Water Class

Yesterday was an exciting day for Timmy. The stars (and schedules) finally aligned, allowing him to enjoy his very first in-person class. Several weeks ago I signed him up for the "Science in the Park" through our county recreation board. The series of four classes ended up being a single experience due to low enrollment. Thankfully, yesterday's class met the minimum participant requirement to proceed. 

My typically outgoing and confident little boy became shy and nervous as we drove up to the class. I knew that he was excited, but also scared. Because this was a class and not daycare, I had to stay on site throughout the two hour experience. He initially clung to me but, after about 20 minutes, he acclimated and really didn't give me a second thought.

The class involved learning about the water cycle and aquatic animals. He enjoyed the games that were played and interacted beautifully with his classmates. I saw both the relief and pride wash across his face when he called out the correct answers to his teacher's questions. It was great seeing him with his peers!

There is no doubt that his favorite part of the class was the creek exploration experience. He grabbed his net and walked into the creek like he was a boss. He wasn't about to let the cold temperature (the water clocked a whopping 51 degrees) stop him from his mission of finding an aquatic animal. While all of the other kids were hanging around the shore, mine was waist high catching craw fish and baby salamanders. 

Despite his only having one class instead of four, he had a great time. Hopefully the pandemic will continue to fade so we can do more of these experiences.

 

Celebration Saturday

Between Timmy's birthday and Robby's performance, Saturday we were in full-blown celebration mode. Friday even was hectic as I prepped and prepared for the birthday/ performance party. Between cleaning and decorating the house and wrapping presents, I was exhausted by the time I finally went to bed. Even though I was tuckered out, my efforts were worth it when I saw the smile on Timmy's face when he woke up on Saturday.

My sweet little Hamlet thoroughly enjoyed his 7th birthday. He was surrounded by love and completely spoiled throughout the day. Between enjoying his favorite meals, ripping through a small mountain of presents and spending time with his Nana, I don't think he could have asked for a better day. 

Even though it was Timmy's birthday, I wanted to make sure that Robby's band performance was not overlooked. He worked hard for the past few months and deserved to shine on stage. I was so glad that my Mom made it down for the show. I know that having her in the audience meant a lot to him. 

Looking around my house Saturday night, it was impossible to tell that I had spent the previous night cleaning. Bits of wrapping paper, decorations and toys littered my previously clean floors. I spent most of Sunday uncluttering my house from the celebrations on Saturday. 

Happy Birthday Hamlet- and Rock On Robby

This weekend will be full of excitement, chaos and emotions. Robby has his rock band performance on Saturday, the culmination of months of practicing and hard work. He is both nervous and excited and, although I know he will lean more towards scared on Saturday morning, I have no doubt that his adrenaline will kick in and the hours of practicing will take over. He is, quite simply, going to rock it!

Saturday is not only the big band performance, but it is also my sweet little Hamlet's 7th birthday. How could my little baby, my greatest surprise, be 7 already? Wasn't he just a wee little baby? And now he is running around, digging up worms and learning to read. Time is moving way too fast for my comfort.

The birthdays of my boys always fill me with a quagmire of emotions. I love to celebrate them, but each candle blown represents the passage of time. Sigh. Being a mother is wonderful, but I was woefully unprepared for how much it would sting to watch them growing up. 

I miss my tiny little baby, but I adore the young boy that greets me with a mischievous smile each morning. He has such a wonderful mind, full of questions about the world. He possesses the confidence to try and he doesn't fear failure. 

Unfortunately, these same qualities have also led to some nail biting experiences. The time he climbed the ladder and decided to dance on our roof nearly put both of us in the grave. I have caught him with puppy blanket hung around his shoulders as he prepared to leap from the top stair of the deck, convinced he could fly if he believed. 

Timmy likes to flip on the trampoline and roller skates faster than I would prefer. He is fearless on his bike and he picks up snakes with the care that he handles butterflies. He is an enigma, keeping me young while simultaneously making me age with worry.

