Today is Macy's 8th birthday

8!!??!!?  How did that happen?  Wasn't it just yesterday that I was being whisked into the operating room for an emergency c-section?  I would give anything to be back there right now - holding her for the first time.  It's gone by so fast.  She is halfway to 16.  And mature enough to be 21.  She is funny, smart, beautiful, sweet, thoughtful, caring, silly...she's a great sister (most of the time) and the best daughter anyone could ask for. 

This has been a tough year - that goes without saying, but she give me such strength.  I'm constantly amazed at how mature and perceptive she is.  She can read me like a book - and that's not always a good thing.  But I honestly don't know what I'd do without her. 

It's been a hard day.  I didn't think it would be but it has.  Her birthday has always been such a happy day - all three of my kids birthdays have been that way.  But this is the first one where we're celebrating as a family of 4 now and it just hit me out of the blue while I was on the way to have lunch with her.  I've never had lunch with her alone on her birthday.  Then I started thinking about the day she was born, and her first birthday and second and so on.  I can remember each birthday like it was yesterday.  They were such happy days - no sadness at all.  And don't get me wrong, today is a happy day too - it's just different.  This is our new normal and we're all trying to figure it out.  And it's hard.  Way harder than I ever thought it'd be. 

But we're gonna be just fine.  I know that.  It's days like this that take us one step backwards, but we push ahead and tomorrow we'll have to move 2 steps forward to make up for today.  And we will.  One day at a time.

Happy Birthday Macy Lyn - you are my sunshine and I love you with all of my heart.  I'm proud to be your mommy.

Scary day!!!

Whew - what a freakin' day! Don and I were out running errands and just got to a restaurant to have lunch - I went into the restroom while Don got us a table and my phone rings. I see it's the school. I'm thinking - what now? With three kids I feel like I'm always getting some kind of call from the school for something or other. Yesterday it was "Elle broke her glasses." Her BRAND-NEW-ONLY-HAD-THEM-A-WEEK-GLASSES. Luckily it wasn't too bad and Don was able to fix them last night.

Anyway, I answer and it's the principal. Now, I love her and I consider her a friend - but she has NEVER called me. Not one time. I answer and hear it's her so I'm all "Hi Brenda, how are you?" in my super friendly voice and I can hear the seriousness in her tone. I immediately start to sweat. Did someone get in super duper trouble - what's going on? It's then that she says - "Mila, there has been an accident with Jack. We've called the EMT - the paramedics are on their way." I really don't remember anything she said after that other than "do you want to meet them here at the school?" I ran out of the ladies room, Don was at the bar while he waited for our table - he was about to order some water when I just grabbed his arm and said "come on - we've go to go now!" And then I burst into tears - I couldn't even talk. I'm not a big panic-er - I can stay calm usually - but I lost it. And I've learned that in cases like this with my children - I do lose it. (When Macy broke her leg - I lost it. When Jack was at the skating rink and we thought he broke his arm - I lost it.) I was shaking and felt like I was going to throw up. Seriously - when the principal said "accident" and "paramedics" - I felt like someone punched me!

Anyway - we were twenty minutes from the school. If it hadn't been for facebook as a distraction - I would have gone crazy as Don was racing there. It felt like it took forever. When we pulled up to the school - we didn't see an ambulance, so we thought - good, he was fine and they left. Then I saw him laying in the field and the stretcher was next to him. And panic washed over me again. I don't think I even waited for Don to stop the car - I jumped out and took off running - in my 4+ inch hooker heels - across the field. I remember at one point, I stopped running and through off my shoes. The Principal who is usually all smiles had a very serious look on her face and that freaked me out even more! The paramedics were kneeling next to Jack - and he was clearly upset - then when he saw me he lost it and I had to hold it together but I wanted to lose it too. They had just put an IV in and given him some medicine to help with the pain and to calm him down.

They transported him to the hospital in an ambulance and I rode with him. He was in good spirits in the ambulance - the meds had kicked in. And he talked the paramedics ear off. He is such a sweet kid - he kept thanking the paramedics for taking such good care of him.

They had to cut his jeans off of him - before I got there. At the hospital while we were waiting for the x-rays, he said to me "I wish I wouldn't have worn my good jeans today." I thought - me too!

The x-rays showed no broken bones. They are concerned with a torn miniscus though - so they referred us to an orthopedic doctor. We have an appointment on Friday morning. He's in a full leg brace - a knee immobilizer - what's funny is it's the exact same thing Don just got out of from his knee surgery. Jack wants Don to put his back on and to take a picture of them both wearing them. He's on the couch now, resting. I'm hoping that it's nothing serious and just a bad sprain. Praying no surgeries are needed.

Thanks for all the prayers. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry all over again. It was definitely the scariest call I've ever received and I'm sure I got several new gray hairs today.

I love how sweet my kids are to each other though - when this happened at recess - Jack and Macy's class are both at recess (on different playgrounds) for a short time together - they overlap. So Jack told someone to go get Macy. Then when we were leaving with the paramedics, we got the girls out of school too since we knew we wouldn't be back in time - the principal went to get the girls and when they came the paramedics were about to load Jack into the ambulance. Jack asked them to stop and if he could give his sisters both a hug. He had an oxygen thing in his nose and he couldn't get close enough to give them a kiss, so he asked if he could take the oxygen out - and the paramedics said he could. Both girls hugged him and gave him a kiss. Everyone said "awww..." They really can be sweet to each other when needed. He's really a great brother to them - much nicer than they are to him.

Macy, Jack, Elle and the "bully"....

Well, Bully might be a strong word but maybe not. You decide.

Bear with me - this is going to be a little long. It's regarding an incident that happened on Monday and another one on Tuesday and the outcome that occurred today. See, it can get a little long.

I just received this email from Macy's teacher. Macy told me about the incident yesterday - but we were at dinner celebrating Elle's birthday and something interrupted the discussion so we never got very far.

Two notes - 1. this is a little boy that we know and we know his parents. His older brother is Jack's friend and was taken out of school and is now home-schooled because he was behaving poorly in school. The younger brother is and has been Macy's friend. He "loves" Macy and she said he always tells her so - wants to marry her, etc. His dad even told Don recently as a local get together how C has stars in his eyes when he speaks about Macy.

And 2 - our school is an IB school. They give out IB attitude awards such as compassion, empathy, enthusiasm, etc. That's what they are talking about with the Tolerance award.

