Christmas freaking Eve

When you are told all about 'Mothering' .. because people WILL tell you ALL about it even if you didn't ask... and whatnot I believed every time my child achieves a milestone I will just be so grateful and proud of them I won't mind they are growing up.  And it's been true.. every word, every poop - Christmas freaking Eve excitement.  As a parent you go from being super cool around your friends to sitting in agonizing anticipation when they learn to button a button; it just happens.

And also, you believe that wishing any less would make no sense.  It's all about raising prepared children to be well equipped adults.  It's like.. my only real JOB on Earth and to do it well my kids must know how to look after themselves eventually, right?

 I've struggled so much this year with my little Gabey as far as (TMI) potty training.  He has held on with all his might (and boy he is mighty) to these baby diapers that I almost never thought we'd get past it.  We've cried together on the floor as he begs for his diapers back, and he did the same thing with his bottle.  I feared I made my middle child grow up faster than he was ready to and in doing so probably make the situation worse.  

I've worried the worry of a thousand Italian grandmothers to have him ready for school that well, now we are at our goal (uh yay!) and all I can think of is how unbelievably sad I am we are... ready... for.. school?

I never felt this way about my oldest son Ethan.

1. He is a January baby so, he's one of the oldest in his class

2. beyond ready, excited and overly talkative

3. our school was only half the week

None of these things describe my current situation with Gabriel although he has Ethan and is therefore fairly excited to go.

But.  BUT.  Gabriel is JUST THREE years old, he's shy, he doesn't pronounce words very well, and school is all day every day now in our school system.  I won't be sending him everyday because that's the only way I can see him handling such a huge schedule, however, I still did not prepare myself in preparing him to go at all.  Mommy FAIL on my part because I am not a person who can hide my emotions on my face so if I simultaneously cry and smile on the first day of school I will look so insane nobody will come over for playdates.

I need to get my crap together because he's too sweet to have no friends...

First, first & second.. who's third?

This weekend's firsts:

first drive up north in 2 years

first time I wanted to rip the steering wheel off and throw it out the window
first family stay in a hotel
first swim in a salt water pool

first bee sting for Kieran

first time meeting an Olympian and National MTB XC Champ, Emily Batty

first time at the National Canada Cup Championships

Also.. nobody puts Baby in the corner apparently!  He wouldn't stand on 3rd.. that's my kid right there in case there was any doubt.

Summer place

I confess to missing our cottage (for sale, sadly) so much this year that nearly every other day we go to the beach.  It's a poor substitute for living on the beach for a whole week, in a town virtually untouched by the hands of time, but anyhow.  Pools and splash pads are great too .. kids dig it.. but doesn't compare to having sand EVERYWHERE all the time does it?  Plus hey.. it's free exfoliating!


I've concluded that Summer isn't time-based but merely an idea, a dream you have, because you could fill every second of it with adventures.. or soak up the pure luxury of laziness not doing a single thing.. and it still seems to slip out of our fingers so quickly like it wasn't really 100% there at all.

When things wear you out and take the spirit right out of you, we have to embrace harder those things in life that put it back.  The places that we re-charge ourselves are so electric.. I hope you have one of those summer places too.





                    

Run the throne

This has to be the best thing I've seen in forever.  WWW.RUNOFTHRONES.COM

I am sooo doing this because... WINTER IS COMING.  lol.  House Stark is going to be fun!

New 2 Grade 2

My son Ethan is 7 and full-on into the social school world which (let's face it, is awkward for parents to add a new social circle based entirely on who my kid likes to play with... or maybe this is just me?)  and makes him a REALLY popular little kid in Summertime.  Honestly I work my whole life around his social calendar so he can enjoy playdates, beach days, pool parties, birthdays and movie dates.. nearly everyday.  With all that his other friends parents are doing for the boys to have a fun summer, I have gone and promised my 7yr old his very first sleepover party to celebrate the end of Summer and them going into a new school year.  I'm even going to call the party "New 2 Grade 2" and maybe make some pencil push-up cupcakes, they can have pizza, play Skylanders and I will transform the basement into a movie theater where the insanity can go on ALL NIGHT LONG!  Won't I be the BEST?

Occasionally I like to play the fun game called "if I had girls" in my mind.  This is what the sleepover would be like... if I had girls.  

What cute thing are we going to do now??  Make-overs? Chat about how awesome our mom is?

....buuuuut I don't have girls.  I have these.  

In my world, this is called teamwork! 

And remember, the big one has friends!  What's the boy equivalent to make-overs???

You will really enjoy the level of fun fail that is going to happen at this party, so there's that to look forward to at the end of Summer.  I feel like that one blog Pintester that's entirely dedicated to failing Pinterest ideas.  I'm here to show you how to fun fail at parties :)