The Boys First Haircut

So, yesterday was the day that we broke down and said, we're going to let someone cut the boys hair.  It was LONG overdue.  Steph tried to cut Max's when she cut Gracie's at the end of summer, but it didn't take long for it to get as unruly as it was before.  And honestly, I don't think she wanted to mess with his hair anymore.  So, we left it to the professionals.

There's this great place called Cool Cuts for Kids that's designed just for little kids.  Games, movies, toys - you name it, they have it. Even little cars for them to sit in vs. chairs.  You can even bring your favorite movie for them to watch while the cutting happens if you like.  We did.

Steph and I had a meeting before we arrived and agreed that we wanted their hair cleaned up, but didn't want anything crazy.  To Steph, that meant Justin Beiber.  To me, that meant way short (and Justin Beiber).  I told her that I didn't want to lose the spirit of their hair, I just wanted it to be less-mullet-like and clean.  She laughed.  But she understood.

When we got there, that's what we told the stylists.  They laughed.  And they didn't understand "spirit."  But they did a good job.

Surprisingly, Nick was the hardest to keep still.  He didn't like the gown.  He didn't like getting sprayed. He didn't like the scissors around his head and he didn't really like sitting there. 

But Max was a champ.  He was so sweet.  He sat there.  Didn't mind the gown or the spray or the scissors.  He looked down when the stylist asked him to look down and he answered her when she talked to him.  He was awesome, really.  Where is this boy the majority of time???

They both look great.  Gracie now wants a haircut of her own at this place.  I don't know if that's going to fly with Steph. 

The stylists were so nice and it's an ideal place for little bitty haircuts.  A little expensive so I don't know if we'll be going back.  I'm sure we will, at least for the next couple of times.  Until they get get comfortable with the idea of getting haircuts.  Then, they'll be able to go with daddy!

Gracie's Pledge of Allegiance

Yesterday was Gracie's Thanksgiving Feast at her school.  It was a family affair and actually, the boys were well-behaved and it wasn't the circus I thought it might be.  The highlight came at the very beginning of the meal, when we saw Gracie getting escorted down to the front of the stage, all in her little pilgrim bonnet and collar.  She stepped right up to the microphone and asked everyone to stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance!  Then, she said it all by herself!  Like a pro.  Public speaker Gracie!  Rocking the Pledge of Allegiance like she owned the place.  It was awesome.  Unfortunately, neither me or Steph could make it to the front so we could get a good video of her.  I had Max in hand at the back of the cafeteria.  And to push through the crowd in the span of the Pledge was impossible.  So, we just relished in hearing her leading everyone in the Pledge.  No nerves.  And the cutest thing ever.

You can hear it here...

The Tales of Max

Last Sunday, it was poop.  This Sunday, it's marker.  Max is going to destroy this house, one Sunday at a time.  Actually, we'd only be so lucky if it were once a week.  It's usually multiple times a day.  I suspect that it's a 2-year old thing, but it's also a Max thing.  And Max things are not age specific.  I just hope as he gets older, the things evolve into something less destructive and more agreeable.  Or at the very least, he channels into something productive - like painting the house or mowing the lawn or building something.  Woo-sah.

Strep throat and Super-mom

Another month between blog posts.  Shameful, I know.  It's this and that and the other thing - everything that can prohibit me from posting has.  Mainly my prioritization of recording the madness that is our lives right now.  I want to do better and post more frequently, but it's hard.

It's a busy season for sure.  I'm distracted right now listening to Max go through a vocabulary book and saying words that Steph is pointing out.  He's gotten good.  You can show him an entire ABC book with pictures and he knows and says 90% of everything in there.  And always says, "um" in front of them.  It's very cute.  Nick is running at about 75% of the book and is much more deliberate in his word delivery and pronunciation.  Now, Steph is disciplining Max to put something back.  Sounds like a drink.  That boy.  Wow.  He is going to make his mom older in a day and it's going to take me a couple of days, but he'll do the same to me.

They're on antibiotics right now b/c out of the blue, 2/3 of them got strep throat.  I think the anitbiotics have some sort of steroid-type effect.  They have been wired for the past 4 days, talking more than they ever have, destroying things like they never have, not sleeping....it's been eye-opening and just a tad exhausting.  Just a tad.