Here is the email from the teacher.....

I just wanted to let you know that Macy go an IB sticker for tolerance today! Yesterday, while we were sitting at the writing center, a boy lifted up her skirt. He apologized. Today, I noticed she and that same boy at the far end of the field talking, so I asked them what they were talking about and Macy told me that he said that her brother and sister were not smart. We went through the process of apologizing and also Macy told him that it hurt her feelings. I wanted to let you know because it seems like a recurring event and I do not want it to escalate. I will do my best to ensure that Macy is in the best hands here at school. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ok - the kids just got home from school. I was told more of the story by Macy and by Jack. Macy told me that C was following her on the playground today and she asked him to stop. He asked why and she said because it's annoying. He told her "you're annoying, wait, your brother is annoying." Macy told him "no, he's not." and C said "yes, he is and he's not even smart." He went on and told her that when Elle grows up she will be an annoying adult and Macy replied "no, she will be a loving and caring mother." So sweet! She said he told her Jack will be annoying too and she said "no, he will be a loving and caring father and he is smart enough to be a scientist." Love how she stuck up for her brother and sister.

I just wrote another reply to the teacher and copied the principal and asst. principal, as well - since the other incident I mention in the letter happened outside of the teacher's classroom and involved Jack. Here is my email...

Hi All,
Macy just came home and explained this incident to me. As I told Mrs. D, Don and I aren’t overly concerned about this incident and know that young children do these things and they are usually innocent. Also, as a parent of a boy who sometimes did stuff like this – we know what it’s like to have someone jump to conclusions and blow things out of proportion.

Having said all of that, the reason I’m copying all of you in this email is because this extends outside of Mrs. D’s classroom. Jack told me that this morning he saw C and asked him why he pulled his sister’s skirt up. He said C didn’t answer him but just “stared at me real mean” and then started punching Jack and then kicked him in his “private parts.” Jack said he just stood there blocking his punches and telling him to stop. Jack said he then told Mrs. H (the school counselor) who talked to C and made him apologize to Jack and then they all went on their way to class.

I appreciate the apology and do not want to blow things out of proportion, but I am concerned that this is escalating. It seems the incident this morning didn’t stop because then C took it out on Macy today saying mean things to her about her brother and sister. He told her that her brother is “annoying and will grow up to be an annoying adult” among other things.

I know the W's (C's parents) and can speak with them directly, if necessary, however, I would like to know how this is being handled at school. These kids all ride the bus together and I don’t want things to get out of hand. I have spoken with my kids and expect them to behave in a responsible manner, but I also don’t want them to just be picked on and bullied, for lack of a better word. Elle said that the kid that sits with C on the bus kicked her today. I don’t know if it’s all related or not, but I would like to get this straightened out before it goes any further.

Please let me know how this is being handled at school. I look forward to hearing from you.

This is from today:

I just got a call from our AP. Let me start by saying that we have a new AP this year. Most of you know that I didn't really "care" for our previous AP and while she and I were friendly with each other - we kind of butted heads on some things. Remember when she accused Jack of lying and I proved that he was telling the truth and then made her apologize to him? Yeah - that started our rift and well, it really never went away.

So, imagine my surprise when school starts this year and I see she is no longer at our school. (She moved back to Chicago where she was from to be closer to family.) Anyway, we got a new AP who is a male and until today has only said two words to me. He seems friendly but very quiet.

After the incident yesterday, I emailed the Principal, the new AP and the teacher. I posted the email that I sent yesterday. Well, this morning the Principal emailed me first thing saying that the AP would be speaking with all children involved and appropriate action would be taken.

So I get a call a few minutes ago from the AP, Mr. W. He said he received my email and called Macy into his office this morning to tell her story. He said that she didn't tell him anything that she hadn't already told me. He said she didn't mention the pulling up the skirt part and he didn't want to press her on that issue in case it made her uncomfortable but he already knew about it from the teacher and me. She just told him about C calling her brother and sister names. She told him that he has always liked her and used to hug and kiss her in Kindergarten but he doesn't do that anymore.

Then he called in C and let him tell his side of the story. He confirmed everything Macy had already told him.

Then he called Jack in to tell his side of the story. The AP told me "I know you don't know me very well but I do know Jackson. When I first started, I asked for a list of every child who was sent to the Principal last year and while there were many, Jackson was on that list." Yes, I know. Jack knows the AP's office VERY WELL. But I loved this about him. He said that he wanted to get to know those children and keep in eye on them. He told me "I've met with Jackson and I've seen him in his classroom and in the lunchroom and I can tell you that he is one of the most well-mannered and respectful kids I've met." Seriously, I had tears in my eyes when he was speaking of Jack. He said he questioned Jack and asked him to tell his story. Jack told him how C was hitting and punching him and then kicked him in his "private parts". Mr. W asked Jack what he was doing while C was hitting him and Jack said just blocking the blows and telling him to stop. He said that C confirmed this, as well. Mr. W then said to me "Mila, the other boy (they can't ever use his name even though I already know who it is) is much smaller than Jackson and Jack could have ...." I think he was searching for the right words to say and I said "I know, Jack could have pounded him into the ground!" And Mr. W said - "YES - Jack could have pounded him into the ground had he wanted to." He said he told Jack over and over that he was SO PROUD of him and the self-control (SELF-CONTROL - that has always been Jack's BIGGEST issue! He's never been violent, so he wouldn't try to hurt someone, but he usually ACTS without thinking but he showed SELF-CONTROL!) Mr. W said he wanted to get on the loud speaker and announce to the school just how proud of Jack he is!! But he can't do that. He just kept telling Jack that he's so proud of him and that he was going to call his parents just to let them know. He went on to tell me what a "cool kid" Jack is.

I'm so proud of Jackson! I want to run down the streets shouting for him myself! I've been thinking about what to do for him - he's been saving his money for an iPod and he's got a lot saved, I think it's time to go buy that for him!

Mr. W said that he showed great restraint but great maturity in the way he handled C.

Oh and he said that while he can't talk about what discipline that C will receive, I can trust him that they will be meeting with his parents and that the age appropriate action will be taken. I said I'm completely fine with that and I don't want to make a federal case out of this, but I just want everyone to be treated fairly.

Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE our new AP. He seems really fair and like he genuinely cares for the students. I like that he is all about rewards as well as punishments. And he thinks outside of the box - our last AP was such a stickler for procedure that she seemed non-human, like a robot. It was highly frustrating but we dealt with it and we all showed her respect - but I can now happily say that she is GONE!!!

And it's times like these that make me SO SCARED of moving and leaving this school.

Cousins....

I've said it before and I'll say it again - once you have 3 kids, it doesn't matter if you have 4, 5....or 10. Ok, maybe 10 might matter. But really, it's not that much more work with 5 kids than it is with 3. This week our nephew Jacob and niece Sophie are visiting. We love having them. My kids LOVE their cousins and really miss living close to them. Jack and Jacob are always outside "exploring". They are on a "safari" (their words) as I type this. They packed a backpack with supplies, including Apples for a snack. So cute!

The girls are happily in their room playing Barbies and babies. I say Barbies AND babies, because it switches back and forth every 2 minutes. They played dress up this morning - Elle was Cinderella and Sophie was Belle. They even did their hair - Elle put Sophie's hair in a bun. So sweet!

And the best part - no one has fought, cried, been ugly - nothing! They've been great with each other. I love hearing them laugh from the other room. I know they are creating memories with each other and that makes me happy.

I even got to go out with my cousin last night and I had a great time. I left Don home alone with all 5 monkeys and even he said they were great.

I love our family and I'm so looking forward to living close to each other again.

Had "the talk" with my kids today.....

And all I can say is WHEW - glad it's over!!!

Actually, it wasn't that bad. Thanks to my friends who recommended the book "It's So Amazing."

Yesterday I was completely caught off guard when Elle came up to me and said "Momma, what EXACTLY is sex?" Macy immediately jumped up and said "I know! It's when a woman jumps on a man and she is naked and he is wearing underwear and they make out." Ok, I knew I had to straighten that out. I always thought I would be good at this. I would be prepared. I'm not a shy person. I don't have trouble talking about this kind of stuff. I am very open. But I just completely froze. I turned to Don who just looked at me and shrugged - (thanks for that, by the way!) I think I mumbled something like "it's something that married people do...." and then let my voice trail off and ended it by saying "let me get back with you."

Then I immediately went online to my parenting board which I've been a part of for 10+ years now. They all suggested the "It's So Amazing" book.

So I made a beeline to our library today and found the book. When we got home I called all three kids into the living room. I started by saying - "Elle asked me yesterday what sex was so I found this book at the library and thought you guys might find it interesting." All at once they went "ewwww, we don't want to know about that!"

So I just said - ok, well, if you have any questions, I'm happy to discuss it with you. Then they all gathered around me to look at the book. We started by just thumbing through it. They quickly started asking questions when they saw the pictures. They all giggled. a. lot. Which I expected. They couldn't believe the page where it shows the changing body of a male and female. They got to learn about their bodies though - sperm, testicles, fallopian tubes, eggs, uterus, everything. They learned about menstruation, and for that I'm glad. Now they know what it is at least. Man - I never had anyone tell me this stuff.

Then when I read that a man puts his P**** in a woman's V***** - they all three SCREAMED and then burst out laughing so hard that I thought they would never stop. So then it made me laugh - because really - they were SHOCKED that that happens.

But the book was really good and very helpful in talking to children. I loved how it talked about good touches and bad touches. It talked about masturbation, homosexuality, love, birth, adoption. It was so informative and I feel good knowing that my children are informed. I'm sure it won't be the last time we talk about this and I'm glad that they realize that they can ask me anything.

When we spoke of sexual intercourse - Elle was thoroughly grossed out. Jack said he was probably going to be "21 or 25..or maybe even 85" before he did that. Elle said she was going to wait until she was "100 and DEAD."

The book even showed how babies grow in the mommy's tummy and how the baby comes out - vaginally and c-section. It has illustrations but nothing too graphic.

It talked about sexual abuse and explained that if ANYONE touches you in a way that makes you uncomfortable, to tell an adult you trust. And if that adult doesn't believe you - tell another adult and keep telling until someone believes you and helps you. I liked that. I never thought to tell them to keep telling if someone doesn't believe them - I just always figured I'd be the person they told and I'd always believe them.

I can't think of anything that the book doesn't talk about. So, "It's So Amazing" truly is an AMAZING book.

Now - I'm glad that part is over. Oh - I also told them that they don't need to share this information with anyone and if they have more questions to just come to me. Hopefully we won't be getting any phone calls from parents of their friends about info my little angels decided to share. :)

My birthday...

So today I turned 36. I haven't hit that age where I don't like getting older yet. I love my 30's and as I approach my 40's, I'm not scared or sad. Maybe a little shocked, but not unhappy at all. And I love my birthday - or anyone of my loved ones birthdays. And my family all knows it - birthdays are big in our house. We all get as excited for someone else's birthday as we do our own and today the kids were very excited! Every where we went - they made sure everyone knew it was my birthday. All the teachers at school wished me a Happy Birthday - they had heard about it all from my three.

It was a wonderful day. I got a special birthday present today that I wasn't expecting and I just want to share it because I was so excited! This is going to sound silly - so bear with me. :)

Today Jack had a dr's appt for a refill on his meds for ADHD. This dang drug is SO expensive ($130 a month we pay - ugh!) and I hate getting these refills. But they are necessary and Jack does SO well when he's on his meds. Anyway - his pedi was writing the rx and we were talking about the cost of the meds and she says "let me see if I have any coupons for this med." I'm thinking cool - save a few bucks. She hands me one and says try this. I leave her office and head to the drugstore. I read the coupon - it's for a FREE 30 DAY SUPPLY of meds!!!!!!!!!!!! FREE! 30 DAYS!!!! That is $130 savings for me! I'm thinking there must be a catch but nope - I go to the drug store, drop off the rx and Don picked it up on his way home. He said they just gave it to him and said "no charge"! WOOHOO - happy birthday to me!!!! I never even thought to ask for coupons - who knew?? So that was a $130 gift just for me on my birthday and I loved it!!

