Charlotte Grace - 4 years old

Riding the carousel at the zoo

Happy 4 years (and 3 months) Charlotte!

You really are getting big.  That is highlighted by having 2 littler people in the house.  You like to separate yourself from Matthew and Cailin by saying "the Little Ones".

Some recent observations:

-Food- you are a "food purist."  You eat a wide variety of foods but everything needs its own space on your plate.  Last night, the mango salsa was too spicy for you and you insisted you needed a new plate.  When we eat chili, you have a plate with meat, beans, tomatoes, and "crunchy" peppers.  Clean noodles and mac n cheese are two favorites.

-Sports - You have tried dance, gymnastics, and soccer.  You have enjoyed all of these so far.  Last week, you asked if I could sign you up for football.  I'm not sure there's a football team for 4-year-old girls but if we find one this fall, you're more than welcome to give it a try.

-Family - Family is important.  We have tried to convey this and you seem to believe it.  In new places, you are comforted by your sister's presence.  At home, you look for her when it's time to play.  You look out for her.  You find things that are purple and share them with Cailin, since that's her favorite color.  You also love your little brother.  He squeals loudly in the morning when he sees you.  When he starts to cry in the car, you make silly faces and fake laugh to encourage him to smile.  It is so sweet to listen to.  You recently told Daddy how much you like it when he shows up places he "isn't supposed to be" - like at your last dance class or at lunch on a work day.  And well, I think you like me.  Even after a full day together, you request that I put you to bed at night.

-Friends- You are an introvert.  You have familiar friends who you are comfortable being around and playing with.  When we head out, you ask "Who are we meeting?"  This week you are at Vacation Bible School with a sweet friend.  If you are dropped off before Abigail arrives, you walk slowly into the classroom and sit quietly waiting.  This morning, you arrived at the same time as Abigail.  You two hugged, held hands and walked confidently into the church.  I'm not sure you even realized I left.  Being introverted though, at the end of the 3 hour morning, you are pretty tired.  Some time at home working with me or playing downstairs rejuvenates you for the afternoons.

-Sleep - You go to bed between 7 and 7:30 and sleep for about 12 hours.  We are seeing that many of your friends sleep less.  You need your sleep though.  It's hard to get you in bed by 7 when it's beautiful outside, but you are much happier when you're rested.  Aren't we all?  While the "Little Ones" nap, you work with me on a workbook or reading for a while, then play downstairs by yourself for a bit.

-Academics - On a long drive recently, you counted to 100!  We were SO proud!  You have started reading a few sight words.  You know the letters and their sounds and enjoy working on them.  You write well but you are not fond of handwriting practice.  You try to skip those pages in your work books.  You love Science.  I will strive to do more science activities this summer.  It is fun to watch you explore new things and figure things out.  You attended preschool this past year and had a good time with your friend Brooke.  You and your sister will start at a new school this fall (again), and you're both excited.  You ask regularly if you can stay for lunch.  We will make that happen this year.

Sorry this is a few months late but I am so excited to get to spend the summer swimming and exploring with you!

Love,
Mama

Family

At your 4th birthday- Frozen theme of course

Frozen Karaoke with friends

Sledding with Daddy this winter

Using my phone to call Daddy's phone (and talking on both)

Cailin Hope - 2.5 years

Matt wrote Charlotte's 2.5 year post so it seemed fitting that he should also compose Cailin's.

Dear Cailin,

At two-and-a-half years, you are:

LOUD:  As I write this, I can hear you talking upstairs as you sit in bed.  This sounds about right.  You are a loud little person.  Mama says you take after me in this.  You only talk in volume 11.  You stomp around the house and up and down the stairs.  Until recently, anytime someone whispered, you would should back, “WHY YOU TALKIN’ QUIET?!?!?!”  One of your least favorite things in the world is to be shushed.  Today you told us that the babysitter shushed you last night, and you had clearly taken offense.  Mama thinks you don’t like the sound.  I disagree.  I think loudness is so core to who you are, that shushing is antithetical to your being.

EVOLVING:  To prepare for writing this, I reviewed the letter I had written to Charlotte at the same age.  The overarching theme was that she was the same person she had always been, but only more so.  I would not say the same about you, because you have changed quite a bit over time.  When you were a baby, you clung to Mama all of the time.  You barely acknowledged my existence until we took a trip to Boston when you were 11 months old and you were left under my aegis.  Every time you were dropped off at church nursery or elsewhere you would scream.  You were so shy that you would hide your face if a stranger looked at you.  You once pounded your forehead into a table at a restaurant because a waitress smiled at you.  All of this is completely different now.  You are probably the most outgoing member of our family.  We had a housewarming party in December and you eagerly greeted people at the door.  Last night, a new babysitter came over who you had never met.  All you asked us beforehand was “is she scary?”  You were satisfied when we said she was not.  You run into church class every Sunday and you are really excited to start school in September.

