We made it! First Day of School 2011

We made it through the first week of school!
I've so much to catch up on here - but that will have to come soon... But I definitely wanted to get the photos of the girls up from their first day of school and their arrival home.

They both were a bundle of nerves the day before... it helped that we had a trek up to the airport to say goodbye to my parents (sniffle sniffle - I should say it was hard...but the distraction helped) and that we had a HOORAH to summer last fun activities planned for the day! Sweetpea came with me and we went to learn how to do a super neat "Twister" quilt (very cool way of doing 'pinwheels' in a table runner). And BooBooBear went with Daddy and got to go to the driving range!

Sweetpea did most of the sewing while Momma cut & helped

What a drive! 40yds...better than her momma!

I would have liked to do a "back to school dinner" and have a neat little evening discussing our "theme of the school year" an idea I loved from NieNie Dialogues blog and have been doing for a few years now. We did a really fun and good for you taco meal and discussed our theme, worries, excitement, questions, and what we did for our activity that day. It was a wonderful family evening.

We were all ready Monday! Sweetpea was excited and nervous for her first day in the "big" middle school. She came with Mr. Safety Man and me to drop off Boo. Boo was a little clingy and nervous but settled right in... after several "to do's before you leave Mommy"'s.  ("Mommy can you help me write my morning note, Mommy can you sharpen this pencil, Mommy can you help me empty my backpack) -it was hard to leave (I'd like to say on both of us... but I think more so on me) - but she's got the same teachers (2 years in this school) again this year - so she was ready and calm.

 It was good that we had to rush out and get Sweetpea over to her middle school. I think that helped me not feel sad to say goodbye to Boo. But I was nervous too. I still cannot believe my big, baby girl is in middle school. The three of us met our friends and followed them by car to the school - I think this helped Sweetpea a lot. She was really hoping to walk in with her bff and was able to! It was SO cute to see them walk in together.

Here they go

A little hand hold for comfort...

And there they go... 

I did Ok...a few little tears for me but Mr Safety Man was there and we were talking about all the details of the morning. I think the big kicker was the next day when she got out of the car and I was on my own after she got out with just a "Bye Mommy...(me:"have a good day") I WILL! (me: "I love you SWEETPEA") I love you too Mommy! BYE" and she was skipping off down the driveway. sigh. tear...tear... tear.

 

It was so neat to see them get off the bus after their first day's of school. I was really wondering how it all went... but their smiles and big hugs told me everything that I needed to know... 

"Bigges HUG evahhhhhh"

Ever since BooBooBear was able to talk she would always ask for hugs. Heck since she was a tiny infant she wanted to give me hugs... These are those heartfelt...squeezes. The ones that you just do not want to stop. I LOVE my kiddos' snuggles... I just love them. We are an affectionate family and I just love to snuggle up to my babes.

Sometimes BooBooBear would continue until you really would have to extricate yourself - to get things done. Sometimes I would fall asleep in that comfortable embrace. And sometimes I would say... "that's not as much as a hug as yesterday..." - to which she would reply... "Do you want a biggah hug?"and then she would squeeze me as hard as she could.

Thus the birth of "tha Bigges...HUG... EVAHhhhhhhhhs"... It would happen so often... Starting with the familiar question...

Boo: "Ma-me (mommy), do you wan tha bigges hug EVAH?" (gradually getting louder as said)
Me: "ooo of course I do!"
And then the huge hug (well for a little toddler) and sometimes it would continue to...
Boo: "o I can do anuddah one bettah" and
Me: "OK let's see"
So it would be almost nightly - and before naps too...really whenever she needed a squeeze & a squish.

My Bigges Hugs Evah's  continued through many years... then suddenly were forgotten or stopped this past year. BooBoo didn't stop hugging. No, she just stopped giving me giant huge hugs labeled has BHEs (which were actually getting REALLY strong and I would have to ready myself for them). I hadn't really forgotten my special hugs - but had. Life was hard and busy this year. Until recently I didn't even notice they had stopped.

