Project 52 {24}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your ability to be self-sufficient

 f/1.8 1/160 ISO-320

So a few weeks ago I read this article, which for all it's tongue-in-cheekness (What?  That's totally a word!), really resonated with me.  It's not that we intentionally practice "Detachment Parenting", but we try our best to raise our kids to not need us, because someday, God willing, they'll go out into the word where we won't be right by their side to feed them, wipe their noses, put them to sleep.  I need them to know how to do these things on their own.  My favorite part of this article (aside from mentioning "Locking the door and getting it on") was where it mentioned keeping the kids busy for hours with just the use of Legos and gum.  If you had looked in my purse right at that exact moment those would be two of the million things in there, you may have had to dig past about a hundred reciepts (why are we still handing these out for a pack of said gum?!) but you'd have found them in there.  

This week was a big step forward in self sufficiency.  Aside from Kale spending hours on the (air-conditioned) floor in the family room playing, building, creating, exploring a future career as and engineer, with Legos, Haley learned to tie her shoes.  And her brother's shoes.  Let me say that one more time:  SHE CAN TIE THE SHOES OF EVERYONE IN THIS HOUSE!!  Do you know what this means in terms of our ability to get out the door in a timely fashion?  It's means I've cut about 10 minutes off of my already precision honed get out the door strategy.  That's 10 more minutes of hanging out in bed (or actually making it somewhere on time)!  I know.  Huge.

All kidding aside, I love my kids, I like being able to do things for them, but I find it a personal triumph when they no longer need me to do it for them.  Like when they could sooth themselves back to sleep at night, when they could feed themselves with a spoon and fork, when they could walk, you get the idea.  It's my job to teach them to function as members of society, to look to and within themselves for the solution to problems.  Is it working?  Who know, but at least when I someday have to release them from the warmth and safety of my arms and our home, we'll all have the confidence that they can do this.  Just call me once in while and let me know how you're doing mkay?

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {23}

My favorite thing about you:

You practice 'till you get it perfect.

f/2.8 1/4000 ISO-100

I think you've spent more time this week cartwheeling than you have walking.  Your (well trained in gymnastics) BFF can do it, so naturally, you can too.  It's your favorite thing to do (for the current 5 seconds anyway).  You were a little lackluster at the beginning of the week and more often than not, fell on your hip (you've got the bruises to prove it), but you set your mind to it and now you've got it down.  You're even working on fancy landings now.   

Remember this.  Not everything in life will come naturally to you, that doesn't mean it's out of reach.  And if it does come naturally to you, a bit of practice will keep your skills honed and help you to reach even higher.  The saying goes that there's always room for improvement, well improvement doesn't come without some practice and perseverance.  We have high expectations in this house, expectations that we know you can achieve, but not without some trials wherein you can grow, learn where you need improvement and practice till you get it perfect.  

It should be noted that I never did much tumbling growing up; the first time I tried, I hyper extended my knee and decided to stick with swimming - smart choice on my part.  Cartwheeling for me is much like hurling my head at the ground for no reason from the height of more than five and a half feet.  Why?  Why would I do that?  But I remember being a kid and loving it (and hula hooping, which for some reason, is not like riding a bike - who would have thunk?)  Haley loves it all.  But there's not much I can help her with in this arena.  We had friends over last weekend for my birthday and after watching her cartwheel around for a bit, her BFF's mom noticed that she was leading off on the wrong side.  Um... Cartwheels are sided?  Mommy fail on my part.  Dang it.  But once she figured that out?  Done.  She nailed it, and she's been doing it ever since.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {22}

My favorite thing about you:

You know how to have a good time.

f/1.8 1/800 ISO 3200

(literally just grabbed my camera - strange settings)

I'm not sure at what age you quit trying to have fun in every situation, but 5 is definitely not that age.  Bath time?  Yup, fun to be had.  Oh!  You bought a fizz to turn the bath green and add bubbles?  I'm going to need that.  Getting out of the bath?  Yeah, it'd be so much fun to put on the hotel bath robe. While I'm at it, why not get up on the big bed and be silly?  Every situation has an opportunity for fun to be had, especially if that situation is a hotel room.  

