Who needs a time machine?

Anyone who knows my children well knows that I would be well served to get my hands on a time machine. Whenever one of them gets upset and loses it over something they insist that the only way to fix things is to go back in time and make things exactly the way they were before. I've had many a frustrating conversation on the topic of time machines, however, the more I think about it, I could really use one myself sometimes. I'm having a hard time moving forward with this blog without going back to where I left off before. So here we go back in time to remember things exactly the way they were, starting with the end of 2nd grade...

A couple days before the last day of school, Reed's class had their end of the year celebration where they presented a couple short plays, poems and songs they had learned throughout the year.  Reed was so excited to have the lead in one of the plays--excited and a little nervous. Folding his arms is definitely one of his nervous habits. Despite being a little anxious he did a great job on both the play and the poem he was assigned to introduce. He was the only one who memorized the whole thing. He's got a great memory and likes to use it.

Max was enthralled with the whole preformance and did his best to resist jumping in to sing all the songs he has heard Reed singing at home all year long.

Ruby enjoyed the show too even in her groggy state. If she hadn't been asleep when it was time to leave she might have not looked so rumpled (and maybe a little less stripey...I can only hope no one thought I picked that outfit out.)

Reed seemed pretty pleased (or at least relieved) when the  presentation was over.

Reed with his best school friend looking just about as comfortable as I was with this kind of picture at his age.

 Reed and Mrs. Smith. I was really happy to have Mrs. Smith as Reed's teacher. She pushed the kids to do a lot of extra thinking and appreciated Reed's strengths, calling him a "little thesaurus".

The Dicksons have left the building.

 

A couple days later the official last day arrived and we all joyfully welcomed the new found freedom of summer.

Per Reed's request, we celebrated the start to summer with his favorite treat--donuts. Don't let these pictures fool you--the kids did actually enjoy their donuts.  

It wasn't all donut eating. They also did important things like practice their signatures. Reed's class didn't do cursive in 2nd grade and that is something he was really looking forward to in the coming year.

We arrived home to the serendipitous arrival of  a package with the kid's new bathing suits. They of course were thrilled.

Seriously...where did these kids come from?

After our swimwear fashion show, our neighbor hosted an end-of-year ice cream social in the cul-de-sac. It was quite the gathering of children. This picture includes about half of the crowd.

Donuts and ice cream. Yep...my kids were feeling pretty lucky.

It didn't take too long outside to remember that the commencement of summer isn't all good. The middle of June and it was already boiling outside. Max knew how to take care of that.

Max also knows how to make his eyes shine in a way that makes him irresistible to his photo obsessed mother.

It may technically be Fall now, but I'm still going to do my best to zoom through all the greatness of summer before we launch too far into the best season of the year. Lightspeed ahead!

Guess who's potty trained?

About three weeks ago quite miraculously and instantaneously Ruby potty trained herself. It was task I was dreading and postponing as long as possible because it's a skill I do not have. Even with child #3 I feel as clueless as I was the first time around--and maybe even a little more because, while all my children are strong willed, Ruby's version of bossy takes the cake.

About 6 months ago she was interested...but after a day of multiple accidents she lost all interest and told me on a daily basis how she loved being a baby and wearing diapers. I figured it was going to be a long and frustrating process so I didn't get too excited when out of the blue she said she wanted to put on her Rapunzel undies. I was even less hopeful when an hour into round 2 she had two accidents. After her second accident she said, "I keep wetting?!" like it was some kind of surprise. And then something clicked and that was it. She didn't have another accident...and even protested a bit when I put a pull up on her at night. A few nights later I finally gave into her request for undies at night and to my amazement she hasn't had even one problem at night. Miraculous.

She is so pleased with her success every time...so am I.


Even after a few weeks, the novelty of her cuteness as "a big girl" has not worn off, and don't even get me started on how adorable she looks in her little undies and how every time I put them on her she says, "I won't wet these, Mom."

Thanks Ruby...you win. Best potty training ever.