The things they say.

(For anyone still reading...I did another blog update!  See below this post for details).

Kaitlin has a knack for making friends.  I call her the "Pied Piper" of little girls.  She is outgoing and a natural leader and when we go to the park, or soccer games, in no time she'll have a couple of little girls following her around.  This was the case this afternoon as well when we went to the park.  (One day during Andrew's soccer game she ran to the playground nearby to play and by the time I got there she had met a little girl who invited her to her party and Kaitlin was carrying a cup of juice, had a party blower and a treat in her hand.  Next thing I know she had invited the girl to her soccer game and she accepted and came to watch.

Classic Kaitlin. 

She just now said to me,

"Mama, it's just so weird.  Everywhere I go, friends just magically appear."  :)

What a lovely way to live life!

A little bit of Summertime

A little bit of summer fun that spanned between the 4th of July and when we left for our trip to the coast....



We were outside spreading bark dust and this little one went inside and got her book and "garden doll" and sat down to read (shirtless, no less) while we worked. She doesn't usually run around unclothed, but there was just something about the innocence of this photo that I loved and so I grabbed my camera and took a couple shots of her.



Notice the drawing on her leg?  :)



Dan chipped away at our pile of mulch while Matthew made a "chair" out of it.  Despite the leisurely appearance of Matthew, he and Andrew really were great helpers (Andrew especially).  It felt good to get this chore done.  It was overdue and has made weeding this summer SO easy.



We moseyed down to the car show one evening in downtown Camas this summer.  This is exactly what I wanted summer to be.  Spontaneous fun.   

We took this photo in front of the bug because this was my first car.  A 1969 VW Bug that my Dad refurbished.  It was white with red interior.  I remember trying to talk him into painting pink polka dots on it, and that was a no go, so instead my parents put a "Pretty in Pink" license plate holder on it.  It was fun to show the kids, "This was Mama's first car!"

Side note:  Kaitlin's sash was a "Princess" sash that went with a costume at home.  She put it on herself for the car show.  She was a beautiful car show princess.



There was a lightening McQueen look alike there which was fun.  There were all kinds of cars from all decades dating back to the 1920s and I loved looking inside of the old ones and seeing what they looked like. I couldn't help but to think of my Dad and how much he would have loved it.



The dance studio that Kitti takes lessons from had a group perform.  The kids went up to the front to watch and I was too late in snapping this, but Andrew had gone with Kitti and had his arm draped around her as they watched.  It was so sweet.



During the school year I told Andrew we would do something special when he was done with therapy.  I let him choose and he said he wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese with Aiden.  So I was finally able to make that happen and it felt good to see that commitment through.  Aiden is a very sweet boy and the two of them had a fantastic time.  Chuck E Cheese is not my favorite place, but I loved seeing how happy they were.



They sweetly pooled their tickets and shared them.

Our friend Kyle popped up one night to borrow something for his daughter's birthday party.  Dan understands the pain of being married to a crazy birthday party thrower and offered Kyle a drink.  He was happy to oblige.  I love this picture because while the guys enjoy a moment of peace the background of this photo and the upside down play area speaks the truth about our life.  Once again...spontaneous fun.



And here's the birthday party thrower, herself.  Sweet Katie and I on our Small group girl's night out.



And the rest of our group.  I adore all of these women.  Just looking at this photo makes me happy.  Cherished friends.



I have so much more summertime fun to share.  But I need rest for now, so that I'll have energy for more summer fun tomorrow.  The countdown is on and we're squeezing every last drop out of summer.  I have LOVED this summer.  I am very sad to see it draw to a close.  My goal is to do at least one post a night to try to get as caught up as I can on the blog before school starts.

The things they say.

Kaitlin is so funny sometimes.  She is quickly growing up and so often I look at her and can not wrap my mind around the fact that she is starting school and already 5.  She still says the funniest things and will pause at times as she thinks about how to say what she wants to say.  Language still comes with the effort of being still a little new to this world.  I just had to record this little moment while it is fresh in my mind.

