Sunrise, Sunset

So the kids are both currently locked in their bedrooms. I sent them there after their unauthorized wrestling match in the hall resulted in Anabelle damaging her fragile who-knows-what, and as my interest to the matter decreased, the sobs increased in volume until my ear drums (and every dog in the neighborhood's) hit their limit. Dawson was banished promptly behind her for laying in the floor mocking her every move, as his copy cat wails also got louder and louder, as did his cackling and snorting in between.

That's pretty much life in a nutshell here at the McDermott's these days.

The bloggage gets fewer and further between as I literally don't have the time to sit and process all the hilarious/rotten/life changing things they do as the moments whip by at the speed of soccer-mom-on-the-way-to-the-E.R.

My kids are flourishing.

Dawson is slowly but surely adjusting to the first grade madness that hit us full speed. That was (is!) a doozie!

He is a budding artist, and can read and spell and sound out words at a level that is beyond impressive to me. He is making friends, talking about "mean girls!" that chase him on the playground (that he says with a suppressed smile and a glimmer in his eyes that slightly concerns me). He says phrases like "DUDE!," and "like," and "SO AWESOME!" all of the time, and never forgets anything I say. The boy can do 30 consecutive push-ups (lets just say more than I can do for now...), and has taken on the 100 push-up challenge with me. He loves to run and bike, and play anything involving a ball on the playground at school... he comes home with a new game to be obsessed with every day it feels like. I can't even believe the boy has another birthday approaching... my Mother-in-law asked if we could freeze the kids in time today and after my initial snarky remark (you KNOW I can't resist me one of those...), I realized... whoa. This actually wouldn't be such a bad time to stop the clock. He is just so darn great.


Our Anabelle Lee still has no idea she is the little sister, and I'm starting to think she may never catch on. Every thing Dawson does, she wants to do. That girl will have NO trouble getting her tasks in this world accomplished or otherwise delegated. She is already sight reading a lot of short words (thanks to a great pre-school curriculum, and of course to Dawson for his own interest in reading to keep her motivated to compete). I cant tell her ANYTHING she doesn't already know. You can, but not her mother. Unless it is a bedtime story, or tickle scratch. She keeps me around for those things, so guess I'm safe for now. She just recently requested (demanded) we remove her training wheels, and like her brother before her, she TOOK OFF down the street with no help from her useless parents what-so-ever. Only as she flew by (with NO HELMET!!! &^&#*Y$&#*^$&#*$^!!!!!!) and my voice froze in my throat and my jaw hit the ground she chanted "Nah-nah-nah-nahhh-nah!" at me... (as in "I told you I don't need you, mother!).


But I know one day she'll realize she that she actually does.

We are in a foreign land of nightly homework, and early (but never early enough) bedtimes... which basically just gives us one more thing to be running late for.

Ty is gone a lot in the evenings, which we anticipated with his new job. Its been easier than expected in some ways... the kitchen is never dirty when I go to bed. But the house is lonely and quiet without him, and it makes me (and the kids) realize how sweet it is to have him around to read a bedtime story, or cover bath routine while I run to the store so the kids have lunch tomorrow. The best news is that he gets a whole week off around Thanksgiving! Now THATS something to be thankful for. I don't know which family member is most excited!

I suppose this blog is getting border line boring. Its purpose is simply to acknowledge that I know there seem to be a lot of conglomerated updates now a days. Its just that I am feeling a little bit sad, and also (if I'm being completely honest) a little bit free...

My kids are big. I see it loud and clear on days like today, when we attended two 1st birthday parties that were relocated indoors because of rain... and I sat, and watched, and enjoyed with the other adults while my kids (for the most part) practiced good manners, self restraint, and appropriate indoor behavior. I kept seeing images of just yesterday when my own little chunky blond baby boy greedily piled fist fulls of red dye #5 sugar paste into his sweet little face, and feel overwhelmed that now, my little girl is the big kid at the party who thinks its her personal calling in life to control all chaos caused otherwise by children smaller than she.


Don't blink, people. Look what happens.