Rounding Out Birthday Season

Today we closed out January Birthday Season in our house with my birthday.

I got exactly what I wanted: homemade birthday cards from the kids (all of which included my age) and their 100% cooperation in cleaning the playroom to MOM'S standards. (They obliged.)

Before he left for work, Chet gave me a lovely card, a bag of York Peppermint Patties, and a bottle of wine ("in case you get thirsty today").

I saved the wine until post-5 p.m. and didn't even break into the York Peppermint Patties, because one neighbor brought me cookies, and another a hunk of king cake.

It truly was a lovely birthday.

Artist

I couldn't figure out why Sydney was taking so long to fill in a single sentence on her chart:

Well, that explains it.

I often have to tell her, "Stop drawing people! I need you to physically use your pen for another assignment right now! I promise you can draw soon!"

But I love that she has a gift that I don't have. When I was little and teachers handed me a blank piece of paper, my mind went...well, blank. I was much better at coloring pictures that were already drawn. Even though I have to tell her to pause the drawing, I encourage her just as often to KEEP DRAWING. Because she is VERY good at it (in her mother's humble and unbiased opinion).

Sydney is 10!

(I'll post the same thing I posted yesterday on Instagram, because the girls had a late basketball game tonight and I'm ready to relax for at least a few minutes before falling into bed.)

As of yesterday, January 27, 2020, at 12:51 p.m., Sydney is ten-years old! Here are ten words that describe her:

1. Tall
2. Fun
3. Funny
4. Outgoing
5. Creative
6. Artistic
7. Smart
8. Brave
9. Adventurous
10. Resilient

Obviously, I could say a lot more about her than even those ten things, but I'll leave you with this: Last night Sydney walked up to me while I was washing dishes, holding a sheet paper that she had written on. She shook her head and said, "Wow, my handwriting was terrible when I was nine. I'm SO glad those days are behind me!" Ha! I can tell having a 10-year old is going to be fun.

Weekend

It was an unremarkable, but lovely, weekend.

Saturday felt like our true day of rest. Each of us did our own thing, either inside or outside. We didn't go anywhere, but we also didn't fill the day with millions of chores or household tasks (ahem, me). The weather was perfect, so the kids spent most of the day outside. Chet began sorting and packing for deployment (so he probably felt some stress the rest of us didn't).

We had a friend and his daughters over for dinner (wife/mom is deployed); just tacos. I took Sydney and Lorelei to see "Cats" at the base theater at 7 p.m. We went to bed.

Today (Sunday) was a rainy day, but we went to church and Sunday school. Chet had to run a couple of errands in the afternoon, but otherwise we stayed home again. The only chore I did today was mop under the kitchen table. I did require Sydney, Lorelei, and Ford to do some schoolwork, because I didn't want Monday to feel too full and busy, as it's Sydney's birthday. There was no argument because they all liked the idea of a less-busy Monday. (Also, it rained ALL day, so there really wasn't much else to do, ha!)

I hope your weekend was lovely and restful!

Nature Trail

This nature trail is directly behind our house:

It's a long and meandering boardwalk through the woods. Ruthie and I take this route when I drop her off at her babysitter's house on the next street (I didn't realize until recently that it's a much shorter -- and more scenic -- route than walking on the actual street/sidewalk).

Sydney, Lorelei, and I just returned home from the movie "Cats." It was strange, and I feel that my brain is slightly malfunctioning right now due to the movie's strangeness, so I'll end this here, ha! Happy Saturday (night)!

Pancakes

Sydney likes to make pancakes, so sometimes I whip up the batter for her and let her go to town. She's really good at it, and I appreciate the help in the kitchen! (Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm always looking for opportunities to delegate food preparation.)

Also, this is Ruthie's new go-to face. She makes it all the time, especially when someone is trying to take her picture.

And how can it already be Thursday?!

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Chet!

Chet had a birthday this past Sunday (the 12th)! He spent a week in California, and arrived home the day before his birthday (barely -- he had two connections and we thought he might get stuck in Charlotte for a day due to bad weather here). But he made it!

