Pinch Me.

Well, hey! Long time you have not heard from me....sorry about that. I will try to do better. Trust me, it is not for lack of content...just lack of time!

So, this parenting thing. It is tough. Not easy. The most difficult thing I have and will ever do in my life. There is the stress of making sure your child is safe, worry about doing the right thing, frustrations of how these little people know how to push every button at just the right time in just the right place. But then you have these moments, these "oh my gosh this is all worth it" moments. I recently had one of those moments...and I literally felt like someone needed to pinch me to make sure it was real.

Let me back up. In early October, Wip came home letting us know that he had been cast in his play...he was going to be "Papa" in the Interrupting Chicken (a play that his drama teacher and her husband wrote based on the book). We were so proud (and excited). A few months in, Patrick received a phone call from the music teacher asking him to not practice the songs at home with Wip and that it was her job to teach him how to sing...we laughed and laughed about this because first of all we were by no means trying to coach him in his singing and second of all, other than knowing he was going to be Papa...we had no idea what songs were even in the play.

I swear to you...I never looked at the script and had no idea that he had a solo...none. 

The week of the play was a big week. Wip informed me that it was going to be a great week because he had dress rehearsal, Mimi and Granddaddy were coming in town, the play, AND the book fair. I asked Wip how the dress rehearsal went and he mentioned that the gym teachers were crying after his performance. I did not really understand this but thought it was sweet that he brought them to tears.

Play day. So. How do I even describe this moment? We arrived and took our seats and the play started. It was adorable. Everyone did a fabulous job (and of course Wip nailed his lines). As the play was moving along you could not help but think "1st grade....really?". So many components, costumes, and songs. As the play was wrapping up Wip walked up to the front of the stage. The music started and then he started singing. A solo. A beautiful song about listening. He nailed it.

Ms. Ballard....she has sparked something in my little man that I will never ever, ever be able to repay her for...she is the best!

Proud Papa:) 

Oh man...so many emotions!

Well, hey there!

No wonder the gym teachers were crying at the dress rehearsal! He was SO good. It was one of those parenting moments that you just want to freeze. I will never forget it. Never. I can't decide if I was more proud of the performance or the fact that he was SO proud of everyone that was part of the play. His modesty was unbelievable. So many people came up to him to tell him how amazing he was after the play, and he was thankful yet also gave praise to others by saying things like "thank you, Grace was a great witch". It was so amazing to me that he truly felt the "team" effort in the praise. Gosh, that was awesome.

Night on the town with Mimi and Granddaddy...so fun!

 So, pinch me. I am so proud of my little boy and I can't wait to see what amazing things he conquers and achieves. Bravo, Wip. Bravo. You made this mama so very proud.

Its Groundhog Day (and I like it)

The start of a routine has begun and we are all settling into the new school year. I was walking into work and I got this creepy "groundhog day" feeling in the best possible way. While I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE summer to its core (the sleeping in, the lack of meal planning, the get-up and do whatever mentality...gosh do I love it) I also love the feeling of settling into a routine. It is funny...this time of year feels way more like my New Years to me. 

And we are off...

Breakfast of Champions

The must have back to school pic

Just for the record...Duncan copied Wip in what he wants to be :) 

Duncan is having so much fun meeting new friends

This is pretty much sums me up

Baseball has started for both boys (and Patrick is coaching both teams!)

Loving the beach birthday parties

This was a surf party!  Too cute.

We have adopted a Friday Slurpee ritual...the boys go back and forth on the flavors like twenty times before making the plunge 

My little baseball studs

I did the Wine Walk at New Smyrna with some girlfriends

We had SO much fun!

This is Duncan.

It is SO nice having one drop off and one pick up. The school's theme this year is KINDNESS [catch the kindness wave].

I got this for my mom on her birthday...dying to know how it is. I went to dinner with a friend and she could not stop talking about it. A month later we met for dinner again and she was still talking about it. 

Granddaddy sent the boys some adorable stuff from Animal Crackers and receiving the package made me homesick!

This cracked me up

We met some friends at New Smyrna Beach and the sky fell out so we got in the car and headed to Sea Island for the Labor Day Weekend.

Every Labor Day party needs a dunk tank. Period. 

We started a chore chart. Both boys are saving up for Lego sets. Now if I could only remember to get money out for their piggy banks:) 

Wip's Goals

Slurpee Silliness 

Wip is becoming a ferocious reader...I mean he cannot stop. I love it. 

The hair.

