Old Glory Days 2011

We woke up early last Saturday and packed up the car with kiddos, the red wagon and a cooler of treats to munch while we watched the Old Glory Days Grand Parade in Clinton. It was fun, but it was hot. We decorated the wagon with sparkles and found a little spot in a breeze way by the drug store. The carnival rides sat across the square from us shining in the sun waiting to spin and make kids scream and giggle. There were people all around, but none I recognized. I guess I have been away from Clinton long enough to be a stranger there. It still feels like home, though. I do love the square and the festive, small town charm. The Fourth of July is perfect spent in a small town, lighting fireworks off near corn fields with a giant, open blue sky. There are lightning bugs and the smell of grass fields and smoke bombs....and chiggers.

There are always chiggers. While we were at the parade, Derek ran back to the car to get my sunglasses and some cash for a funnel cake. He said he saw a freaky guy with a pit bull on a chain. I have this issue with people who bring their dogs to events with children. Jack is pretty scared of dogs. I have issues with kids around pit bulls that I don't know. And, then he walked up with his dog and stood right next to us. Every time candy was thrown the dog would start blowing foam out of his lips and the chain would tighten around his neck and he would lunge to get it...and I couldn't take it. We found a break in the parade and crossed the street to make our way back to my parent's store. By the courthouse there was so much shade and a good view that we decided to stop and watch some more. Two minutes later, the pit bull and his family were standing right next to us again. Can you believe it? They all lit up cigarettes just to add insult to injury. What are you gonna do? We just loaded up the wagon and moved on. It was still fun and kicked off our holiday weekend perfectly.

Derek, Greta and Jack on parade watch....along with a granny holding her bottle of xxx.

A Fourth of July Clown rolled by...

Wheelies always add excitement...

Circus wagon...where's the lion?

The kids really enjoyed the day. We got snow cones on our way out of town to make it official.

Hello July!

This month is absolutely like a firecracker...I say it is blazing hot, way too much fun and over too fast. The summer is in full swing. We live it up. We love it all. We have been making great memories around the house by starting our days at sun up. Jack wakes at 6:01 every single morning without fail. Greta is soon to follow and Derek takes the birds downstairs for a little wake up time. I stay in bed and listen. I hear funny conversations and cereal bowls being played with spoons. I hear numerous attempts by Jack to climb the stairs in stealth to wake me, and Derek catches him...usually. When he doesn't, I play asleep and try not to laugh as he gallops in and whispers in baby boy whisper right in my face, centimeters away from my eyes. "Open dem up and play, Mamma. It mornin time now." It makes me smile, glad I am a morning person.

We love our backyard and sandbox. Greta and Jack love the wet sand and make me cookies. Greta always sniffs the lilies and denies it, but there is always yellow dust on her nose. It is her fairy garden, wild and un kept, but perfect for a vivid imagination. Jack always tries to get the hose out to fill the pool - the boy loves to live it up. He is busy and quick to find entertainment. Little does he know that he is the entertainment.

Jack wears his underwear backwards with the picture on the front. He likes his shoes on the wrong feet better, and he narrates. He doesn't stop the flow of thought from his lips, that boy tells it all. It is a constant stream of fact and knowledge and then a thoughtful recap if you gave him no response. And, the best part about it is that Jack, new to language, sounds like Buckwheat from the Little Rascals. Never a dull moment.

May July stay a while.

About a Boy

I know it seems like most of the things I write about are of Greta and her new adventures like school and dance and play dates and all that good stuff. And, Jack just tags along and plays along. I hope I have mentioned how good he always is while Greta is in her dance class and we wait in the lobby of the studio. Well, he is so good. He sits on my lap and works over a box of raisins or he plays quietly with the ipad on my lap. He is polite and patient and I always thank him, but I rarely write about it.

We had a day just for Jack. We took him to meet and ride Thomas the Train - Jack's personal favorite. This boy was so so excited. He beamed and craned his neck when we got to Baldwin City and he heard the whistle. He saw steam in the air and squealed. We walked through the grounds, saw all kinds of mini train sets in tents, ducked into a tent to watch a Thomas movie while a rain shower passed overhead. We met Sir Topham Hat and we rode Thomas! And, a little two and a half year old said, "Nank you Dah-dee. Nank you."

Ordinary Morning

Cast Off!

BEFORE
AFTER

It was finally time to get the cast off! Greta was brave even though it hurt a little and was loud. She had some bruising and swollen fingers, but was so happy to see her arm again! She is starting to use it again for eating and drawing, and giving thumbs up.

Bug Cuts a Rug

There are moments you know you are never going to forget in your life. There are moments you want to replay over again and when you do in your mind, they are so great you still get chills and tears. There are good moments and bad. Well, we had a good moment last weekend. Greta had her very first dance recital with The Pulse Performing Arts Center. She was a tap dancing ladybug. She brought down the house with her cuteness and four year old finesse. And I started crying before I even saw her little wings appear on the stage. My mom was sitting on one side of me and Derek was on the other with Jack in his lap. I sat by my mother and for the very first time I knew how she felt so many times before waiting for me to go on stage, watching me in the lights, hearing my voice and clapping so hard at the end, no matter what, that her hands had heartbeats themselves.

