Thursday, August 23, 2012

Kinleigh is one!

It's been a whole year since our little girl first entered the world. The sweetness of that memory will always be with me. How she just gave me a run for my money during the pregnancy, and how she couldn't wait to see us...only taking two pushes before she was with us!
This year has been one o the hardest and happiest years of my life. Having two kids under two was definitely challenging at times, but I couldn't have asked for better kids. They are such troupers! I'm learning this mom thing every day, and they are learning with me. Kinleigh is such an amazing spirit. She is such a girlie girl, loving her pretty dresses and hairbows...yet she can get tough with her big brother. She's just an easy girl, loves to shop, loves to smile. Looking back I think Kinleigh has colic as a baby, because one day something clicked, the crying stopped and our beautiful baby girls personality just popped out.
We had the house decorated in tulle and everything pink! We had signs in the front yard, a bow on the mailbox and a homemade banner on the fireplace. Kinleigh was dressed in a onesie...it had a cupcake on it with a single candle and her name. She was supposed to wear the most darling tutu, but it was a tad too big. We had it on her and she just loved it. I'll never forget how she touched it and giggled while everyone took her picture. She just loved to be the center of attention! I made a ham and everyone brought sides. The highlight of the afternoon was the bouncy house we borrowed from a friend! Kinleigh lived going down the slide! She ate her cake like a true lady! She wasn't afraid to get dirty, but when she had enough she just stopped eating. For her birthday Kinleigh got her first vacuum, kitchen, purse, vanity, and apron! Everything a little lady needs! She also got some bling!! Her ears were pierced, and her Oma got her a beautiful ID bracelet!
She has an awesome day surrounded by family that loves her. I can't believe she is one. I can't believe we have been blessed with her for a year, it has just gone by so fast. The older she gets the closer we are. She's my little girl, it's just that simple. I think she is the most beautiful sweetheart that I have ever seen. She's daring, she loves to try new things and her smile will make anyone just fall in love.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Caleb's First Day at School

To say that I am proud of Caleb, well, it would be the understatement of the century. I've never met a little boy quite like him and I love every inch of him. Caleb has Ms.Terry at Twickenham Kids. He goes Monday and Wednesday mornings. His first day was today, August 22! The day started with a bath and breakfast. He got dressed while wearing his new school shoes and he just grinned from ear to ear. I told him how very handsome he looked, so cute in a light blue shirt with plaid shorts! We had already been to his school for orientation and to meet his teacher. There was one special toy that made quite the impression on him! His favorite toy at school is the school bus bus! That's exactly how he says it, and today he shared the bus with a friend. Its all he could talk about, how excited he was to see the bus! When we pulled up Caleb saw the playground and said, "Mama, that is the biggest slide Caleb has ever seen"! He was so excited that the mood was catching! We took his picture with his backpack and Thomas the Tank Engine lunchbox in front of the school! Kinleigh was a trooper! Although she cried when we walked in the school, she wanted to get down and play in his classroom! The second we walked in the classroom door Caleb was excited. "Mama look at this", he said it over and over as he pointed to new toys hidden on tables and cubby holes! I spoke with his teacher and snuck out the door. I never saw a tear, never heard a whimper. School was just happiness and he was filled with such an awesome excitement. As I drove out of the parking lot, his little car seat sat there empty. It dawned on me that this was the first time I was leaving him with a stranger, that his chair was empty and that the car was so quiet. We drove without hearing his train whistle imitation or his excited talk about seeing something cool out the window. This would be the first time of many that we would be apart...this was the beginning of his independence. The thought broke my heart and tears began to well up in my eyes.
Kinleigh and I picked Caleb up at 12:45. As I pulled up, Caleb's class was in the playground. Caleb was sitting on a bench with Ms Terry, he was hugging her and I couldn't help but feel happy that she was there for him. I knew he had missed me, he had so much fun, but he missed me as much as I missed him. He saw the car and started crying, we hurried over and gave him a hug! On the way out, he just had to show me the water fountain, and how he could drink from it. And as we opened the doors to go to the car he told me, "Mama, I really really missed you".
And that made me one of the happiest mamas on the planet.