Derby Days

Our neighbors hosted a Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday.

Sophia chose Sidney's Candy to be our horse. I read her the names of every horse and she said:
"The first one you said," which was interestingly, number 20 since I happened to read from the bottom up. The odds were in our favor but in the end it was Super Saver's day. Sophia cheered loud and Olivia kept saying "baah" - her response when she sees horses.

We had never celebrated the Derby before but I am now convinced that its my kind of sporting event. You hang out beforehand, eat small sandwhiches, wear large hats, place your bets. The race starts - you scream really loud for your horse for 2 minutes, then its over and you go back to the mint juleps and small sandwiches. I loved it. Travis loved wearing his seersucker suit for the first time. Olivia loved the ice from the beer bucket. Let me give a shout out to our fabulous next door neighbors. They have now introduced us to the Kentucky Derby, Bienets (French Doughnuts), and herb gardens. We have introduced them to Chanellos Pizza. It's a beautiful relationship.

A Tale of Two Bikes

Remember Amir and his bikes? There are two bikes and if you look closely they are slightly different. They are both "Diego" bikes but the one Amir is riding plays music. Sophia and Olivia LOVE that bike. Amir seemed ambivalent at first but now has caught on to the hot commodity in his hands and sometimes refuses to share. This is quite understandable. He is two.

And so we spend many afternoons/evenings in the street with three children, two bikes, lots of screaming and a very tired mother. We take turns on the bikes. One happy child on the music-playing bike. One resigned child on the other bike. And one screaming child chasing the other two down the street. (Sadly, this is often Foo.)

I realized how much energy in dealing with small children is spent in an attempt to "be fair." Taking turns, sharing, equal time on toys...We model fairness, we teach fairness, we have fairness interventions.

Only so they can spend the rest of their lives watching life debunk the myth.

There's been some myth debunking in our community these past few weeks. We've been confronted with circumstances that make me want to run down the street after the "Diego bike" of my expectations screaming "It's not fair - this is not what we want - Whose turn is it anyways?!"

And the answer comes, slowly and quietly and not unfamiliar. I realize my hope is in the wrong things, the undependable things, the Fisher Price plastic of the grown up world. People fail, relationships crumble, bodies break. And we were never promised otherwise. In fact, we were actually told this is how it goes...great.

"In this world you will have trouble..."

But in the words of Sophia when I try and "paraphrase" a long book before bed:"Keep reading Mommy keep reading, that's not how it ends..." -

"...But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

I think I just might take some "overcome" over some "fair" any day.

Go Diego Go.

Safety First

My parents laid down sod in their backyard - and I have never seen it look so good. It is like a deep green pillow - even softer than our neighbors's astro-turf lined porch! And perfect for...roller skating? Sophia padded up for the backyard derby - and luckily this time, Foo had a helmet to wear too - no rollerskates, but she didn't seem to notice.

I would like to point out that Olivia is wearing an ensemble from the "Extra Clothes for Children Who REALLY Need Them and Their parents Are Too Negligent to Pack an Extra Outfit" closet from the Church Nursery, which she then covered in a chocolate treat. Oh dear Second Child. You are dirty. I am sorry.

At one point Olivia set off around the side of the house and I couldn't find her. But I was comforted knowing that wherever she was her head was properly protected.

Here she was. Screaming for the neighbor's swings.

Success!

When I was about 11, they made a new law in Virginia Beach that anyone under fourteen could not ride a bike without wearing a helmet. My Mom immediately went out and bought us all helmets. Daniel and I were in the throes of adolescent coolness - well maybe he was, i was just insecure and self-conscious. We refused to wear the helmets. She forbid us to ride bikes without them. We became faithful boardwalk pedestrians. Life lesson? Its hard to integrate new safety and wellness habits even in middle school (or we were Super superficial). These girls still have time. Tomorrow I will start dressing them in life jackets and that really cool sunscreen clothing...

The Wait

Sophia has really been enthralled with her calendar lately. She pours over it, pointing to random dates and asking me about their significance. This has inspired her to reflect on the holidays dearest to her heart and thus START TALKING ABOUT WHAT SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS. Constantly. In an attempt at intentional parenting I steer the conversation towards what she will give for Christmas. She responds well and enjoys thinking of things to give her friends. And then, always, she asks "Well, is Christmas on Thursday?" "No, not for a long time." "Next Tuesday?" "No, many months away." "Why?"

I realize she gets this from me. Christmas/Birthday anticipation fueled my enthusiasm for life for many years. But here's what I had that she, sadly, does not: a June birthday. There they are the two best days of the year - six months apart. The moment I received my due date for Sophia I began mourning the December birthday. Then she was nine days late, putting her deep in the heart of Advent. So when she tries to comfort herself over the delay of Christmas with dreams of her "Princess Birthday Party at Jumping Joeys Where Everyone Will Wear Princess Dresses and Mommy Will Bake an Ariel Cake" I have to reluctantly inform her that her birthday is far away as well.

But then we talk about all the fun things ahead with summer and the beach and pool and fireflies and then Pumpkins and Foo's birthday and she is encouraged. Her life is good, even if December is a long way away. And I am encouraged. I have until December to figure out how to bake an Ariel Cake.

Quote of the Week:

Sophia: Mommy, this is your bed? You don't sleep very much.

From Our Family to Yours...

Sesame Street. For 40 years Celebrating the potential of every child.

(Are we hired?)

All Town Throw Down

We went down to the farm this evening for the annual Student Ministries "All Town Throw Down" Sophia and Olivia roasted roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and ate caramel apples. Foo jumped up and down squealing when she saw the basket of chips. This concerns me.

Foo's first marshmallow - something tells me it won't be her last.

Quite a bonfire...

Sophia loved the "campfire" as it reminded her of Curious George Goes Camping.

Check out Foo's face and then the fact that she looks like she's headed out for some vandalism. The embarassing truth is over the week we have used every tissue box in the house and as is my habit I then move on to rolls of toilet paper. Cheaper, easier to carry.

Here I am with two of my small group girls Tara and Maggie.

Ali and Christina dressing for the theme. Love it.

Group shot of Lex and I with seven of our small group girls. Acceptances have been made and decisions mailed and they are all college bound in August. Is it weird that I am jealous in some ways? Its funny how memories work. I remember none of the stress of that time of my life - only the good times, the parties and the feeling that everything was before me.

As for Sophia, when Gail asked her last summer, as they walked through W&M, what college she would like to go to, Sophia at two and half answered "I am not going to college. I am going to get married. "

Where did she get that from? This only confirms my great fear of the Disney Princess Movement. I must start censoring her reading.