April 2012

We began April by giving Daddy some well-earned downtime and going to a small scale children's museum close by.  I was still reeling from unexpectedly missing spring break.

I love Sofia's reaction in the video... priceless.

Daddy was gone for 3 weeks in April. He was home on the weekends and we made the most of the time together, but he was missed by all. The girls and I kept ourselves busy with mostly good weather, playdates and living simply. I realize there will never be enough time so I try to cherish very moment I have with my children. As a family, we have taken an approach to salvage whatever sanity we have and not be over-scheduled. We know families that run themselves ragged every day of the week to activities, clubs and other classes. I am trying to avoid that for us. I don't judge those who make a different choice, or say we won't ever be in that situation (we have have our turn). I'm just trying to keep it simple for as long as I can. I don't see a benefit to signing The girls up for camps if they're not interested. I can put the money toward a vacation or their college funds. I think that Samantha is doing well with only one activity, but I don't know how long that will continue. Sofia is loving the arrangment because of all the playdates. I usually try to get together with another family at least once a week/weekend. I've offered to take kids to support other busy parents and am improving at accepting help. Mostly though, I've been allowing myself to just be instead of constantly enriching my kids. Relaxation is important too!


These are from March... Samantha loves her special breakfasts with her Dad.  Sofia struggles with missing him, which make moments like the one I captured below even more special.

Throughout April there was Family Fun Day and Science Night at Samantha's school, where I got to volunteer (and take the kids around).  We saw a lot of the kids and their families.  We got to have some time with our friends, watch our tulips bloom, see our extended families on both sides for Passover and Easter.  I also managed to spend some time with my friends and squeezed in time to volunteer for Art Adventure and my regular time slot at Samantha's school.

All in all it was another full month, but again, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Sofia's Reading!

We just had conferences with Sofia's teacher and we are so proud!  She is reading (an activity that she hasn't wanted to do much at home) and a very kind student.  She plays with everyone and it's great to hear how she's learning!  It's also a joy to hear her finally read at home!  I love watching her world unlock with the power of reading.

(The photo is from her keeping her entertained waiting for my doctor's appointment.  I thought it was appropriate!)

Samantha's Concert

Samantha's class performed a concert tonight. Grammy, Daddy, Sofia and I all went to watch our girl perform. She was nervous, which is typical for most people and was mostly excited. She walked in with her head high and sang and danced her heart out. Samantha's pose was chosen for the class to imitate so she was honored, which you can see in the video. Samantha was very proud of that. As always, it was a honor to watch her and know she was created from Daddy and me! How did we get so lucky?

Sofia's field trip to The Blast

I chaperoned Sofia's recent preschool field trip to a local community center and it was a blast! I had 3 girls in my group and they were all great! They all knew me and weren't shy at all. I got to play with them and then observe. Sofia plays well with everyone and doesn't stick to just one group of kids. As usual, she ditched me for Mr. W. On the way home. Sofia always starts the day with me and never stays with me. If that's not a metaphor for motherhood, I don't know what is! Here are "my" girls with smiles and funny faces...

I am so lucky to be able to do this.  My children love it and I love being there for them!

Let them be who they are

I often tell people that I have no control over my children.  I couldn't make them stop kicking me in the womb so why would I delude myself into thinking I can make them do anything now?  All I can do is model the behavior I want to see from them and know them well enough to see what's coming if I don't get them out of a situation.

There is a cliche in self-help programs referred to HALT.  It's a signal to never let yourself get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely or too Tired.  Everyone will start to fall apart when they hit those breakpoints.  Think about it... it's the beginning of desperation, which leads to those things you can't ever take back.

Our children are kind, caring and full of enthusiasm for life!  They love each other and are sisters, meaning they are the best of friends and the worst of enemies.  They miss each other, but savor the time away from their sister.  A little adventure alone is a good thing and necessary to everyone's sanity.

Today we spent a calm day as a family.  We played games, read some books and did gymnastics.  The girls held hands in the car as we went to Nana and Papa's house for dinner to enjoy some extended family time.  The kids loved seeing their cousins as usual and tonight Ashley was there too.  She commented on how intelligent and observant Samantha is, and how Sofia and Samantha's personalities are so opposite.  Sofia is free with her affections and has no fear of jumping in while Samantha prefers to watch the dynamic initially, though she has no fear either.  They are so different, but in our family they complement each other well.

It's a good thing and I am proud to say that I have no control over my children!

Spring Break 2012

Since I spent most of the week working, Daddy handled Spring Break Week all by himself. This was his reflection of that time.


As a parent who travels a lot for work, I've felt very removed from my family as of late. I miss seeing the things the kids enjoy like gymnastics and swimming. After 3 straight weeks on the road, I took a week off - no cell phone, no computer - to dedicate to time with the kids during their Spring Break. Unfortunately, mommy had to work so not only did I get a lot of time with the kids by myself but I also got a window into what she juggles while I'm away.

The girls and I made a list of all the things they'd like to do. We played on the trampolines at Skyzone, visited the zoo with Nana, went to gymnastics, played lots of games, read stories and they even convinced me that an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese's would be fun - and it was.

I have to say that the week, although not relaxing for me, was a true pleasure and something I wish I could do more often. We basically did whatever they wanted and I feel like I accomplished my goal of giving them a fun week doing things with them that they enjoy. I know they needed time with me but I needed time with them too.

My kids are growing up fast. April is almost over and it feels as though the school year just started a few weeks ago. I'm a bit jealous of the fun summer I know they'll have and I'm already looking forward to the next time we can spend a week together. Ideally I'll work it out so it can be two weeks over the summer because as soon as we know it, fall will be here and school will start again. As I sit here watching their gymnastics class - now on Saturday's - I'm reminded yet again of how fun it is to be a kid and how privileged I feel to be able to share this time with them.

Here's a bit from Skyzone:

March 2012

We had a very full March with school events and time with friends.

Samantha's self-portrait... I love it!

Conner's "big bandage" for a "big wound".  We were happy to host them on St. Patrick's Day!  The kids had fun especially after dark with all the flashlights, while the adults never stopped talking.

Shabbat dinner with the Murphy's was a fantastic way to end the month... thanks for the yummy desserts, including peanut-free for Sofia!

An interview with Sofia... I just love the way she says, "Because I love her so much."