Next we came home and Don and the kids made me a chocolate cake (my favorite!) - they were so proud! I cooked dinner (yummy chicken and spinach enchiladas - they were to die for!) and I had an equally yummy margarita with dinner! Or two. ;)

Then they sang Happy Birthday and we ate the delicious cake! A few years ago Don and the kids made me a cake and they forgot to add the water (a very necessary ingredient on a box cake!) and it was AWFUL! So that is the running joke in our house - and believe me - the kids made DOUBLE sure that they added the water this time. I don't think they will ever leave out an ingredient on a cake again. This year the cake was perfect!

Oh and Jack gave me the sweetest card that he made for me. He wrote something like "you are the best mother I've ever had. well, you are the only mother I've ever had. Well, except for my birth mother but you are still the best mom I've ever had." And he wrote it in different colors and gave Elle and Macy and even Don a line to read. It was so funny and sweet - I loved it!

And Macy gave me a 19 PAGE book that she made this weekend while I was out of town - seriously 19 pages! All very detailed. It starts out with these two families that each have a child - one couple has a boy and one couple has a girl. Then she says "they are going to get married when they grow up" Nice, an arranged marriage. Anyway, the story follows these two children who grow up and get married. Then on one page the mom is lying down on a table and she has a big belly - she's pregnant, Macy tells me. And the dad is standing by her (so is the dr, in scrubs no less) and the dad has this "look" on his face and Macy said he's asking her "are you ok" and then he's looking like he's terrified. It was hilarious! So the next page she has the baby - then they get a babysitter and go out on a date. Seriously, the detail was amazing. Then on one page is another woman handing them a baby - Macy said "that is a birth mother" - OMG, I couldn't believe this story. So I just tell her "oh good, they adopted their second child?" And she just goes on with the story. The birth mother is in the story from then on - they must have an open adoption - but she doesn't live with them, Macy informs me. Anyway, it just goes on and on from there. So sweet. There is even a funeral in her story (the grandma died) and the funeral service was beautiful. I wish I could scan the book and show y'all - I was seriously impressed. And she took it to school to show her teacher today (before I even saw it) and the teacher came to the car to tell me how amazed she was by this book. So cute.

I love that Macy knows all about adoption and birth mothers and how it's just second nature to her. Crazy what they pick up on.

And Elle made me a beautiful card too - she makes me something nearly daily. She is a beautiful artist and such a sweetie pie! I almost forgot about the picture she drew on the card - Sonya, you're going to love this! It was me and Aunt Sonya. Sonya was handing me a birthday cake and here is the best part - and the part that will for sure win me the Mother of the Year award - we were at a BAR! Yep, she drew us at a bar and we each had a beer on the bar while we stood there and Sonya handed me a cake. You gotta love it! (for those who are calling CPS right now, I went to Houston this weekend to go out with my sister for my birthday so that is why Elle drew that. In her mind, that is what we did this weekend. And she is right. Minus the cake.) :)

All in all - it was a perfect day!!

Oh and last but certainly not least - today is the 15 anniversary of the first time I met Don. He came to my surprise 21st birthday party with my dad. I didn't really pay any attention to him that night - after all, I was 21, it was my birthday and well, it was all about ME that night! But I'm so glad he was there and that we are where we are today. I wouldn't change a thing about the past 15 years - everything has brought us to where we are today and it's a wonderful place today. I love him more every day and love our life together. He will always be the best birthday present I ever received. Love you Don.

Happy New Year!!

Ok - so I sent this out via email but never posted it here. So, you've probably already read it but I like to keep everything on here too. So just skip this. :)

Merry Christmas!
By now most of you have probably realized that for the first time in my adult life, I did not send out Christmas cards this year. I did, however design a card – so I’m attaching it. It’s been a crazy year – and an even crazier December. I guess it will only get busier as the kids get older too. I hope to make this the only year that I don’t mail out cards, though.

A little update on the McClain’s.

Jack turned 9 this year – next year is DOUBLE DIGITS! WOW! And even more wow – he’s now halfway to 18! YIKES! He’s in third grade and doing great! While third grade is definitely the toughest one yet and homework has lost its appeal and is no longer considered “fun”, he still enjoys going to school and he does very well. It helps that he has an awesome teacher who thinks the world of him. Jackson also played tackle football for the first time this year. While we all enjoyed it – it was intense! Two hour practices, 3-4 times a week wore us down! But the games were awesome and our team did a great job. Jack decided that he likes soccer better than football though – and for that, I’m thankful. He continues to play baseball in the Spring. I think baseball and soccer are more his sports, but I love that he wants to try them all out. He has also taken up guitar and LOVES it! I think Santa may be bringing him a new guitar (wink, wink) and we’ll start up lessons after the new year. He hasn’t had any professional lessons but has already taught himself some notes and has even written a song or two – and I have to say they were pretty good! I’ve always said he has a big future ahead of him so we’ll see where this takes us.

Miss Elle is still our princess. She turned 7 this year and gets sweeter and sweeter every day (which is a blessing, for those of you who know her, she was quite the handful when she was younger!) She LOVES school and even gets upset with me on holidays because she wants to go to school. I guess she thinks that everyone is at school and I’m making her stay home.  Elle is in first grade and she, too, has a great teacher who got married this year and invited us to her wedding. Watching the ceremony through Elle’s eyes was magical. At one point during the ceremony, Elle turned to me and said “this is so, so….ROMANTIC!” She was enthralled and hung on to every moment – it was really sweet. Elle played soccer again this past fall and while she is very girly, she is also rough and tough on that soccer field. And she’s FAST too! I see track in her future. Elle is a girls girl – always surrounded by a group of girls and she and Macy are the best of friends. They love Barbie’s, babies, nail polish and lip gloss. I love listening to their conversations and have visions of the teen years. They say the funniest things.

And speaking of funny, we have Macy. Macy is Hilarious! She has an adult sense of humor packed into a 5 year old body and just cracks us up with the things that come out of her mouth. However she also has the attitude of an adult or at least a teenager. Macy also started BIG SCHOOL this fall! She is a Kindergartener now! Yes, all three of my children are finally at the same school! And while Macy loves school too – she also loves being at home. I see many “fake illnesses” in her academic future. She is my little buddy and I miss her being around during the day. Macy loves her teacher though and her teacher loves her. Her teacher said that she is “always on task and a student that teachers dream to have. She leads by example and girls look up to her.” That makes a mom’s heart beam! Here at home we call Macy Miss Thoughtful because she is always thinking of others. She will help anyone at anytime. And she loves animals. She loves Dixie and spoils that dog like Don and I used to do before we had kids. Macy is also my sleeper – she will curl up next to anyone of us if we lay down. She loves to snuggle! Macy played soccer again this year with Elle. They are both on the same team. Macy really looks up to her big sister and only wants to play on the field when Elle is playing. Don was their coach so that helped. I think this was probably his last year of coaching, so we’ll see how they do next year with another coach. They love having their daddy coach them though.

