April 2014. A snapshot in time.

I have said the phrase "Days are long and the years are short" many times when describing life with my kids but it's not true anymore.  Now it's "Days are way too short and the years are "are you kidding me? Stop Time. Stop!"  Don't get me wrong, I have some very long days but those are the ones that I now definitely know I can forget thanks to living through enough of them and my selective forgetful memory and lack of picture taking on those days. 

I used to think about where I'd like to raise my kids, what values are most important to instill in them, what traditions I'd like to introduce, what activities I'd like to do with them, etc. I can't do that as much anymore because I'm busy living it, making mistakes, trying again the next day, wishing I did this or that, knowing better, enjoying getting something right, and then trying again and just keep going.  No longer is it daydreaming about what I'd like to do like a Pinterest board of how I'd raise my kids.  I am now easily in the thick of it with very impressionable wide eyed kids ready for whatever and a very hard on myself me wishing I could do more, do better, beating myself up, and then at the same time really enjoying the ride.  

Paul is all about riding his balance bike, kicking the soccer ball, and playing basketball.  He can be very easy to talk to and I really get the sense he knows whats going on and can communicate it so clearly.  If Paul stays like he is now, he'll be a well behaved, shy, and sensitive boy with a fierce determination to be good at some kind of sport involving balls.  

Elise is my mysterious one.  I expect curve balls from her for probably forever. She is my most defiant, zoned out,  independent, and silly noise making goof ball much of the time.  Elise enjoys the scooter quite a bit these days.  She isn't as easy to communicate with and says bizarre things that don't make much sense but she's smiling while doing it and still says "Elise happy" a lot.  I don't trust her for a second with stopping before crossing the street or just staying put while out in public somewhere.  

Lily is in a very strong make believe world these days making up stories that she communicates as fact to me as far fetched as wolves visiting her at night (but not scary wolves) or singing and dancing to particular songs at school that I know they don't sing so fibbing is entering the picture a bit more even if she doesn't mean to.  She's absorbing more things from school and iPad shows than ever before and telling us how things work or about some random type of dinosaur.  She's also being introduced more and more to hurt feelings and expressing them to me.  I would say her hardest adjustment so far to Portland has been being the odd man out at the park or at group gatherings and not feeling included as easily.  The girls she knew at 1 and wants to play with again now have their best friends and that leaves Lily working a little harder to play with them.  It hurts my heart a little in the moment but I'm really not worried that she'll find her close friends at some point just like she did in Munich.   

Pictures from the month

Elise schlepping her siblings at a Friday morning play gym

 Tree climbing at the park

 Date with mom trying out roller skating for the first time.  She loved it.

 Tulip Festival!

 Gorgeous spring weather eating ice cream on our front steps

 My monsters

 My 2 swing lovers.  Paul isn't as in to them

 Elise's first haircut

 Paul rocking the balance bike.  

 Our buddy Grant came over to make pizzas with us for dinner.  Our brave and patient Grant.

 Planted some cala lilies in our front yard together.

 Batmobile getting some use on a playdate with Maja

 Putting up our Easter decorations