We Are Ready

Tomorrow is our preschool orientation.  The child and one parent go for an hour, do a couple crafts, meet the teacher and get familiar with the room.  To say that I'm excited wouldn't be accurate.  I'm elated that Zoe is ready to start this next stage of her life. 

I've read many things my friends have written over the years about missing the baby stage or not being ready for the next stage.  Maybe it is because I know this is my only chance to soak up every moment in Zoe's life or maybe some other reason, but I never mourn the passing of one chapter or the start of the next.

I loved the baby stage.  All the cuddles and the naps.  The naps were my favorite part!  I loved seeing how much she grew each month.  By the time the toddler stage came, I was so ready for it.  I loved that she could communicate with me and started to show her sweet personality.  I loved that I didn't have to carry her everywhere and she could eat what we ate.  No more mixing formula or making sure we had some.

Now that we are out of the toddler stage and into the pre-school stage, I'm beyond ready.  Zoe now tells me her stories.  We do pretend play all the time.  I actually think this is my favorite stage so far.  She likes to play practical jokes and to tell jokes.  She loves to sing and dance.  She wants me to read to her and to tell her stories.  I love hearing what's going through her mind.  It's rarely what I think it is and usually incredibly funny.

With preschool a week away, I'm excited to see what this next stage will bring.  I know it will include a whole new group of friends, new adventures, some tears and much laughter.  Even though I loved the baby Zoe, over the last three years I've become completely smitten with this Zoe.  She's the kid I always prayed she would be.  While there may be tears at the first day of preschool, they will be tears of joy at just how far she's come. 

We Are Now a Family of Six

For the last 10 days Zoe has been on a ruthless campaign to get a puppy.  She knows she wants a black puppy, she just doesn't know where to get one.  Every night, after we've failed to get a black puppy, she says, "mommy, we totally forgot to get a puppy today.  Maybe tomorrow?"  Usually I say something like, "so you want a black puppy still?  What would you name him?"  I have to change the subject before I crush all her hopes and dreams.

Now, when we're driving places, she's totally checking out stores to see if "that one sells puppies!"  I have to find routes that avoid pet stores.  I may have even lied saying, "they don't sell puppies, just leashes and puppy food." 

All the while N is just beaming with pride.  I saw my future flash before my eyes.  These two are going to "run to the store to get milk" and come home with a puppy or three. 

While out running errands we happened to go to a store that has a fish department.  It's Zoe's very favorite place in the whole store to go.  I made the foolish mistake of telling N and Zoe that I'd be right back while they looked at fish.  I came back to see them staring at the beta fish and then batting their big eyes at me.  They know my kryptonite.  We got a beta.  Zoe carried him through the store like he was precious gold. 

When we got home, N was totally in his element.  They washed the tank and put it together.  Then they washed the rocks.

Then Zoe washed the red plant that she thought her new fish would LOVE.

As she was helping daddy, we asked what she wanted to name her new fish.  It came as no surprise she wanted to name him Coco.  About a year ago she saw a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode that has a monkey named Coco on it.  Ever since then, everything is Coco.  Her bear is Coco.  Her stuffed puppy is Coco.  If she gets a black puppy, she'll be Coco.  It comes to reason that her fish will also be named Coco.

She helped daddy dump Coco into his new home.

It was that face right there that made my future of cleaning the tank and taking care of Coco totally worth it.

Now this is where I find Zoe all the time.  Next to Coco, talking to him, asking him if everything is good and giving me a play-by-play of Coco's every move. 

We are pleased to introduce Coco.  He will be loved to pieces by a little girl who has finally stopped asking about her black puppy.  Welcome to the family Coco.  You have saved me another 10 days of dodging the ball.  I never knew I could love a fish so much!

I Hear Wedding Bells

Yesterday Grandma Kathy found a microphone with a stand and a guitar for Zoe.  The best part is the microphone amplifies through the guitar, so it's like she's really giving a concert.  She LOVES!  ADORES!  CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF! it.  She's completely in her element.

