The week in review

  It's been a good week.  A fast week.  A lots-of-time-at-school week. A getting ready week; a holding on week.  A sunny summer-lovely week with rainstorms too.  Our lawn is green again and the kids are growing every day and its been a wonderful summer indeed.

We kicked off the week with a trip to Kiddie Park.  Gram met us there with the kids and we all spent a wonderful two hours in the magic of this little place.  Rides were ridden.  Ivy rode the roller coaster twice and would've ridden the carousel all day.  They each tried their hand at miniature golf and Jack proved himself to have some potential as a golfer, playing all 18 adorable holes and beating the pants off his mother.

I spent my mornings in Solon this week, tutoring four different kids while simultaneously trying to get my room, lesson plans, and brain in general ready for the start of the school year.  (not ready yet, by the way...)  Nat worked on re-acclimating himself to days with the kids.  From the looks of these pictures from the Botanical Gardens, its not been all bad...

The two of them can be so very wonderful together sometimes.  They have real conversations and even edge towards real games and play together.  Jack can get Ivy giggling like no one else.  And the way Ivy looks at him...!  Pure love.

But oh, the screaming.  One moment they are peaceful perfection and I sigh to myself, this is great, two kids was my best idea ever.  Then I turn my back, blink, take a breath-- and Ivy is screaming about something, Jack is grabbing a toy or tackling her, she is trying to bite him, scowling and tears everywhere, the time-outs start flying. 

My thoughts tend to run more along the lines of good lord what WAS I thinking?? at those moments...and I am not sure going back to work is such a bad idea after all...


At least Nat will have less of the screaming to deal with, as it is mere weeks before Jack's days switch from this...

 

 

 

Our beloved Parent Center.  Refuge in times of trial, bastion of calm and happy children, home of commiserating parents.  I love this place and can't believe my  big boy is "aging out" already!!

to this....

We went to Kindergarten Kickoff on Tuesday night and I got all choked up watching my boy line up so well with all the other future kindergarteners, marching off into the great unknown toward his future classroom, without a backward glance. It seems impossible that this tall skinny boy, this independent and outspoken young man with the sensitive streak and the unruly hair was a baby still reluctant to leave my womb just five years ago....Hardly possible at all.

Despite the night wakings and worries that continue to plague our sweet boy about this transition to school, despite the fact that he steadfastly refuses to be excited about starting, I think he is going to be OK.  He is going to be serious about it, and very very tired, but OK....

We've continued to work on our list of summer projects, this week tackling the side of the garage.  The new garden bed has been dug out and partially edged, and several rotting boards have been removed from the wall of the garage.  Nat and the kids worked together to paint the other day...  Ivy took her work very seriously, swaying and bending herself side to side in these great, long strokes with the brush, trying so hard to emulate her daddy. Jack, barefoot, did not want to step in the dirt of the garden and so painted one small area, very very thoroughly....

We've also continued to soak up the glory of Wade Oval Wednesday.  This week, we met the Perry's there, and also ran into some old friends from the parent center.  The boys were thrilled to join in the great running field, together.  I love watching Jack with his friend. They are comfortable together, and feed off one another's energy and joy...

We shook things up a bit by enjoying the open-late Art museum.  Here are Ivy and Jeffrey loving the big horsie..

Thursday we finally made it to Stan Hywet.  It was a cloud-shifting breezy day and our children have been more cooperative and photogenic than they were that day.  But the place is still the stuff of dreams...

Soon children, soon it will be time for the house tour again.  Soon.

No more hesitant baby steps through the dappled light of the birch tree allee.  Now, we race.

A quiet evening of books and potties and pizza picnics on the living room floor at Melinda's capped off the day.

This weekend brought a perfect birthday party for friends Claire and Jonah (the rocket car! The ice cream truck!  A bounce house!  AND a street sale going on in their neighborhood the same day!  Seriously. It was pretty awesome.) and today, Canine Fun Days.  Best day of the year.  So many dogs, wandering in the sunshine...

A grand weekend indeed and a fine way to cap off a fine summer.

Tomorrow, the ball starts rolling. Ready or not.  I'll update when I can come up for air...