Back to School

Back to school.  This phrase, such a simple one, used to send me into a frenzy about this time each summer.  This is about the time I would begin systematically planning, brainstorming, and researching for "the ultimate first grade (fill in the blank)".  This phrase would often times make my heart rate increase at the sound of these three words spoken- "I haven't planned enough over the summer."  "I should have (fill in the blank) to prepare for (fill in the blank)."  This was also a time of renewal, refreshment, uninhibited excitment, a time for a renewed positive outlook, and time of newly found energy and hopefulness that this would be the year.  Hours would be spent at The Schoolbox skimming through every crevice of that store in search of the resource, the decoding tool, the perfectly colored dry erase marker.  Then hours would be spent placing these newly discovered treasures into a pristine classroom that had been "worked on" for weeks, to be sure it was "just so" for the impending arrival of eager, little 6 year olds.  It was the best time of the year!  A time of year, I had a feeling, would conjure up some mixed emotions this Back to School.



This Back to School I pass by The Schoolbox on the way to a playdate.  I spend time researching "How to Discipline a Toddler" instead of "How to Implement the Most Effective Classroom Management System".  I spend hours determining how to organize three children's tools and resources instead of 22.  My sense of renewal, uninhibited excitment, and energy transpires for very different reasons than it did this time last year.  I peek in the garage and admire the years of hard work, strong determination, pride, energy, the attainment of that feeling of accomplishment, all the smiles, giggles, tears, masterpieces, engaged minds, "light bulb moments", and even the scent of kids coming off the playground in Mid-May (yuck!) tucked neatly into boxes and bins awaiting the time they will once again be opened. 

 How my mind does drift when hearing the phrase Back to School, but it quickly jumps back into the present at the sound of a giggle, or the sight of a smile, a tear, a masterpiece, a "light bulb moment"....but of a different kind.  It is in this moment that I am immediately reminded why those materials are packed into boxes and bins...

....and a smile, a giggle, and a tear of joy emanates from me.  It is all worth it; I am living my dream job..even at Back to School time.   

Eating Cake

For the past 5 months B and I have been back and forth arriving at a solid prediction as to whether Marty or Maude (nicknames created by my sisters of course) was growing steady and strong "on the inside".  A common response you would hear when asked our thoughts on the baby's gender was, "We are praying for a boy, but planning on a girl."  We had made the decision to be surprised and wait patiently until D-Day to find out.  We were happy and quite content with this decision (we found out with Mia but did not with Macie and really liked that excitment in the delivery room). 

Forward through time to two Wednesdays ago, the day of our 20 week ultrasound.  Our decision remained unchanged, however with a bit of a caviat- we would ask the technician to place the baby's gender in an envelope, in case we decided to try for the much discussed amongst our friends and family, a "Gender Reveal Party".  For those that don't know what this is- basically a hostess is privvy of the sex and makes a cake that will reveal to the parents and all their invited guests if the baby is a boy or girl, by way of the pink or blue on the inside of the cake.  To continue with the tangent, B and I liked this idea but were not convinced- we are not ones who like to be the center of attention and this type of party ensured our place in the spotlight as we cut the cake in front of a room full of eager guests.  With this being said, we went ahead with the afore mentioned "envelope idea" just in case. 

B was not at the start of the ultrasound, but I informed the technician he was on his way.  I also very clearly stated that we did not want to find out the baby's gender until the birth.  She was excited for us stating that she loves hearing when parents like being surprised- "it doesn't happen very often", she shared. 

We went about with the ultrasound, all the while Tonya, the technician who I truly adore, referring to the baby as "the baby"- the same reference she used in the two previous ultrasounds I've had with her.  It came time to look in that area so she turned the monitor and told me not to peek.  I, without hesitation, turned my head, just to be sure I wouldn't catch a glimpse.  She did the deed, typed something on the screen, printed out the tiny black and white glossy picture, stuffed it in her jacket, and exclaimed, "all set!".  Next to look at was "the baby's" head.  Tonya told me "her head is a great size".  I narrowed into this pronoun, not internalizing whatever else she was telling me in that moment.  I thought, "Oh she just goofed.  She just said it once, it isn't a girl, surely it was a mistake".  We finished up with the ultrasound in record speed, B missing the entire session of admiring our sweet baby. 

 As I was walking out of the room, bummed B didn't get to see our little bun, he walked through the doors.  The technician saw him and gracefully offered to have us come back after we saw the doctor, so B could take a peek at our active little girl/boy.  So back on the table I went, this time the hubs next to me having the opportunity to see our little one's arms, legs, hands, and feet move about my womb.  As the technician moved around the baby, she used the pronouns, her and she 7 times!  B called her out on it finally and she made some silly comment that didn't make sense.  I, without hesitation, was convinced #3 was a girl and I didn't want to wait 4 more months to find out (and have B a bit disappointed on D Day- because he was rooting for a boy like I am sure any Daddy of 2 beautiful girls would do). 

We left the doctor's office pretty sure the envelope would be opened in some fashion in the near future. 

A few days passed and the decision was made to give the envelope to Trish, a dear friend who we nearly sent to the looney bin with not finding out with Macie.  We thought what fun would it be to have Brian and Trish as a part of the reveal of our little one's gender.  Afterall, we've been through many trials and tribulations together, it only seemed appropriate in our minds to have them be the "makers of the reveal". 

So Trish took to her task and began brainstorming how to design the "reveal cake" that would be shared just 4 days after the envelope had been handed off.  Numerous ideas went in and out of her mind, trying to find the most appropraite and exciting version of this very important cake. 

