Ava's Lucky Day

Today Ava had a really great day, and that in turn brightened my day as well. She and I began the day early. I had some business to attend to at the DMV, so I took Ava with me when it opened at 8am. Thinking it couldn't possibly take TOO long, I told her when we were done we would go grab a bite to eat at Chick-Fil-A before I dropped her off at school. Of course what should have taken only a few minutes pushed closer to 40 minutes, and I started warning her we might not have time to stop for food. She had behaved so well - sitting quietly with me, sharing intelligent conversation (by 5-year-old standards, anyway) - and when she saw her reward might not happen she dropped her head down in disappointment, but didn't get angry or throw a tantrum. Now, one of my biggest pet peeves is being late. If I'm supposed to be somewhere at a certain time, I HATE to be late. But as I stood there waiting on this super slow transaction to finally be done, I started re-prioritizing. In the grand scheme of things, what will Ava remember more: that she was never late to school, or that she and her mom grabbed a special breakfast when they had a special morning just the two of them? So I went against what I should have done and did what I wanted to do - and the look on Ava's face as we turned into the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru made it all totally worth it. Bonus: she wasn't even really late to school! Probably the last one in the door, but class had officially not started. A win for everyone.

Add to that start to the day Ava shining as nursemaid to a sick and puny Jocelyn (I had to make Ava stop going into the bedroom to make sure she didn't get herself sick!) and finding a 4-leaf clover in our front yard, and it was hands down one of the best days Ava has had in a while. It was great to share those moments with her, and make her feel as special as she really is.

A New 'Do

Yesterday I got my hair cut. I have needed to cut my hair for WEEKS now. I have come to the realization that while most women like long hair... I do not. When my hair gets much past my shoulders, it just seems to annoy the tar out of me and I just pull it up in a ponytail everyday. So yesterday afternoon I took advantage of my dad being around to watch the girls, went to a totally new place (my usual stylist being out of town), and dove in, hoping for the best. Since I did it late yesterday and didn't really have time to take it in, today was my first full day with the new 'do. And I LOVE it. No pictures yet (haven't really made an effort to take one), and while it's nothing super fancy - just a layered bob-like cut that falls just above my shoulders - it is so incredibly nice to have my hair short again. I can't begin to imagine how much she ended up cutting off, but I figuratively and literally feel the weight lifted off. I know this is totally a girl thing, but I am so glad I went with my impulse and got this wonderful haircut. It's short, springy, cute, and somehow makes me feel more... well, ME.

Fully Accessorized

I feel I've said this before, but I am completely befuddled as to how NONE of my daughters got my tomboy genes. These are pictures of outfits Molly has put HERSELF in over the past two days:

wearing Jocelyn's backpack and Ava's cowgirl boots

VERY proud of her outfit

wearing older sisters' tutu skirt

I know the younger siblings will imitate what they see the older ones do, but really? Who is this crazy yet adorable kid??

Wake-up Call

This morning, around 6:30am, Jocelyn walked quietly into my bedroom. She crawled into my bed, snuggled up near me, and laid her hand gently on my cheek. We stayed that way for about 10 minutes. I was annoyed at first when she came into my room so early, but how can you have a bad day when it starts off so wonderfully?

Happy Birthday, Papa

This afternoon I hit a heck of a rough patch. It's been raining all day, which meant a day indoors with all three girls - I'll let you use your imagination on how fun that was. I was waiting to start dinner until after I had picked up my dad from the metro, which ended up meaning that by 5:30 I still didn't have dinner on the table. Add to that finding out Ben had gotten a pie with the "wrong" crust for Dad's birthday, and my stress levels were reaching quite a high.

Once again, my family re-grounded me and reminded me that sweating the small stuff is pointless. We picked up my dad at the metro, and while he was changing clothes Ava and Jocelyn dashed to grab the cards they had made and hid behind a chair in our living room. They were SO excited to "surprise" Papa for his birthday! We ate dinner (fancy - spaghetti) and then it was on to dessert: chocolate cream pie. Ben, being the stellar husband and son-in-law that he is, went to TWO additional grocery stores looking for pie with normal crust after having already bought a pie with Oreo crust, since my dad prefers the normal. (He was unsuccessful, but the attempt was much appreciated by his frazzled wife.) Even with the "wrong" Oreo crust, the pie was a HUGE hit with everyone. It was a low-key but very nice evening. I hope we made my dad's day a special one - he sure is special to us :)

Blowing out the candle

Pure elation

Trying to scrap up every single drop of pie

Sugar high? What sugar high?

