Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Monday, September 26, 2011

This girl won’t be ignored!

P1100670-2

I love this picture!  It just seemed to fit the mood of this post too.

So, we’ve known for a VERY long time now that Little Miss was smart as well as a wise old soul.  At two she would sit in a chair during a busy party and contentedly watch the goings-on.  At three, Caden’s first grade teacher asked repeatedly what we were going to do with her.  By four I was asking teachers and school administrators what we should do with her. 

I’m so frustrated!  I’ve researched and talked and asked and asked and asked again.  I’m getting no where!  The teacher smiles and says she’ll keep an eye on things, the principal smiles and says I’m just like a lot of other parents who think their kid is smart (in other words I’m one of “those” parents) and everyone who knows Paige says, “what the heck is going on?!”  The answer is, I don’t know!  I’m trying.  At this point I’m balancing too many balls and trying to make too many people happy at once without upsetting anyone.  And what usually happens when we do that?  We end up miserable!  I wish I was better at expressing myself.  I do great in my head but not so well in person!

To be cont…

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Some big days!

Caden turned 10!  Double digits?  How did that happen?  He wanted a LEGO cake so this was my rendition.  It’s the best I could do without fondant (which my family hates).

P1100365-2

Paige started kindergarten!  Seriously – how does this happen?  It just feels like yesterday she was placed in my arms with her little lower lip quivering.  She is making friends and getting used to school and every day she goes skipping in.

P1100393-2

Caden started 4th grade. He was excited to get the same teacher Trace had in fourth grade.  I’ve been amazed by how much he has liked being in a very uncluttered, calm and controlled room – he thrives in it!

P1100389-2

And Trace started 7th grade!  I can’t wrap my head around it.  For some reason I keep telling people he is in 6th grade.  He doesn’t have any of his old friends with him in class but it seems to be working well for him.

P1100388-2

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Life is what happens…

While you’re busy, busy, busy!

P1100292-2

Paige is constantly keeping us on our toes!  One minute she is easy going and loving, the next she is disrespectful, stubborn and rude.  Oh, who am I kidding – she pretty much sticks with the latter!  We’re working on it though and there are the occasional moments where I see the sweet girl she can be!

P1100362-2

Then we had Caden with his black eye right before school started!  Cousin Katy chased him down to throw him in the pool.  When she caught him he flipped upside down in her arms and hit his eye on her knee – what are the odds?!  She tossed him in the pool and by the time his head popped back up it was already swollen to about the size of a marble!

P1100409-2The kids and I “celebrated” Chinese Moon Festival too!  Over the years we have come to decide that we don’t particularly care for moon pies but Oreos make a great substitute.  So we sat out on the driveway and ate our Oreos while looking at the yellow Harvest moon.  We talked a little about what the mid-Autumn moon festival is about in China and about Paige’s first families who might be looking at the same moon with us.  Then, since no celebration is complete with out friends, the kids took Oreos down the street to their friend Aly and across the street to Mr. Jim.  After that we all ran, in bare feet, up around the corner to the Clary/Walker’s and surprised them with a chorus of “Happy Chinese Moon Fest!”  We shared more Oreos before heading back home to get ready for bed.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Our Girl

 

P1100387-2

What a girl she is!  Small enough to fit comfortably in a laundry basket and big enough to be reading a chapter book while in that basket! 

Thursday, September 08, 2011

This kid…

P1100353-2

Is my baby boy.  He makes me laugh, makes me cry but mostly he makes me proud!  Ten years.  And what a ten years they have been!  This last year has been possibly the hardest and yet most rewarding as we have navigated the murky waters of what makes him who he is.  It has been frustrating and enlightening and my eyes have been opened so much.  What a wonderful summer we have had!  And what a wonderful kid he is!  Caden, I love  you to pieces and I am so proud of the young man you are becoming.  I hope the next ten years bring you more peace and joy than you’ve ever known!