I've been traveling quite a bit lately.  Last week, I was in Denver for 2 days for a big pitch.  Next week, I'll be in NYC for 4 days for a conference - I'm speaking on a panel at the conference.  I know it drives Stephanie to the limits, her watching the kids all day/night by herself for days on end, but if she didn't do what she does, our family would be in shambles.  It's hard.  I know it's hard.  It's hard work and it's hard for her to realize that she's doing an incredible job.  It's hard for her to see the purpose in this many times, this staying home with the kids, being a full-time mom.  The thought of a "full-time mom" probably sounds so ideal for girls, before they're actually in it, and once they are, there are few things elegant about picking up poop from the floor and refereeing fights and picking up "stuff" all day long and asking 5 times for something to be done and having 3 kids glued to your legs and loading in and out of the car and the store and the gym.  I am convinced that there is nothing harder than being a full-time mom, much less being a good full-time mom, much less being a great full-time mom.  This family is blessed with a great full-time mom.  Kids - when you read this, when you can read this, go to your mom immediately and thank her for everything she did for you and then sit up in her lap and tell her a story.  Or read to her.  Or sing her a song.  And tell her that you love her.

We went to our first parent/teacher conference of the year for Gracie on Friday night.  The nut - Gracie is doing a good job.  She's a very smart little girl.  But she's "social" - she talks a lot.  And her sociability gets in the way of her focusing and following directions.  If she can learn to control her sociability, she is going to be the queen of her class.  Valedictorian.  She's going to be the queen of her class anyway ;)  The best thing that the teacher said the other night was not about her smarts or things we need to work on or her report card (very first one!) - it was that she is a happy girl.  The teacher (Mrs. Brown) said, "you guys must have a happy home because Gracie is a happy girl." 

I rubbed Steph on the back and thanked her for everything that she does.  We do try to set a positive example for our kids and we do things together and when I'm not irritated that I don't already have an iPad, things are more than pleasant around here.  But it's the times when I'm not here, which is the majority of the week, that the real modeling takes place.  And that's all Steph.  Regardless of her mood (I know she's not "happy" all the time), she gives the kids everything (and more) that she has each day - energy, patience, teaching, discipline, compassion and most of all, love.

We have super-mom here at this house and we're all better for it.  Homeade breakfast, of course, is now ready.  Off for another meal, day, month of madness and fun.

It all happens so quick

September came and went in a blur.  I wanted to write numerous times, but just didn't get around to it. 

There was Labor Day, where we were going to travel to the Woodlands, but then decided against it because we'd go later in the month for Alexandra's christening.  We stayed home and finished the back porch tiling project and hung out with the Stovall's and the Schwarte's.  Both were fun.

There was the opening weekend of NFL, which around here is a pretty big deal.  Kids - there's little that I find more enjoyment in than opening weekend of NFL.  It was a great weekend.

Then, there was Max starting to be more than a handful.  Now, there is still Max being more than a handful.

There was Alexandra's christening, which was more about wrangling Max more than anything for me.  But the ceremony looked beautiful from the TV in the back room in the church. 

Then, there was more Max.  Driving Stephanie crazy.  Seriously.  She's had a couple of breakdowns due to the little man.  He is so head strong and independent and insecure and overall, misunderstood.  He needs A LOT of attention and right now, a lot of discipline.  Steph does a great job with him, but it is exhausting.  And that's an understatement.

There was us taking down their cribs because they climbed out of them too many times and they wouldn't sleep during nap or at night.  There was the potty training, which as of tonight, seems to be going great for Max, and so-so for Nick.  Max tells us everytime he has to go to the bathroom and does it by himself.  Nick doesn't tell us all the time.  He's getting better, though.

Then, there was also the stomach bug that ripped through our house last weekend, right before we went to Austin for my mom's 55th birthday.  First it was Max.  Then, it was Gracie.  Then, Steph, then me.  That ended this past Wednesday.  It looks to have avoided little Nicky.

There is the talking more - surprisingly, Max is talking more clear words than Nick, and there is also the learning by Gracie.  She's doing great in kindergarten.  She's got a few behavior issues that Steph is working on in all her spare time, but overall, she's doing really well.

And now we're here.  October 1.  Wow.  Family night movie night, Wizard of Oz on, Steph asleep, Gracie glued to Dorothy and Toto.

It all happens so quick, just as evidenced right here.

Gracie's first day of Kindergarten

We can't believe it's here.  Neither Steph or I couldn't sleep last night.  It doesn't help that no one in the house hasn't felt all that great, but there was anxiety about this morning for sure.  Gracie was so excited!  She colored a picture for her teacher, Mrs. Brown.

We all loaded up in the van (we're taking Keke to school every MWF, then Morgan is picking them up after school those days, so we had Keke in tow), and headed off to school about 7:45.  Once we got there, we all went in, dropped Keke off in her classroom and then all marched to Gracie's.  She was one of the first ones there.  It was a big deal for everyone.  We weren't the only ones who wanted to take pictures.

I don't think Mrs. Brown wanted all of the parents in the room, but there's only 1 first day of Kindergarten.  And then we left.  Gracie was just fine. She couldn't wait to start school.  She was seated at her desk, in her place, as we left, ready for everything to begin. 

