in the day, all the whole foods crew would go on retreats and just get high the whole time. When I went, we actually worked." (And relaxed in the same hot springs he took us too.)   A bunch of hippies, dude. But it was relaxing and there were kids which made our kids way happy. And there's something special about hanging out with people who'd be naked if it were after dark. What with their long hair ("Is that a 14 year old girl with swim trunks or boy with hair to his waist?" I wondered.) Graham spent the time trekking to and from the minivan, getting this and that. Toward the end, I heard two hot springers point to the wooded hill immediately above my sleeping baby and say, "There's a black bear. He's a little guy." I immediately froze.  I couldn't see anything, but suddenly all the guests are looking up the hill. One hippie dude is pointing up and I say, "Do you see the bear?!" "Nah, I'm pointing to a cloud. There wouldn't be a black bear this close to all these people. Are you not a local?" "Boulder," I say. "THAT'S local,"  he smiles. Meanwhile the other two hot springers are slowly swimming away from where they pointed. Others continue to swim. Including Audrey, including when I told her someone saw a bear. "No mom." She's so caz this time.  Scared of a pit on a leash but not a wild bear??  Well my switch flipped and I was done. Graham just returned from a Neve bathroom trip and I said, "Let's go", car seat and gear in hand. "I'll tell you why in a sec." He thought someone was being inappropriate. They WERE, if they didn't really see a bear. Graham rolled his eyes at me, but I could tell he hadn't totally ruled bear out, so we searched the wooded hill for a while. Then we left and it poured rain and hail as we drove away. Good timing.

 

 



 



See how close Corrina is to the bear hill?  Peace out.

 

Driving Home

We stopped at Big Shooters coffee on the way back so Graham could keep his word. They gave him a free cup on the way to Steamboat. I had the best vanilla latte I've had all summer. After caffeine, spirits were up in the mini and we drove and discussed eleven year accomplishments and felt good about ourselves and life and God and kids and it rained some more. Audrey's first day of school was tomorrow, we were almost home, lets buy a double jogger with an infant sling and bike attachment, what's the difference between a mountain bike and a road bike and a street bike?   Love you hons, love you too hons. *holding hands*

Middle Child

I LOVE this child.  Recently status changed from youngest child to middle, there has also been a change in behavior in this little one.  And in how I treat her.  With an eleven week old little sister, she's in the thick of adjusting to a new person in the house that everyone gushes over and she *should* love.  So she makes big messes, ignores instruction, poops her pants, spills her drink, whines.  And I get mad.  I'm exhausted, I stepped on the lego you threw on the floor, get your hands off the baby's face, and can't you be responsible like your big sister?? 

Whoa!  Time out!  Today I watched her as she cried for Turtle Blankie after a run-in with Audrey, and I was overwhelmed with emotion for her.  We sat together on the couch and I just held my precious Neve.  She laid her head on my chest and was quiet; I hugged her close.  What a special girl she is.  She really does love her new sister, and just wants to play with her.  She's funny, has the best lisp in the universe and gladly shares with Audrey.  She's beautiful too.  Tonight I went upstairs long after the girls went to bed and found her, covered with Turtle Blankie, fast asleep on the stairs.  I smile.  She's a stinker, getting out of bed again.  Our middle child, little Neve Noelle.  May we continually set aside time to admire this daughter that God knit together to contribute greatly to this world.  I LOVE this child.

Steve Clark said...

"WHY did you do that?!  ...  WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" after I blurted out an answer during Final Jeopardy.  Whoops.

Neve said...

"Mom, I love you" for the 37th time today.  Followed by "What does 'love' mean?"

Audrey said...

"Neve, let's pretend we take our bike helmets off cuz it's so freakin' hot."  "Hey!  Where did you hear 'freakin'?"  "You, mama."

Preschool



 

Audrey with Miss Kristen (L) and Miss Lana (R)

 

Audrey finished preschool last week.  Oh how she learned and grew this year!  I am one proud mama of a girl who showed a consistent positive attitude toward school and a ton of initiative to make friends, arrange playdates, draw, count, read and create. 

 

A few of her favorite activities this year were:

• Monday Newsflash ("My mom has a baby in her tummy!"  "Um, er, aaah...")
• Marble painting
• Gym & Recess
• The Silent Cheer (when class had 100% attendance)

A few of her closest friends were:

• Riley
• Sadie
• Piper

At conferences, I learned she excelled in writing and numbers and tended slightly toward introversion.  "When Audrey encounters a new situation, she hangs back and assesses the situation before jumping in.  She has a few close friends rather than many shallow ones in class," her teachers said.  They advised for kindergarten in the fall that we try to get her in the same class as a good friend.  So that's what we've done.  Crossing our fingers along with Sadie's mom that our written requests to place Audrey and Sadie together this fall are accommodated.

 

Audrey's work displayed at the Stepping Stones Art Show

 

Miss Kristen and Miss Lana held an end of the year party.  Me being a two week post C-section stir crazy gal was happy that Dad could be home with Neve and Corrina so I could accompany our eldest to Community Park for this fun end of the year bash.  During the party, an awards ceremony was held.  Audrey received the "Rainbow Award - for your quiet, peaceful and gentle approach to life and friendships."  ("Mom, is the Rainbow Award the BEST award?"  "Absolutely it is.")

 



Audrey and Riley with little sisters Neve and Lila
Sweet Riley is moving out of the school district but we will stay in touch!

 

Awfuls

Mmmmm.  Saturday morning.  The week's busy rhythm is replaced with a sense of calm.  I wake up to silence rather than my alarm, meander down stairs to my favorite gift from mom.  A coffee mug that reads, "Be still and know that I am God."  I can do that; I can be still on Saturdays.  Dad usually takes off before anyone else is awake to play basketball *covered with prayers that he won't get injured* and comes home with only an ache or two.  Maya and I read and watch squirrels in the back yard as I wait for the sound of little footsteps down the stairs.  We like to have a fun breakfast on Saturdays, which lately consists of our family fave, awfuls.

Little Neve coined the term.  She once asked, "Please can you make awfuls?  I want awfuls!"  I was confused.  My cooking isn't THAT bad, little one.  Audrey translated with a smirk.  "She means waffles, mom".  

Now that's more like it.  Of course we can have awfuls!  Our fave is pumpkin:  See recipe here.  

The Princess' "first" kiss

Monday was princess night, so we took two beautiful princesses out for free kids' meals at a packed out, chaotic Chick-fil-a.  ("Are you eating a chicken sandwich with two pickles?!") We nabbed a table, wolfed down our awesome chicken and the girls and I got in line to see Cinderella, who would stamp your hand and sprinkle it with gold glitter.  You blow, and ta-da!  A beautiful sparkly flower appears!  There was also a craft table, a DJ, and the Chick-fil-a cow, who strikes terror into our youngest and uncertainty, at best, into our oldest.

(Where was I?  Ah yes, the girls and I are standing in line.)  It's SRO tonight and everywhere one turns, there is someone standing right in your business.  Total anarchy.  Suddenly, out of no where, a little batman clad boy not-older-than-two darts up to Neve, kisses her ON THE LIPS and runs away.  Huh?

Neve just stands there as if nothing happened.  She can't wait to meet big C and get a sparkly flower hand.  Hilarious.