This weekend was great, the warm air makes it seem we are skipping spring and moving into summer–we’re down.
We had a first BBQ with friends, and after we ate, the kids all laid on the trampoline and looked at the stars, Maria pointing out each one to the little ones as they gazed up at the speckled sky, smoke from our fire smelling like early summer.
Friday night, after she took 7 seconds to floss, I decided to do a tutorial for many of the things Maria does independently including flossing, piano. Showering. Reading…um, yes, I was glad I did, because we actually do use soap, each time. #Russians… (jk) Is that what you were doing on your Friday night, no? In her defense, she shampoo’d like a champ, and they never showered in the orphanage, still learning, and my friend who teaches fifth grade says she wishes her students could re-learn.
Finley went to his first dental visit. He was so sweet and happy through it, it was the cutest moment for us. They gave him an electric tooth brush, which is actually awesome for his little teeth, and now he brushes all the time. It has Lightning McQueen on it, or as Elijah calls it, “Wo-ming.”
Saturday, Andrew linked up all sorts of tiny sprinkler nozzles and hoses, streaming underground to save water, time and ensure everything has what it needs. Maria was his big helper from start to finish. When he asked her, she lit up, balling her fists by her face with a dazzling, “YES!” followed by giddy giggling. He took his effort to include her, focusing on relationship, not the clock, and told me often throughout the day, “Maria is so good at this!” as she smiled, proudly.
He couldn’t go more than a foot, without her bumping into him from right behind, huge smile on her face. When sharing highs and lows of the weekend, they both quickly mentioned, “Sprinklers,” with each other, all day, in the sun. Sunday they needed to go out for more supplies, and they got a special lunch at sonic for a special helper.
“One day, Maria, you will be able to do this on your own at your house,” he told her.
“But, I’ll probably just call you,” she smiled.
***
A little of this,
“Shhh….mama, my baby is sleeping,”
“Clearly…” I told him, as they busted up into their best friend laughter, wheeling around the room.
Some writing down prayers for cousins and monster trucks, maybe you can’t read each scribble, but each one is precious to God.
Elijah has been talking like a champ recently, and don’t get me wrong, I am glad, but when he walks up to me, wide eyed, solemn, and whispers in my face,
“Mama….I ‘ave a poopoo…
‘nudder one….”
*Takes a deep breath, and lowers his voice a tad more*
“Big one.”
That’s a whole lotta words. That I didn’t want to hear.
***
Playing cars together
Sending the boys on the important job of collecting oranges, grabbing the full basket together.
***
Sunday night we celebrated three birthdays:
We all shared our three highs and lows over dinner, when we asked Elijah, they were as follows:
1. “Um… ummm…leep-lops.” (His flip flops, because he is obsessed.)
2. “Go to da beach.” (Which we did not)
3. “Leep-lops”
No lows.
Finley is a character, and has no highs or lows pertaining to real life, his were as follows:
1. “A big box–hit me in the face.” (That was the first high )
2. “Going to the forest.”
3. “When a big shark bit me, with his big tooth,” as he busts up laughing, as does everyone else.
So, packed weekend, obviously.
After family dinner, we had our sitter come over after the boys were down to go to a friends’ dance party for her 30th close by. Hearing some of the lyrics to the songs we have always known made us realize we are definitely parents of 3 now… ‘Fergie ferg is a little crazy.’
When we got back, we stayed up until 1am talking to our babysitter who we love like family with Andrew closing with a decided, “Next time you meet someone, you will bring him here for dinner first, then I will give you my honest feedback,” and we prayed together, the three of us.
Turns out, Maria still had to get up for school at the normal time the next day–no, just kidding, day light savings time an hour earlier! Ohhhhh vey, holy smokes, I was tired today–I mean, I almost thought about drinking coffee, he he.
Who here has daylight savings? I LOVED it tonight, light for so long. What about tutorials for your older kids, do you ever need to do them?
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Totally the shower thing. And, you won’t believe this but you will, it’s so totally also age appropriate. I would dare suggest that nearly ever parent goes through it. Adopted. Fostered. Biological. Every parent who want their kids to bathe anyway 🙂 LOL!
lol, I think you’re right!
I have an 18 year old and I know she is not as vigilant about brushing her teeth as she should be, and flossing just doesn’t happen for her. Thank goodness Maria is still young enough to take instruction.