INDEPENDENT:  As a true middle child, you are self-sufficient.  If no one is prompt about getting your milk (your favorite beverage and a multi-daily ritual), you will go to the kitchen and pour yourself a cup (and clean up the mess you make if we are lucky).  Yesterday you woke up from nap and laid in bed until your clock turned yellow.  Once it did, you got up and turned the sound machine off.  You then headed down to the basement to play with Charlotte.  At no point in this journey did you worry where your parents were (we were in the way way upstairs).  You insist on doing most activities yourself.

UNFLAPPABLE:  Nothing bothers you.  This makes you a delightful person to be around.  When Matthew was born, we worried that your psyche would be damaged by being displaced as the baby of the family.  In particular, we worried about your reaction to Mama nursing Matthew.  In reality, you could not care less.  The first time you witnessed your brother being nursed, you yelled “MATTHEW’S EATIN’ MAMA’S BELLY!!!!” then laughed hysterically.  You are also very flexible.  Charlotte runs up the stairs and says “I’m going first!”  You contentedly follow and shout “I’m second!”  Anytime we ask you two to choose an activity, Charlotte makes the first proposal.  You are always happy to go along with her suggestion.  This trait also makes you impossible to discipline.  For example, if you don’t stay in your bed, we’ve moved you to a baby crib as a punishment.  You just seem to celebrate it as a novelty.  If we take away your stuffed animals, you’ll make do without them.  One time, after I told you to stay in bed, I realized you were wearing a swimsuit (indicating you had snuck into the closet at some point).  I was so bereft of disciplinary ideas that I put you on the porch on a cold March day while you were still in the bathing suit.  Your mom walked around the corner at that moment and was appalled, you never seemed to mind. 

Overall, you are a challenging kid to parent, but a really fun person to be around.

2 days

6 months

1 year

18 months

2 years

2.5 years

2.5 years

The community center

 

Our neighborhood has a Community Center that hosts events about once per month.  We walked through the snow to the Pancake Breakfast when Matthew was 2 weeks old tucked into the sling.  A few weeks later, he bounced in the ergo carrier to the annual chili cook-off.  At Valentine's day and Easter, I walked the kids over to buy cupcakes as part of a fundraiser.  Both times, an elderly woman was surprised to find Matthew hidden in the backseat of the stroller and commented "Whoa!  There's ANOTHER one?!" (People and their inappropriate comments is a whole other blog post...that plenty of others have written...but the targeted audience hasn't read.)

Last month was the Spring Fair where the kids had a blast.  It was old school fun- playing outside, making a mess, cake walks, and spray paint.

We headed to the Community Center yesterday for the Ice Cream Social with Matthew peeking out of the ergo - awake and alert and befriending folks with his big smile.  Being there made me think about the recent events and how quickly Matthew has changed.  I want to be sure to remember these special times in our new neighborhood enjoying food and conversation with our neighbors.

A new normal

People have asked "So have things settled down?"  And honestly, yes.  The snow has melted and summer has arrived.  We are generally sleeping at night.   The hormones have settled and I've [finally!] lost the baby weight.  Matt's job has been better...some weeks at least.  But I think the biggest success is I have accepted our new normal.

It takes us at least 8 minutes to get everyone into the car.  Honestly, it takes us longer to get from inside the house to inside the car than it takes me to drive to our destination.  But I now budget for that.  Do not read this as "I am ok with it" or "I like it".  

Meals are simple.  I feel no guilt about our basic rice and beans or pasta and veggie dinners.  The kids love the food.  And I like that the period of "Everyone scream at Mama while she cooks" is short.  

School is out and baby Matthew has finally been allowed to enjoy morning naps at home.  This give me about 90 minutes each morning to focus on the girls.  We've started "preschooling" during that time.  After an intentional hour of instruction, play, music, art, whatever, it seems ok to do absolutely nothing the rest of the day.  We haven't yet done Absolutely Nothing, but it's freeing to know we could.  

And with morning nap comes afternoon nap.  Everyone naps or rests for a couple hours in the afternoon.  At the same time!  Do you know how much I can do in that time??  To be completely honest, I eat lunch, then make a list of things to do...then sit on the couch and stare at the ceiling for 45 minutes.  But do you know what I can accomplish in that last 15?  Lots.  

So yes, things have settled.  We are enjoying all of our babies.  We are enjoying summer.  And we are feeling blessed.  Time to talk Baby 4?