week ending sept 14, 2008:

Week ending Sept 14: This week I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how big the kids are getting and how fast this part of our lives seems to be going by. A while back Bubbe pointed out that although people often take notice of the “firsts” (first steps, first word, first day at school), we rarely realize when we are witnessing the “lasts” such as the last time a child needs to be picked up to climb into a car, the last time a child sleeps in the crib, the last time a high chair is used. I feel like the kids going to full-day kindergarten is looming on the horizon (ok, it is almost a whole year away, never too early to be paranoid) and I’m wondering how our lives will change. They are getting so big I can feel that the last time I carry them out of the car is coming. I’ve told them that when they turn 5 they’ll be in charge of brushing their own teeth so I’m nearing the last time I have to brush their teeth. How far of a leap is it until we reach the last time I read them a bed-time story? The last time they’ll climb into bed with us on a weekend morning? The last time they’ll give me a kiss in front of their friends? Of course there are a few “lasts” that I AM looking forward to like the last time I have to wipe a bottom (I still help with the really messy ones, lucky me), the last time I have to hold a tissue while they blow, anything involving bodily fluids, really.

This was the first full week of classes. Chloe talks about Mackenzie all the time and has also told me about songs they sing in class, and projects they are working on. Both kids got excited about an apple project they worked on, and both kids liked the “apple tortillas” that they got to help make. I haven’t heard quite so much complaining about school as I did last year. Last year the kids got invited to a birthday party and Alex said he wasn’t going to go because the boy was from school. Alex hated school and anything to do with school.

Chloe and I spent the night in the tent in the backyard this week. It was originally going to be all 3 of us, but about a minute after we turned the light out Alex said he was too scared and wanted to go inside. It was then I realized that the twins have NEVER slept with the windows open in their rooms. They had no idea what the sounds of night are. Poor planning on my part. Chloe kept saying she was scared, and I kept telling her that she could go inside any time she wanted to but as long as she wanted to stay in the tent I’d stay with her. She woke up at 6:23am and sat bolt upright. I told her I was very proud of her for making it through the whole night. She rolled over and went back to sleep until 7:30!