First day of school!

 

Collin had his first day of school on September 4th. I might have almost shed a tear. It was so adorably heart-breaking. He's really growing so fast. I can barely grasp the realities of having a 3 year old in preschool, because in my brain that means that he's just a moment from kindergarten, and then I'll turn around and he'll be 10 or something. It makes my heart ache just typing the keys.

This year we started the first of 15 years of tradition, giving Collin a canvas with his first day of school and what he wants to be when he grows up written on it. This year he said a farmer so he could milk cows.

So, we went to school. He had a great time. We made it through the first few days and then, I did what no parent should EVER EVER EVER do. Worst mom of the year award, special recognition right here. During the last day of phase in, where preschool end at 10:45 instead of the usual 11:30, I left him there. I thought it ended at 11:30. My kid was that kid. The one stuck by himself while the teachers silently shamed me in a phone call. I can just hear their heads racing "Oh, she's going to be that parent! Great! Doesn't she even read the notes? Doesn't she pay attention? We put it in like 5 places."

Its true.

Thats me.
Take it or leave it folks.

I did read the notes. All of them. I made a schedule, I put it on the fridge. I told our nanny. I arranged all the necessary drop off and pick up routines. But I totally failed on that Tuesday. Instead I was juggling a HUGE grant application, another preschool schedule (Collin goes to another school on M/W), working with and scheduling the builder and the architect, packing up the house, tending to three birthdays and trying to maintain some bit of sanity.

It didn't work out so well.
I NEVER cry at work. NEVER. I **almost** cried when I got the call. I've never felt like a worse parent.

So once our nanny picked him up (a 1/2 hour late!) I called to apologize to Collin over lunch. He seemed no worse for the wear. In fact he might of liked the one on one time with his teachers, but it didn't seem to help me very much. I was a mess.

A stressed out hot mess.

Thank goodness every day is a new day. Since then we've successfully attended two more days of preschool and I think we're on a roll.

Sorry Collin. I promise not to leave you at preschool ever again.
I swear.

18 er 19 er 20 months....

Oh Owen.
You are a year and a half old. Actually, you are 19 20 months old and I'm just getting to writing this now. Life is busy, and fun and fulfilling and I barely have time to write it all down. I'm so awful about it that there are moments in the day that I think *nearly out loud* that I should WRITE THIS DOWN, because you've done something clever, or you've said one of your stock phrases that I think is adorable, but fail to remember 10 minutes later what it is and how heartwarming your little voice is. Until of course you do it again, I smile and giggle, cross my heart that I'll WRITE it DOWN (and proceed to keep right on without doing it).

Ugh.

18 months came and went. I think we were doing about 20 things that day. None of which was typing on the computer to update the world on your growth (sorry). You keep me on my toes and I can barely stand how cute you are. At 18 months you are becoming so independent and milestones are like a stairway to the top of the mountain that your racing along to.

These days your language is hilarious and explosive. We can't keep up with all of the great things you say.  You are a mimic and constantly repeat what we say. You love to say "P.U stinky!" and "come on!", "Here you go!" and "FUN-nee". Everyday I bust out laughing because some common phrase of mine comes out of your little mouth in your adorable little voice. Common phrases around the house:

 (Owen farts, laughs hysterically) "Excoos Me" followed by "P.U. Stinky!"
 (In his highchair after breakfast, lunch and dinner) "Crawker pwease!...PWEASE!!"
(Also in his highchair because Owen loves food) "Huskchwerry!" (for husk cherries, which we all love at our house, followed soon after by other requests) "Cown! Cown!" (for corn)
(When I leave for work, or someone else leaves) "Bye Bye!, see you tater!" (accompanied by the most adorable head nod, should shrug, smile and wave- its a deadly combination and nearly makes me come back into the house and stay).
"I lubdyou!" (which means I love you and is so super ridiculously adorable that I should record it and play it over and over again everyday. Maybe I will.)
"Hereyougo" all one word mushed together, as he offers you something to eat or play with.
"Cow-in! Cow-in, PEEK!" when looking for Collin
"Wake up!" When one of us pretends to be sleeping.