She loved it!  They learned about rules.  And Genesis 1.  Beyond that, they read and played.  This year, she's going to learn and grow so much. She'll learn how to read and write lowercase letters and count to 100 and no telling what else.  I really can't believe it's already here.

Transition is on!

Boys' meet the teacher was Tuesday night.  They have no idea what's going on.  It's going to be a lot like church, where they have a safe place to play, good people to watch after them, and they'll get used to it.  Hopefully, they'll learn some things, even though they're only going 1 day a week.  Structure, craft-time, how to play well with others - all of these things, I hope they'll learn and embrace. 

Gracie's meet the teacher was last night.  It's so much different - looking at a kindergarten class, meeting the teacher, seeing the way the room is set up, the other kids - it's just not the same as pre-K.  Mrs. Brown is her teacher and she seems like a good one.  I'm happy for Gracie because I think it's the right place for her to be this year.  I pray that she'll continue to grow and learn and excel in the situations she finds herself in.  She's a good girl, well-mannered, smart, inquisitive - I anticipate those qualities will get stronger over the next year and she'll continue to be the leader that she is.

Tonight, we gave her her first haircut.

She loves it!  She looks clean and cute.  That long hair was just ratty and long. 

Tomorrow, we're taking her out for a special day with mommy and daddy.  We'll take her to eat wherever she wants and then take her ice-skating.  She picked that over everything else.  It will be an awesome time.

This is a big transition so we're trying to enjoy it for everything it is, make it about Gracie (and the boys in their case), not about us, and trust that we'll get through it all.  I know we will.  And we'll do our best to have fun through it all.

Managing this blog and our emotions :(

Hard to manage, this blog.  It's been a busy summer, and specifically last 4 weeks - there are so many things going (and gone) on, I'm a little frustrated to be dusting off the cobwebs now.  Better late than never, I suppose.

The thing staring us in the face right now is Gracie starting kindergarten.  This is her last week at home, no-school-on-the-weekdays for at least 18 more years.  Wow.  Obviously a huge milestone.  She woke up today and yesterday asking if this was the day that she gets to start kindergarten.  Slow down, missy.  We need to savor this week.  In general, I'm not having as hard a time with it as Stephanie is, but now, writing about it, I'm getting a little sad and nostalgic.  

While the days of coloring and asking lots of questions will no doubt continue, it won't be the same ever again.

Detroit, Wedding, Birthday, Dentist

Tuesday and Wednesday I was in Detroit for client meetings.

Thursday morning we left for Austin, to prepare for Michelle's wedding on Friday.  Thursday night was the rehearsal dinner.  The wedding venue was Texas Old Town in Kyle - real nice place, but outside, and hot.  They had a shaded area so it could have been worse.  It was really a beautiful venue.  Rehearsal dinner was at Texas Reds in San Marcos.  Man, that place hasn't changed in 15 years.  And it looks it.  But the food was still good.  Me and Steph had to give toasts.  We rocked it out.  My dad did a good job, too.  Mark even stood up and said some words.  We all represented the Cearley side well.

Friday was a crazy day to say the least.  Girls went for manis/pedis mid-morning.  Then, they all left mid-afternoon to get ready for the wedding, leaving me and Kyle to baby duty.  It didn't hit me, everything that I needed to do to get them ready (snacks, clothes, baths, etc..), until late in the afternoon.  I ended up waking the boys up - they weren't happy.  But we made it in time.  Gracie got ready with Steph and the girls.  The boys got ready with me.  And we all strolled out at about 5:30 to start the ushering (me and Mark, with the boys' help).

Everyone looked so happy and beautiful.  Steph was stunning.  Gracie was adorable.  Michelle looked fantastic.  Damon cried (I'm really happy for both of them).  Michelle was at peace the whole time.

The kids danced and ate (it did get hairy for awhile) and lasted till about 10:00.

Then, today, we had a small birthday party for Gracie at one of mom and Kyle's friend's houses.  They have a great, little swimming pool and it was perfect.  Cheri and Raymond.  Mom and Kyle.  Dad.  Mark and Hayli.  Mary Catherine and Eric.  Colleen and Rex.  And kids.  Gracie loved it.  She didn't want to leave, of course.  But we had to get back to Dallas for another birthday party tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we'll have the neighborhood party.

Then, on Monday, I go to the dentist for a deep clean.  Joy.

We are truly blessed.  Even though I have to get my teeth cleaned like that.

Gracie is 5

Wow.

Now that was fast.

Just listening to her and watching her - she is not a baby anymore.  She is a little girl and we can't believe we're already here.

She loves silly bands (these rubber bands that you wear on your wrist), leading people around, taking care of her brothers, and listening to stories.

She was a flower girl in my sister's wedding yesterday.  She was awesome.