Summer's almost here!

It's been a beautiful weekend! Yesterday we took the girls for a bike ride. Anastasia finally got a bigger bike so she is much more comfortable. Ainsley did great on Anastasia's old bike. It was like she'd been riding for years. Today they got in the pool on the deck. They were out there for well over an hour. Looks like it's going to be a fun sumer!!!

Worry wart

As a parent I find plenty of things to worry about with each sunrise. It's been like that since Anastasia was born on that November evening almost 6 years ago. That first night we listened to her wheeze, gasp, and choke as she struggled to get fluid and gunk (for lack of a better term) our of her lungs following birth. I watched her chest constantly to make sure she was still breathing. It was nerve-wracking and draining. Once we got her home I worried about weight gain, were her poops the right color, and was the temperature in the house too hot or too cold for her. I vividly remember one night after we had moved her to her own room, I lay in my bed soaked with sweat as I fretted over the necessity of the crib bumper. I crept down the hall and slid her crib away from the wall so I could untie all the little strings and remove the bumper. Of course, the next morning when she bonked her head on the slats, my sanity returned and I replaced the bumper.

My girls are older now, so the worries have evolved. Some are rational, most are not. My mommy panic switch isn't quite so quick to flip these days, but I still find myself worrying about whether daycare put on enough sunscreen or if they are learning enough each day. Am I reading fewer books than I used to? Should Ainsley be able to identify all her alphabet letters yet? Do I let them have too much sugar? Not enough fiber?

I've been calling a few times each day to check up on my new niece. I remember all too well how overwhelming those first six weeks of parenthood are. You are suddenly in charge of someone other than yourself. You are responsible for her every moment. For her feedings and cleanings, for her health care and her routine. It's up to you to nurture her, advocate for her, and above all else, love her. It's not an easy road and though the worries currently presenting themselves to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law aren't ones I've had to personally deal with, as a parent I feel their pain. I feel their helplessness because I've shouldered that burden many times over the last 6 years.

My advice to them (which I am not calling to impose upon them during this stressful time!) is to stand strong and don't second guess yourself. You are the experts on Isabelle. No doctor, no nurse, and (sorry Beth and James) no grandparent can do any better than the two of you. You have known her from the very beginning and you get to call the shots. I'm proud of you and you will survive this. One day all this jaundice and weight loss will be a thing of the past. Isabelle will be stuffing crackers into her mouth with both chubby fists and you'll laugh about the days when she lost weight. In the meantime, hold on to each other and remember you are on the same team. I didn't buy you those "Team Hrouda" shirts for nothing.

As for me, I'm off to worry about whether my daughter will get Lyme disease at camp this summer and whether the other one will ever stop sucking her thumb. I've got a few good hours before bedtime, I'm sure I can dig up a few more worries between now and then.

72 hours and 1,725 miles

What started out as a weekend trip to visit Gran and Pop turned into a three-day adventure that would take us more than 1725 miles. We arrived last Friday night and I barely got to speak to Jamie's parents before I had to get the girls down for the night. They were hyper so I laid with them until they fell asleep which was well after 10 p.m. On Saturday morning we woke up and while the girls ate breakfast I asked Jamie where his parents were. "Um, Ry's water broke and they're on their way to Florida." Apparently Beth had come into our room in the middle of the night and told Jamie this. I am not a deep sleeper so I REALLY must have been out of it because I didn't hear a thing! We sent the girls downstairs to watch tv (yeah for cable and the Disney Channel!) and we started talking. In about 8 minutes we decided to pack up and drive the 12 hours to Florida to see baby Isabelle. This was our one shot to see her until probably Thanksgiving or later so we didn't linger on our decision. While Jamie made hotel reservations online I threw all our stuff in the suitcases and got the car loaded. We pulled in Beth's plants as directed and then raided their pantry. I felt like I was on Supermarket Sweep, trying to grab everything I could that we thought might go bad while they were away.