This past three day weekend we headed up to Boulder (Broomfield, really) and hung out mostly for Jeff to run the Bolder Boulder 10k, but also because we all needed a little mini vacay.  It was great to not worry about the house being in perfect order, because we left it that way.  We got to be a little messy and leave the Legos out, and make a mess of the million American Girl outfits we packed (in anticipation of picking up a new member of the family: McKenna... O. M. G. the fun with her...).It was needed.  Did I say that?  We all needed a bit of adventure and finding the fun in every situation.  A great escape from our everyday, which can be a little stressful lately.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {21}

My favorite thing about you:

How proud you make us

This week you both finished preschool. This is pretty monumental in your short, but amazing lives...  

Haley, you finished your last year of preschool, and to say that you loved it wouldn't even come close to how you feel about school.  Your enthusiasm for learning is one of my favorite things about you.  At just 5 years old, I know you're going to love learning for your entire lifetime.  You absorb every piece of information you can get your hands on and store it away for when you can shock me with your knowledge later.  If I had a dollar for every time I've asked you "where did you learn that?!"  On the one hand I'm sad that you're no longer a preschooler, I'm beyond excited for what the future holds for you - Kindergarten!! If it wouldn't be entirely inappropriate, I would put HUGE expletives in front of that, because that's how excited you're going to be when you figure out that you get to go to school every. single. day.  Your hard work and determination to learn makes your dad and I so proud.  Often, we go to bed at night talking about you guys and marvel at the things you've told us, what you've learned, things you've done.  

Kale, you finished your first of three years of preschool.  Dad and I debated back and forth about whether to put you in this year or just wait and let you have two years like your sister.  But I'm so thankful you got this first year under your (very favorite baseball) belt.  You've learned to write your name, and a whole lot about the social expectations of school.  You're pretty great at sitting on your shape and listening to the teacher during circle time, and you never give a hard time when you have to stop playing blocks or cars to do the art activities.  You're a pretty laid back guy in class and are happy to roll with the routine.  Then there's gym.  If you tell me anything about your day at school it will be whether you went to gym or not and what you did there.  Never what book the teacher read you.  We're proud that you're figuring things out, and that you're a class leader.  The other kids in class love to follow you and see what you're up to, you do the coolest things.  You've made new friends of your own and play pretty well with them (most of the time, but hey, you're three!).  I'm so excited to watch you continue to grow in school and see how far you come by the time you're done with preschool. 

As much as I'd we'd like to take full responsibility for their achievements, I feel that I need to be especially thankful to their school, Holy Apostles Preschool.  Of all the things I'll miss most when we move, this school is the one thing I really wish we could pack up and take with us.  Over the two years we've been a Holy Apostles family, we've been lucky enough to have teachers that are exactly right for our kids and what they most need.  I'm especially grateful to Haley's teachers this year, I'm confident that next year in Kindergarten Haley will excel based completely upon the expectations that were set forth this year.  Their skilled preparation will absolutely benefit her and allow her to continue to be academically successful.  As a mother, I don't think I could ask for more.  I'm going to miss the school (almost) as much as the kids!

We are so beyond proud that both kids had such successful school years.  They're good kids and they really seem to excel in an educational environment.  Nothing makes this teacher over qualified room mother happier.  To celebrate (and because Jeff is also on a one week break from his Master's classes), we're off to Bolder for the weekend so that Jeff can run a race.  We'll be making a stop at the Lego Store for Kale and the American Girl Store for Haley.  We feel that hard work deserves a reward.

And as an idea of how far they've come since the beginning of the school year:

My Goodness!!  Slow down!!

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {20}

My favorite thing about you:

How much you crack me up!

Oh, lots of stuff... 

Yeah, seriously?  My kids are hilarious!  When they're not driving me nuts, they're cracking me up.  The things that come out of their mouths, the way they react to things... they're funny.  

