Molly Day 2 and Ross' Birthday Present

A Molly Update. 

 

The second day of preschool went much better.  We packed her 'nigh-nigh' in the front pouch of her Minnie Mouse backpack and somehow the thought of having it close made a big difference.  Motherhood would be much easier had I earned a psychology degree.

 

She's already feeling mighty scholarly.

 

Yes, we gave Ross a kayak for his birthday.  I don't have photos of the actual kayak to share yet.  Stay tuned.  It's lime green.

 

And yes, my husband now wears a janitor key ring on his belt loop.  I'm not sure why or how this happened.

 

I'm also not sure how this little guy is 9 years old already.  I really wish someone would push pause.

Preschool Morning

I pictured Thursday morning going differently.  Of course, it's Ross' 9th birthday and he woke up filled with anticipation for the big day.  There would be birthday treats at school and birthday cards and gifts to open after school.  However, the birthday wasn't the only event happening today. 

 

Molly started preschool.

 

Mike's been in Dubuque, which meant I was on my own.  Everything started out fine, but with all the excitement, I didn't notice Molly going downhill.  It must have been somewhere between convincing Molly kids don't wear penguin socks with sandals, Ross explaining why he'll never trust a bank to hold his money and Maisie questioning whether her scarf was appropriate for school.  Suddenly and without warning, Molly stopped eating breakfast and starting swinging at me.  Looking back, I think it was her way of trying to 'cut the cord'..  Her little body was stressed-out and she didn't know how to explain what she was feeling.  All this talk about starting preschool was truly happening, and it was happening today.  That's about the time I noticed a down pour outside which would make school drop off even trickier.

 

 

 

 

 

She started like this.

 

But then turned into this.

 

And then this.

 

Upon arriving at school, I ran all 3 kids into the building.  We entered soaked and Molly realized her socks were wet.  However, Ross forgot to tame his bed head this morning and was grateful for the mini-shower to calm the tufts down.  Maisie discovered she forgot her backpack and Molly was crabbing about her socks and hair being drenched. 

 

Once we found her class, she completely lost it.  She not only cried, she screamed bloody murder.  Other students were watching her, but it didn't phase her.  The screams continued another 30 minutes after I squeezed her little hands goodbye and placed her in the lap of her teacher.  On my way out, I looked back, only to see her arms flailing as she screamed for 'mama'.  As a mom, there are certain times you've got to be super-tough.  As much as I wanted to stay, to bring in her 'night-night' to sniff, or to have my own little breakdown...I knew I couldn't do that to her.  I held it together like a champ; at least until I got back to the van and realized there wasn't anyone to buckle up in the back seat. 

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
~Winnie the Pooh

House Update, Goose and Redi Whip

It feels like we finally hit a milestone.  Of course we chose the hottest days of the year to do it, but it's done.  Mike agreed to lay infloor heating in our house.  Apparently, it's the only way to go these days.  Did I mention Mike agreed to lay it 'on his own' and that he's never laid infloor heating before?  Luckily, he knows a guy who basically invented the system (not really, but you get the point).  This guy gave Mike a little tutorial, then it was up to Mike and I to complete the job.  Oh yeah, the kids and 2 dogs were with us the whole time too.  Toward the end of the 3 day journey, Molly wouldn't leave my side, Maisie was constantly barefoot and Ross was obsessed with a paragon falcon that found it's way into Papa's shed.  Ross informed me paragon falcons are the fastest animal and can fly 200 mph.  Isn't that incredible?  After consulting Grandmas "Birds of Iowa" book, he determined it was actually a baby hawk.  It's leg color gave it away. 

Anyway, the flooring process began like a game of Tetris.  We cut 4-inch thick foam boards into desired shapes and fit them together like a puzzle.  Ross' new machete came in handy for that job.  My next assignment was to scrape all loose rocks, pea gravel and mud off the edge of the foundation and sweep clean.  Then I was to cut 4-inch strips of 1-inch thick foam board and caulk them onto the foundation edge.  I'm told this helps hold heat in the house so it can't escape out the concrete walls. Then it was a matter of stapling loops of radiant tubing across the foam board.  All I can say about the process is that it's done.

 

 

 

 

 

What does this mean?  It means that we're finally ready to pour a floor!  The concrete guys will pour as soon as they can, however it appears rain is forecast for what feels like the rest of my life.  Go figure.  After it's poured, we can bring in our framer.

 

We celebrated with drinks.  Ross chose a can of Redi Whip instead.

 

Molly drank about 32 oz of Kool Aid and Maisie just chose to drink her spit.

 

This is rediculous.

 

Seriously Ross, get a grip.

 

The sugar just hit her.

 

 

Maisie's content hanging out with Goose on a tailgate.

 

 

To be fair, Goose is just as content to hang out with her.

 

That's my man.  Nipples poking through his signature wife beater while analyzing some detail I'll probably never know about.  God love him.

We Survived

I regret not taking more photos, however each year Ross' birthday party becomes more adventurous and takes us places I'm not comfortable carrying a camera.  Therefore, you'll have to make do with what I've got and use your imagination for the rest.

 

They explored the creek with guns.  They didn't catch frogs for dinner, however hot dogs were on hand.  After fishing, swimming in the pond, shooting weapons, avoiding a wasp habitat, starting a fire for s'mores, having an acorn fight in the dark and countless baths and showers by each, I can confidently say Ross' 9th birthday party was a success. 

 

Such boys.  Guns, testosterone, dogs and artillery.

Maisie was always within sight of the boys.  Pretty sure it's just a glimpse of what our future will hold.

