Picky Eater Hope

Tonight we had a dinner that I think is pretty stinkin' delicious. It's not the healthiest (are the best things ever?) but it's not awful: one of those skillet meals that you literally take out of the freezer, dump into the skillet and cook until it's ready. Pasta, chicken, and veggies in a cheese sauce. AH-mazing. Of course, my nutty children do not often share Ben's and my opinion on what is good or tasty. Jocelyn wanted nothing to do with it, I'd guess mainly because of the vegetables. Molly on the other hand ate a few of the veggies but wanted nothing else. Ava, however, is my sliver of hope for the day. Ava was a picky eater from the moment she began eating foods other than milk. She has always eaten very little in quantity or variety. Tonight, she finished all of her dinner. The most impressive part: I think she liked it but wasn't overly impressed by it. Even a year ago that would have meant she take a bite, maybe two, and be done. The fact that we have finally gotten past the ridiculously picky phase gives me hope. I may have a long way to go, but if my children eventually overcome their insane picky tendencies and ALL eat what's put in front of them, I will be one very happy Momma. I'll take the baby step of my oldest daughter cleaning her plate as a ray of hope for the future.

Happy Halloween!

I have to be honest, I think that whoever first came up with trick-or-treating was someone who hated parents. I mean, when else do kids have to go through an entire day waiting for something fun to happen? My children woke up this morning on a virtual sugar high, no candy required, and I wasn't sure how I was going to make it to the end of the day. School definitely helped pass the time (and get the children out of my hair for a few hours). In the end it was a very fun night. Ava was overjoyed with my ability to apply black and white makeup in a zombie-like fashion. She and Jocelyn raced around trick-or-treating with several of our other neighbors while Molly and I went at a much more "leisurely" pace. It actually ended up being nice to go around just Molly and I; it may have been unplanned but it turned out to be some sweet one-on-one time with my youngest. Molly decided after about 30 minutes that she was ready to go home: "I have enough candy, Mommy." (I really question sometimes if that child and I are related.) Everyone was in the house decompressing by 8pm. We have a plastic Target bag FULL of candy from all three kids. That's another small blessing I don't take for granted: my children are more than happy to pool their candy together and have a family candy stash. I remember as a kid completely hoarding MY candy. I might trade one of my candies for a sibling's candy, but there was certainly no sharing of goodies. I'm very glad my children did not inherit that unpleasant trait. There were minimal tears surrounded by much more happiness and fun - a happy Halloween for the whole family.

A New Chapter

I am very excited to share that I am officially working once again - well, sort of. Over the past several months I have been thinking in the back of my mind what I could potentially do to make a little extra money for our family, give myself a new sense of direction and purpose, and not take away from the many jobs I already have as a wife and mom. The answer seemed to come when I attended a Thirty One party at a friend's house a few weekends ago. The products are really great, but I was most impressed with what the consultant shared was the history and philosophy of the company. It seemed like a company I would be proud to be a part of, doing work that I would enjoy and be able to cater around my current life with ease. So as of late last night I officially became an independent consultant for Thirty One. It really sank in this morning, and I'm not going to lie... I'm a bit terrified. I feel like I've jumped right in to the deep end of the pool without my floaties. But in my heart I feel like this is a positive and exciting move for me and my family. I am hoping that this will be an opportunity for me to grow as a person and therefore be a better wife and mom in the process. So while the unknowns are more than a little intimidating, I am feeling hopeful, blessed, and so very excited to begin this new journey in my life. May the fun begin!

