The start of Autumn....
Warm sunshine and cool breezes...
Shawn's Birthday...
Saturday Cross Country Meets with my husband...
The start of a school year...
As you know from previous posts, like this one, it has been a long hard summer. Our family is welcoming the fall with open arms this year and with a sense of renewal.
We are also welcoming our new schedule with two of our three little ones in school. Madison attends preschool in the morning and Shawn attends kindergarten in the afternoon. This schedule allows me to spend time with each of them. Lauren is still in the mix, but that has its own benefits too. Both kids are so different when they are alone and given the chance to create a world all their own. There is no competition, no arguing, and each child can enter in a space without worrying about the other taking over the lead.
In the mornings Shawn is home and Lauren is awake... Some of my favorite moments ever are when I catch Shawn and Lauren playing together on their own. For such a passionate, driven, super energetic child, he is so calm and careful with her. The time they have together gives Shawn the opportunity to teach... and he is so good at it. Lauren poses no threat. She can't really talk yet, can't challenge him to a game of Candy Land, or beat him to the bathroom sink when it is time to brush teeth. What they have is special... In their own way they are bonding... It's pretty amazing. Even though Lauren is awake, I still get really great time with Shawn. He is undoubtedly the best company anyone can ever have. On a typical day we can be found in the living room surrounded by hot wheels cars, trains, trucks or neo tracks. Sometimes we can be found upstairs playing vet clinic or animal rescue shelter.
Madison gets time with me all to herself while Lauren naps and I am so grateful for that. Madison has such a quiet go with the flow personality that sometimes she fades into the background while the other two are demanding my attention. I cherish every moment that I get to spend with Madison. It gives me the opportunity to interact with her in the way she deserves. We can be found spending the afternoons playing make up, changing earrings, or painting nails. Maybe you will hear the tap of Maddie's click clack shoes throughout the house when we are playing shoe store. She sits patiently while I teach myself how to French braid her hair. Some afternoons we just lay on the couch together talking about everything, with maybe a little tickle in between stories. The time is just so special... I so cherish every moment.
The days leading up to the start of the school year were long and hard. It is always nice having the break from the school year and every summer is filled with a life time of memories. However, every year we get to August and start to crave schedule and routine. Me especially...
More than anything, I love it in September when we are settled into a new school year and we sit down to the dinner table and have great conversations about the day. Shawn and Madison always have great stories to tell about school. They usually have to break from eating dinner to sing us the number Macarena or the good morning song, but all is welcome at our table.
After dinner tonight I was washing the dishes smiling... Our three little ones were dancing around our house to Sesame Street songs in a parade lead by Lauren, then Madison, and caboose Shawn. Almost like they were strategically placed that way... Our little pyramid of ages and personalities. It has been so long since they have all been in the same place at the same time without someone complaining about something. They were so happy. The big kids letting their baby sister lead the parade, and our baby keeping pace with the other two. It makes my heart skip a beat and smile because she is there... Worthy... I can't help but get excited for what's next.
As always there are stages that we all go through... I just hope that this one sticks for awhile...
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