We were on the road by 9 a.m. After a quick stop to get bags of ice for our cooler, we were on our way south to Alabama. We drove down to Birmingham and cut over to Atlanta on I-20. We stopped in the rain for lunch at Chik-Fil-A where my kids sang "Jingle Bells" to the delight of the other patrons. I shrugged apologetically, but one lady said "Hey, it will be here before you know it." After lunch we made our way around Atlanta and south towards Macon. Ainsley dozed some while Anastasia continued her DVD marathon. They were really great travelers! We stopped for dinner and then finally crossed into the Sunshine State, which was actually anything but. It rained and rained and rained. Lightning led the way for us as we hit the Florida Turnpike and moved closer to Orlando. We arrived at our hotel just before ten and collapsed, exhausted into our beds.

I was up early since, quite frankly, I was too excited to sleep. Isabelle had been born just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Ryann and Scott knew nothing of their surprise visitors. We ate breakfast at the hotel before heading to the hospital. The girls were SO excited to meet their cousin. Ry and Scott were quite surprised to see us walk in the door! The girls held the baby and were immediately in love. It's all they've talked about since. It was wonderful practice for them to see what a newborn is like; how small she is, how she cries, how you have to be gentle with her head. They are going to be such great big sisters come September.

After having delivered two babies myself, I knew that hospital visits needed to be kept short and sweet. We stayed for about an hour and then left, promising to return after dinner. We headed over to Downtown Disney. On the way I remarked that it was torture to be so close to Disney World and not go in. With one swift manuever Jamie turned the wheel and we were headed for the Magic Kingdom. My jaw is still on the ground. We got our tickets, rode the monorail in and were at the gates before we knew what hit us!

We talked with the girls about which rides they *really* wanted to do. We got FastPasses for Buzz Lightyear and then went to Toontown. My only requirement at Magic Kingdom is to get a picture with Mickey back at his house in Toontown. It was a bit of a wait, but it was air conditioned so no one complained. I had thrown together sandwiches in the car (remember how we raided the pantry??) so we ate while we waited. After Mickey we rode Buzz Lightyear followed by the Tea Cups. I seriously thought they were going to make me throw up. I couldn't walk a straight line for hours! We rode the Carousel and then rode Dumbo. It was pretty hot so we all sat down for some much-needed ice cream. We rode Snow White and then the girls were dusted with Pixie Dust. I don't think that stuff is ever coming out of their scalps.

We had some time to kill before we could use our FastPasses at Peter Pan and Small World was closed so we wandred back to Toontown. Anastasia and Jamie rode the Barnstormer while Ainsley and I waited in line to meet some of the Princesses. She was SO talkative, until she met them face to face. Then she turned all shy on me. She could barely say her name! After another round on the carousel we took out flight with Peter Pan. We stopped for some pictures at the castle and then did our shopping on the way out of Main Street. We could see a storm approaching, but decided to wait for two monorails to go through so we could ride in the front car. It was, as always, worth the wait. We rode and chatted with the driver all the way back to the parking lot. Right as we exited our tram, the rain began falling in big drops. We scooped up the kids and ran for the van. We slammed the doors with all four of us inside and the bottom dropped out! I've never seen such a downpour. We drove through some of the worst rain I've ever seen to meet Gran and Pop for dinner.

After dinner we got to go visit with Isabelle again. This time the girls got to watch as the nurse weighed her. Anastasia was hovering over her and making sure her hat stayed on and that Ainsley didn't touch the baby's hands. She is such a little Mother Hen. We fell into bed on Sunday night but returned to the hospital bright and early yesterday morning to squeeze in one last visit. We left Orlando about 10 a.m. and made it home a few minutes before 9 last night. It was a terribly long day, but all in all it was a good trip home. Jamie checked and we drove over 1725 miles.....unreal.

It was fun to be around a newborn again and watch Ryann and Scott as they begin their new life as parents. It will be a hard few weeks ahead, but the rewards and benefits of parenthood will eventually sponge those dark nights of screaming and feedings from their minds. One day they will turn around and register Isabelle for Kindergarten and wonder where the years have gone. One day they'll get blood all over their t-shirt as they console her from a scraped knee. One day she will spin them around on the Tea Cups so hard they almost puke. The possibilities are endless. That is the beauty I was able to witness this weekend. Welcome to the world my niece, we're so glad you are here safely and we can't wait to share the years ahead with you.