Welcome Helpers

I walked into my kitchen to start dinner this evening. I glanced out the window to find this scene:

(Ava is hidden on the other side of our neighbor Sophia.) The girls had randomly grabbed rakes and gathered up most of the leaves in our yard. I honestly don't think they have any concept of how helpful that is. But raking my yard without being asked? Yeah, I'll keep you around a while longer ;)

Pumpkin Patch fun

Today after Mass we all went to a pumpkin patch. We chose to go to one a little ways away from us but that has a reputation for being one of the best in the area. Overall, it was fun. I honestly found my blessing in learning that bigger is not always better. It was indeed an impressive pumpkin patch, with a hayride, corn maze, slides, and more. However, everything had a crazy long line, and in the end the girls spent most of their time on the smaller play areas. Which, to be clear, we could have found much closer to home and for a lot less money. Did everyone have a good time? You bet. Am I glad we went? Sure. I'm even more glad to know that we can go somewhere closer next year and have just as great a time. Sometimes less really can be more, and that the elaborateness of the venue does not have to determine how good a time we have.

playing as we wait to go in

Jocie found some big feet!

sister pic

Molly peeking out in a play area

Ava and Jocie on the hayride

after a while, the hayride stressed Molly out and she spent much of the time with her hands covering her ears

getting up close with a cow

Jocelyn was the only one brave enough to milk the cow - she made milk come out too!

posing in a house or castle, depending on which one of them you asked

my turkeys

Jocelyn loving the slide

Molly and Daddy cruising down

Molly greatly enjoyed the corn (not sand) box

we totally forgot to take a nice picture inside the patch, but we were very glad to share our special day with Miss Katy and Mr. Chris!

Easy Day

Today I did as close as to nothing as I find I can come. I made a grocery run first thing and was home by just after 10am. Then I plopped on my couch, turned on college football, and pretty much vegged the rest of the day. I got up every so often to feed children, set up quiet time, and occasionally go to the bathroom or get food for myself. And by the end of the day a few loads of laundry got done the dishes washed. But I was beat from another busy week and decided to take the day to relax and recharge. It was a nice and very welcome change of pace, a much needed break from the usual chaos and craziness.

Star Piggies

This morning Molly asked to have pigtails in her hair. But not just normal pigtails - she wanted me to use special star ponytail holders to decorate her pigtails. Up until now her hair has been to thin to use these things, and while I was still skeptical that they would stay I told Molly I would do my best. It was SUCH a pain. The perfectionist in me hated that I couldn't get the stars to sit in the same place on each pigtail, and it seriously must have taken at least 15 minutes for me to figure the silly stars out in the first place. They bugged me all day, all off-center and uneven, but Molly was happy as a clam. She kept touching her piggies and saying, "I'm so pretty!" Ah, the things I will do to make my daughters happy. Because ultimately their happiness brings joy to my day as well.

Deeper Love

Disclaimer: this post is bound to get sappy... you have been warned.

I have always heard people say, particularly on birthdays and anniversaries, "I love you more today than I did [insert date here]." To be perfectly honest, I've always struggled with what that really meant. How do you really love someone MORE? Understand more, yes. Appreciate more, sure. But I've never quite grasped how you can love someone more one day than the last. And yet, tonight I can with total certainty say that I love my husband more than I have ever loved him before. I apologize because I will not be elaborating much on what happened to bring me to this conclusion. But circumstances and discussions have made look at him in a very new way. Who he is, how he acts, how he views himself and the world, the passion he has for life and growing each day... I've learned tonight that loving someone more means all the things above. I understand him more, respect him more, appreciate him more, am more proud of him than I ever have been before. Most of all, I feel more blessed than ever before to have this amazing human being in my life; not only that, I am blessed to have him as my life partner. Yes, I love and cherish the blessing of my husband tonight, way more than ever before. I didn't know that was possible, but am over the moon excited that it is and cannot thank God more for this blessing tonight.

It Takes a Village

This evening when I arrived at the dance studio to pick Ava up from her classes, one of Ava's classmate's moms approached me. She told me that earlier during a break Ava had gotten a little sad and shared with this mom that she had had a bad time in school with some of her friends. (This was of course news to me, as the report I got at the end of the day was a bouncy and happy report.) The mom had taken a minute to talk to Ava, reassuring her that those kinds of days happen to everyone and that she is a wonderful girl who will have a better day tomorrow. After she retold everything to me, I thanked her for letting me know. But more I was grateful for such a loving and caring person for Ava to have in her life. This mom didn't have to spend all that time with my daughter. We have surrounded our family with so many other caring and supportive people; it is such a blessing to feel my family and I are looked out for at all times. Ben and I could never raise these girls all on our own, and without our blood family around I am so thankful we have found our own "village" of quality people to help us raise our family in a positive and moral way.