The night was finally here- "Reveal Night"!  Brian, Trish, B, Mia, and I sat down to dinner (little Miss Macie D was all tucked into bed by this time).  We enjoyed a great conversation and lots of laughs (mostly at the boys- as usual :) )over dinner.  It was now (FINALLY) time to cut the cake!  I grabbed the computer, becuase Nana (my mom) was going to Skype into this fantastic event.  We were ready to go....time to cut the cake.... 

Nothing revealing here...just deliciousness! 

Bill doing the honors....

He's excited- the look is obvious, but what color did we cut into??

3 of the 4 of us in the picture are beyond excited (see little person moping in the left corner)....

Taking in the sight of the inside of the beautiful cake...and trying to make a certain 3 year old smile! 

It's a BOY!!!!! 

The first two layers are for the two girls we have and the bottom layer is for the little bun in the oven!!!  Leave it to Trish to come up with the most unique (and sneaky) way to reveal this HUGE surprise to all of us.  When we cut into the center of the cake I saw pink and exclaimed, "It's a girl!"  Only to hear Trish state for us to keep cutting.  When we got to the blue layer, I was confused- "Why both colors?  We are surely not having twins!"  It took the explaination above for both of us to understand what had just been revealed to us (remember we were "sure" it was a girl based on the technicians many, supposed slip ups).  

 

Mia, after some tears (my poor baby girl), put on a happy face, enjoyed the delicious BLUE cake, and joined Mom and Dad in revelling in the fact that we are going to have a Baby Brother here soon!! 

We could not be more thrilled!  Our family is complete...Little Baby Boy Robertson is the icing on this utmost memorable cake! 

A big hug and smooch to The Hutchersons for being a part of this perfect event! 

PLAY

This morning we packed up the troops and headed to PLAY in Roswell for a little fun with great friends!  First we participated in storytime- Macie's first one (yes, I am aware she is 17 months old and yes, her big sister had been attending every storytime available from the time she could sit up on her own...poor second child. :) ).  The girls and their friends danced to music, listened to a dinosaur story, and colored beautiful works of art.  This was by no means, the main event...
 All the girls (6 to be exact) couldn't wait to get into the gym to play!!


First they jumped in the mini-ball pit! 

Then it was off to the trampoline. 

Followed by a little fun in the foam pit (and yes, the princess crown was on Mia's head the entire time!)



We spent lots of time on that big trampoline. 

 Mia enjoyed being with her friends no matter what they were doing.  Her greatest accomplishment (as she tends to be on the more timid side when it comes to trying out new things) was the gymnastics "contraption" that had been set up.  She walked up a ladder, onto a platform, slid down a slide, and finished off with a great walk on a balance beam.  At the end, as any princess would do, she bowed and sang,"Ta-Da"! 

Macie, as I should have expected, loved all the climbing, running, jumping, and fully kinestic type of play.  She ran around from place to place with a squeal in her voice and smile as big as Texas spread across her face.  The all-time highlight in her eyes had to have been the inflatable running strip.  It had ample space to run, jump, and show off her "big kid" skills, all the while interacting with her friends that joined her in the running "heats". 

After two well spent hours, some of us headed to lunch with our girlies.   It was your typical lunch with 5 children under the age of 4- chaotic, loud, messy, with moments of tears, and mothers' attempts at getting food into very tired girls' tummies.  But nonetheless time well spent together!!

All in all it was a fantastic afternoon!  M and M were not out of the restaurant parking lot before they were asleep. 

Two hours later we were at gymnastics for Mia and Mom and Macie pool time!  All this compiled into one day has got to be why there is no season like summer! 

Picture Perfect

These days there are very few weekends when the four of us are all home together.  So we took full advantage of this past weekend and planned as much as we could, with downtime at home added in for good measure. 

Saturday was spent at home...chores mostly, during the day.  After M and M were tucked in for the night B and I decided to watch a movie- a rarity around here!  We always intend to watch one, but by the time two girls are sleeping, the house has been picked up after Storm M and M came ripping through, and a quick catch-up conversation takes place, one of us (usually me) is too tired to make it till the rolling credits.  Our 1 hour and 54 minutes on the couch together was picture perfect- not glamourous by any stretch of the imagination, but picture perfect (especially when you throw in a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream- this preggo girl's slice of Heaven :)). 

Sunday morning is always a bit hectic around here.  As early as I get up to begin the "going to church routine" one would think we would be sipping a latte at Starbucks with all the extra time we had.  Not so much....but we made it out of the house and in the parking lot with a few minutes to say our hellos to a few friends who walked in at the same time.  After the inspirational service we performed the usual, you get one M and I'll get the other M routine, followed by conversations with friends.  I know, who doesn't have this same kind of a Sunday morning, nothing spectacular...but for me, the emotion that flows inside when thinking about how blessed we are to have such amazing friends,  the most enlightening church one could ever be a part of, and gifts surrounding us at every turn...well, this, to me,  is picture perfect! 

Later that afternoon our friends, The Hutchersons, came over for a festive BBQ. 

We then headed to a spectacular fireworks display.

Daddy's little girl!

Friends and fireworks- picture perfect!

Once the sun set, the sparklers came out for friend John, and Mia to wave in the night sky.

The evening concluded with the awe and innocence of watching the kids' faces as each boom of a firework illuminated the black sky.

Best Buds!

Monday morning, the picture perfect weekend continued with a day on Lake Lanier with the Hutchersons!

               

This falls into the "no words" category.  :) ;)

Both girls took a dip in Lake Lanier!

Can you see me??  Big M went tubing (in her "innertude", as she called it,  for the 1st time!

Yes, like any family with two kids under the age of three, there were moments of craziness and thoughts of, "Maybe we should have stayed home"....but when moments like this transpire there is no other place I would want to be in the whole world.  To me this is the depiction of picture perfect, and I wouldn't have it any other way!