Papa's Here!!!

The three exclamation marks in the title don't even begin to describe the level of excitement in my house due to a visit from my dad, "Papa" to the girls. Ava has been talking about getting orange slices (the candy kind) from him for days, and Jocelyn left playgroup peacefully because she knew we were leaving to get Ava and then Papa. Molly of course didn't understand beforehand, but within seconds of seeing Papa approach the car she could barely be contained by her car seat, she was so excited to see him. There was ridiculous levels of squealing and giggling in my house this afternoon - it's a wonder all of our eardrums are still intact! I've discovered Jocelyn has a gut laugh saved solely for when Papa comes - she laughs harder than at any other time when he's here. I was hoping to get a picture or two of the shenanigans, but no one would stay still long enough! The girls were sufficiently worn out by the end of the night, but I know they will be up first thing in the morning in search of more fun play time with Papa. I wish the girls could see their grandparents more often, but what these visits lack in quantity they certainly make up for in quality.

Giggles Galore

Today's highlight once again involved my children laughing at each other. I try very hard not to be too repetitive in my posts, but listening to the joyful laughter of my daughters is something that never gets old.

Jocelyn, Molly, and I were sitting at the dance studio waiting on Ava to finish her classes. Both girls had decided to do some coloring, and so were sitting quietly at the little table in the lobby (a minor miracle in itself). Jocelyn started coloring fast and crazy on her page, and then would do the same thing on Molly's page. For some reason Molly found this hilarious and could not stop belly laughing at her silly sister. They did this for a good 10 minutes, and that laughter certainly lifted this tired momma's spirits and carried me through the rest of the night.

Fish Live

When I first got my tablet, I found a few apps for the kids - drawing, matching, whatever. I don't really WANT them messing with my tablet, but figured it would be a good idea to have such things on there for emergencies. Ben found a few as well. One of these is called Fish Live. I'm not sure what it is, only that it's a picture of a fish tank, and the kids clean the tank, feed the fish, "love" them, and somehow earn money to buy more fish along the way. It has become daily routine for all four of them to sit and "take care of the fish." It's hilarious - all three girls vying for prime lap space on Daddy, Molly ignoring there is turn taking, just jabbing at the screen saying "fish," and all mesmerized by cartoon fish swimming across the tablet. It's certainly not the first image I had in mind when I bought the tablet, but it's a pleasant perk that my new toy can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Who's Your Disco Daddy?

WHEW!! Today was another marathon day, with an overflow of blessings. First, I have to say how grateful I am for the Hall family. Sharon, Bob, Isaac, and Avery adopted Molly for the day so she didn't have to suffer through another day at the dance competition. We dropped her off around 9:30am, and picked her up around 7:45pm. There are not many people I would even consider asking to watch one of my kids for that long. Not only were they more than willing, but I did not spend a single minute today worrying about how she was doing - I knew she was in loving, capable hands. She came home to us fed, dry, and worn out... a surefire indication of a successful day in any toddler's life.

Then there was the competition itself. We arrived at 11:30am for a 3:45pm performance. (The dads spent a while rehearsing before going onstage.) We had fun watching some of the other dances from our company, but after watching dance all weekend even my girls were pretty over the whole competition. But every second of waiting was TOTALLY worth the 4 minutes of magnificent man-dancing. The name of their routine this year is "Who's Your Disco Daddy?" and is full of 70s classic hits. It's entertaining from start to finish. These dads are truly amazing - I have said more than once I could not do what they do without some massive amounts of alcohol ;) As great as it is watching these guys shake their stuff, it's a million times better watching their daughters cheer them on. These girls could not be more excited if Justin Bieber himself were to hop on stage. They are all SO proud of their dads, and absolutely love that they get to share this dance experience with them. I doubt if any of these girls will remember their old dance routines years from now, but they will not soon forget watching their disco dads groove their way into their families' (and the whole audience's) hearts.

watching solos in the gym

...well, sort of watching ;)

Disco Dads ready to get their groove on

LOVE this pic

Final pose

The girls couldn't WAIT to congratulate Daddy!

Final pose after encore performance (because once is never enough)

Dads got a special judges award too - Ben and Ava went to get it

Beyond the Stars

It's competition day! Ava and her group did FANTASTIC. In the past month, they have had quite a bit thrown at them - two girls left the group at different times, which meant two separate changes in their routines. They've not had classes due to other competitions and spring break. And on Thursday their jazz teacher gave birth to her daughter a few weeks early. This would be a lot for any group, and for these 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds... well, I think most of us moms were a little worried how our girls would handle the day.