A Girl and Her Bed

Jocelyn has been really tired the past few days. I mean REALLY tired. I put her to bed about 15 or 20 minutes early last night; she fell asleep once and almost dozed off a separate time in the car this afternoon; and she was still a basket case and went to bed early again tonight.

To be clear, Jocie was in no way happy to be going to bed early. And yet, she lay down and did not get up again after I closed the door. (Well, she did get up a few hours later to go to the bathroom, but I don't hold that against her.) All three of my kids have always been really good about going to bed. I hear all these horror stories from friends of their kids running around past bedtime, getting out of their beds (and often rooms) countless times, and driving their parents crazy when they just want sleep for their kids and some peace and quiet for themselves. My kids find plenty of other ways to drive me crazy, but I recognize how truly blessed I have been to have three daughters who stay in their beds once the lights are turned off. I clean up, watch tv, and relax at the end of the day without ever wondering if my children are actually going to sleep. It is another small blessing that I do my best not to take for granted.

Good Talk

This afternoon was rough for me. One of Jocelyn's classmates had a birthday party, so rather than getting everyone home and to quiet time by 1:30pm as usual we were not home until after 3pm. Everyone (including me) was tired and overstimulated. My day was made much better a few hours later when Ben came home. I was on the computer battling with some website or other when he came home so he came up to say hello. We had a 10 minute conversation of why I was frustrated, how his day had gone, etc. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing monumentally important. Just a husband and wife reconnecting after a day apart. It was nice to have an adult to talk to, someone who I don't have to over-explain myself to but who understands me and where I am coming from. That short conversation may not have erased all the craziness of the day, but I felt recharged enough to get through dinner and the rest of the evening in a pleasant mood. It was a little talk that had a big impact on my day in a very positive way.

The Sound of Music

This evening there was a concert at our church put on by the parish's music director and several of the instrumentalists who play at Mass. They have advertised it the past two Sundays, and both times Ava expressed interest in attending. So Ava and I went to the concert tonight. It was a very good performance. There had pieces played by a trumpet, organ, piano, clarinet, flute, violin, and several other instruments, all of which I got to point out and explain to Ava. It was a nice opportunity to enjoy a low key celebration of music, and a great way to share some special time with Ava. All in all a lovely way to end another fun and busy weekend.

Growing So Fast

Today was another one of those days when I looked at Ava and was humbled at how mature she has become. I had to work a shift at the preschool's consignment sale and Ava had asked to come with me. I told her it would be a few hours and she would have to behave; she said no problem. We arrived, she got her very own volunteer button, and we went to work. She was a great help, doing anything I asked her to politely and well. Not only that, she used her own money to buy a few things... not for herself, but for her sisters. She bought Molly some Minnie Mouse shoes, Jocelyn some slippers, and both of them some little stuffed toy whose tail shakes when you pull it out. Nothing very cute or in great shape, but she was so proud to use her money to get something for someone else. The rest of the day provided many similar little instances: she removed herself from a situation that was upsetting her rather than getting worked up, she cleaned up the living room without being asked this evening. Having one-on-one time with Ava today also provided time for some good conversations. She is just so mature now - I can have real conversations with her that she can follow and contribute to. I am in awe at how much Ava has grown up just in the last few weeks. She is maturing beautifully, making me feel truly blessed to be her mother.

Silly Girls

It was an early start for Ava this morning. Her top left tooth which has been loose for months now decided it finally wanted to come out at 7am. She was super excited to now have an even bigger gap in the middle of her mouth:

Then Jocelyn dressed herself for the day. I will occasionally veto wardrobe choices when we have to leave the house, but on days we don't have any real plans pretty much anything goes. This was the fashion gem Jocelyn came down with:

It was a look for sure! The funniest part was a few minutes after she came down she said to me, "Mom, my favorite color is pink!" Could have fooled me...

