As the Beatles have said...

"You say goodbye and I say hello"- We have to kiss our sweet sweet babysitter goodbye today. She is returning to the workforce full-time. I've been going back and forth on this. Part of me is freaking out at the idea of the transition Caden is about to have to endure. The other part of me is excited, again, at the idea of the transition Caden is about to endure. Mostly, I think I'm afraid of the actual transition period for him. Ethan has always been my leader, the I-can-do-it-myself-kid. He was ready to go to school at 18 months. Caden, being the younger of the two, has been the follower. He's had a best-good friend, Abbie to follow and learn from the past two years. They were together like peanut butter and jelly, really. Now, he has to go at this alone. This is a good thing. I know it is. But, the bigger part of me is mourning the loss of the wonderfullness of "Miss Sisty" and how much she loves him. You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach where, your ideas/comfort/etc. have to take a backseat to your children and their needs because what you're doing falls under the heading of "For Their Own Good"- ugh. I don't like this part of this whole parenting thing. But, this is Caden's new chapter and this is something he needs to experience for himself. I know that Brian and I have gone above and beyond researching and visiting many schools and have prayed about which one to put him in. I feel that the place we have picked is going to work out very well. We shall see. Come Monday, I may be in tears, but, I can't and won't let him see those. He has to make his own way and I have to move aside and let him. I keep thinking, "Good grief, he's 2 and this isn't college." This somehow makes me feel better.

Happy Mother's Day

Home Sweet Home

Ha! Ah yes, my monkeys felt at home at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler. Let me just say this zoo was a-maz-ing! Loved it. It was small and not very crowded and the animals were definitely well-taken care of. The best part about all of this was the element of surprise. We got up early one Sunday morning and told the boys to get dressed. We had opted out of going to church which is not something we normally do but this was for some long-awaited family time. The boys had no idea what was in store for them. We stopped by the local donut shop and got the boys a few of their favorite donut holes and headed off to the zoo.
As soon as we arrived, Ethan knew our exact destination. I forgot for a split second that he's a full-fledged reader now. The screams and high-fives that erupted from the boys were highly entertaining.
It was seriously the best day we've spent as a family so far. I love that the boys travel well. This gives me hope for our vacation adventure in July.

"Just when you thought it was safe..."

Picasso, Monet, and a 6 years-old's hands

Ethan's artwork was chosen to be on display at the Rockwall HS 2010 all-district Art Show. He loves art and everything it encompasses. I think it's because in art, it's okay to be messy and get dirty. Honestly, he's always had a passion for drawing, sketching, painting, sculpting, etc. He was very proud of what he had done and was excited about showing us.

Easter Sunday

Giving Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart a run for their money.

Life with a 6 years old boy

T-ball. There's nothing like it in the world. A group of 6 years-old boys (and yes, even girls) are taught the rules and procedures of baseball. It's like watching someone attempt to herd cats. In all honesty, it's one of the cutest things I've ever seen. You have the kids in the outfield who are busy building sandcastles and creating masterpieces with their feet and not paying even the slightest attention to what is going on. You have the kids who are up at bat. These huge helmets that they are trying to manage to balance while remaining upright and making an attempt to hit a ball off of a tee. The coaches stand in certain places reminding the kids to either a) pick up the ball while reminding them where to throw it b) telling the kids where to run next or c) attempting to make sure that the kids are paying attention to the rules of the game. I never ever thought I'd be the mom who loves this kind of thing. I was never into sports and I certainly didn't ever dream I'd have a boy who would. It's literally one of my favorite things to do on Saturday. I watch Ethan put his uniform on and his size 13 cleats when I'm reminded of how I used to change this kid's onesie at least three times a day at one point. I'm not sad about it, per se. I just see it as another one of those gold stars on that infamous parenting chart. I got him past the onesies, diapers, bottles, and baby stage. He's now an intellectual, empathetic, loving, amazing big brother, and definitely our pride and joy. I, in essence, feel as if we've been practicing this parenting thing much like the t-ball team. We have our parents who, like the coaches, are pointing us in the right direction and reminding us what to do next. We have our friends who are cheering us on and supporting us. And yes, like the 6 years old players, we sometimes get caught drawing in the dirt with our feet. Mostly though, we've taken successful swings and had some misses too. We, as working parents, are trying to manage to balance while remaining upright and making an attempt to raise these amazing little beings. I can't wait to see where this Mom-of-boys thing takes me. It's all new undiscovered territory to me and I am in love with every. single. minute.