I'd be lying if I said they were perfect. But they did their best, and every one of them had a smile on her face from start to finish. They made their dance company and parents very proud. When Ava walked onstage for her first routine (ballet, by the way), I saw this amazing creature gracefully moving with the sweetest smile on her face, and was blown away that I get to call this child my daughter. Ava is one amazing dancer, and an even more amazing human being. I am grateful for days like this when I get hit in the face with just how incredible my kids are.

Ava and Jocelyn walking in to the competition

Molly and Daddy trying to keep up

Ava's ballet costume

Routine name: I See the Light (song from Tangled)

Jocie, Casey, and Ava

Ava's "scary dinosaur face"

Jazz costume - Walk the Dinosaur

Rising Stars and Shooting Stars groups (and Jocelyn)

Ava with her biggest fan :)

getting ready for tap - Down at the Twist and Shout

Ava was given this water bottle as a gift - Molly stole it and didn't want to give it back!

lunching between performances and awards

on stage for award ceremony

Ava's dance director getting special recognition for having a grandchild born on Thursday night yet still being at the competition all weekend supporting his dance family

Ava's tap routine received a special judge's award: "Country Girl Goodness"

Competition Eve

We made it to Baltimore. The drive was bearable - only about a 40 minute delay. We arrived at our hotel, and I took Molly upstairs to stretch her legs while Ben took the older girls to pick up dinner. We ate in the room, then Ben, Ava, and Jocie changed into swimsuits and played in the indoor pool for about 30 minutes. (Molly and I supervised from the side.) There was just enough time for baths and a story before everyone went to their various beds - a king-size for Ben and I, Ava and Jocelyn on a sofa bed, and Molly in a pack 'n' play. Ben went to bed with the girls, and I am getting to spend a few relaxing moments sitting in the lobby. Tomorrow will be madness - hair and make-up doing, costume changing, and taking just enough time to watch a dance before dashing to change all over again. But tonight we got to kick up our feet and have a little mini-vaca. It was nice, and totally worth the money we're paying for the hotel room.

Belly Laughs

This afternoon I spent the majority of my time getting ready for this weekend. It's competition weekend, and Ava performs early enough on Saturday morning that we decided to drive up to Baltimore tomorrow and spend the night. So I've been gathering costumes, make up, and accessories, not to mention clothes, entertainment, and food for the rest of us. Then there's cleaning up the house... anyway, lots to get done. It was a day when I needed the girls to occupy themselves for at least a little while so I could get some work done. Jocelyn and Molly were playing... well, I have no idea what exactly they were doing other than making each other laugh HYSTERICALLY. There was so much squealing and laughing, I was sure one of them would get the hiccups or start crying from getting too worked up. Fortunately, it never came to that. They are loud and crazy kiddos, but listening to them playing with each other that way put a smile on my face. I am so glad my girls have each other - friends for life to laugh with for no reason whatsoever.

I Can Sew!!

I hit a major milestone today. For the first time, I sewed the elastic on Ava's pair of competition ballet shoes. To fully understand the enormity of this, let me explain: the most I have ever sewed in my life is the occasional button, and even that has not been pretty. My mom is a great seamstress, but rather than learn from her I have pretty much used her as my crutch, letting her do any needlework I've needed done. I was really nervous when I started - I sort of knew what I needed to do, but didn't want to mess up Ava's shoes. It took me about an hour and a half to finish them. As I went along, each time the seam went faster, looked neater and more even - the last one looked stinkin' awesome - and my confidence grew. I really was worried about how this would all turn out. I seem to have gotten to a point that I don't like trying new things that I could fail at. But when Ava put her finished shoes on and they fit the way (I think) they are supposed to, it was a proud moment. Today I was on such a high for having battled my fear of sewing and succeeded, even if it really wasn't that difficult a task. I don't often pat myself on the back (frankly because I don't feel I earn it), but today I am willing to toot my own horn and brag about what a great job I did showcasing my novice sewing skills.

