Best Big Sister

This morning Ava decided she wanted to watch The Little Mermaid. Before going downstairs, she asked Jocelyn if she wanted to go watch too. (So nice of Ava to invite her!) I was doing some work in my room, but couldn't help smiling as I listened to the coversations being had. At the beginning of the movie: "Don't worry Jocie, those are nice pirates. See? Prince Eric is with them!" And a few moments later, "No, Jocelyn, those aren't dolphins, they're whales. Aren't they pretty?" It doesn't translate as well written down - the best part of it all was the tone in her voice. She was clearly using her best "teacher voice" when explaining things to her younger sister. Then later in the morning when we were at the commissary, Ava did all she could to make sure her sisters were happy and behaving. Ava tends to go overboard on the big sister role and be nosier and bossier than she should be. Over the last few days, however, she seems to have hit quite a stride and has been a tremendous help to both her sisters and me. I am so blessed that she loves being a big sister so much. She has a caring, protective, and loving nature that will bring her much success for years to come.

Sidewalk Chalk

Sometimes it's the small things. Yesterday it was the big kid bed, today it was sidewalk chalk. After dinner we spent an hour playing outside. No neighbor friends were around to play today (gasp!), so I decided to bring out our box of sidewalk chalk. All three girls had a blast making their own kind of masterpieces. Ava did a (very accurate) self-portrait, including a fully-colored background of grass and sky, as well as her first attempt at hopscotch squares. Jocelyn made simple pictures - flowers, trees, suns - mainly drawn by me and colored in by her. Molly went from picture to picture, putting her own graffiti on her sisters' art and making them mad. It was a little messy and a lot of fun. Thank you to the inventor of sidewalk chalk, for providing many an hour of entertainment for the Seward girlies.

Ava showing off her self-portrait

body outline of Jocelyn

Trying to have Molly color NOT on Ava's drawing

Ava's finished masterpiece

Big Girl Bed

Jocelyn has been sleeping in a toddler bed since just after she turned 2 years old. The last few weeks, Jocelyn has not been sleeping well. I don't know if it's her bed, but since she has pretty well outgrown the smaller toddler bed anyway, I have been looking into getting her a regular twin bed. Finally, today I just decided to get a very basic (aka inexpensive) bed from Ikea. I brought it home and assembled it ALL BY MYSELF in about an hour. (I am woman, hear me roar.) Jocie was SO excited to see her new big girl bed this evening. I am excited for another milestone that marks my girls growing up, and I hope this new bed will bring her many sweet dreams, at the very least better nights' sleeps.

The two twins (Jocie's new bed is on the left)

VERY happy about the new bed

Nighty-nite!!

Memorial Day

Today I am feeling blessed with the gift of life. We went to yet another bar-b-que today, but this afternoon our host stood up and asked us to take a moment to remember why we were really celebrating today - to remember all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect others. I looked around at the 3 men who were there - a medically discharged submarine guy, Ben (a former SWO and current Navy reservist), and a National Guard reservist - and their wives and children, and was completely humbled by how blessed we are. We have seen our share of deployments, and while I always took comfort in Ben's relative safety on a ship as opposed to on the ground in a foreign country, I honestly feel the only reason he is here while others don't make it home is by the grace of God. So many men and women volunteer to put their lives at stake in service to their country; many of them work thankless duties or can't talk about what they've done and seen. I am not sure how they do it, and will never know how to thank them enough for answering this special calling. I am fortunate enough to say I have never known anyone close to me killed in the line of duty. I thank God for keeping the service men and women I know safe, and pray he continues to do so in the years to come. May we all be thankful for the lives and freedoms we are blessed to have, and remember on this Memorial Day and always those who put their own lives on the line to protect these liberties.

Fun in the 'Hood

This evening we had a block BBQ at the end of our cul-de-sac, and it was an absolute BLAST. For the last two years, we would have a bar-b-que on Memorial Day weekend with our neighbors in the townhouse community. It was low-key but fun. Over the last few weeks we had been thinking how much we would miss that this year. Then last weekend we were outside with our neighbors on either side of us, and they mentioned how fun it would be to have a gathering with all the people on our street. Ben and I jumped at the chance to tell them of our Memorial Day weekend tradition. We all decided this would be the perfect opportunity to have a block party and get all the families out and socializing.

It was a great time. The kids played games and chased each other until they could barely move any longer. Ava actually said to me at the end of the night, "Mom, after my bath I am going STRAIGHT to bed, because I am exhausted!!" I can't imagine a better way to measure the day's success. (She changed her mind about 30 seconds later, but that's beside the point.) I had such a great time getting to know my neighbors better. There are several younger families like us, but there are also a handful of older people - even a few original homeowners (these houses went up in the late '60s). One of the older ladies, a widow of a Navy man, just kept mentioning how nice it was to see kids playing out in the cul-de-sac again. We share our street with some great people. Once again I am so grateful we found this house, and the special neighborhood we didn't even know we were gaining in the process.

getting ready to bar-b-que!

the food tables

the grills

kids playing

picnic time

Daddy, this trike is SO cool!!

playing a beanbag toss, thanks to one of our neighbors

Jocelyn REALLY wanted to hold the jumprope 

beanbag toss, man style

Molly's "pop-pop" - she was VERY excited about it

perfect way to end the evening: stomping ice out in the grass!