Food and Fun for Date Night

Tonight Ben and I had a date night, the first in a few months. I planned this, and in the spirit of going out of my comfort zone a bit suggested we go to a Japanese steakhouse. First of all, I am not typically a big fan of Asian food. Second, having been to this place once before I knew it was slightly more expensive than I like to spend on food. However, I also remembered that the food was great and the atmosphere fun so I wanted to go. And it was a lot of fun. The chef was great at both cooking and entertaining us. He gave us his best "egg roll," rolling the egg all over the cooktop and catching it in his pocket and on top of his hat. He threw bits of cooked shrimp into each of our mouths. The best part was when he looked at Ben and said, "So, what, you from Texas?" Ben was astonished as he said, "Uh, yes!!" Then the chef asked if Ben was military. Now, Ben has a substantial amount of facial hair at this point, so he no longer looks obviously military, so it was pretty impressive he got this correct as well. Ben and I enjoyed some delicious food while relaxing and enjoying some one-on-one time. It was an evening that we can't repeat too often due to the expense, but it was a lot of good food and fun times that I can't wait to get to do again.

Family Medicine

As I look back on today, I realize I am grateful for the help of modern medicine for my family and myself. Currently I am administering medication to both Jocelyn and Molly twice a day. Jocelyn is on amoxicilian (sp?) for an ear infection which because of the medicine was on its way out before it really flared up at all. Molly is taking an antacid/antihistamine of sorts that for whatever reason is keeping her periodic fevers at bay. The medication is DISGUSTING - I put a drop on my finger to taste once and I don't know how Molly gets it down - but as a result we have gone 6 weeks fever free, the longest stretch in recent memory. Additionally, I made my own run to the Target pharmacy today to pick up some Sudafed and cough drops for a lovely sinus issue that is trying to make its way into my chest. I currently feel pretty darn sluggish for this "non-drowsy" medicine, but I am breathing better than I have in at least a week, which hopefully will result in a better night's sleep than I've had in a while. I'm not one to drug myself or my kids unnecessarily, but I have a great respect for medicine and how it helps me care for my family. Anything that helps us get and stay healthy makes life a little bit easier, and that is always a blessing.

Little Ballerina

Today Molly went to her first dance class. I had selfishly hoped to hold off one more year before putting her in class - we are already frequenting the dance studio enough with the other two. But about two weeks ago Jocelyn had a parent observation class, and ever since then Molly has been asking, begging, downright pleading to have a class of her own. My other big issue has been logistical: Molly's class starts at the same time Ava gets dismissed from school. But I finally decided to put all the excuses to the side and work it out so Molly could see if this dance thing was really for her.

She could not have BEEN more excited. I waited until after she woke up from her nap to tell her. The second her little leotard and skirt were on she was twirling all around the house. She had to pick out just the right bag to carry her ballet shoes in. When we arrived at the studio she ran straight to the back hallway so she would be ready to go into class. I couldn't help but smile the entire time. I looked at the expression of pure rapture on her face and knew all the carpools and coordinating would be worth it. Finally Molly could share in this special activity her big sisters have loved for years. We definitely have ourselves a family of dancers, and they are all beautiful, inside and out.

Happy Beginnings

After a busy past few days, I was greatly looking forward to a relaxing day off with the girls. We were luckily able to have such a day, and it started off as it does most mornings these days: with singing. Molly transferred from a crib to a toddler bed flawlessly, only experimenting one day during naptime with the ability to get out of bed on her own. She quickly learned that would get her into quite a bit of trouble and has not attempted it since. She normally wakes up around 7am. I know this not because she gets out of bed or leaves her room, but because she sings to herself. Loudly. Without stopping. Some mornings she sings nursery rhymes (twinkle twinkle is always a favorite); sometimes she sings songs she learned at school; occasionally I'll hear a song from the radio; and every so often there's a song that she is making up as she goes along, talking about her toys or friends or whatever seems to be on her mind as she awakens. She will lie in her bed and sing until I go to open her door and tell her she may get out of bed. Half the time I open the door she says to me, "Mom, you messed up my singing!" Ideally I need five or ten minutes of lying in bed to really wake up and be pleasant. It is a gift - a loud, off-key and adorable gift - to be serenaded while I take all the time I need to wake up for the day. It's hard to have a bad day after such a nice beginning.