Night of Silence

The past few nights have been rough for Jocelyn. All of a sudden, she was getting out of bed numerous times (as described in my post a few days ago) and the past 4 nights in a row she has not fallen asleep until after 9pm, sometimes even closer to 10pm. As a result, I began rethinking her napping. It was so hard for me, because she actually does not fight taking a nap, and will typically sleep for 1 to 2 hours in the afternoon. But yesterday I decided something had to change, so I tried cutting her nap off at only an hour - no luck. So today we went without any nap at all. There was quiet time, of course - she watched a movie while (mostly) resting on the couch and giving me my alone-time. It was not great, and I was still bitter about having to keep her from napping. But I realized at 8:30 this evening that I had not heard a peep out of Jocie since putting her down 30 minutes earlier. She actually stayed in her bed and went to sleep!! It is only the first night of this new routine, so I will not get my hopes up too high that this will be the new norm, but for now I am grateful for tonight's peaceful sendoff to sleep. Taking away the nap is painful for me, but an easier transition to bed at night will definitely be worth it in the end.

Daddy to the Rescue

Today was a day spent at home. Ava had a fever most of the weekend, and even though she felt better this morning she stayed home from school just in case. She spent most of the day in my room watching tv and playing on my bed, while the younger two played downstairs. Needless to say we were all feeling a bit of cabin fever by the end of the day.

Then Ben came home wearing his invisible superhero cape, because it was truly Daddy to the rescue. He pulled out a sock puppet kit we got for Christmas and made each of the girls sock puppets. They had a blast making them, and had just as much fun playing with the finished masterpieces. Then Ben played point man on dealing with our still-restless Jocelyn the 89 times she got out of bed, giving both her and I a very needed break from each other. I am truly blessed to have a husband who not only helps with the kids after a long day, but genuinely enjoys doing it. We were all very lucky to have our hero swoop in and save the day - or at least our sanity.

Baby

This week Molly has discovered the wonderful world of baby dolls. On Easter she was trying to take away her friend Avery's Cinderella baby doll, so I grabbed Jocelyn's old Belle baby doll to keep the peace. Since then, baby Belle has gone EVERYWHERE with us. As soon as we get ready to go in the car, head to bed for naptime, or leave the room we're in for any reason, Molly immediately looks around frantically: "Baby? Baby!"

Today we were cleaning the house, and I uncovered 3 or 4 more baby dolls. I put them in a pile on the floor near Molly, and it was like Christmastime! She just looked down with a ginormous grin on her face... and finally yelled "BABY!!" She found one baby doll who seems to be the new favorite. Bathtime lasted all of 2 minutes - enough time to wash dinner out of her hair and get her out as quickly as possible, since it was clearly cruel and unusual punishment to pull her away from Baby long enough to clean up. Neither Ava nor Jocelyn ever really took to playing with baby dolls, and this is the first toy Molly has really attached to, so it's been fun watching her walk around with her baby.

Pizza Party

For once, today I planned ahead and knew exactly what I was going to make for dinner: a nice twist on shepherd's pie that my kids help make and will actually eat! However, as I was still sitting at the dance studio at 4:45pm, I suddenly realized that it takes at least an hour to cook this meal. On top of that, we had some last minute dinner guests coming. So what to do? Fortunately, I had received a coupon the other day for a free Artisan's pizza from Domino's Pizza. Sounded delicious for the adults, but figured the kids wouldn't really care for it, so I grabbed a freshly-purchased Boboli's pizza crust from the pantry, threw some pizza sauce and cheese on top of it, and boom! Dinner done. (Well, add some salad and applesauce, then dinner done.) It was such a lifesaver to have that coupon. I wasn't sure I'd get to use it when I received it, but it really came in handy. For a last minute meal, I have to say I was pretty pleased.

the Night Owl

I thought I had my smile for the day already figured out this morning - there was a very cute episode between Jocelyn and one of her friends - but that story will have to wait for another day. No, today's "blessing" is still Jocelyn, but for a whole new reason. It seems that this Friday the 13th Jocelyn morphed into an insomniac, and bedtime has been quite the adventure.

It started out as usual - baths, pajamas, bedtime story, prayers, hugs and kisses, music turned on, and lights out (we really have this routine down to a science). Lights turned off just about 8pm. Not 10 minutes later, I hear a small voice at the top of the stairs: "Mommy, I have to go potty." I told Jocelyn to go back to bed - 90% of the time this is just an excuse used to get out of bed. But then she said that would make her poop her panties, so I thought it was wisest to take her at her word. Good thing too ;) She did her business, and I sternly put her back in her bed. Shortly after, she was at the top of the stairs again. The THIRD time I walked her back to her bed, and almost tripped over a bunch of junk that had not been there when she went to bed originally. I asked her what it all was, and she explained that she had put all her animals to bed too. Sure enough, I looked to see several stuffed toys covered in her extra quilt. The fourth time (roughly 9:15pm) I had her come down to look me in the eyeballs. I had already threatened a spanking if she came down again, but not wanting to have to make good on that threat, I gave her ONE more chance to get back in bed and stay there. She hugged me and trotted back up to bed.