Then suddenly - just as suddenly as they had stopped, and as I realized I was missing them, they started back up again last weekend...

Boo: "Momma do you want the  "bigges hug EVAH?" (gradually getting louder as said)
Me: "ooo of course I do!" "You haven't done one of these in FOREVERrrrrrrr!!"
Boo: "WHAT?" (the way Boo says that phrase is another whole post in itself)
"REALLY?? Hmmmm"
And then the huge hug (and this time was HUMONGOUS) and then continued to...
Boo: "o I can do anathah one bettah wanna see?"
Me: "OK let's see"
And sure enough... it was bigger, and BETTER.

Tha Bigges HUG EVAHHHhhhhhh are Mommy's special hugs... something just between my baby girl and me and I cherish them and hope they never end.
I missed those hugs and am so glad they are back!!!

Birthdays... they're coming...

Oh my gosh so I just really got a grip of reality...



I have been thinking about my baby's birthday and wondering, worrying, STARTING to plan (nothing like being prepared) for her birthday on July 27th! I cannot believe that she is going to be SEVEN... yes... SEVEN. Hello?! When did that happen?! My BABY! But then I suddenly remember oh my goodness... CHRIS' BIRTHDAY IS THIS THURSDAY! UGHhhhhhhhhhhh! I am so unprepared... SO unprepared... but that is ok... he has given a few hints and I will get something together. He's pretty easy as far as what he likes to eat/birthday cake etc... But as far as gifts... well that's another story.

So right now I am going to try and figure out what to do for my baby's birthday and my hubby's birthday too! OH BOY! It's going to be a busy, busy week!! But at least this way it keeps me busy and my mind occupied instead of dwelling on the negative things!!

Well I guess I'd better go and some things PLANNED! = )
Musings on birthdays shall commence!!

A day to remember...

Well I am telling you... it has not been my week... (even though today's Monday). I have been down, tired, hurting, upset, & stressed... HOWEVER... my last post was about the journey - not the destination. To look at the little things and be happy... so I have been telling myself to "GET OVER me and stop dwelling on the negative".

Well I forced myself out of bed this AM (after another LATE night of no sleep) and little Boo had a list of what we were to do today (you see - it was just the two of us today and I wanted her to have a GREAT day). It went something like this:

"Things to Do. Cep

Crac fo Coyt. Pant

My Bol.

Pik yellow

ToMatos.

PLay Pale

Paciks.

Wach a Mvee.

Go to The

Bech.

Mame

aNd Boo (backwards B)"

(Translation if you must... and must I didn't I am proud to say: Keep track of Couette (coo-yett in Boo lang) -her special blankie since she was BORN). Paint my bowl. Pick yellow tomatoes (I am growing in my aero-garden). Play Polly Pockets. Watch a movie. Go to the beach. Mommy and Boo).

This was my Boo's list and it just lit my heart on fire. I knew that no matter what...(and especially after preaching to myself in my post, last night, about "the little things") I needed to do as much as I could on that list with Boo today. I needed to really be in the moment today with her. Ya see, I want excellent memories for her of time spent with me for BOTH my girls. I find it tres tres important.

So... after I used up all the hot water to loosen my back, packed up, we set out to the beach. See I thought we could hit 2 things on her list at once! We played Polly pockets ON the beach!!! AH ha HA!! Smart thinking Mame...!!! It started off a bit rocky. On the way to the beach Mame had a little break-down and needed Mr Daddy's help. He did what Mr Daddy does and tried to fix me... saying "do you know how many mom's out there REALLY wish that they could do what you're doin'?". Honestly... it didn't make me mad... very sad that I was feeling the way I was and guilty too. Why was I blubbering on about everything. But he didn't say it to offend me - only to get me to grab on to my baby and cherish this day.

Sure things were not perfect with certain situations arising... but ya know... this day was perfect for us - Mame and BooBooBear. At first I had to force myself to get moving and really BE with Boo... but then it was so much fun! SO MUCH FUN!

And do you know we did EVERYTHING and THEN some on that list!??!

Yes we did...

Musing on a great... no... on a PERFECT day!