settling in

Can you believe it's almost Fall?  

This time of year is always hectic for us.  The start of school {times 2 this year}, the start of soccer {Lofton is coaching again}, and Reese's birthday.  If I think too hard about my baby turning five in two weeks, I'll cry.

For once, though, I think we feel really settled.  Although work is busy for us both, it's finally a good busy. Teaching is stressful, sure, but the parts of my job that have been so overwhelming in the past few years, are no longer so.  The change is pretty amazing.  Lofton is insanely busy at work, but that's wonderful.  When you work in the building industry as a salesman, busy is always good.  

Reese is doing well in school and adjusting to a new routine.  I won't say it hasn't had challenges {we had a parent conference--that we requested-- yesterday}, but I think he's really enjoying being at a bigger school.  I'm constantly amazed when he tells me all he's learned during the day.  Our conference concerns were behavior related, but they basically stemmed from a lack of clear communication from his teacher.  Now that we are more informed I feel much, much better.  And much more confident that we have a bright, funny, sweet little boy who loves to learn.

As we left our small group Sunday night and were driving home, I told Lofton how nice it feels to be settled.  Super content in the life we are living.  Content with ourselves and each other, our house, and our jobs. Things haven't always been that way, and I'm not sure if getting older has helped us, or if living through life's ups and downs the past few years has brought a fresh perspective.

Regardless, it feels really nice.

schooled

As expected, Reese has taken to school fairly well.  He was a bundle of nerves Monday, but by Tuesday had decided he didn't need Lofton to park and walk him inside.  Mr. Independent. And yes, I'm still insisting he be walked inside.  At least for a few more weeks.

He's been full of stories about his teachers, other kids, and lunchtime.  Evidently eating in the cafeteria is really exciting.  I can't say that I feel the same way!

This week in PE they learned to hula hoop.  Reese was excited to share that he told his entire PE group about Emo's amazing hula hooping ability,  I think they signed her up as entertainment for Grandparent's Day.

The only downside, if you can call it that, is that poor buddy has been slap worn out.  I could tell on Wednesday night we were starting to hit a wall and told Lofton as we were getting ready for bed to be prepared.  I know when things are about to get ugly. Thursday was a little worse and by Friday morning Reese had come unglued.  I emailed his teacher to let her know we'd had a rough morning and she let me know that she suspected something was up.  Reese is accustomed to napping most every day.  He can go without a nap, but not for five days in a row.  They do have "rest time" but I think by the time he gets settled to sleep, it's time to wake up.  

We've been putting him to bed around 7:30, and I'm hoping after another week or so he's body will adjust to the more hectic pace.

Speaking of tired, I've been going to bed a little earlier myself.  The first week of school wears me out.  So much of me having to talk, and organize, and instruct the kiddos about every little thing.  It takes a lot out of you!  But I will say that I've had a peace about the start of this school year that I haven't had in a long time.  It's been really amazing.  

I'm excited to have Labor Day just around the corner and preparations are underway for my favorite little boy's fifth birthday party.  Can you believe it?  Friday night football starts this week and Auburn plays Saturday so we are officially ready for Fall!

big school

Today Reese starts big school.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sad.  I've been desperately trying to grasp the days as they fly by.

Big school feels really big.  A drop off circle, a cafeteria, walking down the hallway for music and art.  Big changes for this mama's heart.

When I was a little girl I always got really nervous before the first day of school.  Buck would always give me a big pep talk, and always, ALWAYS it made me feel better.  I'm not the one taking Reese to school, probably a good thing!  I have my own boys and girls to welcome.  But I know Lofton will do a great job of easing Reese's worries-- because let's be honest, Reese is like his mama... he worries.

I've prayed a lot for Reese's future friends.  That they'll be boys and girls with big hearts, who love their mamas and daddies just like him.  I've prayed for his teacher, too.  That she'll love him like I love my boys and girls.  That she'll encourage him and guide him through this year of learning.  Reese is strong willed but sweet.  So funny and so smart.  I pray she sees all of that.

Since Reese was a baby I've prayed this verse for him-- Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

It literally feels like I blinked and he became a little boy. Like just yesterday we were rocking and bottle feeding and pacing the halls at three in the morning.  

But here we are.  And I think you go to jail if you keep your kid locked in the house forever?!? Ready, set, go-- right?

lasts

I read an article this morning about lasts in parenting.  It was a really great reminder to me to appreciate the fleeting moments that I sometimes get annoyed by.

The article talked about all the firsts we document in our children's lives-- first steps, first smile, first bike ride, but went on to say that lots of things are lasts and we never really know they're coming.  Do I remember the date Reese took his last bottle?  The last time he used his beloved pacifier?  The last time he called Lofton "Daddio" instead of Daddy?

I'm guilty.  Guilty of wishing away some of these moments in anticipation of what's to come.  And this summer I've been guilty of being irritated at Reese's inconsistent naps. Sometimes he naps, but more often he doesn't.  And no nap means that he's usually planted in my lap instead. And four year old's talk A LOT.  At least mine does.  I really loved naptime for the break it gave me to recharge a little.