I will admit she got the love of being on stage and hammin' it up from me.  One of Grandma Kathy's favorite things to do is interview a child with a microphone.  I can remember my mom interviewing me as a child and I LOVED!  ADORED! it.  There are several cassette tapes of my interviews.  Apparently I was going to marry my cousin Cory because he would lay on the floor and pretend he was a seal.  I would laugh.  We all know true love is based on seals and laughter.

One thing it has done for Zoe is that she wants to be interviewed all the time.  With or without the microphone.  Last night on the way home she asked a question about a husband and how you get one.  Instead of getting into the whole routine of dating many guys, crying your eyes out and then finding the man you can see yourself with for the rest of your life, I told her to get a husband, you have to marry a boy.  This was our conversation:
Zoe:  Can I wear a big dress?
Me:  Sure you can.
N:  Can I walk you down the aisle?
Zoe:  Yeah Daddy, you can walk me a mile.
Me:  Can I cry in the front row?
Zoe:  NO!  There is no crying mommy.  You can talk to the boy at front while daddy walks me a mile.
Me:  Are you going to say "with this ring I thee wed"?
Zoe:  NO!  Daddy will be walking me a mile.
Me:  Are you going to kiss the boy?
Zoe:  (letting out an exasperated sigh) EWE NO!

At this point N was totally proud.  He gets to walk her a mile and she won't be kissing any boys.  It's his own personal fairy tale.

Mom's Lunch

Yesterday my mom and Lily offered to watch the kids so our small group moms could go to lunch.  There are 6 of us in the small group and we never get to chat all together without the kiddos.  The thought of having lunch with 5 of my favorite people, without kids was totally intoxicating.

I can safely say it was equally intoxicating for the other ladies because we've been looking forward to this day for a month.  Anytime we chat, the excitement of this day is mentioned.

You have to understand, to coordinate this kind of event, two crazy people have to offer to watch all our kids.  That's 15 kids, 2nd grade and younger.  Most of them are kindergarten and younger.  My mom has just enough crazy in her to think she and Lily could do it.  She had lunch, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, water games, water balloons, a birthday party for one of the girls who actually turned 3 yesterday, painting and I'm not sure what else because my brain started to hurt and I got really tired all of a sudden.

The kids had a blast.  They were wet, tired and all smiling when we showed up.

Thank you ladies for meeting for lunch.  It was nice to to catch up, talk without being interrupted and just fellowship with you.  Each of you have blessed my life and I'm so grateful that God brought our family into this small group.

Jorene, Lindi, Erin, Amanda, me and Becky

I wonder if next week is too soon for my mom!

She's Her Father's Daughter

Yesterday Grandma and Zoe were playing after quiet time.  According to Grandma, this was their conversation.

Zoe:  Grandma, can we go outside and play in the sand?
Grandma:  Sure sweetie.
Zoe:  To build sand castles?
Greandma:  That sounds like fun.  We'll need to get shoes on first.
Zoe (with a sly look in her eye):  Naked?

It took my mom 10 minutes to regain her composure. 

When I told N the story, he responded with "that's my girl." 

Our house is never dull.

A Saturday At the Park(s)

Eighteen months ago we went to our old stomping grounds outside Seattle and visited Ami and A.  We used to live blocks from their house.  We went to check on our never-selling house and to visit.  A showed us around his town.  His favorite thing is the zoo. 

Zoe wanted to show him her favorite things:  parks, swings, splash pads and a carrousel.  First up was the splash pad and playground.  While Zoe did much swinging, A ran through the splash pad.

He's not too keen on getting water in his eyes.  Who can blame him?  Isn't that the cutest expression?  While he was running and squinting, Zoe was doing this:

She's not keen on getting water in her eyes either.  In her mouth a different story!

Pretty soon we had enough water and wanted to do something drier.  We headed to another park to ride the carrousel.

I warned Ami that we'd need to get two rides since once is just not enough.  After our two rides, we played on a big slide, watched the ducks and then ate some shaved ice.  Zoe certainly planned a fun day with her friend.

As we were ending our day on Sunday Zoe said, "I miss my best friend A." 

I think it's safe to say we'll have to do this again soon!

At least once I catch up on sleep.

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.