March certainly came in like a lion and out like a lamb this year. We had a few really beautiful weather days sprinkled in between a lot of cold, icky ones. We managed to get out and enjoy the warmth when we could, but are definitely ready for spring to come and sit a spell.
The month was fairly easy going overall. No major events, holidays, or home improvement projects for us. David and I squeezed in two dates PLUS a lovely 24-hour break when the kids went to his parents for a night. Coincidently, we seemed to get along really well this month. :)
It was a socially busy month aside from dates, too: I got to see the Taylors for a morning when they were in town, had a parent brunch with Audrey's preschool class parents, ate dinner with friends twice, celebrated a neighbor's 40th birthday at her party, and took Audrey to celebrate her daughter's 5th the next weekend. The kids had their playmates, too: We did story time at the library, a few playdates at the park, and I kept a friend's daughter while she worked one day. We rounded out the month with a family dinner to celebrate David's grandmother's birthday.
We had family pictures on March 8th in Toccoa. A friend of ours that we knew in college lives up there and we love her style so much that it was well worth the drive. Plus, it's Toccoa, so you don't have to go far to find open spaces without crowds. They turned out absolutely amazing. The hours upon hours of shopping for coordinating outfits for four people, ultimately buying up everything in sight to try on everyone at home, and then returning the stuff we didn't wear all paid off. See for yourself in the gallery...when you're finished reading, of course.
The end of the month picked up pace a bit. The third week, Audrey's school had Teacher Appreciation Week. I made little dry erase frames for them and the registrar and took the teachers lunch from their favorite deli on Monday, we picked out hand soap/lotion and a Bath and Body Works gift card along with AJ's handprint and a note on Wednesday, and we made homemade cookies for them, the nurse, and the enrichment teacher and put them in cute jars for Friday. We appreciated the heck out of them, because HELLO, they're preschool teachers and therefore royalty in my book.
We continued our small group on Sunday afternoons and have anywhere between 8-12 adults and 5-10 kids each week. Our church also put on a great training session one evening this month complete with an amazing worship set and food at their new campus location. After wrapping up the book Home Run, we'll be starting the book The Blessed Life and finish out the semester with it.
Other news: I got to be Mystery Reader for Audrey's class and then we snuck in a Mommy-Daughter Date at a frozen yogurt shop. St. Patrick's Day was the no-work, easy "holiday" it should be and we all just wore green. I also trained for and completed my third half marathon. It was by far my favorite to date, and you can read more details about it in this post if you haven't already.
The kids are doing well. Luke had his two year check up and amazed the doctor with his vocabulary and social skills. He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.) He was talking to Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had. The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it. Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"
The last weekend of the month, we relegated his "bobble" (paci) to the bed and made a big deal about him only using it at naps and nighttime. It took a couple of days of distractions and car rides were especially tough, but by day four or five, he was completely fine.
Audrey is still loving reading and all things crafty. She is astounding us not only by the level of reading she does, but how she reads with such great expression and inflection. She doesn't nap anymore except for the occasional snooze once every 7-10 days. Instead, she lies in her bed and reads for about an hour each afternoon. Sometimes she'll work on her Lite Bright, a puzzle, or a maze book, but mostly it's books. She just loves to read.
I'm certain she's not to become a boorish bookworm, because she is also honing her sense of humor. Nothing makes me smile bigger than to hear her giggle uncontrollably. When she and Luke both get going, it's impossible not to join in. Which is great, because she and I with our similar personalities butt heads at least once a day and often need the laugh. (Yeah, yeah. I'm "just waiting" for the teenage years.)
So that was March. And with that update, I'll leave you with some funny quotes from the kids:
- When praying one night, Luke kept stopping, squinting open his eyes and saying, "What's his name?" We offered some suggestions, but couldn't figure out who he was talking about until about five minutes later when we were taking him to bed. He suddenly blurts out, "UNCLE ERIC!", stops to pray for him, and then proceeds to bed.
- While rocking out to the radio on the way home: Luke: "It's too loud." Me: "It's not too loud, buddy." Luke: "It's too loud for ME." Then, AJ pipes up: "Mommy. Remember...empathy."
- On the first day of Luke's "bobble" weaning, he asked for it a lot. We kept repeating he only used it in the bed now, then changing the subject and distracting him. On the way home from the park, he decided he'd had enough. He didn't throw a fit. He didn't whine. He just calmly and plainly said: "Mommy. [deep sigh] I want my bobble." It was too cute. It's like he was saying, "Look, y'all. Enough's enough. You've had your fun, now give it back."
- Audrey is already rehearsing songs for her Pre-K graduation ceremony in May. We've been talking a little about nervous butterflies and stage fright. We discussed things she could tell herself, thoughts she could imagine, and a bible verse to memorize. Knowing that she really hates feeling like all those eyes are on her, I asked "So, what would make you feel more comfortable when all those 'hundreds of eyes' are looking at you?" Without hesitation, she responded, "Uh...Not to have hundreds of eyes looking at me."
- While Luke was eating breakfast, I ran upstairs to get something. I coughed a few times and heard him yell, "Mommy! You okay?" I hollered back, "Yes, Luke. Thank you." and he yelled, "Okay, you welcome!"
- The kids were riding their tricycle and Big Wheel around the park and David and I split up to cover each one. I was up ahead with Audrey when I hear Luke yelling something out to me. He'd gotten off his tricycle to jog after me and David said he kept hollering, "Mommy! Wait! I wuv you!" Oh my heart!
- Audrey really wanted to buckle Luke into his booster seat before lunch one day. Before I could even open my mouth, I hear Luke warn, "Audrey! Be careful! Watch you fingers!"
Don't forget to check out the latest pictures in the gallery:
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