chaos theory.

She walks around the yard in a life jacket. She never wears pants.  Prefers her hair in "horns."  Today she told me, "I love zebras.  And also I love birds.  And I love Evies."  Then she giggles.  He is the one who straps her into the lifejacket and they go on wild adventures together.

September has been full to bursting.  Flag football weekends, prayer group on Mondays, a flood in our basement, a beloved Auntie living in our (flooded!) basement, driving to two schools three days a week, a new (to us) car that needed a complete interior overhaul, fulfilling the end of our summer plans and homework folders and reading and staying up far too late too many nights in a row.  Also, two concerts within twenty four hours that this mama completely forgot about.

I need a life jacket.  I need a day without pants.  I need to follow the pace of this tiny one for a day or two.

now you are 5.

My Sweet Mr. Baby,

Today you are 5.  I can't believe it.  I looked through old pictures of you this morning and remembered.   At five, you are sweet and crazy and think that poop is the funniest thing ever.  

You are my finder. If I lose something, I ask you to look for it and most of the time you do.  You come home with treasures that you find in parks and playgrounds.  At five, you love the Waldo books.  When we drove to Colorado this summer, you would stick your nose in a Waldo book and find all of the characters.

It makes me nervous to have a boy so good at finding.  My prayer for you, sweet boy is that you find good things.  At five, you plan to be a farmer when you grow up.  You want to marry your mommy and you plan to drive a truck.

I love you boots, sauceman, Mr.

I'm so glad you're mine.

first day of school, part 1

So, Claire went to second grade today.  Up the big stairs to her classroom with a view of the playground.  Evie went back to his great little neighborhood school (this time without his bff, but he seemed to manage) and Ingrid Ru spent the morning running errands, sat on my lap at story time and finished off the morning with a coffee date with her mama.  It was a glorious morning on all accounts.