I Have Preschoolers

I have two preschoolers! It is so weird. Not daycare, but preschool, at the regular school. The big kid school. How crazy is that?

The first day I took them to preschool it was a disaster. Ocean didn't feel that well and he hates people and it was right after winter break so many people were late and everywhere and he just cried. I try not to be that parent, the one that always gives in, but how could I really leave my boy there terrified and crying? I couldn't. Ever stayed and he went home with me. We picked up Ever, who was so sweet to lean over and tell Ocean, "I learned things that you didn't learn, because I went to school and you didn't."

Preschool has highlighted some new things for me that I didn't know before.

1. Ocean is extremely dependent on his sister being around. If she is sick, he will not go to school alone. She got sick at school so they sent her to the nurse and Ocean was beside himself. The school called me to pick him up too and his teacher spoke to me about it later in the week. I didn't know this because he loves to do things alone with mommy and daddy so I figured he didn't care. School is a different ballgame. I was set on separating them in Kindergarten and now I am not so sure about that. Hubby wanted them separated long ago so this will probably lead to lots of arguments and some type of disaster.

2. Ever tells me what I want to hear and can sometimes be a liar. It's true. I learned at their conferences that she hardly ever talks to anyone and Ocean is the social one. They report the opposite. Special.

3. I had a huge mommy milestone, which was my very first parent teacher conference!!!!!!!! I was nervous, no lie. That sounds silly and the conferences are completely professional and not really what I'm about to say, but for me, it was my very first professional judgement on my kids. It's a weird feeling. What I found out is that my children are very intelligent and sweet and all around awesome. The teacher went ahead and did the 4 year old skills test on them instead of the one they typically use and they both passed it, plus Ever is well above a four year old level. The teacher said you can really tell that I work with them at home. They are polite too. Think of Maria in Sound of Music frolicking about the countryside exuding joy for no real reason, that is what I looked like for several days after the conference. "OMG, I'm a great mom, my kids are amazing, I haven't messed them up yet!" What a relief.

4. The most annoying thing ever is a school schedule. For real. They rarely go more than two weeks without a holiday, a teacher inservice, conference days, a break, etc, etc. I was so seriously irritated about it I actually pulled up the calendar and out of all the days available to go to school between August to May they only go 76% of the time. That's ridiculous. Part of the reason that I stay at home with the kids is because I have always wanted to try it and I love it, the other reason is we flat out can't afford care for three kids on our budget, so I have to. I was going to go back when the twins go to Kindy,  but I don't see a point in it now because it will still be daycare heavy for awhile.

My first little babies are big kids in big kid school!

Here are some pics from more days that they missed school. We had a fun run of snow days around here.

The Animal House

I am not an animal person. I am not a pet person. To be honest, sometimes after I meet someone and know I will be leaving their house covered in animal fur, I don't go back. I'm just not into it.

We have been (unsuccessfully) trying to sell our home now for the last six months. The kids have asked us many times for a puppy. We have told them no many times. Then I went ahead and told them that they could get a puppy in the new house.

The twins started telling their friends that we see weekly that they have a dog whose name is Max. Max will live at the new house. They told people this as if they already had the dog.

My friend had been hearing about Max our imaginary new house dog. She went to drop off her son at daycare and the daycare had a dog they were trying to get rid of. If they were unable to pawn the dog off on someone they would be taking him to the pound. My friend took him home and then sent me a text saying that she thinks she found Max.

The twins and I went to check him out. He was cute and fluffy and small. His hair is long so he wouldn't shed. Small dogs, small food, small poop, no shedding, and free.

I said we would take him home for the night.

We walked in the door followed by the dog. Hubby said, "what the Hell is this woman?" I said we were just watching him for the night and would give him back.

I couldn't. He wasn't wild, he didn't bark a ton, he slept all night and again, small poop no dog hair. This was a score I couldn't let go. Meet Max the dog, our family pet. The kids are all so in love, it's worth it.

Less than a month later, we received two fish bowls, one for each of the twins.

Meet Ocean's fish Max. This is Max the fish, not Max the dog, they are different (those are his words).

Meet Blueberry, Ever's fish. This is actually Blueberry #2 as Blueberry the Original made her final trip of life down the toilet. We had noticed Blueberry the Original floating in the bowl, got rid of it and crossed our fingers her absence would not be noticed. That afternoon I heard the stool getting moved to the counter where the fish are. I heard a sweet little Peanut voice "hmmm, I don't see my fish in there." Ocean, "maybe he's hiding." Peanut, "I wonder where the fish went." Me to myself "Please dear Lord, do not let her ask me where the fish is. I am a terrible liar and I am not ready for the death talk." Peanut,"Daddy prolly took him out and forgot to put him back in." Me to myself, "Thank you Jesus for the small miracles that allow me to shirk my duties as a parent, Amen."

So we went from no pets NEVER EVER EVER, to three pets.

Ocean asked if we could get a pet lizard in the new house.

NO. Probably not. Maybe.

2013 In Review

January: We wrung in the New Year downtown at Children's Mercy with a sick newborn that had RSV.



February: I was scared to death of more illness, so we hung out at the house getting used to being a family of 5. I was also sick and tired of lining up a row of butts and changing three diapers all day so I potty trained the twins!



March: My maternity leave was up and I headed back to work. For a week. I quickly realized that the cost of daycare, the amount of time it took to pick up and drop off three kids, and the toll it was taking on all the littles to be shuffled around that it wasn't worth it. I put in my two weeks notice. It was terrifying! I regretted it off and on for awhile and now . . . I adore being a stay at home! I wouldn't change it for anything! We also flew to Phoenix for my brother's wedding.





April: The twins turned three!






May: Money was tight so I picked up a job at a department store. It has been fun and flexible and gives a little extra income.








June: My mom and I took the kiddo's on a big road trip through Colorado.





July:  My parents briefly lived in Florida so we went to visit them. The twins were absolutely in love with the beach. We got up early one morning and drove to Orlando to go to Disney's Magic Kingdom. I cried when we got there because I have always dreamed of taking my children to Disney and the reality was so special!







August: We found out the twins didn't get into the school district preschool so I decided to start some homeschool with them because they were obviously super bored with me. We also put out house on the market. It is still for sale (yuck, can I say how awful it is to keep a house clean with three rug rats).






September:  I decided it would be a grand idea to take my kids and my friend with her two kids on a road trip. How do you think a road trip went with two moms and 5 kids under 4? Yep, you guessed it. A 16 hour drive took us 14 hours over two days each way. We did stop and stumble upon some fun things though to and from North Carolina.



October: Halloween! The twins had a blast this year, whereas last year they really weren't sure about the whole thing.






November:  I ran a 5k, it was my first run since Nash arrived. We enjoyed Thanksgiving.

December: We had an awesome Christmas. The first time it was just our little family waking up in our house together. I was truly thankful for this because last year I woke up in a hospital with the twins and my husband away from me, watching my newborn's oxygen numbers.









AND, in December, my last baby forever and ever turned ONE!!! My baby is officially a toddler.