Don and I are doing well too. I won’t lie and say this was an easy year, it certainly wasn’t. The economy has really taken its toll on Don’s industry and we have seen many friends lose just about everything – and we lost a lot too. But like always – Don pushes through and finds new niches that usually seem to work out. Opportunities are everywhere, you just gotta keep your eyes open.

My business that I started earlier this year is going well. I enjoy getting to flex my creative muscles and designing cards for various occasions. I also keep busy helping Don with his business. Now that the kids are all in school full time – I get to work with Don again and it feels good. Of course, I’m still volunteering at their school as often as possible. I love being room mom and helping with class parties and such. I thought having them all at the same school would be easier on me but I think I’ve been busier this year than before! I love it though and feel very lucky to be able to be involved.

I hope this letter finds each of you healthy, happy and full of good cheer! We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I feel that 2010 will be a great year and with that I say good riddance to 2009!

Much love and peace,
Mila, Don, Jack, Elle and Macy


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Go Macy! Go Macy!!!

Ok, so I never posted about this but about a month ago we got a letter saying that our Kinder was growing and they were going to have to add another classroom. I remember reading about some of my friends saying it happened to them and they had valid reasons for wanting their children to stay in the same class (One of my friends has breast cancer and didn't want her children moved from their class as they already had enough disruptions going on in their lives.) Anyway, after reading about my friend I realized that I did NOT have a valid reason for keeping Macy in her class, other than she loved her class and I LOVED her teacher, etc. I prepared Macy and told her that they would be taking some kids from each class and she may or may not be chosen for the new class. She was a little worried but we moved on. Then the announcement came and Macy was chosen for the new class. Macy was sad and again, worried - but I talked it up telling her she was CHOSEN (like it was special) and that she would make new friends and still see her old friends at lunch and recess.

Fast forward to now. She's been in her new class. Most days she's fine with it but every once in a while she gets sad and misses her old class and her old teacher. I miss her old teacher too. This new one is nice but she's older and I think a little less "kid friendly" but highly intelligent and probably a great teacher. Her old teacher was very young and sweet. Well, this morning Macy started crying before school. Her throat hurt, her tummy hurt - I see many "fake" illnesses in this child's academic future. Wish I could say I didn't know where she got that from but I'm afraid I do. [she said while rolling her eyes and whistling] She is my only child that WANTS to stay home. Jack and Elle are running to the school and Elle actually gets mad at ME on school holidays - like I just keep her home and everyone else is at school. Don't get me wrong - Macy likes school but she likes to stay home too.

Ok - back to this morning. I feel her head, tell her she's not sick and nudge her out the door. She is crying for me - she misses Mrs. D (her old teacher) she says. I hug her, say I'm sorry and tell her that maybe she can stop by Mrs. D's class on the way in and say hi. Don takes them to school.

When we pick them up the first thing she says to me is "I got to go help Mrs. D in her classroom today!!" She was so excited! So tonight I email Macy's teacher to thank her for letting Macy go visit/help Mrs. D and told her about this morning and how the timing was perfect for her to be able to go to Mrs. D's classroom.

This is the reply that I just got back from Mrs. K (Macy's new teacher):

Macy was one of two students that was allowed to have extra time during free centers because she is always on task. She is a student that teachers dream to have. She leads by example and girls look up to her. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to reward Macy. I will check to see if it is ok for Macy to visit Mrs. Dobbertein's class more often during free centers.


That makes my heart beam!! And it makes me so happy that Macy's teacher is asking for ways to reward her. I told her Macy loves to help out - so being able to help the teacher (either Mrs. K or Mrs. D) would thrill her. And being able to visit Mrs. D's class and help out is going to make Macy SO happy! And it might help her "want" to go to school more. I love our school and our teachers - I feel they really go out of their way to help the kids. They rock!!!

Elle for President!!!!

Ok, my Elle has always been fascinated by the Presidents of the United States. She talks about Lincoln and Washington all the time. I figured that was pretty normal - after all, I'm sure they learn a lot about these two presidents in Kinder and First grade. Well, today she brought home a book from the library titled "So You Want to Be Predident?" She was so excited. So we sat down tonight to read this book. By the way, I've always been fascinated by the US President's too. I remember learning about them in school - having to memorize them in Elementary school (Joe is the one who helped me learn all of the Presidents - I can remember learning this like it was yesterday. Just don't ask me to name all of the Presidents today!) I've been to D.C., the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Washington's house - I loved it! I loved it so much that I bought a book on the Presidents while we were there and read it cover to cover.

Ok - back to Elle. We are reading her book. It's a pretty neat book. Full of interesting tidbits like How many presidents were named James? There were 6. Or how many presidents didn't go to college? 9 How many were born in log cabins? 8 How many had siblings? All of them did. The tallest, the shortest, the fattest, the oldest, the youngest, the handsomest, etc. It's interesting but I thought it would probably be a little over Elle's head - it seems a little older than her but I was WRONG! She held onto every word! When it discussed which presidents could dance the book commented on how Washington could do a "mean minuet" and how he danced with every woman at his inaugural ball EXCEPT his wife. (Mrs. W had stayed home!) After I finished reading that page Elle stops me and says "wait, I have two questions. One, why did he do an angry dance?" LOL! A mean minuet = angry dance to Elle. :))"And two, why didn't he dance with his wife??" She followed every word.

Then halfway through the book she says to me "want to know my five favorite Presidents?" I'm impressed she can just NAME five presidents! So she tells me "Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson and Barack Obama" I even had her tell me again later (so I could write it down and keep it) and she listed them all again. How did she get so grown up??

And when I asked her if she wanted to be president one day she said "no. People disagree with you and then they will kill you." :(

I love my Elle Belle.

Can I just say that I LOVE Jack's 3rd grade teacher??

Look at this email that I got today. This is the FIRST day of school and she's already emailing me. I just love her. And I told Don that this is just more reassurance that we need to stay in this school - Don wants to move and so do I but I want to stay in our school as I really think it's the best thing for Jackson. Anyway, here is the email.