Lost teeth, mutants, and a pocket full of bricks

Anastasia came home from school yesterday with one less tooth. This is her second baby tooth to finally wiggle its way out of her mouth. It was waiting for me in an envelope on the outside of her cubby. "It bleeded a little bit, but then it stopped," she told me. She was pleased to find the tooth fairy had left a dollar under her pillow this morning. Actually, the dollar bill ended up on the floor under her bed which caused some serious trauma until it was located. She has big plans for the dollar once it combines with several others in her piggy bank. I believe I saw visions of a new Littlest Pet Shop dancing in her head. Ainsley seems unaffected by her sibling's teeth falling out and subsequent increase in riches. Money doesn't mean much to Ainsley. As far as she is concerned, mom and dad provide her with everything she could possibly need.

As a parent you're never quite prepared for those questions your kids ask. I have had to tell the girls how the baby will come out, but fortunately not how it got in! Last night as we went for our walk Anastasia asked, "Mom, what's a mutant?" I stared blankly back at her and said "What?" She repeated the question again, this time more slowly as if talking to a slow child who has trouble grasping simple concepts. I fumbled my way through a definition, but it must have satisfied her because she dropped the issue. A short time later, the mutant talk resumed again as she proceeded to give examples. "So if this t-shirt changed into a tiger, then it would be a mutant." "Yes." "And if a frog turned into a t-rex, then it would be a mutant." "Yes." We went on like this for the entire two-plus mile walk. For the record, I've looked up the true definition; "a new type of organism produced as the result of mutation." I think my definition was much better.

This morning I had another OB check-up. I had the first appointment which is always nice. What wasn't nice is that the toilet decided I was the patient to stop flushing for so I had to inform the nurse they needed a plunger....lovely. I got on the scale and was shocked to find someone must have slipped bricks into my pockets while I wasn't looking. There is no way that number was correct. Oh wait, I had two Krispy Kreme donuts and chocolate chip cookies yesterday, I guess that number is right after all. I gained 30 pounds with Anastasia and 40 with Ainsley. At this rate I will gain more than those two weights combined!! The doctor seemed unconcerned about the weight gain though. I pulled out my list of questions and we went over them one by one. He listened to the heartbeat which sounded great and then I was on my way. Next visit is the dreaded glucose test. I hate drinking that nasty stuff and waiting an hour while watching a video on pre-term labor from the Palezoic Era. Shouldn't a third-time mom be exempt from that torture. Anyway, that's the report from 23 weeks. And to those of you wishing for a belly picture, dream on. Those are being printed out every 4 weeks and placed directly in the baby book.

Let me count the ways

I will openly admit to a love affair with my kids. They amaze me. The astound and confuse me. They frustrate me and make me laugh. But I love them each for different reasons. Sometimes I look at them and it's hard to imagine they come from the same parents. They look as much alike as two kids can look alike and not be twins, but their personalities are so unique and so different it's easy to forget they're related.

I love Anastasia because she is exactly like me, no matter how annoying that may be. She is bossy and impatient. She hates spiders and bees and freaks out when someone doesn't follow the rules. I love her because she comes home with a minimum of 12 sheets of paper every day. 12 sheets that are colored to perfection, but are cluttering up my fridge. I love Anastasia because she snores. I love her because she is kind and compassionate and likes to dip her cookies in milk. I love her because she knows how to bargain and negotiate better than Donald Trump. I love her because she would spend all day watching movies if we let her. I love Anastasia for the way she rides her bike and has bruises all over her knees and shins from playing. I love her because she hates veggies and trying new foods. I love her because she says "paper toilet" instead of "toilet paper." I love Anastasia because she's better than a Post-It note and won't let me forget anything. I love Anastasia for the freckles across the bridge of her nose and the way she flushes when she gets too warm. I love her for everything she will become.