 

 

I slacked on the cake.  Cake decorating just isn't in the cards for me.  Ice cream sandwiches piled up and slathered with whipped topping sufficed just fine.

 

 

The boys. 

I couldn't be more proud of Ross' choice in best friends.  I'd instantly claim any one of 'em as my own. 

 

Alex, Ross, Charlie and Carson.

 

Creek Party

2 years ago was the Indian party.  It poured the entire 4+ hour party.  We made it work.

 

1 year ago was the Basketball party.  It was hotter than hot and unbearable for basketball.  We made it work.

 

This year is the Creek party.  I've never been the mom who arranges 'venues' or rents equipment for my kids' parties.  Pinterest and I are a team and we work together with what we have.  Some may call it crazy I requested 4 boys bring muck boots, fishing poles and bb guns to my boys campout birthday party. 

 

My boy just calls it awesome.

 

Anything for you Ross. 

 

Meanwhile, wine and prayers will be flowin'

 

 

 

 

No Legs and Amber

The kids made a discovery.

 

 

Molly said it was a 'long leg'.

 

 

One by one, they amputated each leg.

 

Now Molly calls it a 'no leg'.

 

 

Maisie wanted to do a modeling show pretending to be 'Amber' from the cartoon Sophia the First.  Apparently Amber's got a bit of an attitude.

 

 

 

However, she broke character fairly quickly. 

 

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I need to get this girl in theater.

 

Day 1

School started today.  To say the kids were excited is an understatement.  Ross couldn't sleep last night, Maisie was too excited to eat breakfast and Molly insisted on trying on winter snow gear immediately upon waking. 

 

 

Waitin' for her oyatmeel (oatmeal) and a blizzard.

 

Sugar Plum's been wanting a tight bun that's 'shiny'.  I did my best with the hairspray but may need to look into buying some shellac.

 

Among all the nervous chatter this morning, Ross was the one who stated what everyone feels like on the first day of school, "I constantly feel like I'm gonna crap my pants."

 

Our third grader...

 

and our 1st grader. 

 

I can't decide what makes this photo more awkward, Maisie using the pointer (which Mike used to murder a bat last week), the '1st grade' paper sign not staying put or showing up on camera, or the fact that Ross and Molly are in the background plunging the toilet. 

You be the judge.

One and Only Shot

Due to the fact that we've had yet another bat in the house (bat #3 was in the kids' room while they slept), the fact that anger toward the rental house mounts each time we try to exit the back door and realize the configuration is nearly impossible to pass through with kids trailing you, the fact that showering in the moldy RV shower leaves us feeling like we need to take shower, the fact that I have to close our bedroom air vent so the 'old kennel' smell from the basement doesn't drift up leaving me nauseas and mad, the fact that... oh this could go on forever and I'm working on gratitude so I'll stop.  Besides, I believe I've made my point.  We're totally over this renting business.

 

So with that as well as trying to keep my eye on the prize, I took it upon myself to take a 'one and only' photo.  A photo of my kids standing in front of the future front porch.  Why one and only you ask?  Because the view directly behind the kids will no longer be visible while standing on the front porch.  Because it wont be long before an actual, real live house will blocking the view.

 

And that thought makes it worth it.

A Woman

Quote of the day from Molly...

I'm not a mom; I'm a woman.

Watch out preschool, you're in for a treat!

Embracing Change

I'm trying to be better at embracing change.  I'm trying to be more accepting of the way things are.  It is what it is.  Sort of like Molly's birthday breakfast.  I'm sure Ross' 4th birthday breakfast was something I made a fuss about.  I know I bought donuts for Maisie's 4th birthday.  Both had wrapped gifts ready for them at breakfast.  The photos I took of Molly's 4th birthday morning crack me up.  Just goes to show how things change.

She had to wait to open her gifts until later that night.  They were wrapped in construction paper and stickers as I was fresh out of gift wrap and tape.

 

 No one in sight for the birthday candles except for Mom with a camera while dads busy making oatmeal in his wife beater.  Happy Birthday Moo!

 

Not to mention she had to eat off a paper plate and the mountain of sprinkles made the pancakes too crunchy to eat.  Waste of chocolate chunks if you ask me.

 

It is what it is. 

 

The house-building feels like it's moving at a snails pace.  I'm hoping the framing can start by the end of the month.  Fingers crossed.  Meanwhile, poor cousin Laura had to witness her first live bat... inside our rental house Friday night.  Of course Mike and Ross were camping for the evening and I was on my own with 3 little girls.  Again, Happy 4th Moo!  I didn't scream... I shrieked.  Which didn't help calm the girls down one bit.  It was terrifying and I'm confident Laura was traumatized, but the bat managed to fly out on its own.  I'm trying to be grateful we have shelter as well as the fact that, 'this too shall pass'.

 

Embrace Change.

Wednesday I realized we have 1 week before school starts for Ross and Maisie.  Molly has 2 weeks.  I'm struggling to embrace this concept.  As much as my kids drive me bonkers, I truly do like them.  And I'm slowly beginning to dread the day I walk them to school and have to walk back home alone. 

 

So in the meantime, we're visiting as many of our favorite summer 'hot spots' as we can.

 

Believe it or not, the chicken coop at the Historical Center was extremely popular for the Boyd children this summer.  Of course Ross found a hole in the chicken wire and was able to get a closer view. 

 

They sure have grown.  Both the chicks and the kids.

 

I can't get over the feathers on some of the chicken feet.  What is that all about?  Slippers?

 

 Another interesting pose brought to you by M&M.

 

Maisie did a little tree-modeling.

 

 

 Love this little girl.