Sweetest Kids in the World

Parenthood is Funny Like That

Another school year typically brings assessments, scores, and interventions to help Madelyn. It always brings a flood of emotions.
I sent a note off to the teacher this morning:
"Dear Madelyn's Teacher, While reading with Maddy last night I noticed she is having a lot of difficulty with recalling words she already knows. What can I do to help her?" 
Within moments I got a response:
"Yes, I see this too. I am evaluating what we can do to help her. I will keep you posted."

At first I felt a rush of calm... perfect, someone is taking the reigns and can work on helping. 
Then thankful... how lucky we are to have such a responsive teacher!
Then... a rush of sadness... it's not in my head...
Then, fear... fear that the stress of the difficulties she has will somehow overtake her personality. Or burden her.

One thing I do know. I am more proud of this girl than I ever have been of anything in my life. She takes this and everything in stride, and continues to work hard and love everything around her.

"Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours, to see. Que Sera, Sera. What will be, will be"

Kayaking!

Yup... Madelyn went kayaking!

We had an amazing Labor Day weekend. Kayaking with Auntie Linda, boating with Uncle Jay, and cookouts at Nana and Papas!

When Dad and Reed Nap...

Madelyn and I sometimes head to the lake.

But Maddy still had time to make sure a fort was ready for when Reed woke up:

Conversations with Papa

Shine

Here is a Top 5 of my parenthood fails. Or should I say not-so-shiny mommy moments. (You got to laugh!)

5. Forgetting to feed Reed lunch, yesterday.

4. Having a fight with then four-year old Maddy and then marching her to her room and careening across the kitchen floor onto my back.

3. Ever giving Reed a sip of my coffee. (He is definitely his dad's son and LOVES coffee.) he now tries to grab complete strangers coffee cups to get his fix.

2. Losing Maddy in Kohls only to have the store locked down and eventually find her in the juniors clothing rack pooping.

1. Getting a letter home from Maddys day car when she was 3 that said lice was found on a classmate. Then, covering Maddy's head in Nix and acting like she had lice because I was so freaked out.

Let's just hope for every fail I also make good decisions and create better memories for them! Haha.

Bobo, School, and Gratitude

Madelyn (along with her parents) call Reed Bobo. Usually said as... ooooooohhhhh, boboo during a screaming-crying Reed fit. Last night as I was putting Maddy to bed she looked over at me and told me about her day. She said they had pudding with whipped cream, recess x3, and Math. She then looked at me and said... oh, mom I love school, but I also missed Bobo. I love my Bobo.

Agh! It's like she knows saying those sweet things will surely get her the pet rabbit she wants for her birthday. (She is not getting a pet rabbit! -but she tries.)

After her sweet statement and love for her brother I also felt my heart fill and overflow with joy and gratitude for the people in her life that texted, called, messaged, and banged down the door to hear about Maddy's first day of school. Madelyn is a sensitive, nervous, and incredibly sweet girl... and the family and friends that lift her up and celebrate with her create a level of gratitude I could never have imagined.