We Heart Friends

This weekend my friend Ami and her son A came to visit.  Ami and I met years ago while we worked for a company that shall remain nameless.  I knew her before she got married.  She knew me when I was single and wondering where HE was, but not knowing who HE was.

It's been a friendship that has only been in the making for 9 years, but it feels like we've known each other a lifetime.  She's a friend I can confide in, laugh with and be myself around.  To say she's a blessing would be an understatement.

She had A three weeks before I had Zoe.  I've always used A as my measuring stick for Zoe's development.  They haven't been together for over two years, so we were excited to see how close they would be developmentally.

It's funny because they have the same interests, the same meltdown triggers and are the same size.  After being in a car for 5 hours, A wanted to feel the ground under his feet and wind in his hair, so Zoe thought they should scooter.

Honestly, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything cuter.

In preschooler world, kids that scooter together are friends forever.

It also means that you can only scooter for so long before you have to find something more fun to do.  It does get hot under that helmet.  We got out the sidewalk chalk.

Here's where the boy vs. girl thing comes in.  Zoe wanted to draw pictures and shapes and then play games with those pictures.  A wanted to draw lines all over the place and be in several places at one time.  It was fun to see their differences.  I suggested maybe playing hopscotch.  Apparently that's a HUGE hit with the 3 year old crowd.  I drew up the hopscotch and they jumped.

That night during prayer time Zoe wanted to pray for Ami and A.  You know she enjoyed having them visit as much as I did.  That also meant she had plans for them.  I'm pretty sure she had our whole Saturday booked.  I'm still trying to recover from it, so I'll post those pictures tomorrow.

The Crayola Pot of Gold

For Zoe's second birthday she got a trike.  She was all excited and used to sit on it to watch TV or read a book.  She never really got the pedaling concept down until just recently.  It's never been one of her favorite things.  Mainly because as she's sitting on the sidewalk, she randomly just falls off the bike.  I've never been able to understand if that's because of bad coordination or her way of getting me to realize she's not into the trike.  Either way it usually sits in the garage while she wears her helmet to pick weeds or use the sidewalk chalk.

Then her sisters got scooters for their birthdays and pretty soon everyone we know is getting scooters.  Her friend Katie at church has one and her friend Cohen has one.  Every time we go to Cohen's house to play she wants him to get off his scooter and give her a turn.  Since they are both only children, that has caused some hard lessons in sharing and learning that just because you want something doesn't mean you get it.

Yesterday Grandma and Zoe went to Target to look for a 10-pack of washable Crayola markers in Classic Colors.  Which is my arch enemy right now.  They are on the preschool supply list and I've yet to find them.  I actually think they are like the pot at the end of the Crayola rainbow.  They make a 10-pack, but it's not washable.  They make an 8-pack that is washable.  I'm a bit at a loss as to what to do.  I'll probably end up buying both!

The Crayola trip to Target was a total bust, but Grandma did find a scooter that is perfect for Zoe.  It has an extra wide base for her feet and grows with her.  Plus it's a Disney Princess scooter which matches her helmet.  And, if that's not awesome enough, it has a little purse on the front of it for things like crackers and bandages.  Which, with some lip gloss, are the three essentials in every preschooler's arsenal.

Zoe practiced all day at Grandma's house.  I'm proud to report, she's mastered scootering.

The first thing she wanted to do was go to Cohen's house so they could scooter together.  Cohen and his parents came outside to play.  Zoe created a track.  She'd go up the street, turn into Cohen's driveway, down the sidewalk and out the neighbor's driveway.  It was the perfect track.

Until Cohen was sitting in the neighbor's driveway.

And Zoe couldn't complete her lap.

This was the conversation:

Zoe:  Excuse me Cohen.
Cohen:  You can't scooter.
YES I CAN!  (screaming at the top of her lungs)
NO YOU CAN'T!
(Zoe goes over to sit in the grass and pout):  Cohen, can I ride my scooter now?
NO!
YES!
NO!  I'm going in the house.

If you've never seen two, small children argue over something so ridiculous, you're totally missing out.  It was absolutely the funniest thing I've seen.  When we got home Zoe put her scooter in the kitchen and just sat on it.  When I asked her what's wrong, she said, "Cohen said I couldn't ride it."

I told her that she absolutely could since we were at our house.  It would be our secret. 

Just like sneaking in 10-count non-washable markers into her backpack will be mine!

Future Class Clown

My friend Becky and I were talking about how our kids go through stages.  Zoe is going through the trying three-and-a-halfs.  There are tantrums, crying and testing.  I'm not always successful, but I try to remind myself that it's just the stage.  In six months we'll be in a new stage.

All throughout Zoe's life, I love the stage we're in, but always ready for the next one when it comes.  I think this crying stage is the first one I really am not fond of.

However, it does come with some hilarious sides too.  She's starting to show her imagination.  She's telling jokes she's made up now.  Here's a sample:

How does the photos get to Costco?
With your fingers!

That leads to much laughter from Zoe herself.

She's also starting to play practical jokes on people.  She has a whoopie cushion that she'll squeeze and they blame someone.  This weekend she was in the backseat and N was driving. This was her conversation:

You need a tissue daddy.
I do baby?
Yep, all the boogies are running out.

Which led N to look directly at me and go, "is there a bat in the cave?"  He was totally paranoid.  There were no bats, but a big smile on Zoe's face as she whispered "April Fools!" 

I think it's safe to say there will be much fake laughter and some paranoid parents in the next phase.