Surprise, Ava!!!

Today we threw Ava a surprise birthday party. A while back Ava started talking about wanting to do a duet with one of her friends at the dance studio. Ben and I told her that if she chose to do a duet that would serve as her birthday present, and usually our "present" to our kids is their party. Therefore, duet or party - and Ava chose a duet. That seemed all fine and good. And to her credit, Ava never asked to change her mind, or find a way to sneak in a party, and she never complained about missing out. But as her birthday got closer, I couldn't help but feel that she's only turning 7, and what was the harm in just having something low key so she could have fun and celebrate with her friends?

That's when I hatched the idea for a surprise party. She was clearly not expecting anything, and I didn't want to go back on our deal of making her choose a dance or party, so planning something behind her back seemed a great option. Again, my goal was to keep everything very low key and more like a playdate than a party. I had hoped that the kids could all just run around outside and play; the last week of downpour changed it to an indoor function, but the kids made do and found plenty of toys and games to play.

We set it up so that after Mass this morning Ava went out for a birthday treat with some of our church friends. Everyone got to the house just after 11, and by 11:45 Ava was walking in the door. The reaction was fantastic:

Immediately after I stopped recording, all of Ava's friends came to hug her, and it seemed that the emotion of it all got to her as she teared up a bit. She quickly recovered, and spent the next couple hours running around playing with many of her favorite people - neighbors friends and dance friends. I told her later on that we had wanted Ava to know just how special she is, to us and to the other people in her life. It was so wonderful for me to get to be a part of this fun surprise, and celebrate the blessing that is my oldest daughter in such a special way.

the group waiting for Ava to walk in the door (there were also people hiding behind the furniture)

Ava recovering from the surprise, getting a hug from her BFF Riley

the funny thing about this picture is I managed to miss the at least FIVE other kids inside the castle

our cupcake treats, courtesy of (once again) Miss Sharon

kids chowing down

castle had to go away, but a dance party soon was in high gear!

eating her birthday cupcake

my very happy and VERY special Ava Joy

Family Ties

My parents have been visiting all of my extended family out in California for the last week. This evening was a big to-do at my dad's mom's house, so when my dad called me at around 6:30 I immediately knew why: he wanted to Skype. We trudged through software uploads and updates and all manner of other computer issues before even connecting. Once we were all online, it was utter chaos. They could barely hear us, my kids were all talking at the same time, no one really knew who they were talking to or why. But for me it was... I don't even know how to describe it. I was able to meet up with my grandma and a few of my aunts three years ago in New York, but I haven't been back to the West Coast in five years. When I was really young we would go out every summer, and even as I got older and the trips became less frequent they were no less special. It was SO special to talk with my aunts and uncles and grandma, even amid the craziness. I miss them so much and hate that we live so far away. (Not to mention the cost of flying all five of us cross country these days...) I wish I could visit with my family more, but was very thankful for the technology that allowed me to see their faces, and show my children some of the people who mean most to me.

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

This morning I ventured to the commissary with Jocelyn and Molly. As I've said before, grocery shopping itself is not something I enjoy, so taking children along makes it seem all the more daunting a task. We arrived in rain - not downpour but not drizzle either - with Molly whining about my choice of cart and Jocelyn still feeling the effects of her morning nebulizer treatment. I braced myself for what I was sure would be a less-than-wonderful experience.