Happy Birthday Sweet Timmy Hamlet. Being your mom is, without a doubt, one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

Inside Again

After a fantastic farm adventure in the beautiful weather, Mother Nature decided to keep us inside. Between the cold temperatures and the howling wind, it felt more like November than April. Timmy was sad that we couldn't play outside, but when he saw the trees swaying he finally agreed with my decision.

Our day was spent catching up on work and household chores. With a birthday coming up this weekend, I want to make sure that the house is cleaner than usual. (It is hard to believe that my sweet little Hamlet will be 7 on Saturday! My goodness the time has flown.) My Mom is coming down on Saturday to celebrate the birthday and to attend Robby's band performance. Even though she is well aware of my housekeeping skills, I feel like I should make more of an effort than normal.

Today will be cold and rainy, so we will again be sequestered inside. After such a fun day under the warm sunshine, it is hard to stay inside. I hope the weather turns again soon, because I had a taste of adventure and I'm yearning for more!

Farm Adventure

Yesterday was one of the best days that I have had in such a long time. The weather was perfect, mid 70s with bright blue skies, and the boys finished their schoolwork in record time. Left with a free afternoon under ideal conditions, I decided it was time for an adventure. We packed up and headed to our farm.

We haven't been to the farm since the season ended in 2019. I wasn't sure that Timmy would remember the farm, but as soon as we pulled into the parking lot he began to squeal. Robby, who is typically reserved and uninterested in family adventures, was excited to join in on the fun. 

Between completing the obstacle course several times and feeding the baby piglets and goats, we had an epic family adventure. I felt overwhelmingly happy to be at the farm with the kids. I knew that I had missed our normal outings, but I don't think I realized how depth of the loss. 

I wasn't the only one relishing our return to normalcy. After going down the slide with Robby for probably the 10th time, Timmy declared that he thought he might die because his "heart was going to explode with happiness." Hamlet nearly exploded with excitement when Robby surprised him with a mining kit so that he could pan for gems. 

After spending the afternoon sliding and playing, we were all tired by the time we arrived home. Even though we were worn out, we all kept smiling through the evening. Timmy is already counting the days until we can return to our farm for another adventure.  

Things are definitely looking up!

Bittersweet

I wish that we could have stayed and celebrated my Mom's birthday all day, but our schedules forced us to return back to Virginia. It is always so much fun to visit, and leaving is always bittersweet. I was glad to be home where I could tackle my projects, but I wanted to stay and spoil her all day. As we were pulling away from her driveway, Robby and I were trying to focus on the positive. It was sad to leave, but the fact that we can visit again is absolutely awesome.

I arrived home in time for a scheduled conference call, followed by some quiet time for me to focus and work. Robby had his cooking class in the early evening and prepared one of the best meals I've had in a really long time. I love his cooking class. Not only is he learning a life skill, but I get a night off from my dinner cooking rut. 

Timmy was quiet for much of the afternoon, content to be home and to play by himself. He was mischievous and chaotic during our visit and I think the energy expenditure caught up with him. Hopefully he will return to a more normal activity level now that we are home. 

Today we are back to normal and, yet again, trying to play catch up. I feel like the past few months I have constantly been falling behind and catching up. I wish we could just stay on pace, but I don't think that is in our cards this school year.  At this point, I'll take finishing as a win.

Happy Birthday Mom

We had a nice albeit quick weekend away. Today is my Mom's birthday and I'm glad that we were able to spend a few days with her to celebrate. We didn't do anything spectacular, but I was able to help her with some projects around the house.

Timmy spent his time rollerskating and playing around my Mom's yard. He thoroughly enjoyed being the center of his Nana's attention, regaling her with stories and inventing games. I love hearing the two of them laughing and talking! Robby was content playing video games and cyber chatting with his friends from the comfort of my Mom's Lazy Boy recliner. I worried that he was bored, but in reality I think he rather enjoyed being left alone.

Today we are heading home. I wish I could spend the day with my Mom, but life and school are waiting for me back in Virginia. If you see my Mom today, or know her email, please wish her a very Happy Birthday!