Ev's check-up

I realize I am a little late in writing about it (almost as late as I was in making the appointment) but last Monday was Everly's three-year check-up.  We went right after school, and as usual, both of my kids were extremely excited to go to the doctor's office.  Being that it was such a beautiful day, the plans also included going to a nearby park afterwards for a playdate. (That is the part that I was more excited about.)

Between the waiting room and the room in which we have the appointment, the wait for the doctor to see us has varied from five minutes to as long as 45 minutes.  Fortunately, there weren't piles of sick people waiting to be seen, and our wait was on the shorter side.  Everly got weighed and measured, and we found that she is right at the 50th percentile for both height and weight.  She had her eyes checked, and all was well.  Then the nurse told Everly that she would have to get undressed, and (for the first time) gave us a robe for her to put on.  It was a Dr. Seuss robe, and Everly could not have been more thrilled.

She was thrilled to be at the doctor's and thrilled to be wearing a robe with the Cat in the Hat on it, and the smile on her face didn't leave.  The smile was there when she got her blood pressure taken.  It was there when she had her ears checked.  It was there when she had her heart checked.  And her eyes.  And as she stood on one leg.  And as she touched the doctor's finger and then her own nose and then her finger and then her nose again.

You want to know when the smile left her face?  It was when she found out that she wasn't going to get a shot.

Yes.  You read that right.  She was upset that she would NOT get a shot.  She really wanted one.  And it brought her to near tears that she couldn't have one.

I am beginning to think my kids are a little weird.

What's to come

We have had truly unbelievable weather lately.  Kids wearing shorts to school in March is unprecedented, and at home we are getting a glimpse of what summer may bring.

Yesterday, after dinner, we went outside to enjoy the near-80 degree temps and some fresh air.  Many in the neighborhood were doing the same and there were kids of all ages out playing.  As we walked through the yard, a couple of friends of mine were walking up the street toward our house; They stopped and we started chatting.  Cortlan and Everly were nearby watching the kids across the street when John asked him, "Do you want to go over there and play, too?"  Cortlan responded, "Yes, please."  We told him he could go ahead and his immediate response was, "Can Everly come, too?"

Cortlan took Everly's hand and said, "Do you want to come over with the big kids with me?"  Of course, she did. 

The relationship that my kids have is sometimes unbelievable.  Cortlan asked Everly to come with him partly because she gives him confidence, but also because he loves to include her and share experiences with her.  My kids certainly have their fair share of disagreements, but they love each other tremendously. They take care of each other and help each other and look out for each other.  The confidence that Everly gives Cortlan goes both ways. 

I watched Cortlan as he led his little sister to the group of kids across the street.  They sat down, played ball, and ultimately played Duck, Duck, Goose with a fifth grader and a four-year-old, as two other kids played basketball nearby.  As I watched, I noticed how much they have grown since last summer, with this new found sense of independence.  And from my vantage point across the street, it dawned on me that even though I still have my eye on them, they are getting a little bit farther from my reach.

Sometimes, milestones sneak up on you.

Weekend Recap

• The weather lately has me completely unproductive at home.  Typically, I clean on the weekends.  I just could not bring myself to spend hours in the house (and hence, keep my kids in the house for hours) when it is over 70 outside in March.  So, my house is a mess.  But, at least most of the laundry is done.  And we got more fresh air and Vitamin D than we have had in months.
• I realized that my kids have no summer clothes.  Typically, I do not need to have them at this time of the year, but it was definitely shorts-wearing weather this weekend, and will be for the rest of the 10 day forecast (unbelievable!).  So off we went to Target to buy some $4 mix and match shirts and shorts.  Cortlan seems to be developing quite an opinion as to what he wears, and his choices sometimes baffle me.  But I let him pick which shirts he wanted, so he better wear them. 
• Saturday was St. Patrick's Day.  Friday night, I put some fruited Irish oatmeal in the Crock Pot so we were able to have a nice Irish breakfast in the morning.  I had never made steel-cut oats before, but this recipe was delicious.  As the kids sat at the breakfast bar, I thought I might make them a special surprise.  I got out the food coloring and put a drop of green in each of their cups.  Then I took the cups over to them, and I poured their milk, which instantly turned green as I poured it.  I wasn't really trying to act like anything magical happened, as I thought for sure they had just watched me get out the food coloring and drop it in, but Cortlan's eyes lit up, and ever since, he has been telling people that a Leprechaun turned our milk green.  After nap - homemade shamrock shakes.
• We truly enjoyed the beautiful weather on Saturday.  It is so nice to see everyone emerging from hibernation.  Our neighborhood is typically alive with kids running around and parents talking once the weather breaks.  This weekend was just like summer.  Ahhhhh....
• The musical at the high school where I work was Peter Pan this year, and for the first time, I decided to take the kids.  Honestly, I can't imagine a better high school production than the ones that go on at our school, and Peter Pan did not disappoint.  We had seats in the fourth row and Cortlan absolutely loved it.  He laughed so hard even when no one else was laughing...the orchestra members were turning to look to see where the giggles were coming from.  He could not stop talking about it.  On the way home, he even said, "I just can't wipe the smile off of my face!"  I loved it.  Everly enjoyed it, too, and she did pretty well at sitting still and being quiet.  Though, I think her favorite part (besides when Peter pan did flips in the air) was folding herself up in the seat so her knees were in her face and then smiling, saying, "I'm stuck!"