9:30pm comes along, and I decide to wash the last of the dishes before heading upstairs. (I feel it needs to be said that Ben is out on the town tonight, and therefore was not being unhelpful, just wasn't around to provide assistance.) As the water's running, I hear this loud whisper: "Mommy." I pretend to ignore it. For 15 minutes straight, there's "Mommy!" "Mommy?" "MOMMY?" And yet she never left the top of the stairs. I continued to ignore her, because like I said I didn't want to have to punish her. But I'm laughing as I wash the dishes: what is so important that she has to tell me? And what invisible barrier is preventing her from coming down the stairs to tell me whatever she has to tell me? Finally, I clean the last 3 dishes without hearing a sound. Hoping she has finally given up and gone to bed (or even just passed out at the top of the stairs) I turn the water off and start wiping down the countertops. No sooner was I finished than my daughter's face appears in the kitchen doorway. "Mommy, I want to watch TV down here with you." My daughter looks at me with the sweetest, innocent, loving face... and I just chuckle, because it's either that or scream at the top of my lungs in frustration. WHAT?!? After giving her the wimpiest swat to the rear end ever (which of course still made her cry) I sent her back to bed, saying that it was SO very late, and her body needed its rest. One last hug and kiss, and off she went. Whew, what a long ordeal!

And then she came out again.

She has been in her room now for almost 20 minutes (last sighting was 10pm), so I am cautiously hopeful the exhaustion has finally set in. It was an evening that could have been maddening (and I certainly had my moments), but overall was just comical. I don't even think she knew what she was doing or why after a while. I love my little night owl... but REALLY hope that this late night does not create a bear in the morning!

Cuddle Time

This afternoon I found myself in the middle of a Seward girl snuggle sandwich. I was sitting on one end of the couch. Ava was lying on the other side. Molly came over and sat in my lap. Then shortly after Jocelyn came and sat in between Ava and I. Before I knew it, Molly had leaned back onto Jocie's chest, and we were all in some way interconnected. I would not describe us as particularly touchy-feely people. It's rare any of us really cuddle for any period of time, much less all four of us. It was a very nice few minutes, and left a warm feeling with me the rest of the day.

(For the record, I did get a picture of the girls from where I was sitting, but I took it with my tablet, and apparently said tablet is refusing to upload pictures at the moment :-( Hoping to figure out how to fix the problem soon)

Angel Face

Last night was yet another rough night for miss Molly. To make a long story short, I was up with her until 12:45am. Then she woke up at 6:30am, just to add insult to injury. Needless to say, I was pretty darn tired today. At naptime, Molly once again started screaming from her crib, and I thought I might truly lose it. After about 20 minutes, I finally gave in and got her from her bed to lie with me downstairs on the couch. I was doubtful, but miraculously she not only fell asleep, but napped on the couch for about an hour and a half! I was so thankful she finally gave me a break and got herself some much needed rest. That down time healed a lot of the anger and frustration I was harboring, and looking at my baby girl sleeping peacefully made me remember how much I am in love with her... even when she drives me to sleep-deprived madness.

Not a Baby Anymore

Today was a Jocie-focused day. I took her this morning for a speech evaluation by the public school system. She has always been a little difficult to understand, and we have such an atypical point of comparison - Ava was speaking in paragraphs before the age of 2 and was ALWAYS very clear in her speech - that we just wanted to have Jocelyn evaluated to make sure she's where she should be. She did absolutely awesome! The audiologists were amazed how quickly Jocelyn breezed through the hearing test. She stayed focused and completed the tasks asked of her immediately. They said she did better than many kids they see twice her age! Then she spoke with a child psychologist and finally a speech pathologist. The overall decision was that while she certainly still has a ways to go, Jocelyn is within the normal range of where she should be, and with continued help and monitoring from us she should progress fine.

It was so interesting watching Jocelyn around so many other adults. Everyone was so impressed with how mature she behaved and how sociable she was. I see her interact with me, her sisters, and her same-age friends, but rarely in the kind of setting where she's asked to really communicate with adults. She really is growing into quite the young lady, and I was so glad to have the chance to see that firsthand.

