Alex is Missed ALOT!

Alex has gone to visit grandma and grandpa for the week. So far, it has been nice and quiet...matter of fact, too quiet for Shawn & I. We enjoyed our weekend with just Maddie...going to the pool every day, eating dinner out with only 1 kid (who didn't need any entertainment), and just relaxing. Maddie and I have been busy shopping and cleaning the last few days. It's been so quiet that Maddie has even looked around (where big brother usually is) for Alex. She seems bored with mommy always playing with her and looks around every time we put big brother on speakerphone.

Alex has recounted many adventures so far. He's caught lots of lightning bugs every night (which means he's going to bed really late since it doesn't get dark until after his bedtime). He has enjoyed lots of one-on-one time with grandma and grandpa. We've heard about trips to the grocery store, many trips to the library (where he is impressing everyone with his early reading skills), and trips to the park. He is really enjoying himself. There have been a number of times when he says that he really misses all of us but doesn't want to leave early. "No mommy. I still have 5...4...3 days left" seems to be his favorite phrase these days. Never knew it would be so hard to wait to see your little man again or that it would seem so quiet and boring during the day. Of course, as soon as he returns I will be counting down the days until August when he visits grandma and grandpa for another week!

Our Summer Vacation So Far

Our summer vacation so far has been filled with lots of trips to the library, Target, Chick-fil-A, and playdates with friends. Alex has also had the chance to visit the pool twice when Shawn is around. (I got some stitches recently & need to keep them out of the sun.) As you can see, he was not too thrilled about how cold the water was this day.
A typical summer vacation day for us so far goes like this:
1. sleep in a bit (Sometimes until 8am! Yes, the kids rock on these days & mommy needs less caffeine these days.)
2. play for a few hours (go to the library, run some errands or have a playdate with some friends)
3. tell mommy "I'm bored" a million times between 10am and 5pm
4. have the same lunch menu every day (salami, cheese, a pickle, some crackers & juice...this is all Alex wants for lunch lately. This from the same kid who used to hate lunch meat & only wanted to eat PB&J every day.)
5. read a few chapters from a new library book
6. take a nap (Mommy needs some quiet time during the day. If only Maddie could get on the same afternoon nap schedule or at least take a nap, we'd be set!)
7. wake up in time for daddy to come home (if he doesn't get enough sleep, he is quite grouchy...I hate those days!)
8. eat dinner
9. play with friends & go for a walk around the neighborhood
10. bath & bed time (AWWW...the kids go to bed around the same time now! Shawn & I are loving this new bedtime schedule!)

It all seems like an exciting day to a 3-year old but it's driving mommy insane! I need a break from the constant attention & wanting to be with mommy always again. I can't wait until he visits his grandparents for a week!

HELP...The School Year's Almost Done!

Alex's first year of preschool is almost done and I'm wondering what I will do to keep him busy over the next 3 months of summer vacation. Alex has grown so much over this past year. At the beginning of the year, he would cry and throw a tantrum any time I dropped him off at school. He wanted to be at home with mom every day. Of course, this only lasted a short time and he began to love his new school and his new friends. My little toddler was soon becoming my little man. His face has changed and his personality, too. He's more outgoing...saying things I would never imagine him saying. He walks around saying things like "Hey guys...", "Come on mom", or "Did you know that (insert any new fact he's learned here)."

To wrap up the school year, Alex's preschool had a Spring Music Program on May 13th. There was lots of singing and funny moments from the kids. I was a proud mom to say the least. (He even made me cry a few times.) Alex's favorite thing to do at school is go to music class so we were so excited to see Alex shine. What I didn't expect was seeing Alex be the class clown (in a good way). He was so excited to see all of us (Shawn, myself, Maddie, and Grandma Gail) at his program that he kept waving and yelling to us. He said things like "Hi, mommy, daddy & Grandma Gail", "Happy Mother's Day!", and "Can you guys see anything? I can't see a thing with these sunglasses on." BTW, they wore sunglasses for part of the music program for a summer song or two. After his program, we treated him to lunch at the Olive Garden (what used to be one of his favorite places to eat). When we got ready to order, we were all in shock when he ordered just salad and breadsticks for his lunch. What? This from the same kid who could eat pasta for dinner each night. This from the same kid who won't eat vegetables unless it's corn on the cob. (Yes, I sneak in some veggies by giving him V8 juice every day. Gotta do it somehow.) So Alex really has grown alot this year. With only 2 days left of the school year I'm wondering where the time has gone and what it will be like this time next year when I'm preparing a kid for Kindergarten. For now, I'm going to soak up all of his hugs & kisses & little antidotes every day.