My Little Graduate. Despite being really worried about singing her songs in front of everyone, she did a great job! (all week leading up to this, she was so worried about graduation. She told me she was't going to go, that she didn't know all the words to her songs, that she wouldn't be able to do it all right. Come graduation day, however, she rallied and finally agreed to go in to the classroom with her friends) I'm struggling with this a lot more than I expected. She's my last baby heading off to the Big Kid's Kindergarten. Every milestone … [Read more...]
confidence in her skin
What does she see when she looks in the mirror? I want to raise a strong girl who has confidence in her own skin. But that's working out to be a lot harder in practice. I catch myself nitpicking, and while it may be born from my desire to help her be her best, in her version of life it's probably a negative. I am trying to learn to close my mouth, to listen more than lecture, and offer guidance, firm boundaries, and clear expectations. If I freak out over a broken glass, how can I expect her to come to me when she gets into real, actual … [Read more...]
Activities and Over-scheduling
It's a gorgeous day for homework and dinner outside. As much as we'd love to enjoy the weather and play outside, however, we have to rush around tonight, again. Hurry through dinner after homework, and then dash off to Cub Scouts, and back just in time to go to bed. Sometimes I worry about their schedule being too much. It's not like each kid has a ton of activities- but this year is hard with straddling two different Cub Scout packs, plus a Girl Scout troop, plus gymnastics for the little one, and taekwondo for the big kids. When we … [Read more...]
slow and steady
No artistic photo today- I took off my photographer hat for my proud mama hat. These two kiddos (finally) made green belt! The low intermediate class was a long journey for these guys- especially with orange/high orange. Consistently derailed with illness, injuries, and scheduling issues from their other activities, we kept putting off belt testing because no one ever felt ready. They went to class after class, watching all their friends pass test after test and make their way to higher and higher ranks, while they felt stuck in low … [Read more...]
Not Perfect is Perfect
The preschool recycling project, aka Not Perfect is Perfect! This is the third time we've had a child do this project, and I look forward to it each time. They are supposed to make a creation out of recycling. My oldest made a unicorn, my son made a robot, and this little lady wanted to make a Caticorn (cat+unicorn). I firmly believe in stepping back and letting the child take the reigns in their projects. I'm there to assist only. Is it executed in a technically perfect fashion? Nope- but that's why I love it. It's an age-appropriate … [Read more...]
nightly routines
Her nightly routine. The big kids can do it all on their own- I send them up for showers and don't really check on them again until they are in their pajamas, snuggled into bed. While part of me is looking forward to reaching that point with my littlest- one less thing on my mental load- I'm also more aware of how fleeting these times are. How much longer do we have with her wrapped up in a Peppa Pig towel, and Daddy brushing her hair while she brushes her teeth? Would you love to have similar portraits of your own children, celebrating the … [Read more...]
reading
My sometimes-reader tends to get very easy books from the school library. He's 8, in second grade, and typically brings home Pete the Cat or something similar. I don't push it- he won't enjoy it if it's forced and I'd rather him enjoy easy books than hate every minute of a more age-appropriate book. This week he came home with a thick chapter book. I said nothing the first few days when I saw it sitting on the table. Would he actually read it? But I found him each night curled up in bed, glued to it. He dutifully packed it in his backpack … [Read more...]
comfort food
Sometimes, I set out to take a pretty picture with this 365 project. Sometimes, I just want a photograph that is real and in the moment. All 4 of us had a serious case of the Mondays. We were out of sorts. Dragging. Grumpy and just not feeling it. The kids knew we had taekwondo that night and they were grumbling about it the entire walk to the house from the bus stop. A side note- the kids view taekwondo like I treat running. Before hand, it's a chore. Don't Want To. Whining. Grumbling. As soon as they get there, the fog lifts. They have … [Read more...]
Fair and Fierce
My youngest is equal parts fairest-maiden-of-them-all and fierce-rough-and-tumble. She's the girl who loves her pink play tent, sparkly frilly dresses, the Power Rangers, and dinosaurs. She's poised and always accessorized, and she will not hesitate to defend herself if she feels slighted. Sometimes, this worries me. With a willful attitude and a strong sense of confidence, will she make friends? Is she too bossy? But other times, I know it will serve her well. I don't want her to lose her confidence and her sass. Right now, she has no … [Read more...]
Fully Present
I really struggle with staying present. My mind is always going a million miles an hour and it's always nagging at me to be more productive and check off more from the to-do list. So I'm pretty terrible at sitting and playing. My 4 year old is always asking me to play with her, and I feel so guilty because either I'm telling her to wait while I finish an hour's worth of housework or cooking, or when I do it my mind is always elsewhere. So today I decided I needed to work on being present with my kids. Everyone is home for a snow day. Even … [Read more...]
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