Quiet Time Champ

Today we girls spent much of the time recovering from the craziness of our weekend. Jocelyn literally woke up looking exhausted - her eyes were half-closed all morning long. There was quiet playing in bedrooms and around the house, then a bit of an early lunch so Molly and Jocie could go down for some much-needed naps. Ava, as usual, lay down in the living room and played quietly and watched a little TV for her "quiet time." She rarely ever needs a nap anymore, and even when she does it's nearly impossible to convince her to take one.

The routine of late has become this: Jocelyn naps in my bed (I'm not sure why, but I don't question what works). She takes good naps, but often struggles settling down to go to sleep. So I will lie in the bed with her for 15 to 30 minutes to make sure she goes to sleep, sometimes even catching a power nap myself. Then I return downstairs and either catch up on chores of spend some time sitting quietly with Ava. Today, however, my 30 minute snooze with Jocelyn turned out to be over an hour! It seems I was quite beat from the weekend too, and napped longer than I have in a long time. The greatest part of all this: I was thinking as I was coming down the stairs that I had no fear as to what I would find from Ava's long stretch by herself. She is so responsible, even at 5-years-old. She knows what the rules are, and really does not take advantage of the lack of supervision. I needed that nap, and was only able to take it because I was not worried about what was happening in my absence of consciousness. I am so blessed to have a daughter that may not appreciate a nap, but behaves herself when left to her own devices.

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter Sunday! And what a happy, crazy, fun-packed day it was! From the time we woke up to the time everyone crashed in their beds, we were going full-speed. There was Easter basket hunting after breakfast, Mass at 9am, home for a short "break" in which cleaning, cooking, and prepping for the rest of day occurred, one Easter potluck attended in the afternoon, and an Easter dinner hosted in the evening. Oh, and throw in two egg hunts in there somewhere! I definitely feel that sometimes more is just more, and probably won't try to cram that much into one holiday again. But there is no doubt that the girls, Ben, and I had a wonderful day celebrating Easter - the part with the bunny and candy AND the part celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Favorite part of the day, however, had to be the first Easter egg hunt the girls did. The potluck we attended was hosted by the Carlson family, our friends we've made from church who have "adopted" us and include my girls in their "grandkids" count. It seems there has been a LONG tradition (over 20 years) of Easter egg hiding and hunting at their potluck, but as the years have gone on the kids have all grown up, and for the last year of two there was no hunt because there were no kids young enough. Everyone kept saying they were so very excited to have kids to put eggs out for this year - and they weren't kidding! They FILLED a Target plastic bag with eggs, all just for my three little girls!! When the girls headed outside to look for them, it was the total opposite of a typical egg hunt. There was no mad dash to get the eggs first - there were so many the girls had to empty their baskets to refill them all over again! It was fun to see the girls enjoying themselves, and just as fun to see the joy they were bringing all the adults present just by being themselves. I had so many people come and thank us for sharing our family with them today. I think in the end we were the lucky ones - we made new friends and began what I hope to be a fun new tradition for many Easters to come.

Molly finding an egg

Daddy held Jocelyn's basket while she collected eggs

Ava checking out the loot

Why look for eggs when you can just sit in a box of them!?!

Our family with "Miss" Katy and "Mr." Chris Carlson :)

Sleepover Fun

Last night Ava had her third-ever sleepover. I dropped her off after dinner and barely got a hug good-bye out of her before she dashed away to play with her friend. So, much of today was spent as a family-down-to-4. We played a little, ran some errands, and napped (ALL of us!) before going to pick up our missing member. We stayed for dinner, and Jocelyn joined in on the girlie fun: drawing, playing outside, and making up dances. The night ended with a REALLY well-choreographed and rehearsed dance by Ava and Casey. Overall it was a fun time - Ava had a great night and day away from home (growing that independence), and we had a nice day the four of us, Ben and I each getting some quality time in with Jocelyn and Molly. My kids are growing up so fast, and while it occasionally feels bittersweet, I am genuinely excited to see my girls grow up.

the girls: Molly, Casey, Ava, and Jocie (3 out of 4 smiles ain't bad)

GOOD Friday

Today is Good Friday. It is one of the most sacred days of our religious year. It is a day that I have always held in very high reverence, and today I was able to share a little of that special experience with my daughters. *Warning: this entry will likely get a little preachy*

To explain better, a little backstory is necessary. When we moved to Texas, the parish we attended had a Living Stations of the Cross each Good Friday. The middle schoolers and high schoolers would act out the stations while parishioners followed along and prayed. I started participating in it either in 6th or 7th grade, and continued to participate every year until I graduated. Many years I was just a woman in the crowd or some other small role, although I remember one year I was Mary, and it was such a powerful experience to play that role and use our reenactment as a special form of prayer. After I graduated, I would return home for Easter and attended the Living Stations as an observer, but since we moved away from Texas, I have not been able to attend a Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Whether it was for lack of a church that offered it, a newborn baby, or an unruly toddler, the cards have not been in my favor.