Mila and Don,
I just LOVE Jackson! He's MY kind of person! He's had a great first day and has already earned 3 tickets (good job in group work especially). I'm wanting to know, in addition to velcro strips, what works for Jackson with the sensory issues. Does he have a sensory diet? I can get him "stress" balls, lap bands for the legs of his desk so he can push on it with his feet, etc... To give you a piece of where I'm coming from, I too have a "sensory child". I know how difficult it can be if my son doesn't get the input he needs.
Please let me know what works or if you are willing to allow me to try new things. I want his year to be as successful as possible with the sensory issues being secondary for him.
I am excited to get to know him and the both of you this year!!!
Thanks so much!
Mia

I replied to her saying that he has never really been diagnosed with sensory issues, but that his teacher and the counselor last year suggested the velcro strip in his desk to sort of give him something to do with his hands. I told her that Jack is a great child and WANTS to do well, but that sometimes his impulse control issues get the best of him. I also told her that she is welcome to try anything she thinks would be good for him and that we are here to support her and Jack this year in every way. Here is her reply to me.


Well, I play trial and error. I have several books about sensory kids. You may have read them all. If not, let me know and I can "check" them out to you. It's obvious Jackson has a heart of gold (and he's pretty darn cute too). That's why I instantly fell in love with him! Let me do some thinking and gathering of various items. I can talk to him, too, about what he thinks.
My son, Aidan, has similar issues with impulse control as well and I have seen how frustrated he can get. I think these kids will grow up to be "go getters" and great problem solvers!
Off to get the kids from Spanish...I'll let you know what I come up with.
:)
Mia

Isn't that so cool - to have a teacher, on the FIRST day of school, already thinking of how to better your child's year? I think it's awesome! I'm hoping this is a wonderful year for Jack - he deserves it!

My house is so......

QUIET!!! I don't know whether to laugh or cry! For the first time in 7 years - I have an empty house. What am I going to do with myself for the next 13 years?? Ok, so I know what I'll be doing - and I'm sure I won't really be bored but it's so weird just sitting here in a quiet house.

The morning went great! We were all up, showered, dressed, fed and ready to leave by 7am! We don't have to leave until 7:20, so it was nice not to be rushed like we usually are on the first day of school. The kids were all so excited! Macy got up at 4 AM and got into our bed and never went back to sleep - she is going to be WORN OUT later today! She is either very excited or very nervous, I'm betting it's a little of both. But we got to the school, did the picture in front of the school like we always do - went to each classroom and said our goodbyes. I didn't even cry (when I dropped Jack off at Kinder - I was fine until I walked away from his class, then I cried!) but the stupid poem that the Kinder teachers give to the parents as they walk out the door made me tear up. I had to stop reading it - and I've read the same poem for all three kids now - you would think it wouldn't get to me anymore. Here's the dumb poem... :)

The First Day
I gave you a little wink and smile
As you entered my room today.
For I know how hard it is to leave
And know your child must stay.
You've been with him for five years now
And have been a loving guide,
But now, alas, the time has come
To leave him at my side.
Just know that as you drive away
And tears down your cheeks may flow
I'll love him as I would my own
And help him learn and grow.
For as a parent, I too know
How quickly the years do pass
And that one day soon it will be my turn
To take my child to class.
So please put your mind at ease
And cry those tears no more
For I will love him and take him in
When you leave him at my door.

Need a tissue?

So, now I'm going to go run some errands with Don. It will be nice to be able to do some work with him again. We used to work together before kids, so we're going to start that again. It should be fun to be adults again!

Here are some pics from today. I can't believe how grown up they look in these pictures!

Macy and Elle walking up to the school.


All three.


Again...


Me, Don and our "baby" who is no longer a baby at all!


Elle giving Macy a hug goodbye. So sweet!


One more pic of the girls...


Jack giving some love to Macy...


Elle with her BFF


Me and my big 3rd Grader!!


And a walk down memory lane...
2005 first day of school


2006 first day of school


2007 first day of school


Have a great day!!

My kids are facinated with the Michael Jackson news coverage....

never have they sat so long for the news! They've never even heard of him before today but they love him. I showed them the thriller video on the internet and they were mesmerized. Why haven't I ever shown them his stuff before? It's cute listening to them discuss him... "why isn't he still brown? he looks like a girl.. he sounds like a girl... he is handsome (from Elle) I wonder if he believed in Jesus (also from Elle) to which Jack replied, yes, he did and then Elle said "good, then he made it to Heaven." :D Then they showed a segment from tomorrow saying they would have full coverage on MJ and Elle asked, can we watch that tomorrow? Funny how they are so interested in this.....

Whatever you feel about Michael Jackson, he was a pop icon and a world famous superstar. Very few people ever reach his status and not many are near as talented as he. The world will mourn his passing...

Shocking that he and Farrah died on the same day. Two very famous pop icons are gone. Our hearts and prayers go out to their families...

Macy's 5 yr check up....

and a student doctor comes in first. He examines Macy, asks her some standard questions - can you skip, do you know your colors, can you draw a person, etc. Macy answers him and does well. He asked me if we've talked to her about strangers. I told him that yes, we have the Stranger Danger video but it's been a while and we probably need to go over it again. So he finishes, says our doctor will be right in and leaves.

Macy and I are talking and I start asking her about strangers. I ask her "Do you know what to do if someone comes up to you and says Come with me little girl, I have some candy for you." I ask her "what would you say?" She looks up at me and promptly says "Thank you." I burst out laughing (probably not a good response, but it completely caught me off guard) and then she shrugs and says "sure?" Like - ok, I have no idea what you want me to say! Hmmm, think it's time to watch the Stranger Danger video again??

On another note - the check-up went great. Great vision, hearing - 90% for height and 90% for weight.

