Magic Medicine

On the night of Victoria's birthday on May 21st, Christian spiked a fever at around 10pm of almost 102.  I gave him Tylenol and got him back to sleep.  He was really sick for several days.  (Then I got sick too.)  Being sick when you're three doesn't just score you a dose of Tylenol it also gets you a whole lot more attention, cuddles and snuggles and free passes of less than perfect behavior. 

After receiving all those glorious gifts for several days, when the little dude was better he got out of bed with a hidden smirk and said his belly hurt.  I walked him back to bed saying he was all better and needed to stay inhis bed and the medicine was all done.  Medicine is only for when you're really really sick.  He cried and cried, finally I caved and gave him 7ml of straight H2O.  He sucked it right up and immediately admitted it was helping and went right to sleep. 

Tonight is about the 10th day this magic sleep potion has been given.  It works like a charm and it never fails he asks for it.

However, tonight is the first night he asked if it's water.  I responded with a quick, "Why would you think that?"  He answered, "I don't know,"  and dozed right off.

Dear June

Dear June,

I'm so glad you've finally arrived.  I've been waiting for you for a long long time.  Did you know you are my most favorite month?  I love the promise that you bring.  I love that school is still in session and I still look forward to making this last week very very special for my students.  But at home, I'm counting down the days too.  The promise of summer and the memories that will be made.  The hopes that this is the summer Christian will NOT have a surgery. 

The sunshine.  Finally.  The warm weather.  The trips to the park.  Our very first bike ride on a real bike path - where we discovered they can pedal so fast we had to run - and Christian doesn't know how to stop until Mark dives at him while he's flying down hill.

The trips we're going to take.  Chicago.  Jellystone.  Colorado.

The campfires in our backyard.  The zoo. Museums.  The end of daycare and the beginning of many many Mommy Days.  The lifestyle change I'll go through in next week and then again ten weeks later. 

June, so glad you're here and I vow to enjoy you to the fullest.

Victoria's Preschool Graduation

Last week Victoria graduated preschool.  She spent two years at South Shore Trinity Preschool and now it's all over.  I had Mama & Papa there early to get us the best seats in the house. 

The brought her flowers which she loved!

Victoria and her BFF Jenna.

They been put together by her Mommy and me since birth.

They are five weeks apart and Jenna visited Victoria the day she was born in the hospital.

But this year they formed a real relationship and became real friends who really care about each other.

The proud mommies and our daughters.

They had bags made with their graduation pictures

on it.

Victoria said, "It's too special to use though, Mommy."

Oooh, I love that picture of them.

I love this one too:-)

Christian was really hyped up after sitting through the 40 minute graduation and being there early.

He saw the ice cream when we got to the reception and went bonkers.

I whispered, "When you give me one good picture you can have ice cream."

Bada bing bada boom - one take is all it took.

Shocker.

In classic Papa style he snuck Christian a second bowl.

It makes them both so happy to sneak treats on me.

I secretly love that they have that between them.

Mama Jeanne came to watch her granddaughter graduate too!

She was beaming!

Both of them!

Victoria and her teacher Ms. Joy.

I will forever be grateful to Ms. Joy for teaching Victoria the love for learning.

How to respond with a simple, "No thank you." when someone is mistreating her.

She taught her how much fun a sensory table can be.

Ms. Joy taught me Victoria, is in fact, NOT perfect.

It was a hard pill to swallow the day I learned she would crawl on the floor barking like a puppy and not come out from under the table when it was time to line up.

(She has outgrown this now. THANK GOODNESS.  That was way back when she was three.)

Ms. Joy taught me I better just get used to different teaching styles.

All her teachers will not teach like me and not react to situations just as I may.

And that's ok.

Most importantly Ms. Joy taught me how it feels from the parents' perspective of just how darn grateful you are to the teacher for doing a good job, making my child feel special and teaching her all she needs and them some.  How important it is to make the parents feel special too.

I'll never forget the day Joy texted my a picture of Victoria playing florist at school.

I was impressed that she'd take a picture, let alone text it to me.

I loved it and I felt special and important that day and loved to get a glimpse Victoria's school life.

Surprisingly I barely shed a tear at the graduation.

I am so amazed at the little girl she's grown to be I look forward to what this summer will bring -

and especially the new adventures kindergarten will bring to our lives.

Molly's Mother's Day

My very good friend, Molly is both our kids' Godmother.  Last year as her Mother's Day gift Victoria and I took 'Aunt' Molly to Cupcake.  We had a wonderful time and decided it would become a tradition.  We went the weekend following the actual Mother's Day this year.  Again, it was a blast.

Victoria had a PB&J with animal crackers and couldn't wait to make her final decision on her cupcake. She finally chose Chocolate Chocolate and Molly chose Pina Colada.  They were both pleased with their choices.

Could she be any happier?

Then we walked down the block to the water tower and looked for insects.

'Aunt' Molly went to college for biology so she really loves to help Vicotria in her explorations and gives her tons of fun facts to remember.

As a matter of fact, Victoria brought up seeing bird poop last year at this spot and questioned the facts Molly told her about how dirty and unhealthy it is to touch.

Molly didn't remember telling her about bird poop - I did. 

Victoria never forgets a thing - espcecially when it really interests her - like all of 'Aunt' Molly's fun facts always do!

We are all so lucky to have 'Aunt' Molly in our lives.

Victoria's First Pedicure

I've wanted to take Victoria to get her first pedicure for years.  Finally we went last month.  I didn't anticipate that she wouldn't be able to reach the water, though!

Doesn't she look so comfortable and relaxed?

She would stand in the water and then hop back up in the chair to get her back massaged.  The little asian lady kept calling her my baby and would refer to her as baby right to her face.

That was a bit much for the 5 yr old but she handled it with grace until she asked about it on the way out the door about 3 ft from the lady.  Oh well!

Since she didn't actually have anything to rub off her perfect little feet she painted her teeny tiny fingernails. 

We chose the same shade of bright pink.

When we left she wanted to show Mama Jeanne so we drove right over there to show off our shiny nails.

We had a nice experience together but next time's sure to be better. . .

because we're going to a different place with the water separate so we can put it on a pedestal or something.

I love having a daughter!!