TGIF
Hello from the other side of a busy and great week. We got back from Cape Cod on Saturday, school started Monday, and life has been spinning with activity ever since. It is GREAT. Some people are summer people, some people are winter people, we are back-so-school people! I have always loved school, and going to back to it has always been one of my favorite things.
Eloise’s first three days went really well, and it’s been so cute hearing about all the things she’s doing—and eating! Still pinching myself that her new school has catered lunch (i.e., I never have to pack snacks or lunches, or even remember to send a water bottle!), and Eloise came home yesterday telling me all about the salad she ate and how much she loved it. (“But only school salad, Mom. Not your salad.”)
Tell me we’re not the only family that is a bunch of compulsive unpackers. Meaning, the second you step foot in the door after a trip, EVERYTHING must be unpacked that INSTANT. Few things make me feel more secure than having an unpacked house and thankfully it’s one of my (few) compulsions that Nick is on board with.
If you are a parent, have you ever attempted to replace one of your child’s lovies because you couldn’t stand it anymore? I did. Eloise sleeps with two lovies, a white rabbit thumbie blanket and a very small pink ballerina bunny that always gets lost because it’s so skinny. Well, three times in about five days have I been awoken in the middle of the night because she couldn’t find the pink bunny and I was over it. So I ordered her a bigger pink bunny rabbit (which turned out to be purple), asked her what she wanted to do with the old one (“Get it rid of.”), and hid it away just in case the transition didn’t go well. I was subsequently terrified and devastated that I had ruined the whole lovie thing for her altogether because for two days after the replacement, she wanted both of her bunnies to sleep on the bench in her room “so she could have more room in the bed.” I’m happy to report that both bunnies are now back in her bed, and I will be donating the small pink bunny to another lucky family. Don’t say I never wrote about the pressing issues in life.
The one thing I don’t love about fall is that it brings about my inevitable wardrobe shift to some version of leggings and a sweatshirt, all day, every day. Because jeans make my legs feel like they’re crying, know what I mean? My mom recently got me these pants, and they have been perfect for transitioning into cooler weather while being comfy and cute. I wore them to Amelia’s first mommy and me group this week since I knew there would be a lot of sitting on the ground and got a bunch of compliments, and plan on looking for more joggers to hopefully get me through the fall and winter without looking like too much of a schlub.
Last topic for the day: spontaneous development. I’m not sure if this is a real term but I made it up to mean my kids doing awesome things without me being directly involved, aka parental reaping what you sow. Yesterday when I was getting ready for the day, both girls were on the other side of the baby gate playing hide and go seek, giggling and waiting for me to be ready so we could go downstairs for breakfast. Eloise also told me she wanted to bring a book downstairs with us to make Amelia happy.
A few days ago, Eloise was playing with the cordless phone and told me she is almost three, as she pointed to the number three, and proceeded to accurately show me all the numbers except for maybe one or two. I have never worked with her on numbers a day in her life, and this was before school started, so I basically have no idea where she picked it up but I’ll take it! She also has a newfound confidence where she will go up to almost anyone and say, "Hi, I'm Eloise!" Nick got home from work yesterday and was so happy to see that our garbage men had taken a bunch of junk he had put out even though it's not our quarterly bulk pickup day, and I told him it was because his eldest daughter was chatting with the garbage men from the front porch! I heard one of them say to her at the end, "Have a nice day!"
And on the Amelia front: we have a molar poking through without too much fuss, which I am praising the Lord for because I worked so hard for each and every one of Eloise’s teeth. And after several days of nap-lengthening boot camp this week, she’s finally taking the same monster nap as her sister! I feel like a new woman.
And the best part of my week so far? Seeing Amelia's face light up when her big sister gets home from school. It has confirmed my hope that siblings are one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. I hear a lot of guilt among fellow moms who are either pregnant with their second, or who are fearful for having a second because they don't want to take attention away from their first child. I definitely have moments of feeling like this too, but mostly I feel so grateful to be raising a pair of sisters, and seeing their bond grow and strengthen over time is one of the most rewarding things I can hope for in this life.
Some links for your weekend:
"The Dorkiest Post in Cup of Jo History." Love it!
Let it go. I need to re-read this often! For me it's the to-do list tasks.
An easier way to find books you'll love. Can't wait to try this!
Health benefits of early bedtimes for kids. Don't have to tell me twice!
Happy weekend!