I discovered a few weeks ago that the parish we currently attend was having a Good Friday Living Stations at 3pm. Since then, I have been trying to figure out if it was wise to try and go. Would the girls understand? Would they be quiet and well-behaved enough for such a somber service? What in the world would I do if they didn't behave themselves? After wrestling with my doubts, I finally decided to give it a try. Both Molly and Jocie took early naps, so were fully rested by the time we had to leave. I had already prepped the older two by reading to them out of their children's Bible what today was about and the "play" we would be going to see at church. I loaded everyone in the car and said more than one prayer for a peaceful and meaningful experience.

Once again, God and my daughters blew away my expectations. The Stations were actually done outside on this beautiful 60-degree afternoon. Molly did not make a PEEP the entire service (although the Goldfish she was devouring in the stroller probably had something to do with that). Ava and Jocelyn walked from station to station in silence paying attention to what was going on. At Station 1, I teared up as these high schoolers began sharing their faith with us. It seems we are so often surrounded with news of all the rotten things teenagers do; it was wonderful to see so many good kids voluntarily being so faithful. At Station 4, when Mary saw Jesus and was held back by one of the soldiers, Jocelyn's hands flew to her heart, and she was genuinely distressed for Mary. (She talked about that specific part several times later in the day as well - talk about tugging at Momma's heartstrings.) Somewhere around Christ's crucifixion at Station 12, some of the performers sang a beautiful song. It was a slow hymn, very appropriate for the moment. However, I glanced down at Molly to find her moving back and forth, dancing to the music. How sweet and innocent of my child to simply hear music and rather than hear sadness dance with joy. After we got home, Ava and I sat for a while and talked about Good Friday, and reread the stories in her Bible.

I have to be totally honest here - I am not very good about sharing God with my kids on a daily basis. We pray at meals and bedtime, and occasionally we'll talk about God (mainly how he wants us to be good). But today I was blown away by how much my kids picked up on what was going on and the importance of it all. I really only expected Ava to comprehend any of it, but Jocelyn understood WAY more than I thought she would. They not only behaved themselves, but they grew in Jesus today. I cannot imagine how this Good Friday could have been any better. I thank God for giving us His Son to save us all, and for blessing me with these daughters that I time and again feel so blessed to be charged with raising in His name.

Ceiling Fans!!

Today we had ceiling fans installed in our home. That sentence may not sound very eventful or exciting, but I cannot begin to describe how GIDDY I have been all day! I am a child of the South, where is it nasty-hot 90% of the year, and ceiling fans are not even a question - there is one in every room, maybe two if it's a large room with a high ceiling. But here in northern Virginia, ceiling fans (or even ceiling lights, for that matter) don't appear to be very important. In our first house here there was a ceiling fan in our master bedroom, but the girls had nothing on the ceiling, just an outlet connected to the wall switch. Here there was not a SINGLE ceiling fan - until today. I called around, got my quotes, found a wonderful electrician at a GREAT price (thank you to our realtor Trey), and had electrical done and fans installed in about 4 1/2 hours. Now when I walk into a bedroom and turn on the light, the room is evenly lit from above, not just one side or corner where a lamp has been placed. And I know that this summer - heck, even tonight - my family will not bake from lack of air circulation. I also think as much as I'm excited about the fans themselves, I'm just as excited about improving our home. Other than painting we really hadn't done anything to make this house our own yet, and this just seems the first step to making our home just the way we want it. For this Southern girl, the addition of ceiling fans to our house makes it that much closer to perfect. Tonight I am one happy and cool homeowner.

A Glimmer of Hope

Jocelyn had somewhat of a roller coaster morning. We had some friends over for a playdate, and while most of the time she was very excited to play and behaved well, every now and then she would talk back (which really is closer to yelling back) or refuse to do something I asked of her. This resulted in time outs - at least three if not four of them. It was unpleasant but necessary, and really part of a typical day in our house.

