Friday Fun-day

Today when I picked up Noah from preschool I told him I would take him to McDonald's.  I was thinking the drive-thru which is about all the McDonald's I can handle nowadays.  He was thinking inside in the play place.  Reluctantly I agreed.  When him and Meredith were both in preschool we would meet up with friends all the time (not that he remembers those days now)..... now we never go so this was a real treat.

I ordered them lunch, gathered our food and drinks and headed into the place place.  We were the only people in there besides one other mother and her son who was Noah's age. Within three minutes both of my tikes decided they weren't eating and wanted to play.  Noah and his new best friend (so he told me) helped Margot up into the play area.  I let them, forgetting Meredith was not with us to help guide her and help her down.

Within 5 more minutes , the place filled up.  There were now at least 15 kids int he play area, Margot being the youngest and the rest about Noah's age.  I started getting very nervous about Margot being up there with all the bigger kids, but after hearing her fuss loudly at a few I figured she could hold her own.  Things were going well, until about 20 minutes later when I decided I was ready to leave.

I called their names and Noah came down.

I sent Noah back up where he tried to coerce Margot into coming down with him.  It didn't work.

I then sent Noah back up to make her come down.  It didn't work either.

I then instructed him to go back up and try and get her to sit on or in his lap to come down the slide.  I heard "NO NO NO NO NO!"  It didn't work.

Noah's new best friend's mom tried telling her son, who was a little smaller than Noah, to help her come down. I got real panicky and said "We have it, thanks though."  He tried anyway, much to my dismay and....It didn't work.

I then asked Noah to get her to watch him come back down through the area you crawl up.  She watched and stayed firmly planted at the top.  It didn't work.

Meanwhile there are now like 20 kids in the area running around and screaming like hyeanas.

After about 10 minutes of me calling her name and begging Noah to please help me by helping her down.  I gave up. I just left her there.

Oh I'm only kidding.... I took off my shoes....I waited at the bottom for my turn in the climbing structure....   waited like 2 minutes, there were that many kids....and then I started to climb.  Guess what, it's not made for big people.

As I was climbing up in my white jeans, I heard parents chuckling and kids laughing.  I was also told by a few kids that I was way too big for the play place and that it was not for mommas!  Thanks kiddos, I had no idea.

Oh and let me say this...Upon my embarrassing climb of shame I noticed a few things mommas....that play place is DISGUSTING!  I mean it...AWFUL.  Really AWFUL.  It's dusty and dirty and slimy feeling.

When I got to the top and reached for Margot to bring her back down the climbing area she ran away.  Go figure...right?

Finally I talked her into coming near me and she talked me into going down the red slide.  Both kids and parents were laughing when I emerged from the slide, Margot in tow.

Yes, just another Friday fun-day.  No more play places for this momma for a while.

And that there is Noah's new best friend's momma...who totally thought it was okay for her 3 year old to carry my 21 month old.

Dearest Meredith....Six

It's once again your birthday.  I'm happy they keep coming, I just wish they didn't come so quickly.  Six.  It's such a big number.  You are soon headed out of kindergarten and into first grade, how did that happen?  Last night you came down at bed time and asked if you could sleep in my bed.  Even though a part of me knew that I should send you right back up to your room, so we could all get a good night sleep (you kick a lot), part of me knew the days of you wanting to sleep in my bed were becoming short lived.  I told you to jump on in and we snuggled up together.

In the past few months leading up to your sixth birthday you have done and achieved so much.  You ride your bike on two wheels now, you lost your two front teeth, you started reading independently, you write letters and notes that make sense and that I can read too.  You have become such a big helper around the house.  You are growing up.

I know it is cliche' about how quickly time passes, but it is so true.  I can remember sitting with you in our leather chair when you were three weeks old,  just us, sitting in the quiet and thinking....wow, three weeks have already passed, why is time flying? She will be in kindergarten before I know it.   And it was true, you went off to kindergarten in the blink of an eye.  And now that year has flown by too.

But I'm ready to embrace this new year....Six...and all the fun things that come with it.  The talks that we share, the giggles that happen before bed, and all the other things being a big girl brings too.  While part of  me will always miss the chubby fingers that once held on to me so tightly, part of me loves the firm hand nestled in mine of a confident little girl.

I love the girl you are growing up to be.  I am so proud of you.  You amaze me everyday, and while sometimes you try my patience, you mostly amaze me.  I often sit in awe of the fact that out of all the other moms out there, I was picked to be yours.

I love you Meredith.

And now for the story of your birth....as always...

Six years ago on April 8th we invited some friends over for a crawfish boil.  That same friend told me that night that crawfish were known to induce labor.  She was right.  At 6:30 am the next morning, my water broke.  I remember your dad asking if I was sure.  Which I am sure, had something to do with the joke I played on him an hour earlier claiming it did when it really hadn't.  I told him I was for real this time. And that even if it wasn't my water that had broke....something was very wrong down there and either way we needed to head to the hospital.

So off to the hospital we went, where the nurse confirmed it was indeed my water that broke.  We arrived at the hospital about 7:30am.  You were born at 12:03am the next day.  Do the math...171/2 hours later.  My epidural didn't work....your labor was no picnic.  But I promise I still think you are totally worth it.

I remember being incredibly nervous during the c-section (which is normal), I remember hearing you come out screaming, and then I remember tears of joy falling down my own face.  I then remember them whisking you away and the anesthesiologist giving me something to knock me out for the rest of the procedure.  I remember waking up in recovery and asking Dr. B if I had, had a baby.  I remember him telling me yes and telling one of the nurses to please bring you in immediately.

I remember being so out of it when I held you for the first time, but I clearly remember thinking how perfect you were and how lucky I was to know you and love you.

I love you Meredith more than I ever thought possible to love someone.  I will forever cherish that moment that changed my life and who I am forever.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl.
(That video is of you when you were only a couple minutes old)

Momma

Happy Easter from 2 Tikes & the Caboose

A few of my favorite photos of the kids all dressed up....

Happiest of Birthdays

Today I became another year older, another year wiser and thankful for another blessed day.  

33...wow is that middle aged?