Letting go....

NBA Cafe Orlando, FL



Carolina Mudcats game

Goalie!! (It makes me nervous when he's goalie!)



As a mom of an 8 year old last child, it is so difficult letting him go and not have him be my baby. I think it's just impossible, actually. I still want to cuddle him and hold him like a baby (he loves that one-not, but will do it for me sometimes if I beg.). I'm thankful he still lets me do this and dread the day when it will not be cool to love me like he does now. I cherish the chilly mornings when I wake him up and slide into his bed to watch the sunrise (his room is the best room in the house for this!). I wonder when he'll eventually tire of my game of naming his "new" freckles on his face. All I have to say is "Awww." And he says in an excited voice, "I got a new freckle" and then I name it and then he changes the name. Ha!I still check the back of his hands from time to time to see if he still has those baby dimples across his knuckles. They are fading fast. THAT breaks my heart! I am a sentimental sap I know.  But, I consider myself lucky to have two sons who aren't afraid to show me (or their dad) their love through hugs, kisses and words. Maybe we'll just continue to grow together in our  relationships and I can stop thinking of letting go!   

 

 

 

 

 



This year's Halloween Costumes

 

 

It gets harder and harder coming up with these costumes. I loved the color of this costume so we went as Mad Men/Pan Am decade of Pilot and "Air Hostess." It was a fun night full of great costumes, but I better not post their photos. We had a Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, Robin Thicke and Miley Cirus, Ralphie in the pink bunny suit and the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story, Cousin Eddie and Clark Griswald from Christmas Vacation, Kim Kardashian and Kanye...on and on. Everyone looks forward to this every year, but it's stiff competition! What were you or are you going to be for Halloween?

 

Do you ever feel like this???

I certainly do!! And I especially love how I get somewhat regular telephone calls from school (20 minutes after mini#1 arrived) saying either: I forgot my lunchbox. I forgot my homework folder. I forgot my gym bag. This morning it was the lunchbox. I was angry, too because I had to use a backup lunchbox because he didn't know where his monogrammed Pottery Barn lunchbox was and he didn't know where the backup lunchbox was! He, without a hint of concern, said "I think I left it on the bus" knowing full well his free personal assistant, aka moi, would handle his latest dilemma. I told him "Well, I hope you have enough money in your lunch account (never used!) for lunch today." Click. It was his middle school tone that got me. What he didn't know was that I saw it on the den floor where he left it as we were speaking. I decided to let him, in my mind, sweat the situation out a bit. We all know there was very little sweating going on in 7th grade homeroom. Well it was another 20 minutes until I could swing it by the front office on my way to the elementary school to help 3rd graders with their math facts. And, hopefully, he didn't believe me and saw his name flash up on the TV screen to go get it. Yes, I've sweated that a little. Ha!

And, is it just me, but why does mini#2 come to my side of the bed at 5:00 a.m. (this morning!) and scare me to death when he hovers over me to tell me he had a bad dream? His dad is closer to the bedroom door? Luckily this morning was the first time in weeks since he's shown up like that. I, seriously, lose seconds of my life when he does this....

Have a great weekend! We have our annual Halloween Party that we attend in our neighborhood. Stay tuned for photos.

And how's YOUR Monday?

I received this unsavory email today from mini#2's teacher... Wanted to let you know that H's weekly grade for work habits is quite low for last week. We are having trouble with focusing in class and getting the highest quality work out of him! I really think he is capable of so much more than what he has shown. I am very proud of him mastering his math facts, but I do think his work in reading and writing should be higher. Hudson frequently socializes and needs to make sure that he is focused on the essential tasks. I am hopeful that this week will improve so we can help him meet his top potential. Let me know your thoughts and if there is anything additional I can do to help facilitate these behaviors. Your support is greatly appreciated! Mrs. Teacher In his defense, the poor child gets his socializing naturally...his mom and dad like to talk. Really, I am thankful for this awesome teacher. She is on top of things and leaves no room for slacking off! I appreciate that. Luckily, this child cares what she thinks and we've already had a discussion (and am sure another one will occur when dad gets home). Plus, if there aren't improvements this week, there will be consequences for this sweet child of mine.

Five on Friday- Highlights from my week

1- My 3rd grader passed the level 2 multiplication facts today! BIG DEAL and he literally did it mere moments before I got to his classroom today to volunteer. He got to show me his "award" posted on their classroom door. He was so proud! Me, too. This accomplishment took a lot of creativity. For example, did you know 7 x 7 is an NFL team??? The 49ers!

2- I had a colonoscopy on Tuesday. Woo Hoo! The best sleep I had all week, but the PREP work is noooo fun. All was fine. It was a repeat from 5 yrs ago so this is good news.

3- After the colonoscopy, Mr. Pink and I went to a movie before the kids got home from school. We saw Runner, Runner with Ben Affleck and Justn Timberlake. It was good.

4- I got mini#2 on a waiting list for our local basketball league because I missed the deadline for registration. We got a call and he is on a team....all for a mere $15 additional late fee. (I cannot keep up with these deadlines!!)

5-I started my Christmas shopping for the kids. As year round schoolers- this is a must because they are out the entire month of December although this year we go through Dec. 5 (because Thanksgiving is late this year).

Thursdays.....