As soon as our friends left, however, I experienced a first with her. I was in the kitchen preparing lunch when Jocie walked up to me. She said, "Mommy, I'm sorry I yelled and was mean to you. It's not nice to be mean. I made you sad. I don't want to make you sad Mommy. I love you. I'm sorry." This is the first time she has ever apologized on her own. After she gets out of time out she always has to come tell me what she did wrong and say sorry to me (or whoever she wronged). She knows the drill and goes with it. But today I caught a glimpse of the young lady Jocelyn is becoming. She really does understand the things I am teaching her - right and wrong, good and bad. And she doesn't have to be forced to be sorry, she knows when she's hurt someone and can try to make it right all on her own. It's these little moments of maturity that give parents hope that all is not lost, that we not only love our kids more than life but are so proud of the people they are growing up to be.

Dinner Date

Tonight we went to the Silver Diner with the family of a boy in Ava's class at school. It was once again Family Fun Night, with music and coloring activities to occupy the kids when they were not wolfing down their food. Over the year, Jackson and Ava have become good friends. Additionally, they have decided they love each other and are going to get married. While I don't give this talk much attention, Ava and I have discussed at length that she can be friends with boys now, and marriage will come much later. Still, it is fun to see how sweet these two are to each other - Jackson is very much Ava's protector, and Ava includes Jackson in all things. Added bonus to the night: the kids were so busy dancing and coloring, the adults actually had some uninterrupted conversation! Good food and great company made for a fantastic evening. And hey, if these two kiddos do end up marrying  each other (and even if they don't), we are compiling memories to torture them with later ;-)

Dentist Divas

Today was the first day of Spring Break, and we kicked it off with a mass trip to the dentist. ALL three girls saw the dentist, and ALL three were phenomenal!

We started with Ava. I was filling out new patient paperwork for Molly when a dental assistant came out and said, "Okay, Ava, come on back." Ava sort of looked at me, and I looked back at her with the same look - a look that I wasn't sure I was ready for her to be big enough to go back by herself. But I nodded to her and told her to go on back, the rest of us would be there in a minute. And off she went! By the time I did walk to the back, she was finishing up - having been brushed and taken x-rays all on her own. I mean, when did my daughter get so big that she can handle all that on her own?!? Amazing.

Then it was Jocelyn's turn. Jocelyn was the one I was most worried about. The last time she saw the dentist I had to hold her in my lap while the dentist almost pried her mouth open to sneak the fluoride in. And sure enough, as soon as the chair began to recline she sat straight up and was ready to bolt. After some coddling and soothing, she seemed to decide that she could get comfortable if she took off her shoes... weird, but effective! She laid back and was brushed, flossed, and even took x-ray pictures herself! Meanwhile Ava played the supportive big sister, holding Jocie's hand and taking pictures to document the entire event.

Finally, there was Molly. Again, I wasn't too sure how she would take to someone prodding around her mouth. She sat in my lap and reclined back into the dentist's lap. She looked at the both of us VERY suspiciously, but never made a peep or struggled away. She was brushed and painted with fluoride and sent on her merry way as well.

Three girls, three gleaming-clean mouths of teeth. No cavities or issues. What more could a Momma ask for?? Definitely a great way to kick off the week.

Ava cleaning up

helping Jocelyn through the cleaning

Molly getting her teeth painted

x-rays for Jocie

Smiles all around!!

An Extraordinary Ordinary Day

I have been trying to think for the past hour or so what I was going to write this evening. An hour later, I am still a little stumped. Today was a very ordinary day. There was no special event that took place today. The kids didn't do or say anything that stood out. It was a day like most Sundays. We went to church this morning. For those of you who aren't Catholic, that was a bit of a feat in itself. Today is Palm Sunday, which involves much longer readings and typically makes Mass last WAY longer. To be honest, it was not the girls' best performance at church. I was in the back with Molly for at least half of Mass - it seemed as long as she had the freedom to walk she was perfectly content, but get her anywhere near a pew and she was NOT having it. When we did get to join the family, the older two didn't seem to be much better. However, it was by no means the worst church behavior we've seen out of the girls either. I was not happy with them, but I did not feel completely frazzled either. The rest of the day is much the same - most of us napped, the girls spent a few hours outside, we ate, girls had baths and went to bed with very little fanfare. I feel very content tonight that it was a nice, quiet day. I look back on today and remember Ben cooking with Ava, watching Jocie fall asleep next to me at naptime, and playing peek-a-boo with Molly in the bathtub. All are moments that occur many times a week, but I so often take them for granted. Sometimes it's good to have a break from the crazy of our everyday lives and get to enjoy the smaller things, to appreciate just how special even the not-so-special parts of our day can truly be.