Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Monday Mom – Neetika:

We celebrated Hudson’s first birthday over the weekend with the traditional family dinner at Grandma’s house. As always when a little one of mine has a birthday, I hem and haw about whether we should throw a “party” party, complete with little friends running around, a bunch of decorations, catered food, kids activities, etc. We stuck with our old standby, and I’m so glad.

All of my relatives are moving in a million different directions—that’s modern life, I suppose. It was great to catch up with everyone. It’s too bad. When a lot of time goes by without all of us hanging out, and when kids are involved, the changes in our lives are that much more pronounced. My aunts and uncles got a kick out of Haley’s pre-K-style antics as well as Hudson’s mobility and general adorableness.

We opted for a Mickey Mouse theme, the one show and song Hudson seems to consistently love. Our simple décor looked great, and if Hudson was a bit indifferent, his sister really got into it. She loved making everyone wear the party hats with Mickey ears! Hudson made out with a lot of cool gifts—a little scooter/push toy, a plush ball that plays music, and a dump truck he can roll around to his heart’s content.

These parties really remind me of a simpler time, before kids’ parties got out of control and when families made time for each other, no matter what’s going on. It’s good to know we’re able to get back to basics once in a while.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
We celebrated Tate’s 5th birthday last weekend. His aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents and brother all gathered at the swimming pool. It was a perfect day for the festivities, and time well spent with all his family members.

Unfortunately, Tate’s father was supposed to work and couldn’t join in the celebration. He was visibly bummed. Tate asked almost daily whether or not his daddy was going to attend his party. I did my best to explain to Tate that Daddy’s schedule is very demanding that he would to his absolute best to see him on his birthday. Tate’s father made a last-ditch effort to move his schedule around, and miraculously he got the day off.  He got into town late on the eve of Tate’s birthday to surprise him.

On the morning of Tate’s birthday, the whole family greeted Tate with birthday hugs and kisses. However, Daddy patiently waited a few minutes and snuck up behind Tate to surprise him. He gently tapped his shoulder and whispered “happy birthday!” Tate turned around with the biggest eyes and joy in his voice shouting, “daddy, you made it to my birthday!” It was very sweet and an exciting moment for the two of them.

Tate’s 5th birthday was a great day. He played with his family, ate pizza and cupcakes, and best of all his daddy made it there just in time. One birthday I’m sure Tate will never forget.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Haley hadn’t been to a ton of birthday parties as a toddler. I think a lot of her friends at that age were doing the same thing we did—a small gathering with family rather than a put-on “affair.” But now her playmates are turning four, and many parents we know have given in to the main event. Since we’re heading into summer, I think a lot of pals with summer birthdays have been motivated to have their celebrations before everyone took off on their vacations. Each weekend, we have to remember where we’re going and when, field lots of questions from Haley about whether this or that friend will be there, and most important, remember to get a present!

It’s interesting to see what each family chooses to include at a birthday party. I’m seeing a lot of Do-It-Yourself favors that are really cute. The universal party foods seem to be pizza and cake, though I’m relived that there are usually grown-up snacks and drinks, too. Attendance can be a double-edged sword at times. I’m usually glad that Haley has something somewhat exciting to do on a Saturday, is seeing her friends still even though school is out, and is learning that in life, we need to let someone else be the focus at times. But it’s not always convenient, depending on where the party is and the other plans we made for the weekend. I don’t always love splitting the family in half during what’s supposed to be quality time. But overall, it’s been really fun. I’m grateful Haley is being included—there are worse things than too many party invitations.

Haley is really excited for her birthday party now. She doesn’t have a firm concept of time, so it’s lost on her that April is very far away and a lot will change in terms of her friends and interests between now and then. Fortunately, her little brother turns one in a few months; I have a feeling that when I plan that party, I will have an experienced little helper on my hands who knows precisely how to make it great.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
We have had quite a busy April so far. Haley recently celebrated her fourth birthday. We took our annual trip to the toy store and “fancy restaurant,” this time with baby in tow. Haley and I baked homemade banana cupcakes for her party at preschool. And, we had a party with our extended family—this time with a ‘Bubble Guppies’ theme.