I love Ainsley because she is the kid I always wanted to be. I love her because she eats all the marshmallows out of her bowl of Lucky Charms and always leaves half a glass of milk on the table. I love her because she smells like sweat and sunscreen. I love Ainsley because she takes off her socks at night and hides them under her pillow. I love her because she won't stop sucking her thumb. I love Ainsley because she sneaks dozens of books into her bed long after she should have fallen asleep. I love her because she always eats the fruit on her plate first. I love her because she insists on brushing her teeth first. I love Ainsley because she runs so fast and so hard she is usally missing most of the skin on her knees. I love Ainsley because she is mischievious and forgets to turn off lights and wash her hands. I love her because she wishes every day was Friday so she can participate in show and tell. I love her for climbing in bed with me and proceeding to fall asleep with her arm over my chest. I love Ainsley for never giving up, even when her sister says she's too little. I love her for everything she will become.

Pomp and circumstance

So Anastasia is officially ready for Kindergarten. On Thursday night we went to her school and met her teacher. Then on Friday we had graduation at her preschool. The graduation was so much fun. The kids recited the pledge, sang songs, and showed off their counting prowess. After they got their diplomas, the kids had a pizza party complete with a congratulatory cake. It was a bit chaotic at school because their air conditioner had been hit by lightning and their garbage disposal backed up and spewed stuff all over the kitchen. They need to bleach everything to get rid of the smell, so all the kids had to be evacuated. All in all it was a fun event though!!! Hard to believe her preschool days are coming to a close.

That's how we roll

Last night was our last official night of AYSO soccer for the season. We meet next week, but it's for a pizza party and to pass out the trophies. The weather, for once, was absolutely perfect. Anastasia was excited because she had a larger cheering section than usual last night. My friend Laura came, along with Nana and Granddad. Anna and Chris were kept aprise of the situation with frequent texts and photos from mom. Sadly we were down a player last night so we just had four girls. I warmed them up and in true Ladybug fashion, they complained of how much it was hurting their muscles. I thought after two months of soccer they might be somewhat more limber, but that wasn't the case. We did our typical soccer exercises and I tried to give them more water breaks than usual since it was so warm. 
 
We had been scrimmaging against the same team each Tuesday night, but last night we were pitted against a different team. One where the coach kept telling his players "Defense ladies!" One of my players looked up at me and said "Coach, what's defense?" I told her not to worry about it and keep playing. Motivation wasn't high on my players' lists last night and I really struggled to keep three players in at all times. Anastasia played exceptionally well, if I do say so myself. She scored four goals and had one assist. She was on fire! I've never seen her so motivated or determined to go after the ball. Maybe it was the abscence of the really agressive pixie player on the team we usually face, or maybe she liked having more of a cheering section. Whatever the reason, she did GREAT! We were SO proud of her. 
 
I'm sorry that soccer has come to an end for the season. We were cheated out of a few games because of weather, but it really was a great few weeks. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to coach this time around. It was challenging but I think I learned more than the girls did. It pushed me out of my comfort zone a little and gave me a title I had yet to experience. I am looking forward to handing the girls their trophies next week and congratulating them on a job well done. Hopefully the Tuesday nights we spent together on the soccer field this spring will foster in them a life-long love of activity and fitness. 

Mother's Day bliss

Today has been a wonderful Mother's Day. It began with breakfast prepared by my three very favorite chefs as I snoozed in bed. Then they broke out the awesome cards they had selected and THE gift. It was a new camera, but not just any camera. A Canon Rebel....with two lenses....in short, the best camera ever!! I filled up the memory card by 6pm. After breakfast we went for a nice long walk before church. We ate a quick lunch at home (they took me out last night for a big meal) and then napped! For dinner we took a picnic to the park and spent over an hour playing (and taking pictures). It was a really wonderful day. I feel so blessed. What a great way to celebrate being a mother.

This picture below wasn't taken with my new camera, but I snapped it on Friday afternoon because I feel like it really captures life in a house of girls. It is the sight that greeted me upon walking in the door after work. The picture just says it all!!

Kindergarten here we come!