Duncan was looking over my shoulder as I was scrolling through Insta and he looked at this picture and said "ah man, that dog is dead" For some reason, it has made me giggle all week. 

Wip has the one and only Ms. Pickles for homeroom and we could not be more excited....match made in heaven! 

D Art

At Park Maitland, they have this adorable program called Jelly Fudge Friend (JFF) where a 6th grader gets matched up with a 1st grader...Wip brought this home and I thought it was the sweetest note!

To uncover his JFF they put a ribbon on their shoe that matches and meet up in the gym. 

Wip had to share his JFF with a couple of other friends (the 6th-grade class is small and the 1st-grade class is HUGE). It was so cute when the met and had lemonade and cookies and played Four Square.

I hope everyone has had a Happy New Year (wink, wink)! I know that this is going to be a great year!

Duncanisms

Duncan continues to crack us up. He has this way. It is hard to explain. In the car today on the way home from baseball practice this was our conversation:

D: Mommy, who builds the city?
Me: Well, a lot of people.
D: Like builders, makers, and maker of car makers?
Me: Sure.
D: The people in cars take seeds and spread them all over the city so things can grow
Me: Sure.
[long silence]
D: {singing} Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer...had a very shiny nose...

In an effort to not blow up my Insta account with all of the crazy, wacky, hilarious things that he says/does, I decided to document one afternoon trip to the grocery store...

Duncan noticed the pack of gum in my purse and asked if he could have a piece. I told him that he was welcome to have a piece, but that he would probably not like it because it was "hot" (cinnamon). After chewing it for a bit, he reached for the water bottle and took a huge gulp of water. Still keeping the gum in his mouth he says "Mommy, all I needed to do was take a drink of water and BOOM it turned to warm".

When we walk into the grocery store he locks eyes with this cake. He is cracking himself up thinking about if he had bunnies attend his birthday party how much they would love the cake. Such a nut. 

This Publix had limited cart returns which led to runaway carts all over the parking lot. One happened to end up next to our car as we were walking out of the store. Duncan said "Mommy I fink a robber put this cart next to our car so a police officer will come and put us under arrest" (maybe I need to dial back the "you better put your seatbelt on or Mommy will get arrested" talk?)

Finally, as we got in the car he said "here, Mommy" and handed me a small piece of the gum. I said "really, this is not all of it" He replied "nah, I have the brain looking gum right here" as he pulled the wad out of his mouth. Duncan...please keep being you. It brings so much happiness to my day. #afternoonswithD

You had a Bad Day

A few days ago I picked the boys up from school and we were heading home when a car decided to make a sharp left instead of staying in the lane going straight. This decision caused my life to flash before my eyes and for me to scream a "not so bad, not so great" profanity.

The next day when I picked the boys up from school, the aftercare person came up to the car a told me that Wip had said a "bad" word in front of the security guard. She went on to say that they talked to him and that "while adults may sometimes say bad words, children should never say those bad words" and that he got a free pass because it was the first time. I rolled my eyes at her (with my sunglasses on of course) because I just knew he had said the words I screamed when I thought we were going to get hit by the car. I also know that Wip is the most naive and sincere kid on the planet, so even if he did say something I knew in my heart it was not out of "being bad".

As soon as we drove off, I asked Wip to tell me what happened with the bad word that he said in front of the security guard. He became instantly withdrawn and scared. I told him he was in absolutely no trouble, but I just wanted to understand the situation. The relief immediately came over him and he went on to tell me that a sixth-grade boy was standing next to him while they were waiting to go to aftercare. He said that the boy told him to say the bad word and so he did (but he insisted that he said it softly). He then went on to say that "if he knowd what it meant he would not have said it". I asked him what he said and he blurted out "F*&K".

Whoa....was NOT expecting that one!  I could tell he was confused and embarrassed. He then said "mommy, what does that word mean?". I told him that he was too young and that adults should never even say that word. I then said when he was a little older I would explain. He said,  "how old?". My brain was trying to think how old you are in the sixth grade and I just blurted out "Twelve!". He followed up with "well, that is not that far away and I will remember to ask you what it means". And I have no doubt that he will!

In addition to the profanity,  he also told me that a boy poured something on three pages of his brand new book (on purpose!). He followed that story with a sigh and "mommy, I just really had a bad day". Well cue, the "I am not going to let your day end bad mode". We drove straight to Jeremiah's Italian Ice and did a dance party here, here, here, and here with Boomerang in the store (they always play the best music:).

After reading this article, Why you should teach your children profanity, I am thinking we are going to be okay.