Yesterday I heard the patter of flat feet coming down the hallway and he climbed in my lap.  I told him we had to be really quiet for a little while even if we weren't actually asleep.  He asked me to rub his back like a spider.  I wasn't really sure what that entailed, but I gave it my best shot.

And I'm so glad I did.  Because what if this summer is it for snuggling and I don't even realize it?  Surely there is soon to come a day when he doesn't want to run around the house in his underwear, when he won't snuggle next to me on the couch because sitting by himself is so lonely, and when he won't tell me every night that he loves me "so, so much to the moon and back when the moon is out and the sun and back when the sun is out."

So I'm changing my tune.  Maybe I'm just feeling a little winsome that summer is slipping away?  Less than two weeks to soak up some last snuggles.

july

I was online ordering Reese some long sleeve shirts for Fall when I realized if I didn't blog a little this morning it might actually be Fall before I remembered.

July has been full.

We spent every morning last week in Art class, and although I'm skeptical that he learned anything about art, he had lots of fun seeing his friends every morning.  This week I've had to work.  I spent Monday morning getting ready for work, Tuesday and Wednesday at work, and yesterday recovering.  With that my week is gone.

I will say that I left work Wednesday afternoon with a renewed spirit.  The last few work years have been rough.  And although I never doubted my calling to be a teacher, I did doubt my placement.  Things have changed, though, and I'm excited to start the new year.  Not ready-- and certainly sad that August will be here before we know it-- but not full of dread either.  It's a nice feeling to have.

While we're on the subject of school, I took Reese Monday morning to meet his new principal and take a little tour of the building.  He got to feed the school fish, see where he'll eat lunch, and look into lots of classrooms.  We also saw the playground.  His principal is sweet as she can be and could probably sense that he was little apprehensive.  She told me we could come back as many times as we needed to before August 19th.  As we walked out of the building I asked Reese what he thought and he told me in a firm, but sweet, voice that the school was too big, he has no friends there, and so he's never going back.

It would appear we have a problem on our hands.

To be honest, it is a big school.  Especially for a little boy who has spent the last four plus years at one small school.  And he really doesn't have any friends going there, but I'm certain he will make lots.  I'm also thankful, for once, that Lofton is the one that takes him to school.

We've begun the process of buying school supplies-- maybe a new backpack, lunch box, and nap blanket will help?

Finally, t-Ball has continued and will continue for two more weeks.  I'm over it, y'all.  Three games a week is exhausting.  Coach Lofton agrees with me.  It cuts into my cooking dinner time and my wine drinking.

Boo on both accounts.  

i can't stand the rain

Did anyone get my Missy Elliot reference?  It's been raining for what seems like forty days and forty nights. Seriously, I haven't seen the sun since last Tuesday.

But the fourth of July was celebrated regardless with our usual trip to the lake.  All my family peeps headed this way Wednesday.  Despite the rain, we had lots of laughs and wine and food and fun.

This annual gathering started four years ago and it's really become quite the tradition.

We rented a boat this year which turned into a little of a busted plan.  But we took a rainy ride and then when the rain slacked up a longer drier ride.  The teens did some tubing which involved Lofton driving the pontoon boat as if he stole it.  Good times.

But the best times involved the sing along.  Every year Sally asks Buck to bring his guitar and this year he finally obliged.  With printed song lyrics.  I don't sing {and really, everyone is thankful for that}, but Lofton was happy to lead.  He sounds a bit like an opera singer impersonating Kermit the Frog.  I laughed.  Really hard.

These two are trouble.  

I think next year I'll make the play list.  And it won't include Bob Dylan.  Not to be outdone, Reese wanted to show off his dance skills Friday night.

He thinks he's Usher from the Voice.

lime

I love my husband.  Probably more than most.  He's handy, and helpful, and handsome.  You know, all the H things.  

But then sometimes he does things that make absolutely no sense to me at all.  Case in point, this morning I woke up to find him spreading hydrated lime all over our backyard because apparently someone told him this would help eliminate the smell of dog pee.

When he came in to wash his hands I asked him if the lime was safe for the dogs.  I'm not sure, he says, as he walks out the door for work. So I google it and come up with a whole host of reasons why Lofton should not have spread lime on our entire backyard.  It's extremely caustic and can burn your skin,  it shouldn't be applied in summer-- only in between fall and winter when the grass is dying for the season,  it definitely needs water to help dissolve it {the chance of rain today is 10%}.

Awesome. {Except the opposite.}

So I call Lofton at work and very nicely explain that I've spent the last thirty minutes researching lime on the Internet.  And while some types of lime are not unsafe for animals and are not designed to burn the grass, the type he choose to smother our grass with is.

He laughed and said my life wouldn't be near as fun if he was the kind of husband who researched things before doing them.

And then he came home and is now outside watering our grass.