Jumping fun

I have come to learn in my old age (take a second to roll your eyes at me) that many things have evolved since I was a kid. I barely ever played games on my dad's old Apple II; now my kids are constantly asking to play on my tablet. Anything from diapers to televisions have changed substantially, and most for the better. Today I learned to appreciate the advancements in trampolines. We had dinner at our friends' house, and their daughter Casey has gotten a trampoline since we were there last. When I used to jump on trampolines, I always remember having to wait my turn, be super careful not to fly off, and typically was heavily supervised. Today, the trampoline had a net surrounding it on all sides, as I think most do now. I had no problem sitting on the porch yards away watching, because they couldn't escape or fall off. Even Molly had a few turns on the trampoline by herself, something we NEVER could have done in years past. The girls had a blast and wore themselves out. I am very grateful for whoever invented the trampoline net, and the hours of joy and fun it has brought my children (not to mention the peace of mind it provides me).

End of School Year - Part 2

Today was a pretty big day. Ava had her promotion ceremony and officially completed preschool. Again, it has been a day full of memories. So much has happened not only in the last year, but in the last two years that Ava attended Grace Weekday Preschool: Molly was born, we moved houses, many holidays and other celebrations have come and gone. Ava has grown SO much, and I credit much of that to the incredible teachers she shared her preschool experience with. These teachers have such a passion for the kids they teach. Many of them have been at this same preschool for 15+ years, and still have a very obvious love for their job. She has also learned what it is to be a friend. The teacher mentioned today that Ava's class was very close-knit, more than is typical. They all shared in each other's victories and struggles, but mainly had fun together. The car ride this morning to school was quieter than usual - I think we were all thinking about the bittersweet feelings of this day and what it would bring - the end of one chapter as we anticipate the beginning of another. But as the day went on, there was once again nothing but excitement and joy. There is a small part of me that is sad that Ava is having to leave this very special school. But I am also so excited about what the future has in store for her. She won't be little forever, but I'm good with that. With every passing day she grows more and more into the woman she will one day become. It is an honor and privilege to get to join her on this journey.

                       First day of school                                                Last day of school

with friend Peyton before heading inside

it's official!

picnicking inside with some classmates (and sisters)

1 cookie + 1 pouch = 1 happy Molly

cheesing with Miss Sara

my girls :)

bounce house time!

Mmm, popsicle! (I'll let you imagine how much mess this made)

making visors with Miss Katy

not even sure why this fit was being thrown, but her punishment was getting it captured on film for all time :D

Molly had fun in the bounce house too

leaving was not so much fun...

... but tattoos made it all better

HILARIOUS story about this picture: Molly passed out maybe 26 seconds after being in the car. It was hot, so I thought she'd be more comfortable if her shoes were off. When I went to undo the velcro, Molly LOST it! In an unconscious state, she began swinging at my hands and clutching to her shoe. She fell back asleep still holding her shoe - and you better believe she woke up 2 1/2 hours later with them still on!!

sweaty, tired, and very happy

party time part 2: hosted by brothers from Ava's and Jocelyn's classes

I have no idea how they had any energy left

water break!

such a big girl!

sliding with friend Sophie - biggest reason I don't have too many pictures of Ava: she wouldn't be still long enough!!

End of School Year - Part 1

Today was Jocelyn's last day in her 2-year-old class at preschool. I've spent much of today thinking back to the past 9 months, and am completely blown away at how much Jocie's grown. I remember just before school began I was really nervous about sending her because of her language issues. In September, she was barely getting out 3-word sentences, and her speech was hard for Ben and I to understand, much less anything else. Today, she was singing lyrics to a Fresh Beat Band song in the car, clear as day. She has made friends, learned to love art and music, and connected with her teachers in such a dear way. What's more, she's learned to LOVE school, which is something I cherish so much. From beginning to end, she was always so disappointed when it was an Ava-only school day, and giddy with excitement when it was her turn to go too. I know not many kids go to preschool as young as Jocelyn started, but I am so glad she had this opportunity. I truly don't think she'd be as intellectually advanced had she not been in school this year.

                   First day of school                                                   Last day of school

(I did not have her wear the same dress on purpose - she actually picked out her own outfit for the last day of school)

Saving Grace

So although I will date this for the correct day, I am writing this post a day late. Yesterday afternoon I got one of the WORST headaches ever. I don't get headaches often, but when I do they are pretty bad. I can only remember maybe 2 or 3 times it's felt this bad. I walked around without my glasses because it hurt my eyes to have them on. I only spoke when absolutely necessary, because even the sound of my own quietest voice was too noisy. When I stood up I could actually feel the heaviness of my head. Add to that Ava and Jocelyn refusing to rest during Quiet Time, and an over-exhausted Molly who only napped for 45 minutes, and I was pretty well in panic mode by about 3pm.