She Headlines at the Nursery

If 18 months ago you would've told me that I would have no problems dropping off Zoe at the nursery at church and that I'd have a problem getting her to leave, I would've laughed in your face.  That is exactly how it works now.  She trots into the nursery ready to see all her friends.  It's much tears and sadness when I pick her up.

I think I know why.  She's the star of the nursery. 

Yesterday she organized a concert.  She put all the chairs out for her friends and stood on a makeshift stage while she wowed the crowd with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Apparently it was a benefit concert because several other kids got to sing too.

10 Days of Sheer Exhaustion

I'm going to warn you now, I'm whiny and all around exhausted.  A certain three year old is wearing me out.  I actually long for the days of all evening Wii playing.  That kind of exhaustion sounds heavenly.  We're onto the mental exhaustion.

Maybe she didn't hit her stride early enough, but I get the feeling this is what the terrible twos are all about:  crying, whining, stomping of feet.  That's just me!

It seems like every night for the last 10 days we've had a meltdown over something.  She can't have ice cream for dinner.  She can't live at Grandma's house.  She can't make her small, play cooking pot any bigger so it's a pool.  It's always something that sends the entire night into a meltdown of epic proportions.  If this is a preview to the teenage years, I best take out stock in Kleenex because we're both going to need them.

Last night took it to a place that broke my resolve.  She was crying in the backseat on the way home.  She wanted Grandma and she didn't want to go home.  When I asked her why, she said "because I don't want you and I don't like you." 

Crush my heart.

With 9 days of build up, I cried.  She yelled at me for crying because she is the only one who can cry.

I'm not going to lie.  For a brief moment the hurt spoke in me and I thought I could give her something to cry about.  I just continued to cry, which ticked her off more. 

I'm actually at a loss as to how to get through this phase.  Whatever this phase is.  This girl is wearing me down.  Bedtime cannot come fast enough.

It's in that moment where my sweet girl comes back to me.  She asks for cuddles and I as I sing her a song, she tells me she loves me.

This girl is going to be the death of me. 

There's no better way to go.

He's Stuck With Me Forever

Over the years I've made no secret that our marriage has gone through some rough times.  Next month N and I celebrate 5 years of marriage.  We both say without reservation that our marriage feels stronger than it ever has.  While we both realize it takes God and much work to keep our marriage at this place, we're confident that these last 5 years have been the foundation we needed for the long haul. 

I'm not sure what has done it other than God working in us that has brought us both to this place at the same time, but I love it.  N and I both have certain habits that aren't healthy for our marriage.  As we both work through those issues and hold each other accountable, we thought we each needed a reminder.

N's first thought was to get his tongue pierced.  His belief was that he'd always be aware to deal with his issue because every time he ate or talked, he'd have that reminder.  While I want to encourage him to take whatever steps he feels necessary, the thought of kissing a guy with a tongue ring really didn't excite me.  It totally freaked me out.  I wanted to find something that would serve as a reminder for him that didn't freak me out.  That's when I came across the Japanese calligraphy symbol for soul mates (tamashii no tomo).  I thought it would be cool if we both got tattoos of this symbol. 

N was all for it, thank the Lord.  That means new ink, not new tongue ring.  I actually shutter thinking about it.  We went to the local All American tattoo parlor and the awesome Jeremy Youngman drew up some ideas.  N wanted a phoenix to go along with his symbol because a phoenix means eternal.  Plus he just really likes them and is basically a walking wikipedia when it comes to things like mythical creatures and comic characters.

The design for N was MUCH bigger than we thought, but he loved it and I loved it, so he got it.  On his forearm.  His entire forearm.

Within the symbol are our names in Japanese.

Mine without the huge, mythical bird.  Not just because I'm a pain wuss.  Okay, totally because I'm a pain wuss.  I honestly didn't think I would have this excitement over it that I do.  It was a fun bonding experience to get a permanent reminder of N put on my body.  I realize it's not for everyone, but it really meant something to us. 

When we got home and Zoe saw daddy's arm, she wanted a picture too.  I got out my Sharpie marker and put an ichthus on her foot just like I have on mine.

She loves it!  She takes off her shoe to show everyone her new Jesus fish.

Tonight we're going to play tattoo shop.  I'll get out the paints and do my best to drawn a princess on her arm.  I may just stop and pick up some temporary tattoos on my way home!

The Whoopie

Last night I had a meeting at church and I called my sister to see if one of my nephews would be able to be in the nursery with Zoe for an hour.  I bribed them by saying this was a paying gig. 

Apparently my nephews have a social calendar that rivals Zoe because they were all busy.  However my sister offered to come to church and play with her for a bit.  We went out to dinner beforehand to have some time to catch-up.  That's when my sister showed Zoe her plan.  She pulled out a pink, round balloon looking thing that everyone instantly recognizes as a Whoopie Cushion.

Nicole made some comment that her youngest son Connor had put that in there, but I know Nicole better than that.

That's exactly what they did.  She taught Zoe how to blow it up and how to make it toot.  It was at that moment an unbreakable bond between aunt and niece developed.  My meeting was often interrupted by loud laughter from Zoe as she let another one rip!

As we were leaving church Zoe ran up to her Aunt Nicole with a big hug and a kiss.  I couldn't be more excited to see a bond between them grow.  My sister has been a role model and friend to me throughout my life and Zoe would be very blessed to have the same with her.

Actually I think it's safe to say that Aunt Nicole has made herself a place in Zoe's heart as this was her prayer last night:
Dear Jesus, thank you for today.  Thank you for the time with the tooting thing and my Aunt Nicole.  I love her so much with my whole heart.  Amen.

My prayer was exactly the same.