Oh and she got two shots. So, before the appt she asked if she would be getting shots. I said I don't know, we'll have to ask the doctor. So, after the student doctor leaves and says the doctor will be in to see you in a moment - Macy says to me "she is going to bring in shots." I told her that the doctor doesn't give the shots, the nurse did. Ok - then our doctor comes in, checks her out then says "the nurse will be in to see you in a moment." Macy looks at me and says "now SHE is bringing in shots." So I told her yes, the nurse is going to give her two shots. I said "do you want to know what I told Jack to make shots better?" When Jack was little I remember telling him that when the nurse gets the needle out to take a deep breath and when she puts the needle in you to start blowing out REAL hard. It worked for him. He, to this day, is not afraid of shots now. He says it really works to blow big breaths out during the shot. So Macy likes this and is prepared. The nurse comes in and asks Macy to sit in my lap. I remind her to take a deep breath. She does. Then the nurse gives the shot in her arm - Macy starts blowing and blowing and she's not crying. YAY! The nurse is done with the first shot and Macy says "that hurt a little bit" So the nurse grabs her other arm for the second shot. Macy asks the nurse to give her a second but the nurse just sticks the shot in her and Macy LOOSES IT! Screaming, crying, kicking, you name it! I felt so bad for her, she did so well for the first shot. I know why they hurry through them but it was upsetting since Macy asked her to just give her one second. When we got to the car Macy said she hated all nurses and when she's a doctor she is going to give EVERYONE a shot! :lol: I told her I'm sorry that nurse didn't wait and explained she was just trying to get it done quickly. Macy said "I was just trying to catch my breath and wanted her to wait one second!!" :shock:

And while I'm giving updates - today was Elle's Kindergarten graduation! :( I can't believe it - one is graduating Kinder and I have one going into Kinder. It seems like just yesterday I was walking Jack into Kinder. It goes by so fast! I'll post pics later - right now Macy is begging me for lunch!! :P

504 Meeting with the school....

Today we had a meeting at Jack's school to discuss putting a 504 plan in place. The meeting went very well I think. It was the principal (she is never in our meetings, it's usually the vp whom I don't particularly care for but am learning to deal with - but the VP wasn't there this time for some reason) the counselor (she is wonderful!) and Jack's teacher (also wonderful!) So we meet, discuss some issues. The teacher started implementing a plan of having only one math problem viewable at a time (she covers the rest of the problems up) and she has seen tremendous improvement with this already! She gave Jack the first part of a test before our last meeting and he scored a 36 on it - out of 100! Then she gave the second part of the same test after we had our meeting and she covered up the problems so he could only see one problem at a time and he scored a 75 - again, out of 100! HUGE improvement! He brought his report card home yesterday and it's all A's with one B and that B is in his advanced math class. If he was in regular math, he would be straight A's - so to see him score 36 on a test, well, something's just not right.

Anyway, the plan we came up with for Jack is this.

They will cover his work so that only one problem is showing at a time on the paper. He gets too overwhelmed/distracted with all the problems on the page and he rushes so hopefully this will help - which she has been doing for the past week or so anyway and she is seeing a big improvement.

He will get "movement time" to get up and move around after 30-45 minutes of sitting. Which she said she pretty much does already with Jack and that in 2nd grade, they aren't really ever sitting that long anyway, but it will help him when he gets into older grades and they expect them to sit still longer.

And they are going to offer him a piece of velcro that he can put on the inside of his desk or underneath - anywhere that he thinks is best - and he can "fidget" with it while he's sitting there. Something to help with sensory issues - I've never seen any sensory issues with him but he does have a hard time staying still and likes to fidget, so hopefully this will help him. This was the principal's idea - she said she used to do that for some of her students when she was a teacher. The reason that it's velcro under his desk is that she said that she didn't want Jack to feel embarrassed by having something like that and that as kids get older they worry about what their peers think and she doesn't want him singled out. This will just be something for him that no one needs to know about but might help him to have something to do with his hands.

All in all - I liked it. I think the school is doing an excellent job in trying to work what's best for Jack. This is all extra stuff that they have to do and I like that they are willing to go the extra mile for him.

We will meet annually for the 504 to make necessary adjustments - or anytime they or we feel the need. We will meet sometime mid-year next year to discuss if everything is working and getting ready for the state standardized testing to make sure Jack is on track. They really impressed upon having this done before he got to 3rd grade and the testing starts. Even though he is an A-B student and very bright - they are worried about his testing. He rushes through and doesn't pay enough attention. I'm hoping this 504 will help him with that.

He already is doing so much better with his math, and the teacher and counselor both said that his attitude is so much more upbeat - even though he's a happy kid anyway, they said he appears more confident this past week. He even comes home telling me that he's doing so well in math - he is clearly proud. And that makes me happy. He's so sweet, funny and SO SMART - I don't want his confidence shaken because of this.

So - that was our meeting. I will keep you all posted on the results over time. Thanks for your support!

Roller Skating!

Ok - I know, I don't blog for a while and then BAM - I blog several times in one night. Well, that's the only way I get to these days! And truthfully, I'm so exhausted tonight and would like to go watch tv and then crash - but I really wanted to share this. So - here goes! :))

We took the kids skating this weekend. Jack had a classmate's birthday party at the skating rink, so Don and I took the girls too and we all skated. Elle and I went skating back in January with her girl scout troop, so this wasn't her first time. Jack had been skating before but it's been a LONG time! And this was Macy's first time on skates.

Jack tried out the inline skates - it was a little difficult at first but Jack is very talented when it comes to anything like this so we knew he would get it quickly. He did! By the end of the night he was jumping up in the air on those things! I would have broken every bone in my body had I tried what he was doing.

Here's Jack on his skates. I don't have many pictures of him because he was off with his friends most of the night.



Elle did good on her skates too! Especially given the fact that I had to HOLD her up the ENTIRE time we went skating a few short months ago. She was like Bambi on ice last time! She didn't need me at all this time! Elle always has her own way of doing things though, and skating didn't prove to be any different. She doesn't really "skate" she just kind of RUNS on wheels. I don't think the wheels ever turned, she just ran around the rink on her skates. Again, I don't know how she does it and again, I would probably break every bone in my body if I tried to run in skates! Elle has gotten the skating bug though - she wants to go EVERY DAY!! She loved it and has requested a skating party for her 6th birthday! We already have it planned! Here are a few pics of my little Bambi on ice...

This pic is a little blurry but I still love it. Notice how she is "flapping" her arms?


"running" on skates...


She was watching the races and I called her name.


And then there was Macy. It was her first time but like Jack, she takes to stuff like this pretty quickly. Although she is much more cautious than either her big brother or sister and does NOT like to fall down! I mean, who does, but it really makes Macy mad to fall! Elle falls a million times and just gets right back up - it really ticks Macy off to fall so she tries very hard NOT to fall. She did a great job. She held my hand at first but was quick to figure it out and she just went around and around the rink (staying close to the railing, of course) at least a hundred times! She loves skating too! Here are a few pics of Macy's first time skating...