Last night we were riding in the car and Kale has truly figured out every last one of Haley's buttons to push, and he was pushing each one with such adept little brother-ness over her it was all Jeff and I could do to keep a straight face.  I wish I could tell you exactly what the words were coming out of his mouth, but you kind of had to be there.  Suffice, it was awesome to witness.  His favorite one recently is "I AM?!"  you could tell him he was going to the moon or just that he's great and that's his reaction coupled with one of the faces above.  Or, we get "HU-WHAT?!" as his incredulous response, also with a face above, chosen at his discretion.  They're just fun (most days) and if you can't use your kids as portable entertainment, then why have them?!  

We took all of these pictures in a matter of maybe 3 minutes (since that's how long a session lasts with them these days).  And I even edited a bunch out.  I've been thinking that I need to cut back on my shooting, maybe not hold the shutter quite as long, but these faces, all of them, totally negate that idea.  I would have missed out on so much. Also, yes I realized there's a duplicate above (JEFF!), but I was editing at 12:00 at night.  I just can't think clearly.  My bad.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {19}

My Favorite thing about you:

Your need for exploration.

f/2.8 1/4000 ISO-100

You love to be an explorer, we've equipped you with much independence and a (very) healthy sense of curiosity.  Or at least I like to believe it's us, though it's probably more a combination of your age and the fact that you're a boy.  It's hard not to compare you to your sister, but at her age, and still, her hovering radius was and is, much smaller, she likes to be close.  Yours is HUGE.  Like, give-me-a-heart-attack-if-I-turn-for-one-second, huge.  Wide open spaces and holding your hand are my BFFs right now.  Crowds and parking lots are not (especially because you listen like a 3 year old <>).    

This day we took a exploratory trip to the park (to get mail).  Your sister convinced you You needed to have your backpack, a ruler and a yard stick.  Now, I'd like to tell you that I'd planned an educational experience where we measured things, and made observations, learned things, but in reality (if that's what you want to call it), they were your swords to fend off the bad guys.  You know the boundaries at the park, yet push them every chance you get.  You go down the hill, just out of my line of sight, you try to go in front of the mail boxes, and off to each far corner.  You know there's a climbing toy there right?  Just checking.

Kale loves to figure things out.  I get it, again, it's like I'm raising him or something, he's like me.  It won't be learned or absorbed if we don't do/find/observe/figure it out ourselves.  We question things.  A lot.  Right now he's exploring his world in a very physical sense.  It's a very age appropriate thing.  That doesn't make it easy.  Why can't they wait till they're like 25 and can at least fend for themselves before they go out and start pushing the limits of my safety bubble?  What?  It might drive me bonkers to have a 20 year old all up in my business?  All.  The.  Time.  Fine.  Fifteen.  I'm sure he'll be ready by then.  For now, I'm stretching myself to give him the (safe) room to explore his little world.  Before I know it, it'll be a great big world for him, and I hope he keeps exploring it.  I also hope he drags his mom with every once in a while.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {18}

My favorite thing about you:

Is that you're a girl.

f/1.8 1/250 ISO-200

When we first found out we were having a girl, the first thing I asked the ultrasound tech was "Like what percentage are you talking?"  I was certain that I was pregnant with a boy.  He told me "Like 97%."  "Okay."  I was over the moon excited.  I can be a girly girl - I love getting my hair done, my nails, shopping, all things chalked into the "girl" category.

But I love how Haley is a girl.  She's a running, swimming, tumbling, artistic, holds nothing back against her brother, dress loving, girl.  She's defining how she wants to be a girl, and some days that means making a mess in the sand in the back yard and other days it means going to the nail salon for mani/pedi's.  I'll admit that when I found out I was having a girl, I was excited about doing those things with her, picking out prom dresses, and planning a wedding someday.  But my job as the mom of a girl is to show her how to be strong, healthy, intelligent, able, and sure of herself.  The same things I'm responsible for with my son.  

Yes, the blog has been a little girl heavy lately, but that's just because she's the one more willing to sit still for the camera.  It ebbs and flows around here.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.