January 2014- Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby and Lots and Lots of Snow

Hi all,

This is a random assortment of notes.  I am just soooo behind in posting that I feel like I just need to get it posted however I can at the moment.  Forgive the chaos. 

Bek sees the moon and we talk about how it's half instead of full and he wants to know "Mommy who cut it in half?  Why dey do dat?"

Monthly Moms Night Out with my friends. 

Best.  Idea.  Ever. 

Rinat doesn't want to take a bath like a little kid anymore.  He wants to get in and get out.  There's no more splashing in the bath, playing with toys.  And it makes me slightly sad.  I really loved bath time.  I loved the playing pretend with the animals on the side, I loved him begging me to take one with him, I miss the cute little kid-ness of it all.  But still... he wants me to keep him company in there.  If only to sit and read my book and listen to him talk and tell me about all those thoughts rushing around in his head.  He showers with the curtain closed but talks to me off and on the whole time.  He still craves me sitting/being close and I hope that stays for a while.  Is it bad that I love to be needed in that way?  I think it’s just that I feel the time slipping away already and it freaks me out.  I want kid hood to last forever.  But then I want to see how they turn out too.  But so far, so good.          

Mom, when did we get Pebbles?  Umm..I dunno it was probably Jan 2?  Ok then that’s his birthday.   And the 3^rd is his adoption day.  We will make him a birthday banner and give him fish themed presents on those day.  ‘Kay hon, we will. 

Starting to consider sleepaway camp.  I was never a camp person but there are people who think camp was instrumental in making them the independent and responsible people that they are now. And I agree to a certain extent.  I think getting away from the parents and getting to make choices for themselves- and facing the repercussions of those choices- will give them a whole new level of responsibility.  I get it.  But the Mama in me wants to say WHAT?!?!?!  Give up my babies into the big scary world without me being able to take care of them when they are sad or hurt or sick?  Are you kidding me?  But the truth is that they are going to be on their own at some point and I want them to be completely prepared for it and confident in themselves. I want them to know that they don’t need me.  So I am doing it.  I am going to let him go since he has been asking for literally years now.  But good gosh is it going to rip my heart out to send him off on his own.  If you people are smart, you’ll start buying stock in Kleenex because use is going to peak this summer.    

Never-ending snow days that will add up to more school at the end of the year.  Lots and lots of it.  We moved out of Boston and now we have THIS?  But it sure is fun.  Rinat is trying to teach himself to snowboard.

Rin competed in the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby.  It is, of course, supposed to be a father and son bonding activity but it, of course, got pushed off until a couple of days before and so they worked on it very intensely for the few days before and got it done just under the wire.  So off they went to the competition and… he got best in show.  He came home buzzing with excitement and it was just so cute to see.  I am hoping that he enjoys it just as much next year.  And that maybe they plan ahead just a little bit.   

Rinat told me he doesn't want to get married but just wants to live with his friends and go to the baby house to get his kids. Good plan. And this guy does love babies. Everywhere he goes he notices them and makes faces and talks about how cute they are. I think he'd love a million of them to join our family if it was up to him.  Seriously, the more the merrier.  And apparently Cousin Sam is invited too.

     

Bek tells me periodically, “You know what? You a cootie pie. My lub you.”  M.e.l.t.

And that's all we got going on.  Love to all, -m

Christmas/BDay 2013

Hi all,

Despite the excitement over Santa coming, on Christmas Eve day we were all under the weather.  I know the kids only get the magic of Christmas for such a short time and it was disappointing to feel rotten on Christmas but Peter took Bek over to Mer's for the day while Rin and I rested up so we could see everyone later.  When they came home, we looked out the window and it was snowing.  So there was a little Christmas magic going on.  Crazy that just a few days ago it was 70.

That night we were all feeling a bit better so we had dinner over at Jen/Eric's with some friends.  Every time Peter and I leave a get-together with our them, on the drive home we say to each other "You know, that's just a great group of people.  We are so lucky to have them in our lives."  I hope that my kids will be surrounded by friends like this when they are adults.  A group of people who make their life just a little more fun, make hard times a little more bearable, and make them aspire to be good people who earn their respect and friendship.  It is essential to live a good life. 

And then it was the big morning…

Leading up to Christmas, I kept asking Rin what he wanted most for Christmas and the thing that he was most adamant about had to do with his best friend- his Blue Bunny.  The thing he wanted more than any toy, any book, any video game was for Bubby to come alive.  What is Santa to do?  I’m sure he spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to let this sweet little boy down easily and what Santa decided to do was leave a note with Elf about why he couldn’t do it.  Rin was disappointed but really he sort of understood.  Sort of.    

But the boys were extremely excited to see what Santa had left.  They just loved it all- the Batmans the candy the Rainbow Looms the books the Playdoh the arts&craft the stuffies the dartboard but most of all.  They loved the fact that they got a pet fish.  Yes, little Pebbles came into our lives and these boys were insanely excited about it.  Little boy love is the best. 

We also, of course, did the annual trip to LBurg where they were buried in gifts and cookies as they should be by their Gigi and Mar.  And we were joined by their Aunt Pam and Uncle Rich who were I think a tiny bit overwhelmed by the little boy enthusiasm and spunk.  When it was time for them to leave, Bek told them, “Get your butts outta here!”  Such attitude out of nowhere.  But I’d take it as a term of endearment since he says the same to us.     

And then it was time for birthdays.  We ate cupcakes at G/M’s for Rin’s and then headed home to DC.  Bek's bday was a good day and now we have figured out what we want to do for their parties. It was pouring down rain so instead of going to the zoo like he had requested we decided to head to the bowling alley in our neighborhood and it did not disappoint. Now both of them are in agreement that this is where they want to do their bdays. Party figured out?  Check!  And it’s gonna be a good one.

Love to all, -m