Abby's Dad

Abby's First Class

We had the end of school/ graduation ceremonies for Abby's pre-school today. And I cried. And I wasn't even sure why. (Samantha cried too though).

(how cool is this picture?)

Abby will be getting a bonus year of childhood by getting to go back to pre-school... and I get a year more of workdays and you get an extra year of Orange slushees as you try to use your entire crate of Oranges that you ARE still going to buy from me.

But this graduation was still important because this is the class she started in... before she was "social," before she knew what a "playdate" was - she started out with this class, with these friends.


And since she was the second youngest in her class, that meant that this class was special because they literally taught her a lot. From phrases and tones that perhaps I could have done without, to how to survive in the rough playgrounds of Pasadena. At one time or another she loved each of them DEEPLY and desperately needed to set up time away from school with them. She had quite a love affair with Henry within her first few months. She's been in love with Dexter since Christmas. She's had quite a friendship with Maggie and Campbell and Sarah. She's invited EVERYONE, including Miss Janet, to the condo (whether or not we were actually going).

If nothing else, having her be a part of this class, the class she would be with if she were following the standard state's deadline and she was always behind. It didn't worry me so much as ... okay, it made me a little sad for her now and then when she was trying so hard to do what the other girls (or boys) were doing and she just hadn't reached that step yet... or she was late to the game in general.

SO this was a special class, an important class... but the future is bright too. Just wait for the water works when she graduates with this next class (which includes Claire and Pearl). Think about it - Claire who's grandparents have been in the same Bible Study with Abby's grandparents for thirty+ years... who shared life and hardship and this whole parenthood and beyond thing - who's mom and Steve used to play together from Steve's birth... before they graduated pre-school, much less high school and college and first dates and meeting their spouses. .. yeah... it's on next year people.

PLUS Micaiah will have just finished his first year and then following that next year or the year after we start all over with Jack!


Yup, baby, I'm talking about you!

I dare you to be there and not cry. I just dare you.

Jack: Scooter

He's a bit more than scooting... he's semi-crawling if not downright... a crawler.

Holy Cow.

Abby Holding Her Daddy

I am so glad that I started taking pictures before there was really any picture to be taken. I often underestimate the bond Abby and her Daddy share. It is hard for me to grasp, but obvious as sunlight, that these two understand each other in a way I don't understand either of them. Recently I have become annoyed at the number of incredibly cute father/daughter moments I have failed to capture - either due to having Jack on my lap or the knowledge that theres not enough light or setting to capture what I really want to capture.

And even here, obviously, it's blurry, but its this trust and possessiveness that Abby has for "her people" that is was so hard to explain to people when she was a baby skeptical of some people and lavishly fond of others.

I think she's pretty fond of Daddy.

Jack - Just Where Do You Think...

You are going like that Mister?

In case you aren't catching on - that is Jack... my six month old... on ALL FOURS... trying very hard to go after the book a few feet away. In case you're still not catching on - the ALL FOURS practice is the step right before they figure out how to crawl. Abby crawled at 8.5? months. Somehow... I don't remember her doing it much. She went from crawling to wanting to walk pretty quick. I know two months doesn't sound like much, but in babyworld... or parentworld anyway... It's freaking CRAZY.

This picture was taken a couple days ago, he isn't crawling, but he has connected in his brain of his that his efforts can potentially pay off in the freedom and miracle of SELF-PROPELLED-MOVEMENT.

SO now he scoots, and lurches forward and... oh geez... this is too early... what am I going to do about the stairs?

Justification

I realized as I drove away from Gramma's house today with only Jack in the car that some of the stress in my life comes, of all things, from having to JUSTIFY every decision I make. Whether it's to my wonderful, sweet, intelligent, inquisitive daughter, or my grinning manly man of a son who just wants to stay home and play with his toys for five minutes for crying out loud why must I cart him around like a sack of potatoes... and don't even get him started on his right to nap undisturbed for more than ten minutes... and I wonder why I can't get him to sleep peacefully at night...

The point is I can't just pop us all into the car to go to the grocery store. I know I will have to explain, even convince Abby why we need to go and what we will and will not be purchasing while we are there.

Jack... I presume... feels the same and is just waiting for the words to actually tell me. He doesn't particularly like the car to begin with. I imagine he's just saving up his complaints until ... well he's not saving them at all... he's letting himself be heard quite clearly actually now that I think about it.

I even have to explain myself to adults... or, I feel like I have to anyway... Justify why I must go to the market tonight and leave Steve with both kids when he just biked ten miles and he doesn't feel well because he had three big-gulps of coffee and a mint tamale chaser.... or why I need to leave one child with this babysitter and take the other here and then swap them out making everything that much more complicated and time consuming and OH yeah I think I left my phone in my cereal this morning...

And I don't suppose it will change ANY time soon. But someday...

I'm not looking forward to my "empty nest" in order to find myself or follow my passions. I'm looking forward to that time of life so that I can get in the car and go wherever I so please whenever I so please for whatsoever I please...

Er. Hm.

And now back to how wonderful and cute my kids are.

Abby... Discussions

Abby and Wesley are sitting at the table alone eating pizza... one of their moms is conked out on the couch with a baby resting on her, the other is changing another child's diaper.

W: I'm going to be taller than that when I grow up.
A: No you're not.
W: Yes I am, I'm going to be as tall as this roof.
A: No you're not.
W: Yes I am. I'm going to be as tall as a bear.
A: (giggling) A bear as tall as the roof would be... Bears aren't on roofs
W:Bears are really tall.
A: No, only a...a... giant is as tall as the roof.
W: (intrigued) A giant?
A: Yeah!
W: Where did you see a giant?
A: At school.
W: Wow.
A: Yeah. Giants are HUGE.
W: Humongous.
A: Yeah. Humonunigous is so big.
W: Mm.

They lapse back into their own thoughts.