WHOA!!


Slow and proud...


This is what Macy looks like when she almost falls - you should see the face she makes when she DOES fall.


YAY - she's skating!!!


A rare pic of us all together! Well, almost all of us - Don had to take the picture!


Here is Don - with his phone, of course! ;-)


All in all it was a great night! Skating really takes a lot out of you and we were all worn out by the time we left the rink. But I think we'll be going back very soon! If you are like me and Don and haven't skated in 20+ years, you should try it! It's a lot of fun and it's great exercise! Oh - and your kids will sleep SO HARD that night! :)

Baseball Season is here!!!

I love baseball season! I think it has a lot to do with Spring time - I've always loved Spring! The sun it out (mostly!) and the days are longer (I also love daylight savings time!) The winter blues fade and everything is new again. What's not to love?

Then when you have kids, it's even better! I love going to my kids games - any sports really, but there is something really special to me about baseball! Maybe it's because that's the sport I played as a kid. Maybe because my brother has played all his life so we've spent a lot of time watching him. Maybe it's just because it's a GREAT sport! Whatever the reason - I'm happy that Jack loves playing baseball.

Today was our third game - and it was a nail-biter of a game but I am happy to say that we are still UNDEFEATED!!! Yep, we're 3-0! The kids made a heck of a comeback tonight - after being down 5-13 we came back and WON at 16-14!
W-H-A-T A G-A-M-E!!!!

It was awesome!!! Here are some pics from our season so far. Hope you all are enjoying the wonderful weather!!

SWING!


RUN!


A TRIPLE - YAY!!!


GOING HOME!!!


My handsome boy!




And of course, I can't leave out my girls! They make great cheerleaders!!


Macy and her thumb.

"I had SO much fun last night Daddy!" from Elle....

So sweet! Elle came home on cloud nine last night! She had such a great time! She woke up this morning and told Don - "I had SO much fun last night Daddy!" Awww, so sweet!

Don said they went to dinner and had a very nice time. He gave her a special card (she was so proud and showed it to me when they got home, it had a picture of a Lion on the front and said "I Love You" and on the inside it said "and I'm not lion." Such a sweet card he found for her. He said he wanted it to be simple so she could read it herself. Awww...so thoughtful. Anyway, Don said when he gave it to her at dinner, Elle said "Oh Daddy, you shouldn't have!" LOL! That is hilarious to me!

At the dance he said there were 400 dads - and it was crowded! They stood in line for an HOUR for their pic to be taken! So they didn't get to spend much time dancing - he said he learned what he'll do different next year. They will get their EARLY. But they still had a great time! Elle saw all of her little friends there. OH - and Elle said to me "momma, I was the ONLY girl there not in a dress!" - she wore a skirt. UGH. I told her that she was special then. I saw some of the pictures - some of the girls were wearing the same kind of style of dress that I told her she couldn't get. Some were made up like it was prom. And some were wearing the "heel high shoes" (that's what Elle calls High Heels and she wants them SOOOOO badly! I tell her she can have them when she's an adult (or at least a teen!) Ugh - no offense if you let your child wear those shoes with a little heel - I just don't care for them and Elle LOVES them!

But all in all it was a nice evening out for them and I'm glad they had a great time.

Daddy/Daughter Dance

Tonight Elle and Don are on a date. Elle is in the Daisies (part of Girl Scouts) and tonight is the daddy/daughter dance. Elle and I went shopping today to get her a new dress. I got a little taste of the teen years shopping with Elle - and it wasn't pretty! Elle wants dresses that I just couldn't get. Either they were too casual (for tonight) or too....hmmm....hoochie? YIKES! Why do they make hoochie dresses in a size 5-6? And that's 5-6 in a child's size, meaning 5-6 YEARS OLD! UGH!

Anyway, we finally found the perfect outfit at Gymboree. I saw this beautiful pink skirt and after talking Elle into it - we bought it. Plus, with this skirt, she can get a lot of use out of it rather than a big fancy dress. Oh and the best part? It was on sale and I didn't even know until we checked out! Love saving money when you don't even realize you're going to be saving money!

She looks BEAUTIFUL! Well, ok - she IS beautiful! But tonight she shined! We did her nails, her hair, put fancy lotion on - I bought her a silver heart locket necklace and gave it to her right before she left. And she got a new purse and some new lip gloss to go in her new purse. She is all set.

They left and were going to a nice dinner before heading to the dance. (UPDATE - Don just called and said they had a very nice dinner and are heading to the dance right now.)

So here are some pictures of Elle before she left. My little girl is growing up.

OH MY GOSH! We just had a massive hail storm!!!

FREAKY! I've been in hail storms before but NONE have been this massive!! First of all the hail was HUGE - 2 inches plus in diameter! But more than that - it came down in a FURY! It looked like a snow storm - but it wasn't snowing! We were out there in our warm weather clothes and just watching it come down like crazy!

Here is a picture of the massive balls of hail! Even the pics don't do justice though!

My sweet girls.....

This week at school Jack is the "Celebrity of the Week" - every kid gets it in his class, you get special things all week. Monday = Bring something special to share with the class, Tues= bring your favorite book to share, Wed=parents write a letter to the child telling them how special they are, Thurs=special lunch with child and Fri=the class makes a special poster for the child with their picture and all.

So, tomorrow is the letter one. I wrote a letter to Jack and Don wrote one too. Then I thought - I'm going to ask the girls to write a letter too. You send it to school in a sealed envelope and the teacher reads them out loud to the class - so Jack won't have any idea that Elle and Macy wrote a letter to him also.

I told the girls about it and they were more than happy to write their letters to their big brother. So, instead of sitting there spelling out each word for both girls, I had them dictate a letter to me, I typed it, printed it out and gave it to them to write on a card they made him. It was a good idea and saved a TON of time! And they LOVED doing it! It was so sweet watching them work so hard on their little letters, I just HAD to take pictures! And now I just HAVE to share them with you all! :))








The front of Elle's card.


Inside of Elle's card.


Front of Macy's card.


Inside of Macy's card.


I can't wait to hear from Jack after school tomorrow.