Thankful Thursday

1.  That Audrey has had a great first week of preschool!  She started a two-half-days-a-week program and is really, really enjoying it.  I've been grilling her with questions about it because it's still so hard to believe that for eight hours a week I'm not exactly sure what she's up to, but so far everything sounds like a lot of fun.  Except this boy named "Michael" keeps coming up... Let's hope she gets to know the girls in class too!

2.  Progress on house stuff.  David took Tuesday off and we took Audrey to her first day of preschool then went out to see our prospective house again.  We tried to walk in with fresh eyes and unattached emotions.  Turns out we still love it and it's still a really awesome house.  Then, we had the inspection on ours today.  We'll hear something probably the first of next week about that and any requested repairs (hopefully there won't be too many since we already did some for the first buyers...grrr). The next step after that is getting the appraisal done.  

3.  Fall, fresh beginnings, and ROUTINE.  I've said it before, but summertime for stay-at-home moms of kids under five can be tough.  All it really changes for us is that it takes away our routines and programs!  Now that September is in full swing, so is story time, my women's Bible Study, and, of course, preschool.  The calendar is loaded with exciting stuff and we're ready to jump back in!  I just need cooler temps and to unpack my Keurig and we're in business!

4.  Sam's Club.  Though I don't thoroughly enjoy going, I do like knowing that I'm saving money and avoiding having to buy that particular thing (our top items: water, clorox wipes, contact solution, paper towels, laundry detergent, and diapers) for months.  Plus, where else can you buy an Izod sweater, a 40-roll pack of t.p.,  get your pictures developed, and score enough free samples of food to count as lunch?  

5.  That feeling you get after you do something you really need to do but desperately don't want to do.  Like running in 88 degree heat with 99% humidity while pushing a jogging stroller after you've been eating junk all day and are dehydrated.  (Check.)  That feeling.  And then the feeling of a cool shower and slipping into your comfy bed with clean sheets and turning off the light before 9:30.  Ahhhhh.

August Recap

This month has been surprisingly less busy than the past several, even with the insane housing drama we endured.  More emotional and full of faith tests, but less busy.

On August 7th, we found out our buyer's financing fell through.  By August 9th, our house was back on the market.  In that first five days, we had seven showings.  None came the weekend after, but four more followed the next week.  We got one offer on the 13th from a corporation that hadn't even seen our place, but wanted to buy our house and rent it out.  We countered, only asking that they let us keep it on the market and give them first right of refusal, and they turned us down.  Because we felt sure they'd pass on it anyway after coming out to see it and it's long-term needs, we decided to press on and keep praying for a "regular" individual buyer.  Two to three more showings followed.  We got another offer on Friday, August 24th that was so low, we almost didn't counter.  But we did.  And miraculously, they met our price and we went under contract on the 29th.  Two days later, we went under contract again on our prospect house from the first time.  Shew.

Throw in two business trips for David, a family day at Lake Lanier water park for us, Preschool Orientation and then Open House (sob), half a dozen play dates and story times, five family pool/movie nights, and a LOT of house cleanings/straightenings for showings and that was August.  Funny how I don't consider that busy given what else our year has held!

The kids are doing really well.  We've been working a lot with Audrey on doing things independently to prepare her for preschool.  She's just about mastered pottying completely on her own (getting her clothes on/off, wiping, etc.), walking up and down the stairs without holding our hands, drinking from an open cup or glass by herself without a straw, and putting on her own shoes.  These are all things I probably should've been working on with her months ago, but I definitely am guilty of "it's just easier and faster to do it myself" syndrome.  So this month, I've been intentionally taking a step back and letting her do it and she's really come a long way.

She still loves to sing, dance, and read books.  She loves for us to make up stories with her, half of which she usually takes over and finishes telling herself, and her detailed network of imaginary friends keeps us all laughing.  We've squeezed in as much swimming as we could with her these last few weeks even though the water has been chilly.  She still enjoys it so much and I'm incredibly thankful we did lessons this summer.  

Since mid-July, we've been back into the routine of going to church each week.  Between that and story time at the library every Monday, I think she's starting to come out of her shell in groups a little better.  She actually stood up and participated in singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" at story time last week - a rare thing for her to do!  Preschool will help with that for sure.  

I just wrote a six month update about Luke, so I won't go into too much detail about Little Man.  He's just as sweet as he can be, and rolls right along with the punches even if he misses his morning nap (about 2-3 times a week, unfortunately).  He loves to observe, be talked to, coo, try to eat your face, and play in his exersaucer or jumpster.  His check-up is next week, so I'll be sure to post some stats from that.  

The two of them are still so precious to watch.  Audrey adores him, but has learned from his outburst of tears that she can't just snatch a toy away anymore.  As he becomes more vocal and requires her to share, we'll see if and how their relationship shifts.  For now, we still hear her in a syrupy sweet tone ask him "Oh Bubba, what's the matter?" or "It's alright, tell Big Sister about it.  I'm here.  You're alright" when he's fussing.  Too cute.  