Thursdays are my run day. Ever since they changed the group fitness schedule at the gym, there is absolutely nothing I want to take on Thursdays. So I run. Usually it's been at the gym on the DREADmill, but at least I can watch TV as the minutes tick away. I can adjust to go faster or slower as needed and all is great albeit boring. This crazy southern weather actually inspired me to take it outside this last month. That and I needed some hill training. But it has been more than that. I count animals/bugs/birds of interest as I run along. I've seen a crane, butterflies, caterpillars, worms, grasshoppers. Fun stuff! Ha!! Last week a deer literally jumped across the greenway path in front of me! He scared me and I scared him! I've yet to see Adam Levine, but who knows. Maybe one day. Ha! What do you do on Thursdays? 

Wordless Wednesday- Harry Potter style

Butterbeer for breakfast

Sniff, sniff. I felt so sorry for him. No Dragon roller coaster for you.

Since I've been gone...

I suppose I really should fill in some blanks since I took July, Aug and Sept off! So here goes:
1- The minis started 3rd and 7th grade on July 9th.
2- I turned cough, cough 43 in August. What the heck? Feels like I hit the big 4-0 yesterday! I got a road bike for my birthday. It's so pretty. I may, in the near future, attempt a mini triathlon. Did I really write that?
3- I dragged Mr. Pink and another couple to see John Mayer (and Phillip Phillips) in concert. 3rd time seeing John. I can call him that now. I had a blast and my friends did, too. But it might have been because they were laughing at me the entire time.
4- School tracked out for us on Sept. 10 after our first 9 weeks. We headed to sunny Orlando, FL for a Universal/Sea World/Wet and Wild trip. Mainly to bask in all of the Harry Potter World's glory! Mini#1 was in heaven. That kid, my reader, finished the first book in 2nd grade and has read all at least 4 times. I loved seeing him so happy, especially since he's a middle schooler now! We rode every special effects ride until I almost barfed and I screamed my head off on several occasions. Have you ever been on that Free Fall ride? WOW! Maybe this proves I really am 43.
5- As soon as we got home from FL I had a day to unpack, do laundry and repack before I took the kids to Charlotte to my parents' home to see my visiting brother, sis-in-law and 17 month old nephew. They're still living in Sweden (he helped arrange Obama's visit there right before he came home) and told us that their second baby is due in March! The kids had a great time with their cousin. I love it now when we Skype because you can tell he really recognizes us! He is precious.
6-Last weekend the kids/minis/not-so-minis and I ran in a local 5K (mini#2 ran in the mile fun run). I had to force mini#1 to practice with me last week and the week before while he was out of school. He walked half of the training. Then he finished 1:04 ahead of me in the race. That little devil!! Seriously, he is going to rock it in track next spring. He has no time for mommy's distance races (even though he has youth on his side and does well). He wants to do the mile and 800.
7- And this is a blog (and not FB) so I feel it's ok to boast about mini#1's grades. He got straight A's on his first report card. SO proud. Did it all on his own. Just don't ask me about 3rd grade. Between spelling words, projects, multiplication tables and general homework, I sincerely hope mini#2 makes it to middle school!
8-Soccer has started again. Mini#2's team is 4-0 with no goals scored against them yet. I love it! Four of these boys have played together since they were 4 and it's been so rewarding to see their growth and maturity in this sport.
9- Halloween decorations are up, costumes are ordered (more on this later) and I've already made pumpkins muffins and bought pumpkin waffle/pancake mix. Fall has arrived.
10-Go NC State! College football is the best, even if my Pack isn't.

BAD Decision

So I'm human. I make mistakes. Quite a few actually. Today was no exception. It started out this morning by me telling the kids not to ride the bus home today because I would be picking them up via carpool. Mini#2 asked me what "via" meant. Mini#1 and 2 asked me "WHY?" I said nonchalantly, "It's a surprise." They both got excited, made a few good and off-the-wall guesses and off to school they went. This afternoon I sat in the car sweltering in the heat for an hour and 20 mins through 2 carpool lines and started to feel a twinge of guilt. Mini#2 thought we were going to go get pumpkins and carve them. Mini#1 thought we were going roller skating by the direction we were headed. It was only a mere moments before we reached our destination that mini#1 (7th grade) yelled, "MAYBE it's a BAD surprise and we're going to the doctor!" And he was right. FLU SHOTS! Mini#2 (3rd grade) cried, said he wasn't getting out of the car and expressed his extreme dislike of me all within 2-3 mins. Of course, due to allergies, he gets the raw deal of the actual shot and mini#1 just has to inhale the live virus (and believe me I am soooo thankful for that after his displays of downright embarrassing behavior over shots in the past). We survived and I kept explaining to them, "See. This way was better. You only had to worry about it for a few minutes and not all day if I had told you this morning." AND I didn't have to hear all the moaning and groaning non-stop as I have in the past. I call it creative parenting.

But I did feel a twinge of guilt, as I said, so I decided to treat them to ice cream. I had a coupon for a free milkshake at Chick-Fil A that expired tomorrow. This is the second bad decision I made. While the two boys ate their cones watching a video in the back seat (shots long forgotten), I inhaled the SMALL Mocha Cookies and Cream milkshake, but I left the whipped cream in the bottom of the cup. I've heard that Hollywood actors live on milkshakes when they are asked to gain weight for a role. I decided to take a look at the nutritional information for this milkshake I just inhaled. Ummmm. BAD decision 1) to look at this information after I drank it and 2) that I got this at all. It was anything but FREE. A small was 660 calories and 24g of fat. OMG. A Big Mac (for comparison purposes only) is 550 calories and 29g of fat. I now am kicking myself because I ran outside for 4 miles after pilates today in the high humidity for nothing! Well, ok, so not really for nothing, but you get what I'm saying.

Lesson learned: You can be a creative parent, but have an ice cream cone with them instead of a milkshake when you are easing your parental guilt!