I went to comb Kaitlin's hair just now and as she studied her reflection in the mirror she said,

"Mama, I'm having a tough time.  I just have rough days every day.  I don't know what to do, or when to do it....

(Pause.  Big sigh as she rests her chin in her hands....)

...And I don't even know how to be a Mommy."

Ballet Recital 2013

 

Kaitlin started ballet up again t in February in the nick of time to be able to participate in the recital.  We did gymnastics the first half of the year and ballet the second.  It worked out great.

The theme of the recital was "A Red Carpet Gala" with movie themed music and costumes.  It was really cute!  Kaitlin's ballet dance was to Cinderella's "Impossible, it's Possible"  (Never heard of it before and we're avid Cinderella fans, but okay) and her tap was to "Singin' In the Rain."  She wore a pink sparkly tutu, sure to be a hit with any 5 year old.

Dan had the opportunity to attend a Mariner game 9 rows off of first base and was going to turn it down because of Kitti's recital.  I told him to go ~ and was so glad.  He took Matthew, Mike and Isaiah with him and they had a fantastic time. It was Matthew's first MLB game and he really enjoyed it!



Matthew and Isaiah ended up on the "Big Screen" and they had a great time.  Kaitlin was thrilled to have Grammie at the recital, dance on stage, and receive flowers.  There were plenty of people in the audience to appease her, so it worked out for all.



They had a cute photo area set up and so we took some photos of the girls.  Kaitlin took ballet with Lila and Kennedy.  Lila is SO petite and Kaitlin is very tall, so it was funny to see them side by side. :)



Sweet ballerinas.




Me and my girl.



Kaitlin's ballet dance was her first performance.  I didn't get many great photos.  The lighting was low and my dinosaur of a camera just couldn't manage it.  I salvaged some through my photo editing software but they're still pretty bad.  I do love this one of Kaitlin and her dainty hands.  She is our most coordinated child and has been since infancy.  Her motor skills have developed much more quickly and easily than the boys'.



And always, always a curtsey. 



A quick removal of the underskirt and change of a hairpiece, add an umbrella and she was ready for tap!






It was such a sweet performance.  I smiled all the way through both dances, it was SO precious.  Just  one of those moments where your heart sort of melts in a puddle.  I loved every moment of it.

I ran back stage to give Kaitlin her flowers and bring her back to the audience so she could watch the rest of the performance with me.  (The small kids were allowed to do this).





We were in the front row and at intermission Kailtin sat on the stage for a photo.  Next thing I knew she was up dancing on the stage.



Her face kills me.

No doubt she was imagining that she was doing something pretty spectacular.

Kaitlin loves to perform.



I was really impressed with how talented the dancers were.  I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the time just flew by.  This was an interesting "dance" and I couldn't help but wonder how their parents felt watching them do this!  No, thank you!



We were so happy Grammie could come up for the occasion. 



Though it was late when the recital ended, McDonald's was still open and the perfect stop for some celebratory ice cream!

Little Stuff.

One afternoon, Kaitlin asked me to take a picture of her and her "daughters."  I quickly obliged, not even stopping to wipe lunch from her cheek.



Then she asked for one with just her daughters.  From left:  Elizabeth, Annabelle (her favorite), and Caroline.  These are the toys she plays with the most (outside of her dress up clothes).  She loves her dolls and is a good "Mommy."  I love to listen to her talking to them and caring for them.  It is so cute.

 

This scene marks the end of school.  Papers streaming home like crazy as the teachers work on report cards and school turns into "Camp Fox" where hardly any school is done and fun is to be had.  The kids LOVE this.  They bring sleeping bags to school, the parents send in "mail" and they have a ball.  It marks the final stretch to summer vacation and I love to see things starting to wrap up!

Hooray!

End of Year Pre-school Program

(Kaitlin is not wearing blush in this photo, I was playing around with my new editing skills trying to add a bit of pink to her winter white complexion and went a bit too far). :) 

The evening of Kaitlin's last day of school was her end of the year program.  We were racing to get there in time to get a seat and didn't stop to take photos at home.  Instead we took some outside of the front of the church.