A glimpse of your world looks something like waking up around 6:30 or 7:00, depending if you get to sleep naturally to rise, or if Collin comes barging in your room anxious for you to play. Usually its the later. We get up, change your diaper and head off to breakfast. You love food. You're a toddler foodie. You can't resist the treats that come across your plate in the form of veggies and fruits. After breakfast we get you dressed and then we're off to the races. Lately you've been very interested in walking around the house with the pull along alligator, playing with your talking caterpillar and pushing trains and tractors here there and everywhere. You're a little bit obsessed with tractors right now and suddenly, after 18 months of trying to get you to love reading you've finally come to the dark side. Every day you crawl into your rocking chair and hand me pairs of books to read one after another. I love to see you enjoy books and hunger for the stories and vocabulary nested between the pages. We play and play until lunch, most days taking Collin to preschool and others going to visit the library or other fun place. Then we're back to the happy place that is food for you, followed by nap and afternoon shenanigans. You love being outside, playing in the pool, chasing the dog, its all a picnic in the park for you.

At the same time you are in the middle of a serious word explosion. Words, words, everywhere! Everyday I listen a little closer to the two word phrases you are putting together. Up pwease. num nums, hungwie! everything is an observation and you're narating what you need and want all the time. When you are frustrated you resort to "uhs"- groans to and points. I often repeat it right back to you and say I don't understand. "Owen, use your words!" and then he busts up laughing. Apparently whining is funny stuff.

You've also got a keen eye on our changes in routine. A month or so ago you started calling out for Collin and now all the time you call him just to make sure that he is nearby. Two weeks ago Collin started preschool and now 4 days a week he's in class and you're not so sure about it. The first few days you kept saying "where Cow-in?" and school didn't seem to be a satisfactory response.

You can never do anything halfheartedly- you always have to have two of everything, one for each hand, and you are adamant emotionally, never leaving behind an opportunity to showcase your dramatic tantrumming ability. Its rather funny, but in the back of my mind I'm always thinking TROUBLE. At the same time though, even though your passion shows up in some not so fantastic behaviors, you are also such a lover. People always comment on how happy you are, and its true, you are an easy happy baby, if guided my a strong sense of passion for those things that you love and hate.

You LOVE the ladies. You go out of your way to connect. We were in a restaurant recently, sitting near the door and you made sure to make eye contact and say "hi' with a little shoulder shrug to every single lady that walked by. You redefine toddler flirting and all of the people who get to hold you and be with you know it (and love it).

You're starting to potty train now, albeit sporadically. You think its hilarious to pee in the bathtub and are pretty good at trying, but also pretty good at telling us when you have to go right after you went. So its a sort of catch and release game we play. We'll get serious about it soon enough, but for now, its just for fun.

During the past few months you've met many new encounters, or at least things that you can't remember doing last year. We went to the state fair and you ate your share of cheese curds, snow cones and fish sticks. It was so great to see you enjoy yourself.

This age, these 18-21 months of magnificent word explosions and adventurous leaps beyond our fingertips into the unknown is exhilarating and amazing and quite possibly my favorite age. You are so adorable, I can squeeze you like a little baby, but at the same time you are leaving my grasp to explore the world with a heartfelt fearlessness. I can't describe how you encounter the world, how you approach new situations with excitement, and the innocent energy that pours from you, that I desperately wish I could bottle and preserve. It captures some of the most innocent and purely happy moments of life. I find myself admiring you, your excitement, your generous love and kindness and wishing I could be in those very moments with you, erasing all the cares of the world that adults wear so heavily on their shoulders.

You are on the cusp of so much. School (ECFE toddler class) starts next week and you'll start making your first true friends. You are running now, leaping and bounding through afternoons, working on colors, and vocabulary. Using your words instead of emotions to tell me what you need. Its all budding and bubbling up in you like a geyser. I can't wait for you to reach the peak.

You are uniquely our Owen. Little O, Baby O. You are fearless. You are adorable. You are incredibly cuddly and happy. You are passionate and dramatic. You are everything I could have hoped for in our second beautiful baby boy. We are blessed and happy and look forward to every moment of your future.

We love you so very much.
love
Momma and Daddy