It is in the genes (or not)

When Everly turned one, her aunt and uncle got her an American Girl doll for her birthday.  When she turned three, we finally let her open it.  Her doll's name is Lanie, and she came with a chapter book with Lanie as the main character.  Last Friday, after Ev opened her gifts from us, both kids played while I read a chapter of Lanie's book to them.  To be honest, there was so much going on, I didn't think anyone was even listening to me read, but I plugged on.  In the first chapter, Lanie described herself as a scientist; she likes to do experiments, and she also loves to be outdoors.  She said at one point that she thinks that her mom and dad and sister got "inside genes" and she got "outside genes," as no one else in her family enjoys being outdoors as much as she does.

Neither of my kids are stereotypical for their gender, and I kind of like it that way.  Everly was just as excited to get a GeoTrax remote control train (so she doesn't have to fight for her brother's) for her birthday as she was to get PJs for her doll.  Cortlan is just as happy to play with his sister's doll house as he is his Bat Cave and superheros.  But something Cortlan said yesterday while he was digging in the dirt kind of amazed me (for the connection he made and the fact that he was actually listening and paying attention to Lanie's story) and made me laugh (because it is so typical). 

"Mommy," he said, "I think that you and Daddy and Everly all got shopping genes and I didn't.  I wish I never had to go shopping."

Understandable, buddy.

Rites of Passage

In our house, this is what happens when you turn three:

You get to chew your first piece of gum.

And you get to go to your first Taekwondo class.

And all is well.

Happy Birthday, Everly!

Cortlan turned five in January.  And today my baby girl turns three.

Time can slow down now.

I am the first to admit that I am not the best "baby person."  While some of my friends were totally smitten, head-over-heals, couldn't stop staring, completely in love with thier newborns from the moment their wrinkly bodies popped out, I cannot say the same thing happened to me.  Don't get me wrong - I loved my babies and did everything I could do to take care of them and show them my love.  I cuddled, and rocked, and nursed them.  I read to them.  I gave them "belly toots."  I massaged them with lotion.  But with Cortlan, I cried for weeks after I brought him home.  When Everly came, it was she who cried for weeks after I brought her home.

In my opinion, those first months are tough.  There is no positive reinforcement for many weeks; most babies don't even smile until they are nearing two months old.  And as a mom, you have to be able to interpret every cry.  Is she tired? Hungry? Too hot? Too cool?  Is her tummy upset?  Is something poking her?  Is she overstimulated? When you have a colicky baby, it is even worse.

I tried to enjoy the newborn stages because I knew that they wouldn't last forever.  But I think to be more accurate, I would say that I managed through the newborn stages as a sleep-deprived, stressed out feeding machine who celebrated every milestone because it was one step farther from the days of no smiles.

Over the past few years, Everly has gone from a screaming infant to a screaming two-year-old to an amazingly polite, happy, funny, and energetic little girl.  She is still headstrong and stubborn at times.  But she listens to reason and at least processes it.  She is surprisingly athletic and coordinated. She is a smart cookie (or a "fart cookie" if you hear her say it).  On one occasion when we were driving home and she was extremely grumpy and disagreable, I said to her, "You are just going to disagree with everything I say, aren't you?"  She opened her mouth to answer, but quickly realized that there was no answer to that question that would work quite right for her, so she didn't answer at all.  She just glared at me.  Smart cookie.

Everly entertains us.  She sings loudly, "Am I a muuffffiiinnnn or am I a mannnn?" to the Muppet's song, Man or Muppet.  She shakes her bum at us and giggles.  She uses words like, "lame."  She loves to be tickled until she laughs so hard it hurts.  She calls herself a "silly goose."  And she is.  And I love it.

Three years old...old enough to go to the museum without a diaper bag or stroller, but not too old that we don't still hold hands. This age has challenges, too, but it may be one of my favorite stages, from the personality that just spills out constantly to the cutest little three-year-old accent that won't be around for long.  Soon enough, she will not be calling her brother "Tort" anymore and when she calls something "lame" it will be with a different kind of attitude. 

Yes.  Time can slow down now.

Happy Birthday, Everly...I am totally smitten, my little silly goose.

It was just an accident

Sometimes, I wonder if there is something to that whole "knock on wood" thing.  Because I didn't knock on wood after my update post recently.  And this is what happened today:

When we got home from school and the kids were hanging up their coats, I let the dog out and then went to get changed out of my work clothes.  As I was in the process, I heard screaming, "I peed in my pants!  I PEEEEEEED IN MY PAAAAAANNNNTTTTSSSS!!!"  I worked to quickly finish getting changed as the yells turned into sobs.  "Everly, calm down!  I will be there in a minute...just don't move." 

"I PEEEED IN MY PA-AA-AA-AANTS!"

This was completely unexpected and strange.  Usually, we have quite a while after getting home before we need to make a trip to the bathroom.  I was calm and didn't get upset with her; she was mad enough at herself.  She continued to cry, and as upsetting as the whole situation was, it was hard to hold back a chuckle at times...like after I got her wet clothes off of her and put her in the shower (with her dramatically sobbing the entire time) when she loudly cried through tears, "BUUUMMMAA!"

"What?"

"BUMMMMAAA!"

"Bummer?"

"YEAAAHH!"

"Yes, it is a bummer.  Let's just get you cleaned up." 

Oh, Everly...