In other family news, David's grandmother had open heart surgery on the 29th.  She's doing very well considering she had two valves replaced and a bypass.  We visited her before she had it done, but haven't been back since because she hasn't been quite stable enough for our young brood.  Keep praying for a full recovery for her and for David's dad, his aunt, and his uncle as they handle taking care of her. 

Some quips, stories, and quotes from this month:

 - We smelled some strong perfume or potpourri somewhere and Audrey complained that it was giving her a "nose-ache."

 - While she still whines and complains like the average toddler, her word choice in doing so is sometimes hilarious.  If we're at the park and the swings are all full, she'll gripe, "A swing is not available!"  If she drops food or makes a mess, I hear, "OH DEAR!  Now it's ruined!"

- One night while David was out of town and I was giving Luke a bath, I let her talk to David's mom on the phone to keep her busy for a moment.  I walk in the hall and hear a detailed explanation about our school supply shopping..."And they didn't have a box of 16 crayons at Target, they only had  a box of 8.  So we went to the drug store to find a box of 16 crayons and they had them.  Can you believe it?!"  (Hey, I wanted to follow the list they sent home exactly!) 

 - She's gotten really into praying lately.  It's so awesome to be driving down the road and she'll say, "Mom, I'm just going to pray now, okay?" and then she'll launch into a talk with God and thank Him for everything from her family to keeping her safe.  And no, it has nothing to do with my driving, although she has told me several times lately that Daddy is a better driver than me.  Ha. 

 - She'll take a song she knows and sing it with all the same letter, which I've tried to mimic and it's actually really hard to do.  For example, "Binkle, binkle, bittle bar, bow by bonder bhat bou bar."  She also likes to make up her own songs and sing them to us.  

 - We've been working on spelling things and sight words with her lately.  She's doing fantastic at it and knows about a dozen if she takes the time to slow down and look at the whole word.  She knows Audrey, Mommy, Daddy, Luke, dog, cat, cow, bee, love, I, you, and, the, & see all pretty well.  

So that's the gist of August.  C'mon September with your cooler temps, your routine, and maybe...finally...a closing?!  Do stay tuned and check the gallery tomorrow for pics!

Letter to My Big Girl Preschooler

Dear Audrey,

Tomorrow you start preschool.  It's a wonderful little program at a church about ten minutes from our house.  Your teachers, Mrs. Lindsy and Mrs. Caroline, are just as nice as they can be (and their voices sound as sweet as strawberries, you told me.)  You're going to crush them academically and gain so much socially.  You'll meet new friends, get to practice following directions, and interact with others.  You'll learn about God's Word and study Bible heroes.  Each day you'll have music class and play on the playground.  Sharing, creating, playing, growing...  Not to mention your little brother Luke will get to have some of my undivided attention like you got when you were a baby.  It's only going to be from 9:30-1:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It's a good decision.  It's the right thing for you AND me.

But, nonetheless, my heart still hurts.

I feel like it's the end of the beginning.  I realize that sounds so dramatic (as if there was any doubt who you get that from).  You see, I know you aren't mine.  Not really.  God gives us children for just a short time, but they don't really belong to us.  They're kind of on loan for parents to take care of, raise, and shape into adults.  But this is really the first situation that drives that home for me.  With very little exception, you have been in my care 24/7/365 since June 20, 2009.  Technically since October 1, 2008. And now, for 8 hours a week, you are going to be someone else's responsibility.

I laid awake last night and worried to death about it all.  I worried whether I should pick different shoes for your outfit in case the first choice hurt your feet.  I worried that you would be scared of the bigger kids on the playground.  I worried that they would forget to ask you if you needed to go potty and you would have an accident and be embarrassed.  I worried you wouldn't speak up if some other kid was being mean to you.  I worried your teachers wouldn't realize how smart, funny, and adorable you are. (You are, you know.)  I worried you would feel overwhelmed and lonely.  I worried about you washing your hands well, being able to open up your lunch box, and even tripping down the concrete stairs on the way to playground.  You name it...I worried about it.

I would do anything for you, Sugar.  I want to spare you from bullies, hard situations, and sad feelings like fear and loneliness.  If it were a perfect world, you'd never have to go through anything tough.  But it's not a perfect world and I realize I cannot protect you from experiencing that forever.  I have to think about the end goal:  you becoming independent.  I have to remember that, as our Pastor says, I'm not raising a child, I'm raising an adult.

So tomorrow marks a new step towards that goal.  I'll hold my breath and bite my lip and do whatever it takes to keep my tears from spilling over until you are safely out of sight.  Then I'll bawl and pray and bawl and pray all morning long for you.  And when I pick you up (I'll be the first in carpool line), I bet you'll look a little bit taller and a little bit older than when I dropped you off.  I know for sure we'll both be a little bit better for taking this step.

You are the light of my life and I can't wait to see you shine in this new way.

I love you,

Mommy
xoxoxoxo