Mae Monday

Two Fridays ago we were at a friend's house for happy hour. There were lots of kids and adults having a good time but Mae was not so much. As usual she was able to articulate her sadness and frustration  unlike anything I have heard.

Mae (crying): I just want to go home. I just want to go home. 
Me: Let's sit over here and try to calm down. Your brother is having so much fun, I am not sure he is ready to go home. 
Mae: I just want to go home so I can boss myself around!!! 
Me: (Laughing)

Back story: Will, her cousin, wasn't being so nice at the party to her so she wanted to go home to get away from him. In the end it all worked out and we ended up staying for quite awhile and Mae left happy. 

Planes and Fountains

Today, I took Whitaker and Jolene down to the National Mall to see the WWII planes that were scheduled to fly past the Lincoln Memorial and down the mall. Although it was a little underwhelming for all of us. Silly me I thought the planes would fly right down the center of the mall and be low-ish to the ground. They weren't, which meant it was kinda lame for them, especially Jolene who didn't even register it. Whitaker was more into taking pictures of them. We turned it around by playing in a fountain on the walk home where the kids were drenched in water from head to toe. One came home in no pants and one came home in no shirt. And what kid doesn't like a little fountain play on an 80 degree day?!? Definitely my kids and Jolene. 

 Regardless of the planes being a bust it was so awesome getting a chance to take Jolene out with Whitaker and I on a little adventure. She is also the easiest baby I have EVER been with and I am not saying this just because she is my niece. For the whole two plus sweaty hours, she never cried or moaned annoyance. And look at those sweet, sweet cheeks and those baby rolls, there is nothing to not love.

Whitaker more interested in taking photos. Here he is using my phone. 

"Oh am I supposed to look up?" 

Much more interested in walking around the stroller. 

Then I gave Whitaker the real camera to take pictures because he insisted on having it and here are  few of his snaps. Not bad, not bad! 

Photos of me. I walked a little under 3 miles, the furthest I have gone in 12 weeks. I am so out of shape, I was a hot sweaty mess. 

I told him to take a picture of the guy on the cool bike. 

I now have a bazillion photos like this but he did a good job getting them all. 

Checking out Whitaker playing in the fountain. 

Of course, I have to be a cool aunt so I let her out. 

 

Soaked. 

And now crawling in the water. 

Whitaker decided to pretend the water was snowballs. 

Throwing it. 

Soccer

Both kids are playing soccer this Spring. Whitaker played a year or so ago and it was a disaster for me trying to keep him interested in the practice or even on the indoor soccer field. In fact, after that experience I didn't sign him up for any classes for quite awhile. It is truly remarkable how much a year can change things around. He is into it, loves to listen, and genuinely seems to enjoy the hustle of it all. He is doing it alongside John and his buddy Lawson who coincidentally also took the class over a year ago with us. They have all become quite the little soccer studs and it is fun to see how much they all have grown. Here are photos from practice on Tuesday. (Note: I haven't brought my camera to Mae's practice which is at a different time and date so I have no photos of her). 

Lawson [buddy], John [buddy and cousin], and Whitaker. 

Three little soccer players off to start practice. 

A hot, sweaty mess after running around for an hour in 80 degree weather. 

Mae [Milestone] Monday

Today Mae learned to ride a bike!!! I really wish I had a video to post to show you but alas my memory on my phone is full and I can't capture any new memories until I move the old ones to our hard drive.

Back story, yesterday I got a bee in my bonnet that the kids needed to learn to ride bikes. Mae is 5 and going into kindergarten and I felt it is high time that we get on it. At around 1 pm, I motivated everyone out to try it. Mae was semi-interested but not very committed and she kept complaining of being hot. Whitaker had no interest and gave up after 2 minutes of trying. After feeling a little (or a lot) frustrated with the kids unwillingness to learn, I gave up. However, I committed to myself that every evening we would go outside and practice bike riding. I figured if we did this every day for a week even for just a little bit, she was bound to have some success. I was also figuring that her level of determination to "getting it" was going to be the same as yesterday so that it would take us quite awhile. But nope!! She was so committed that she tried and tried and tried for almost 2 hours off and on. After me working with her then Pearson came home and he worked with her. And right when we were about to go in for the night, she got it!

I was a proud mom tonight. Pearson told me I looked like a lunatic screaming for her. Trust me, I know that bike riding is a skill that all kids pretty much learn but it was pretty darn amazing watch her do it. 

Whitaker Wednesday

Just like that, Whitaker knows how to swing! We actually went to two playgrounds today where I pushed him on the swing. However, after a few minutes of pushing he explicitly told me to stop so he could attempt to keep it going on his own. He had no such luck. Until…..we got home from swimming and he joined Mae who was swinging and just as quick as I can snap my fingers he was swinging!!! 

I know this is probably not very young but since Mae didn't learn to swing till 5, it seems young considering he is still only 3. I just wish they would both stop growing up so darn fast! 

And in case you wondered if he could do it at "jump" -- he can. Mae insisted there be no cheating when learning how to swing.  

Mae Monday

This morning before heading out to take the kids to school, I was finishing making curried chicken salad.

Mae: EWWW, what is that smell? 
Me: It is curried chicken salad for your father and I for lunches. 
Mae: That smells worse then a zombie's gym bag. 

Car Chat

I might not miss the drive but I am sure going to miss turning around and looking at her. 

We are in the car A LOT! If I haven't written already Mae and Whitaker go to two different preschools. Whitaker's school is close but Mae's school on a good day is 20 minutes away. I am not complaining because I really do love the preschool we send her to but I am over the drive. I also feel that the car doesn't always bring out the best in my kids. There are many days that they are screaming for a certain song or verbally fighting about one thing or another or they are demanding something from me. Then there are the times that we all sing along to a song or that they are quiet. OR the kids have a conversation between each other. Those times I try to just sit back and listen to their cute voices talk about things. Yesterday after going to the playground we had a 20 minute drive home and the kids were in high spirits and started chatting about historical figures. All of a sudden I hear.

Mae: I bet you George Washington knew Jesus. George Washington and Jesus were both special so I bet you they knew each other. And they probably knew Abraham Lincoln. 

I am going to rejoice the day that I don't have to make the drive to Mae's school everyday but I will definitely miss these special moments. Especially since Mae has ALREADY told me that she is going to walk to school with the neighborhood kids WITHOUT me. That conversation went like this.

Mae: I am going to walk with James and John to school next year. 
Me: Well James isn't going to school there. 
Mae: Well then I am going to walk with John. 
Me: Mae if I don't walk with you then I don't really have a job. My job is to walk you to school and I want to do. 
Mae: Ok Mom. I will let you walk me the first day to school then after that I will walk with the neighbors. 
Me: Sigh. [With happiness that she has such confidence and independence for kindergarten next year.]