As soon as the birthday festivities ended, it was time to switch gears and have a proper Easter. We colored eggs, had an egg hunt and enjoyed lots of Easter candy. We don’t go to church for the holiday so it’s really an excuse for Haley to wear a cute dress. Hudson’s not even crawling yet, but he was included in the photos and the Easter bunny (with the help of his grandmothers) did remember to leave him a few toys.

It’s always difficult to give each holiday and special occasion its proper due when they occur simultaneously. Perhaps when the kids are a bit older I’ll have a better sense for how to merge celebrations—a pastel bunny birthday party, anyone? For now, I’ll just try not getting too worked up about making each event perfect. I love providing the kids with fun rituals they can look back on fondly, but I know what matters more is the quality time we spend together. As we’re rushing around this spring, hopefully we’ll remember to appreciate the most important aspect of these celebrations—spending time with the people we love.

From Friday Mom  – Erin:
I am pleased to announce the arrival of our newest addition, Charlotte Ann, who entered the world this past Tuesday afternoon and has been keeping us hopping ever since. We have only had a few short days with us so far, but we arrived home yesterday afternoon and are getting used to things slowly but surely.

So far, Rory is not entirely certain what to think of his new baby sister. I think he is angry with me, but has also shown signs of complete normalcy. Like snuggling with me and reading a book while I nursed and reading stories together at bedtime. I am anxious and intrigued to see how the four of us fair this weekend when we spend our first full days together. I am sure it will be the first of many adventures as a family of four.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
I’m so proud to announce that we had our baby—it’s a boy! For the second time, I was surprised by labor with my water breaking in the middle of the night. By the next afternoon, I was holding my precious, healthy baby in my arms. We named him Hudson. I was so prepared to have a baby that is his own individual person that I was stunned when I gave birth to child who looks exactly like my previous child. Hudson looks just like Haley, in boy version.

Haley clearly loves her baby brother, but there have been the inevitable adjustment issues. She is now saying she doesn’t want to go to school. She sometimes says she wants the baby to go. For a girl who is usually very independent and tough, she has been crying and whining a good bit. The vast majority of the time she is great with him and very excited, but the moments she isn’t can be very grating. It makes performing the simplest tasks incredibly complicated. I keep telling myself it’s just a phase. It can’t last forever, can it?

My patience is wearing thin not only because of Haley’s regressions but also because of the lack of sleep that comes along with having a newborn. Hudson is too young to have any discernible pattern, and is still feeding on demand, but I really look forward to consolidating a few more hours of sleep at a stretch.

So that’s my life these days, fully in the throes of babyhood. It’s not easy at all, but it’s wonderful to have him here and enjoy the new configuration of our family. I’m proud to join the ranks of the “mom of two” club, and thrilled to share the next part of my journey with you.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Over the weekend, we celebrated Tate’s birthday. A couple weeks ago, Jack told us he wanted to give Tate a birthday gift.   I thought it was very sweet of Jack. I was not surprised, because Jack is the type of person who loves doing things for others.

Recently, Tate is fascinated with all things related to Batman. Jack thought it would be an awesome idea to get Tate a Batman mask. Jack thought Tate would enjoy actually being batman. Jack researched his favorite website, Amazon.com and found the perfect Batman mask. Jack took money out of his own piggy bank to pay for Tate’s gift. What a thoughtful big brother.

The mask arrived in the mail and Jack hid it immediately. The next afternoon, I helped Jack wrap the gift, while Tate was taking a nap. While we were wrapping the gift, Jack insisted on making a scavenger hunt for Tate to find the gift. I loved the idea and told Jack to plan his hunt around the house.

After much thinking, Jack wrote clues on pieces of paper and hid them around the house. The first clue was on Tate’s chair at the dining table. Each clue led to the next clue and so on and so forth. Tate followed each clue until he finally got his present. Jack hid the “treasure” in his closet. Tate opened his special package and absolutely loved the surprise. Tate gave Jack a big hug and thanked him at least twenty times.