Sunday morning we went to church, then did normal Sunday-type things (I think -- it's been nearly a week so I'm having trouble remembering, ha!). We were originally going to go out for a family dinner to celebrate both Ford's and Chet's birthdays, but our neighbor offered to babysit so that we could have dinner alone and we took her up on it! We went to one of our favorite restaurants, then picked up Dairy Queen blizzards since that's what Ford requested instead of a cake (we hadn't sung "Happy Birthday" to him yet since Chet left for CA on the morning of Ford's birthday).

Here is a picture of Chet and Ford after they blew out their respective candles:

Then...Chet started not feeling well, and ended up being sick the rest of the night. He went to the doctor Monday morning, came back home, and slept the rest of the day. Not the way he envisioned spending a birthday evening OR a Monday after not being in the office for a few weeks (Christmas travel + California), but THANKFULLY he was feeling himself again by Monday evening. Whatever he had lasted less than 24 hours, and no one else got sick, so...whew.

We won't be seeing much of Chet this year, what with him deploying in a few weeks, but technology will keep us connected and communicating, and work and school will continue to keep all of us happily busy. Bottom line: we are thankful he's OUR husband and dad!

Happy birthday, Chet!

Conversations with Children

Conversation #1
Lorelei: "Mommy, what's a bucket list?"
Ford: "Ooh! Ooh! I know! It's when you make a list of really fun things you want to do before you die."
Lorelei: ***Looks at me questioningly***
Me: "Yep. That's right."

Conversation #2
Ruthie: ***Jumps on my bed while I'm trying to make it***
Me: "Ruthie, would you like it if I messed up your doll's dress while you were playing with her?"
Ruthie: "My doll's not wearing a dress, she's wearing a onesie."
Me: "Would you like me to mess up your doll's ONESIE while you were playing with her?"
Ruthie: "But it's not messed up, because she didn't pee in it."
Me: ***Can't think of a counter argument***
Me: "Nevermind."
Ruthie: ***Jumps on my bed one last time***

Conversation #3
Ford: ***Vacuums area by front door***
Ford: ***Stops vacuum***
Ford: "Ruthie, can you please take off your shoes BEFORE you step off the rug? I'm tired of vacuuming up your mess."
Ruthie: ***Silence***
Ford: ***Resumes vacuuming***
Me: ***Smugly feels like my job here is done***

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Ruthie

Ruthie. Ruth. RUTH EMILY.

I have to keep this picture in a frame in a prominent place to help me remember that even though toddlers and preschoolers (ALL OF THEM) drive me crazy, we love, love, LOVE her.

I love her so much, I paid Lorelei $5 tonight to bathe her and get her ready for bed.

(And I love, love, LOVE Lorelei for taking me up on the offer.)

Sydney and I sat at the kitchen table (Sydney drawing, me reading), and Ford played Legos in the living room, Lorelei's coaxes and hollers at Ruthie ("Quick, Ruthie, get out of the bathtub! Ruthie, PUT YOUR LEG IN THIS PANT HOLE NOW!!!") our background music.

By the way, Chet is in California for the week, otherwise he would have been administering bath time.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Birthday, Ford!

Ford turned SIX today, thus kicking off birthday season in our house!

Exactly six years ago, at this time of night (in almost the same house!), I was putting putting 3-year old Sydney and 2-year old Lorelei to bed, then rushing to pack a hospital bag in the midst of contractions. My mother-in-law and I sped to the very closest hospital and screeched into the ER entrance at 9:30 p.m. (I remember looking at the car's clock). Ford was born a mere 29 minutes later, at 9:59 p.m. All I can say is that I'm glad we didn't choose the hospital 30 minutes down the road, otherwise he would have been born in the car along Highway 90.

Here are six things you should know about Ford (as I stated earlier on Instagram):
1. He's smart.
2. He's thoughtful.
3. He's a bit exacting.
4. He's sensitive.
5. He's surprisingly polite.
6. He's a champ at surviving in a houseful of women.

He's many other things as well, and we're glad he's ours.

(Badly lit picture that I really should have lightened up before posting here -- progress over perfection!)

Happy 6th birthday, Ford!