Growing up…

I can’t believe I’m typing this, but my little guy is finally going to preschool! I am so excited for him and for the new adventure that he is taking on. For a while there, it kinda felt like this day would never come because E has always been exceptionally smart and intellectual for his age. I mean, he knew and could say all his letters by the age of 2, could read simple words by 2 1/2, and started reading for real by about 3. Now, that’s not to say that I’m some amazing teacher or anything. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It’s more like his brain just *clicks* with letters and words and sentences the way that some kids’ brains just *click* with trains or imaginative play or creativity. He’s always just loved that type of thing – puzzles, reading, etc.

To say that I’m proud of him is one of the biggest understatements ever. I am so thrilled that he takes after his dad in the brains department. And I’m constantly amazed at the things that he says, the way that his brain soaks up information and retains it days or sometimes weeks later, the way that he can read us books at bedtime instead of the other way around. I am so proud of him. I try not to outwardly show this in public, though, for fear of looking like I’m bragging. So I don’t say much about it, and when people ask me how we did it I just smile and say he was born with it. But let me tell you, at home, I let him know how proud I am and how special he is. He deserves to know that I know that.

But I digress…

What I’ve been trying to say is that this day, this first day of preschool, has been a long time coming. And we were ready! We had a scavenger hunt last night to gather all of his ‘essentials’ and this morning he just couldn’t wait to put his backpack on and head out the door!

(And yes, Jed, that shirt is for YOU!) Thanks for the recommendation. As you can tell, he loves it. Almost as much as me and the hubby. :)

Once we got to school, he was too cool to even look at me. Geez, it starts!

Obviously excited to have his picture taken with his teacher…more like he just wanted to get home so he could do his homework! I hope his enthusiasm stays that strong in the coming years…

I’m excited for this new chapter in our lives, for him to learn a little more discipline, to get to interact with other kids on a more regular basis, and for him to learn about existing out in the ‘real world’ (or as close as preschool is to it).

And I didn’t even shed a tear.

Okay, maybe my eyes watered a little.

He’s growing up.

Face your fears!

Yesterday was a really fun day. The hubby had the day off work (thank you 4-day weekend!!) and so his sister decided to come play with us for the day. We went up to Big Bear and did the Alpine slide they have there.

Now, let me fill you in on a little backstory here. When E was about 2, he was a daredevil. He loved going to Legoland and would ride all the roller coasters with me, no problem. He’d go up in the rising helicopters and ride the dinosaur roller coaster when others were afraid. This kid was fearless.

Fast forward 6 months to our visit to Utah for a family wedding. We went to Park City to go on the Alpine slide and E was a little nervous. I assured him it would be lots of fun and that we’d go slow. (I think he was more scared of the ski lift than the actual slide.) So we went up the chair lift, with him scared the whole time, but okay. Then we went on the slide, and he cried just about the entire time down the mountain. I even went slow! But he just wasn’t loving it and I was kind of sad for him.

So what does a good mom do? She makes him go again, of course! Face your fears, I always say.

Well, I think that did him in. He screamed the whole way down, and when we went home to California, he no longer wanted anything to do with amusement park rides, carousels, even those dumb 25-cent horsey rides outside the grocery store!

So yes, I completely traumatized my 2-year-old. Bad mom.

So yesterday, when we went to Big Bear to try this again, he wasn’t excited. He asked us before we got there, “How big is it?” And of course we told him, “It’s really small!”

Bad mom.

Then we got there and he saw how big it was. He didn’t want to do it. Aunt Janae and I went down first to show him how fun it would be. He didn’t want to do it. We promised him he could have some candy if he went down. He didn’t want to do it. I told him I’d hold him the whole time and go really slow and he’d be completely safe with me. He didn’t want to do it.

So we pulled out the big guns. We told him we’d get him a Pillow Pet if he went down. I tell you what, he really thought about it that time! But he still didn’t want to do it.

This is him holding on for dear life to the pole by the entrance. He really didn’t want to go.

So what does a good mom do? She makes him go, crying on the way to the chair lift. Face your fears, I always say.

And what happened this time? Half-way up the mountain, he turns to me (while holding on desperately to my shirt) and says, “Hey Mom, this is really fun!” And I say, “Of course it is, I told you it would be.”

 

So we went down the mountain and the first thing he said when we got to the end was, “Mom! I did it!”

Good mom? :)

If only he would have been able to convey his excitement in this family photo. But alas, he and W both hate my camera, no matter how infrequently it appears these days. :)

There’s nothing cooler than new life.

My oldest, dearest friend Summer had her very own baby girl last week! Little Lily Claire. I was so excited for Summer to finally be done with her pregnancy (although not as excited as she was, I’m sure) and to be able to have her little girl in her arms. Luckily, my sister- and mother-in-law watched my boys for me so that I could go visit her in the hospital. She ended up doing a C-Section, which happened to be a great decision since her little lady clocked in at 9 lbs, 6 oz! That’s a big baby (especially for your first)! But she’s definitely captured the hearts and attention of everyone who sees her.

Here are some adorable photos to munch on:

Seriously, she’s just adorable! She looks a lot like her dad, but I can still see Summer in there too. I just loved how Summer’s mom had dressed her up in her entire outfit, complete with shoes and hat. And you should have seen her going-home outfit, she had sparkly silver shoes with the cutest little ensemble.

Summer’s in for a lot girly, frilly things. I can’t say I’m not a tad bit envious, but I’m completely okay with not having to give up my sleep for a newborn right now! :)

 

Congratulations, Summer and Ian, you two are lucky parents indeed.