What I was struck most by were the way others reacted to my daughters and I. I will be the first to call us a "circus" or "show," but in reality I do what I can to make sure my children are well-behaved and not bothering others around them. I pick my battles but am in no way negligent or even oblivious to what my kids are doing. Within the first 10 minutes inside the store, I met two people, a man and a woman, who empathized with me and encouraged me: "Been there, done that, know how you feel!" and "I know it's hard but you're doing great with them." It doesn't really make me feel better about how my kids are behaving, but I appreciate others reassuring me that my children are just that - CHILDREN - and to not stress about every little thing they do.

Then there was another woman, older and shopping by herself, who (of course) we crossed paths with every other aisle or so. Every time she tried to pass us - because we were CLEARLY not going fast enough - she would sigh loudly or roll her eyes or look disapprovingly at us. It was so discouraging! I just wanted to say to this woman, "I am trying my best here! I know my kids are not behaving perfectly - I'd give my middle child away for free at this point - but I'm doing what I can. She is four years old! She's going to dance in the aisle without looking where she's going, she's going to bounce in circles and talk nonstop. That's who she is and what she does. Not to mention she's on medication that's making her even more maddening. Cut me some slack!"

It was an interesting feeling leaving the store today. I did my best to hold on to the supportive encounters and let go the bitterness of one old lady. What I realized about myself today is that I like hearing the encouraging comments not because I need to hear them but because they validate me and the effort I am putting into parenting my daughters. By saying to me "keep up the good work" you are recognizing that I am in fact working hard. When my inner voice's response to the cranky lady echoed so many of the things I've heard from others, I knew that I know these things are true and therefore I don't need to hear them from other people. The supportive customers gave me the little boost I needed today to stand tall and know I did my best to survive grocery shopping with my four- and two-year-olds. It wasn't easy or pretty, but we got it done and are no worse off for it.

Campout, Preschool-style

Last night and this morning Jocelyn has complained about her ear hurting her. I didn't think it was infected - she slept through the night and only complained of it bothering her occasionally - but I thought it would be better to be safe than sorry. So I scheduled an appointment at our pediatrician's this morning... which of course meant she had to miss another day of school. She was SO sad to hear she couldn't go to school today. At drop off, we stopped by her classroom to let her teacher know she'd be absent before taking Molly to her classroom.

On the way back to the car, we passed Jocelyn's classroom yet again. Her teacher Mrs. Snyder called out to us. When we got to the classroom, she told Jocie she had something to show her. Across the hall they had set up a pretend campsite. As part of their curriculum for October they were talking about camping and the outdoors. That day Jocelyn's class was going to get to play in the "campout" room. Since it seemed obvious that Jocie wasn't contagious, Mrs. Snyder invited Jocelyn and I to spend a few minutes exploring the campout room. Mrs. Snyder said to me that she wanted to make sure Jocie didn't miss out on this experience.

It touched me to much that Jocelyn's teacher reached out like this. Jocelyn wouldn't have known the difference if she'd missed out on this activity in school. That Mrs. Snyder went out of her way to make sure Jocelyn got to experience this special area meant the world to both Jocelyn and me. Jocie and I "fished" (with Fisher Price fishing poles and fish with holes in the tails) for a good 10 minutes before we had to leave for our doctor's appointment. It was a special time for me to see Jocie exploring this new and exciting place, and a special time for the two of us to spend together.

I appreciated this special quiet time all the more shortly after when Jocelyn ended up getting a nebulizer treatment that sent her into a speed-like state, running and fidgeting without being able to stop. The rest of the day was very up and down due to the medication, so it was nice to have started the day with a fun and special activity for just the two of us.

Sick Day for Momma

Last night I was SICK. I don't know what exactly happened, but I had spent most of the day with a little tickle in my throat and then once the kids went to sleep my body turned on me. Couldn't swallow, had chills, the whole nine. I slept horribly, waking up several times from shaking so badly of fever.

The upside this morning was that whatever virus this was seemed to have worked itself out of my system - I could swallow again! The downside was that between the sleep deprivation and side effects of DayQuil, I still woke up feeling pretty lousy. I knew I had to find a way to have some sort of sick day to get myself on the mend. That is always challenging when there are children who need to be transported to and from school and dance class all day long.