I took Anastasia for her kindergarten screening this morning. We arrived a little early, but they went ahead and got her started, which is a good thing since it took almost an hour. I had some paperwork to fill out while I waited and sitting in a chair made for a 5 year old for an hour was not a fun way to spend the morning. The sheets they gave me were for background information about Anastasia. Does she like to read, draw, play outside? How much TV does she watch? The last question on the first page was one I had not expected. Is there a child you think should be separated from your child? Hmmm, come to think of it there is. Of all the schools in our county, my most challenging soccer player (and Anastasia's teammate) is attending the same school we are. She's overly agressive, rough, and disrespectful. I wrote her name on the line without hesitating. Does that make me a bad person? I hope not. I just feel it would be best if they weren't in the same classroom. I know there's still a chance they will end up together, but at least I spoke up about it. 
 
As I waited I sized up the other kids and their parents. There were kids of all types; the clingy ones who cried when they had to leave to room to be screened, the timid ones who wouldn't speak at all, the rambunctious ones who were knocking books off the shelves and scattering puzzle pieces all over the floor, and the confident ones who took off without so much as a glance over their shoulder. The classroom they had us waiting in was nice. There were ample computers and visual aids. The cubbies were outside in the hall, which kept them from taking up valuable classroom space. I read the posters on the walls where this year's kindergarteners had told their teacher their favorite color and their summer vacation spot. 

After the screening portion was finished, Anastasia bounded back into the room bubbling over with excitement. She had gotten a stamp on her hand and several stickers for a job well done. We waited a few more minutes and then got to sit down with one of the school's counselors. He went over the results of Anastasia's screening and couldn't contain his enthusiasm. Maybe he just hadn't seen many great scores so far. Or maybe she's just really bright. Either way, her score looked great. She nailed the counting and number portion as well as the letter recognition and name-writing portion. She even drew a diamond, which the counselor told me most kids could barely identify, let alone draw. He gave Anastasia a pencil that says "Kindergartners are #1" and declared her "more than ready" to start in August. We go back next week to meet her teacher and see her classroom for the first time.

 

As I drove to take her to daycare I was feeling pretty smug and confident as a parent. We have done a good job preparing her for this next step in her education. All our reading and practiving has given her a love of learning and she's going to thrive in kindergarten. Sign me up for mom of the year, I thought to myself. Not so fast. As we drove down the road Anastasia piped up and said, "Hey mom, that's were you got pulled over yesterday, remember?" Yeah, I remember. Thanks for bringing me back down to earth kid.

It all started with a box cutter

Yesterday I had a meeting up at the hospital and on my way back to the office I ran over a box cutter. I didn't know anything was wrong until I pulled back into the parking lot at the office and heard a loud hissing noise. When I put my hand next to the tire I could feel the air gushing out. I called AAA and about 8 minutes later the tow truck was in our driveway. I was still in the middle of moving strollers and Princess sleeping bags from the back so he could get to the spare. 
 
He pulled the broken tire off and declared it was able to be repaired despite the ever increasing hissing noise of air escaping. The spare he took from the back of the van was sketchy at best. I swear the tires on Anastasia's bike are bigger! I headed over to Midas and dropped off the offending tire for repair. 

This morning it had started to rain right as the girls and I left for the day. I was driving about 12 miles per hour because I was worried about the rain and the aforementioned sketchy tire. I was approaching an intersection as the light began to change. In order to stop in time I would've had to slam on my brakes which, as my owner's manual indicated, was a BAD idea on a flimsy spare tire (not to mention the rain). Of course that was the exact moment a police car drove by. He pulled me over on the side of the road and I fished out my license and registration. The office stated my offense and I told him about the gimpy tire. He glanced at the spare and seemed unimpressed. He went back to his car to write the ticket. 
 
Meanwhile Ainsley is going "red and blue, red and blue, red and blue, red and blue" as the lights from the cruiser bounced around the inside of the van. I accepted my ticket and then rolled up my window. That's when the tears began. I've got some extra work stress going on today that was really weighing heavily on me so the flat tire and the ticket just sent me over the edge. I got out my Kleenex and tried to dab my eyes. The quote of the day came from my eldest daughter. "It's okay mom, just don't tell your work friends about it. Don't be crying though or they will ask what's wrong." Leave it to her to put me in my place. 

It's just been one of those days. Hopefully tomorrow the sun will come out and I can forget my terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day.