 

 

Besties.

 

Kitti and Gracie filing into the church with their class.  This photo is so them.  Grace with her shy, reserved smile (though she is not shy or reserved at home, she is in situations like this)  And Kitti happily waving to her admirers. :)  I love the balance of their personalities. 

 

I love this photo of Kaitlin and her joyful expression.  You can see how much she loves to perform.

 

Kaitlin felt a curtsy would be an appropriate finish to the song.

 

She is so funny.



One of my very favorite things is the "self portrait" that the children paint.  I love that Kaitlin gave herself a bow and some very fine fingernails.



We received Kaitlin's scrapbook for the year, which is a treasure.  Included is her progress report, which she did great on, and also had notes written by her teacher.  She wrote about Kaitlin's joy for life and how much she will miss her singing.  :)  Apparently she sings about everything in Pre-school too!



Kaitlin and Miss Monica.



The pre-school director, Miss Sharon, whom we love.  She attends our church as well, so we will be happy to get to see her there too.  It's really her love for these little ones that sets the sweet tone for the school.   She truly cherishes each of these kids.  I told her that she'll always represent this sweet time in our lives. 







I snapped a few quick photos as we were walking out the door.  The walls to the sanctuary were coming down the next day for our big remodel.  The pews had already been removed, and I wanted a few last photos.





People wrote messages on the walls before they were knocked down.



The choir loft.  I love to close my eyes in church and listen to the choir ~ it's so beautiful.

And with that, we ended our time at Circle of Friends Pre-school.  On to Kindergarten!

Last Day of Pre-school

 

The end of May brought the last day of pre-school.  It was the passing of an era.  I remember so clearly balancing a baby Andrew on my hip as I hugged a 3 year old little Matthew so tightly as I said goodbye.

Here is Matthew at 3, when we started Circle of friends seven years ago.   Kaitlin wasn't even a part of our family yet!  I remember how my heart ached on that day to let him go.  He was fine, but I struggled to hand him over.



I had no idea on that day what this sweet school would grow to mean to our family.

We started attending Columbia Pres. (where our pre-school is housed) because of COF.  When I was in the hospital with complications after having Kailin the pre-school director called one of the church pastors who came and sat with Dan while I was in surgery.  We joined the church shortly thereafter.  Through this school we have made dear friends.  We found a church home & a church family.  Our faith has grown and blossomed as a result.   This little school has meant a lot to me ~ more than I ever would have anticipated when looking for a pre-school.  I loved the teachers.  Loved the director.  It was a wonderful experience and I am sad to see this precious stage in our life pass by, because really, there are few things in life sweeter than a pre-schooler and I will miss having one at home.

We didn't do carpool on the last day of school and so I just had Kitti with me.  As soon as I turned into the parking lot the tears started flowing. 

Another thing we will miss at pre-school is this darling girl.

 
 
We do not attend the same elementary school as Shannon's kids.  Andrew struggled a bit to not have his Claire there taking care of him in Kindergarten.  While I know Kitti will really miss Grace, I know she'll be just fine next year. But we will miss getting to share our days with Shannon and Grace.

Kaitlin had a loose tooth and she sat down in circle time and she and Gracie were so cute comparing their teeth.  Grace has already lost quite a few so Kaitlin was excited to join the ranks.

 

It was an emotional morning for me.  I loved this stage in our life, and I am sad to see it go.  Our life has followed the routine and rhythm of the pre-school school calendar for a long time.  The school traditions have come to feel like family traditions and I will miss them.

I know new traditions will form and there is so much fun to be had and new friends to make when Kaitlin steps through the doors at Fox.  We will embrace and enjoy our time there just as we have at COF.  I look forward to that and will make the most of that time.  But for this one day, I allowed myself to acknowledge and feel the sadness of seeing this time go....

I walked down the hall from my last pre-school drop off with one of those familiar "mom" aches in my heart.  A "heartstrings" moment that you read about but never really made sense to me before.  I get it now...that pull on my heart that happens when I feel like I deposited a piece of my heart somewhere have had to move on and leave it behind.