Fortunately, my kids seemed to sense my desperation, and stepped up to the plate. I spent almost all of the next 2 hours lying down, either on my bed or the living room couch. The girls played downstairs, watched tv, and in general kept out of each other's hair. I honestly don't remember much, but there was little or no arguing, whining, or coming to me asking for help with something random. Ben managed to get home by 6, and after that I was able to take a backseat to parenting. He got the kids bathed and to bed. They woke up this morning in good spirits, so I'm assuming he did a good job. I was out for the night at 8:45pm, and just kept thanking God that my kids had been able to keep it together for one afternoon when Momma wasn't 100%. It's amazing how kids sense when things are amiss - sometimes they prey on that kind of weakness, and other times they make that their moment to shine. Yesterday Ava, Jocelyn, and Molly proved once again that they are all my shining stars, and I couldn't be more proud.

Helpful Hand

It seemed Molly's rough night last night would trickle into this morning - despite being up late, she still woke up at 6am this morning. She tried to nap on the way to preschool, only to sleep about 30 minutes. She wanted to fall asleep in the car again on our way to pick Ava and Jocie up, but this time I wouldn't let her, since it was so close to her regular naptime. Needless to say, Molly was not happy with this decision, and she screamed at me the entire car ride and most of the walks to the girls' classrooms.

We pick up Jocelyn second, and for some reason I don't even remember now Molly lost it yet again and was lying on the floor crying. Only problem was I had just been given two plants Jocie's been growing in her class, so my hands were full of styrofoam cups and not able to pick her up like usual. As I was trying to figure out how I would balance it all, Molly stood up all on her own, looked at Ava, and held out her hand. I said to Ava, "I think Molly wants you to hold her hand." So Ava took Molly's hand. Molly immediately stopped crying, and the two walked all the way to our car hand-in-hand. I don't know what made Molly decide her big sister could make it all better, but she clearly has good taste. I am SO incredibly glad these girls are such good friends, and hope they are holding each other's hands and helping each other through tough times for many years to come.

Night Owl

Our relatively pleasant and uneventful day turned into a rather dramatic night. Ben didn't get home until after the girls were in bed, but thanks to dinner at our friends' house (thank you again, Amanda!) all three girls were in good spirits as they were bathed, read to, and put down to bed. Then around 9:15pm, Molly began SCREAMING. Not sure why, as usual. After 10 minutes or so, Ben tried to go in and soothe her. He did a great job, too - until he put her back in bed and left the room. Then it was the end of the world as we know it, or at least that's what you'd think if you heard Molly's screeches. Finally at 10pm, I'd had enough. I went in to the room and actually told Molly, "Enough!" She immediately stood up and held her hands up to be picked up. Instead, I hugged her for a few seconds, then proceeded to sit on the floor next to her bed and play solitaire on my tablet. At first this was VERY not okay, and Molly let me know she was not happy with me at all. But all the while I had my hand rested on her knee, her ankle, her hand, and eventually she sat down. A few minutes later, she managed to stop crying, and was left gasping for breath as kids do after they've been sobbing their eyes out for an hour. Finally, she lay herself down, took a good 10 minutes or so to get comfortable, and went to sleep. I snuck out of the room at 10:25pm, a little stiff but feeling pretty good about the whole ordeal. I want my kids to feel safe at all times, and to know that Ben and I are always here when they need us. However, I'm also a big advocate of them having their OWN sleeping space. Molly sleeps best in her own bed - sleeping in our bed never goes well for anyone. I hope that Molly finally fell asleep knowing that while I did not pick her up and hold her all night, I still love her and will be there for her when she wakes up in the morning - hopefully AFTER the sun comes up.

Another Dance Day

Today we went to the On Point dance competition for our last competition of the year. And once again, the dancing did not disappoint. Ava's group did great - many overall awards and even a special judge's award (can't even remember what it was for now, but probably something about being cute). Ben and the other Disco Dads brought down the house yet again. Once again, however, I found myself treasuring the moments off the stage. My fellow cheerleaders, Jocelyn and Molly, were TOTAL rock stars. We were there almost 6 hours today, and there was barely a peep of complaint out of them. Molly finally lost it during awards when she saw her Daddy onstage but couldn't go to him. When I looked at my watch, I saw it was 8:20 - no wonder she was a mess! Jocelyn was easygoing as ever, bouncing from lap to lap and chasing her friends around to keep herself happy. Both girls passed out on the way home (my car clock read 8:52pm when we were pulling away from the competition), and didn't stir a bit when I transferred them to their beds. Then there were Ben and Ava, who drove to and from the competition together, and hung out on stage together for awards. I mean, how rare that a man and his daughter can bond over a DANCE COMPETITION! And yet that's exactly what they did. This dance experience has blessed us in so many ways, and although I am ridiculously exhausted I wouldn't trade a second of it for anything.

exchanging gifts with big sister Victoria

Ava and Riley - dance BFFs

tap costume; she demanded I take her picture in THIS pose

Rising Stars following their tap teacher Mr. Chris backstage

my 3 munchkins taking a much-needed snack break

Jocelyn's favorite seat at competitions - Mr. Chris's lap