missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss me

Ah, to see life through childrens' eyes...


On the way home today:

Jaxon: Mom, do you know what Savannah did today?
Me: No, what?
Jaxon: She kissed me. On the belly.
Me: Oh, that's funny. What did you do?
Jaxon: I kissed her belly.
Me: Hmmm. So why do you think she did that?
Jaxon: I think we're going to get married someday.

In the car yesterday:
Listening to a pop song (could be anything really), but something about men and women not getting along and sounded like Kesha...
Jaxon: Mom, why does she keep saying 'mmmmph' (sort of a grunting sound).
Me: Hm, I don't know. Maybe she's frustrated.
Jaxon: I just don't know why she does that.
Me; Yeah, I'm not sure.
Jaxon: I guess she's mad that he won't play with her.
Me: Right. Something like that.

I can't keep up really. These kids are growing so quickly, I just don't even have time to research what to say. I need some guidance sometimes... the questions are starting to get more complicated. Things like, why doesn't so and so play with me? And when are you ever gonig to marry me mommy? And can't I have the same shoes as Devin?

Things really do seem to be moving so fast lately. I find one of my favorite times of the day is at night when the kids are in bed- for obvious reasons- but also because they are just so innocent. And sweet.

They don't talk back. They don't hit or kick their emotions out. They are peaceful. Serene. Recharging their batteries for the next day. I love to watch them and just take a few moments to capture their faces. Their features. Their crazy bedtime routines and rituals (no ice, just water; over here, not there; this blanket, not that one, etc.)

And I love that Jaxon falls asleep almost every night reading the book that Grandma made for him- Jaxon's ABC's and the one I made for Scott. He often has it opened at one of the pages or it's fallen on his face, taking in all the memories and pictures of family...

If only we coul keep them small and innocent like this for just a little bit longer. But instead, I know tomorrow I'll be faced with 'Missed Me, Missed Me, now you gotta Kiss Me, and 'Mom, stop staring at me and smiling, I know you love me' (with a big eye roll). We'll go to Target and he'll sing the entire Taylor Swift chorus to 'Never get back together'. He'll climb the tallest slide at Lookout Bridge and make best new friends in two minutes or run around the store with a kid he just met. We'll walk in to his classroom and I'll watch the girls giggle and flirt with him and I'll notice the cool, macho look he gives them. He'll ask harder questions and challenge me in ways I'm not sure I'm ready for...

Feels like some kind of adventure ride we're on... can't wait for the next part.



"I always wanted to invent something that would move around & make funny noises & would change the world as we know it & I forgot all about that until we had kids & now I see I came pretty close." -Brian Andreas, Story People

preschool and polar bears

Change is certainly in the air... you can feel it. And we've felt it in our house.

Earlier this month, Scott raised some questions about the care our children were receiving at their in-home daycare. Not to get into too many details, but we ended up moving to a center-based program. While it was a tough transition at first, it has been so wonderful for our kids--they really seem to love it so far, even Kiley has warmed up to the idea after crying her first week there.

Here's a picture of their first day of preschool (Jaxon) and preschool discovery (Kiley).

 

Jaxon has been chasing girls there too. Yesterday when I picked him up from school, there was another little girl being picked up- she was cute, blond, and wearing a Vikings Cheerleader outfit.

 

Jaxon just looked at me as she was leaving, and said, "mom, there's something I need to do. Okay, I said. I need to give someone a hug so I'll be right back." The girl, who I would later find out was Audrey, had already made it to the front of the school with her mom. Jaxon ran through the halls chasing her with teachers telling him to stop, wait for your mom. 'Oh, it's okay, I said. He's chasing a girl'. They all just looked at me and shook their heads. Good luck they said.

 

School has made Kiley exhausted every night. She is out within minutes of her head hitting the pillow. And she takes close to three hour naps on the weekends. But I think even she is learning a lot so far. She's been singing songs and has started using a big girl cup without a lid at home. She wants to everything herself- not like she didn't before, but even moreso now. And she went potty on the potty chair! The past few weeks she's been sitting on the potty chair after she goes in her diaper. Last night, she actually went in the potty!

 

I feel like we're in for a lot more changes in the near future... I can hardly believe some of the things Jaxon is saying and asking us...

 

This morning we went to the zoo with our good friends Abby, Calvin and Audra while the dads golfed together.

 

We were at the polar bear exhibit when Abby and I started talking about what it would be like to have another one (kid, not polar bear).

 

And that's when it really hit me.

 

I don't so much want another one as I don't want to lose these ones. I'm scared of them growing up. Of them not needing me anymore. Scared that I'll never have that little baby to take care of anymore. No more sweet little bear hugs and nose kisses. Holding hands and picking them up when they fall... The more independent they get, the easier it gets. And the harder it gets. It's like being in a pit of joy and sorrow all at the same time.  How can that possibly be?

 

 And what sucks, really sucks? Is that according to my mom, that feeling doesn't go away for a really long time, if ever.

Ugh. Who knew polar bear exhibits could be so powerful. Thanks Como Zoo. 

 

apple of my eye

Not sure what that saying means, really.

 

But we sure did find some apples this weekend.

 

And raspberries.

 

That's all I can come up with this morning. Enjoy the cute kid pics...