Oh, I was so nervous for Greta and so excited for her. I hoped she wouldn't be scared. I hoped she would love it and feel good about all of her hard work (well, hardly) this year....all of that skipping around the room and toe pointing. I asked her the week before, "Do you know the dance?" "Nope." I was so excited to see what would happen. And, my mom, knowing what a big thing this was, was right there with us for both shows.

The show itself blew me away. The Pulse is owned by a dancer named Curtis and his partner, Brandon. Curtis and 3 other teachers choreograph an entire show, while Brandon writes, lights, scores and creates a program for this show. The work was amazing and more professional than I ever imagined! The costumes were gorgeous and so elegant, classy and well, as a mom I have to say it, age appropriate. Greta was a part of something big and we are so proud of her. The Wishes was the name of the show, and it was very fitting for this certain mamma and her ladybug.

Honorable mention goes to Jack, the two and a half year old thrill seeker that sat through not only one 2 and a half hour show, but two, with minimal fidgeting. I don't even think many 35 year olds can do this. Here's to Jack!

Whirl Wind

Now more than a week away, Greta's last day of school will be remembered by me possibly more than her first. I waited to write about it because even aside from the emotions I feel as her mom watching her grow up so fast and so strong, and the last day of preschool is yet another milestone to be thankful for and celebrate, this day was mixed with events that were a first for me. And, thank goodness for happy endings.

Greta's first year of preschool was thrilling to her. She adored her teachers, Mrs. Cowden and Mrs. Townsend. She was in a really great class that I hope to see next fall when we return. And, Jack and I missed Greta while she was with them all, but Jack and I also cherished our time together...just us. We always had something to do, and usually the time passed quickly and we were dashing back to the school to pick up sister. Jack and I would get groceries and fill up our pantry and refrigerator. We would run to Target and bounce giant balls down the aisles to each other, pick out suprise toys for sister (and I would sneak one for Jack). We would play hide and seek in the clothing racks (that do roll, by the way, Jack - that is a dead give away, that rack of clothes rolling away.) We spent time eating cake pops and reading books at Starbucks and this special last morning together, we went to Foo's Frozen Custard to buy Elbow Chocolates and sugar cookies.

As 11:30 drew near it was pouring rain and Jack heard "tooondar". I hung a banner and set up the after school surprise and thought we would go ahead and drive to the school to wait for a break in the downpour so we could run inside. It was torrential. Pulling into the parking lot, I thought I heard a siren, but surely not. The sky was just grey and didn't look sinister. We sat a minute. I swore it was a siren I could still hear, and I rolled down the window and drenched my shoulder. It was a siren!

Faster than I ever had before, I unbuckled Jack from his carseat and bolted for the church where about 10 nervous looking adults let me in and told me to go downstairs to the basement. We were so wet were were dripping and my shoes were ruined. The preschoolers were all sitting in lines down the basement hallways and they were calm and listening to their teachers read books and play nursery songs on little radios. But while keeping cool I saw them lock eyes with me questioning what I knew, which was nothing at all. I had no idea tornados were dropping out of the sky all around us. At that point, Derek called me to tell me they were taking cover at the downtown airport. He had no idea we were ahead of him. Jack found Greta and sat by her and I watched her wipe the rain from his forehead and hair. She kissed his cheeks and held his hand. She put him against the wall in her safe spot. We were downstairs nearly an hour when I took one of the little ones to the bathroom.

Right by the bathroom, the school superintendent was listening to a weather radio. She wore a grave expression. Down where we were it was hard to know what was going on above us. The little kids were chattering and you couldn't hear anything other than that. But passing by the radio I heard them say 87th and Nall. We were at 95th and Nall. I ran the little girl back to our wall and all the kids were told to curl up into the ball and cover their heads. I can not tell you how surreal this was. We were all singing ABC's to them and keeping them calm and I was terrified inside. I covered as many as I could with my arms and whispered sweet things to them and rubbed their backs. We were like this for about 20 minutes and then were told we were safe. I can not mention enough how thankful I was to be with my two babies during this. I can not imagine the terror a parent feels not being near their littles when danger might be close. I was so relieved and kept thanking God for putting me in that basement with them.

We stayed a little longer and drew a picture in the classroom and then went up to our car. I was so afraid I would walk up to storm damage and after seeing the destruction in Joplin Missouri, I was almost sick about it. There were nasty clouds but no damage at all. I could still hear sirens so we sped home. Of course our cable was out so I called my mom (as always when in need, moms unite). She was scared, too. She told me there was a touch down at 435 and State Line, 137 and Metcalf, and 157 and Roe and 87th and Nall. I kept the kids in the basement and watched the skies. We were all safe and sound. And, we are so thankful. What a way to end the year. At least I know all the preschool songs now to sing with Greta and Jack, and I can do it just like Mrs. Cowden after this crash course!