As a mother, these rare moments of kindness make me feel lucky. I’m happy to see my kids love each other so much, especially when constant bickering is the norm some days. I’m happy to see my oldest son do things for his little brother all on his own. I’m happy to see my younger son acknowledge his big brother’s acts of kindness and thank him for being so special. It’s my goal as a mother to teach my kids that family is so important. I don’t know what I’d do without my siblings. I thank my parents everyday for surrounding us with a loving atmosphere and a wonderful support team. I can only hope to provide the same for my boys.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Four years ago, I was nine months pregnant with our younger son, Tate. I remember being very round and sitting by the pool ready to meet him. I wondered if he would resemble his big brother. I wondered what kind of personality he would have. I wondered if he would get along with his brother. But most of all, I wondered if I had the ability to parent two boys. I could never imagine how much this sweet boy would impact our family. He has brought a combination of cuteness, craziness, and comedy to our family.

Tate’s birthday is this weekend, and although I’m excited for this milestone, a little piece of my heart is broken. He is growing up way too fast. He isn’t a baby anymore. He dresses himself, buckles himself, and even helps set the table. I never thought this phase of his life would come so quickly. Oddly enough, it makes me appreciate every meltdown and laugh we share together even more. Before I know it, he’ll be off to college and I’ll miss those alligator tears and pursed lips.

Tate had his fourth birthday party last weekend (a week early) with his friends. We hosted a pirate-themed pool party. Captain Tate was in heaven. He smiled from ear to ear the entire party and loved swimming with his friends. What more could a parent ask for? I’m extremely happy to have a thriving four year old. I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store.

Happy Birthday, Tate!

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
The last week of May is fun, but busy for our family. My birthday and Jack’s birthday are this week. To celebrate, our family went to Atlanta for a fun filled weekend.

We loaded up the mini-van and drove to Atlanta and the boys immediately noticed the city skyline and big buildings. They loved the cars, trains and planes of the big city. I especially enjoyed being surrounded by the activity of the city.

The boys enjoyed exploring our hotel, but the aquarium was much more interesting. The Georgia Aquarium had all kinds of sea-life including, rays, sharks, penguins, whales, turtles, jellyfish and a dolphin show. The boys loved the sea otters, scuba divers and a HUGE Whale Shark. They were mesmerized by all the large tanks and colorful fish. Thankfully, we managed to see everything before the holiday crowds took over.

The next day was a rare chance to see our beloved Red Sox play at Turner Field versus the Atlanta Braves. After ten straight losses, we knew the Red Sox needed our help! After 6.5 hours and a rain delay we watched them comeback from a five run deficit to win 8 to 6. It was a LONG day but worth it. GO SOX!!!

This weekend is the finale of birthday week. Jack turns seven, and we are having a pool party with his close friends. All he wants is a pool, cupcakes and the company of friends. I am happy to oblige, but I can’t guarantee beautiful weather. My fingers are crossed for my birthday boy. Mother Nature, please cooperate!

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Over the weekend we celebrated Haley’s third birthday! I can’t believe how quickly time has gone by. I know that’s a cliché, but it really boggles my mind that I am the mother of a three year old. I think the transition from baby to kid is truly complete. Haley can express herself very well, can feed and somewhat dress herself, and is very close to being completely potty trained. When she was younger, I looked forward to this time, believing everything would be easier. Sure, I’m not utterly consumed in caretaking of an infant, but I’d hardly call raising a three year old “easy.”

Haley was looking forward to her birthday for a long time. Then when it was actually upon us, it was almost too much for her. Sometimes it seems like kids enjoy talking about things theoretically more than experiencing them in reality. But she was back to being excited once her birthday party started, guests began arriving, and presents started to accumulate.

For the third year in a row, we skipped a celebration with Haley’s little friends in favor of a party at her grandparents’ home with the extended family present. Haley’s party had a princess theme (a far departure from last year’s dinosaurs!), with matching cake, balloons, napkins, cups, party hats and noisemakers. She loved it. She had so much fun blowing out her candles and playing with the many, many toys she received.

It’s exciting to see Haley grow up and change as time goes on. I’m looking forward to all the birthdays to come throughout her childhood, and to see how those changes take hold in my little girl. I just hope it doesn’t go by too fast.