Fortunately I am blessed with children who understand and respect when their Momma needs a resting day. After dropping Ava and Jocie at school, Molly and I returned home for Molly to watch Robin Hood while I lay on the couch and dozed on and off. Then this afternoon after picking Jocelyn up and having lunch, Jocie watched Star Wars while Molly and I both took afternoon naps. Both younger girls were not only good with being independent, but they were good nurses, bringing me water bottles and blankets and providing lots of cuddles. I am glad that I don't have to ask my children for too many days like today and grateful that they can be accommodating when I need a bit of a break to take care of myself.

My Seven-Year-Old

At 8:16am seven years ago today, I became a mom. It is a blessing each and every day to have Ava Joy in my life. Today I found myself thinking back on just how much Ava has grown in the last year. At this time last year, Ava had just begun kindergarten. She was learning the basics of reading and writing. Now she reads entire books in a matter of minutes as well as writing many of her own stories. She grew as a dancer, performing in a large production and special quartet with dancers much older than she and doing so with poise and grace. Her level of independence has grown greatly: just in the last few months she has begun to make her own breakfasts and lunches, as well as her sisters' meals. She combs and styles her own hair in the mornings (and does a pretty good job too!). A year ago she was all about wearing dresses or skirts with leggings; these days she typically dons a pair of jeans, something she would fight me tooth and nail on in the past.

I found myself watching the kindergarteners at dismissal this afternoon. They all looked like such BABIES. I'm blown away that Ava was in their shoes just one year ago. And yet, for as much as she has grown physically in the past year, I am more amazed at Ava's mental, emotional, and spiritual development. She has a wisdom beyond her years, and a kindness in her heart that near impossible to match. On this day seven years ago I fell in love with a tiny baby; that love has grown with each day. I have said it before but I am truly honored and blessed to call Ava Joy my daughter. The past seven years have been nothing short of incredible, and I cannot wait to see what the many years ahead have in store for her.

The Joy of Giving

This afternoon I took Jocelyn and Molly out to our new favorite store, Five Below, to buy birthday gifts for Ava. I told them they could each pick something for their big sister. It was really quite fun watching them decide what they wanted to buy. I was surprised and proud that I only had to remind them once or twice that we were only buying for Ava today, and not for themselves. After much consideration, Jocie picked a stuffed animal while Molly got her big sister some Angry Birds stickers. It will be fun to see the girls react to Ava opening their gifts. This is really the first time I've had them pick out gifts on their own for someone else. I think that as hard as it was at times, the girls did well and will be very proud to give Ava gifts that they chose all on their own.

Singing Angel and Silly Molly

Today Jocelyn and Molly both provided me with moments that made me smile. The first instance was at Mass this morning. Jocelyn is finally picking up on some of the songs that we sing every week and is pretty excited to be able to chime in... VERY loudly and off-key. But she is singing her little heart out, and as much as it can pain my ears to listen to her it makes my heart beam. Jocelyn is truly praising God  with her singing - even out of pitch I am sure it is music to God's ears.

Then this afternoon and evening was the Molly circus show. I came outside in the afternoon to find Molly soaked to the bone in our neighbors' wading pool. No idea why she wanted to play in the water fully clothed, nor do I know who told her it was okay to do so. Molly was pretending to be a puppy in the water, and she sure was shaking like a chihuahua from being so cold and wet.

Then later the puppy play had not ended. Neither Ava nor Jocelyn ever went through an animal phase; Molly on the other hand spends the majority of her days pretending to be either a cat or dog. This evening she was wearing her towel on top of her pajamas while crawling on all fours and barking. A mother's love comes in many forms, and sometimes that form is smiling and going along with your toddler acting like a dog. It was an interesting and entertaining day, to be sure.

Jocie-time

This evening did NOT end well for my middle daughter and I. She is overtired and moody for whatever reason, and I was just tired from the end of a long day. There was more yelling and crying than I care to remember. So instead of focusing on the end of our day I will recall how wonderfully our day began.

