Soccer Season

Thursday night was the first game of the season for BOTH the littles.

I got a window into our world in the years to come when they are both in extracurricular activities.

Luckily, they played on back to back fields so we got to experience them both having many firsts.

Check Ben out in celebration {maybe drama club is in our future?}

But, let't be honest, we could be sitting in the audience of many theatrical performances from either kidlet......

This year is Ben's second round, and he has improved so much since last year, look at that form!

He still looks at time on the field as 'social hour' but we are working on that.....

Emme was a hoot to watch, 

lots of standing around by her,

 and directing from Poppy and Dad-O

{love how they are steering her here}

and, of course, soccer games at this age are all about the snacks.......

a tooth fairy tale

Soon after his fourth birthday and days after his four year pictures

My boy played superhero over an exercise ball and his face met the gym floor

He and Mommy had to take a trip to the dentist and have booth top, front teeth pulled.

He was so brave

 The tooth fairy has come back a year later in full force

to make sure she outshines the ladder experience.

Two teeth during school yesterday

and

a third tonight

a hat trick of teeth if you will

For that brave boy a year and a half ago

is a now a much bigger boy

 and so proud of himself

Shoulders back, chest puffed up a bit more on his way to bed

And the scared Mommy who took him to the dentist and had to hold him down while they pulled his teeth, go to be the one who pulled his tooth tonight, held the paper towel on the bleed and nuzzled his nose with a whisper of "my brave boy, I am so proud of you"

today

We have been working now since August 1st

and the kids have been in school since the 18th

and I would be lying if I said it has been an easy transition.

The truth is, I found my calling when I became a mommy

and teaching was not something I had planned on returning to.

But, it is getting easier in some ways.....each day.

And the difficult stuff I am convinced we will power through.

As we always manage to do.

And today, we were a family.

I was a "stay at home mom" again.

I found myself wondering if I was ever grateful enough for the gift I was given of five years home with my kids. Because in the thick of it, the grass is often greener on the other side. 

Today, I wondered,  "Did I soak them in the way I did today, when I had them everyday all day?"

"Was I as thankful and present in my time with them?"

The answer....

Probably not.

Today, I smelled their skin, held on longer than a normal hug should, and went on spontaneous adventures while Dad-O was gone. Today, I dried her hair as she sat in my lap and studied her sweet curves and folds, aching at the thought of a day she won't need my help with her locks, and struggle to embrace her body in a way that allows for naked blow drying with reckless abandon. 

Today, I was there when he got out all his tools and worked on hammering stuff, with such intent that he hammered his left thumb something awful, and I was there to nurse his wound, and praise him for being such a big boy. Today we read book after book, played chutes and ladders and hi ho cherry o too many times to count. 

Today, I felt it. I was grateful for my time with them. I drank it in.