This morning I took Jocelyn shopping for some new shoes. We got dressed, ate breakfast, and were on our way before the day got too exciting. For this reason it wasn't a struggle getting Jocelyn to come with me to run errands. We weren't even out of our neighborhood before Jocie said to me, "Mom, this is so fun. I love getting to spend time on my own with you." I found this to be very perceptive of her to say. Not only did she recognize she was excited and having fun but she realized why - that she was getting some one-on-one time with her mom. And while the shoe shopping experience itself was slightly tedious, I greatly enjoyed getting to spend that time with Jocelyn, just the two of us. It is those happy memories that I will hold on to tonight, as well as the feeling of love for my temperamental but wonderful middle child.

More Coffee

This morning I had another one of my coffee mornings with a few former-dance-mom-friends. And again it was just a really nice time. Today we met at my house, because neither Jocelyn nor Molly had school and so it seemed it would be difficult to have anything close to a peaceful conversation if we met at a restaurant or coffee shop. It was great - the girls occupied themselves wonderfully, only coming to beg for a snack every now and then, and I got to catch up and chat with my friends. It wasn't perfect by any stretch, of course. One of my friends managed to step on a piece of last night's hot dog that had hidden under our table. Molly went to the bathroom all by herself but decided putting her underwear back on was entirely optional; she was wearing a dress so we couldn't tell until she decided to randomly lift her dress as she walked around. I love that for once my kids had to entertain themselves while I had my own version of a playdate. It was equally nice that my friends understand what it is like to have young children and were so accommodating and understanding. It was a nice morning and a lovely way to get ready for the weekend.

Growing So Fast

This morning, like most every morning, Jocelyn picked out her clothes and told me how she wanted her hair done. I don't know what it was about her choices but she just looked so OLD to me. Over the past 6 months especially I have seen my middle daughter grow from an unruly Texas tornado of a toddler to a big kid. Living with my children every day, it's often hard to see them maturing and changing. Today was one of those rare days, and I was sure to stop and take notice.

Sunshine Award

When Ava came out of school this afternoon, I noticed she was holding a yellow piece of paper. When she got closer she showed it to me. It was a certificate titled "Sunshine Award." Apparently this award is given to a child in Ava's class who is a good example to his or her classmates. Every so often the teacher gives them a goal - this time it was to raise their hands any time they wish to share - and the teacher then selects one student who excels at meeting this goal. Ava is the second person in her class to receive this award. She was so proud of herself - as we were walking home we caught up with a friend of Ava's who is now in a different class. Ava just held up her certificate, and Zoe immediately said in awe, "Oh, you got a Sunshine Award! You're so lucky!!" I actually saw Ava's chest puff out. She said nothing in response, only beamed a humongous smile back at her friend. It is very rare that I see Ava proud of herself and wanting to share it with others. I celebrate the mature and amazing my daughter is growing into every day; today it was nice to have her celebrate that as well.

Happy Shopping

This morning I needed to make my usual commissary run. It wasn't until the middle of the night last night that I realized that may not even be possible, thanks to the most recent government shutdown. Fortunately, I discovered this morning that the commissary would in fact be open today. Unfortunately, it was made clear that they would only be open today in hopes of selling as much of their perishables as possible before closing tomorrow for the remainder of the shutdown. So now not only would I be going to the commissary on a pay day (another fact which I had overlooked until this morning) but I would be battling with the hoards of people scrambling to shop at the commissary for what may be quite a while.

Turned out that, at least at my commissary, the crazy shoppers decided to sleep in and arrive later. I got to the store at 9:30 and left by 10:45, only having spent 20 minutes waiting to check out - not wonderful but certainly not the longest I've waited either. There was still plenty of produce, meat, and dairy products so I was able to get everything on my list with no problems. I'm no good at bulk shopping so I only have enough food for the next week, but it was a far better shopping experience than I had anticipated. I had braced myself for the worst and come out pleasantly surprised and the non-tramatic trip. Sometimes it's about the little things, and today my day was made brighter by not having to survive an unbearable grocery shopping trip.