Gwen's Officially a First Grader!

Today was Gwen's last day of Kindergarten.  I am proud to say that they didn't do a graduation. Instead all the kiddos got Certificates of Completion (you don't want to get me started about my thoughts on all kids getting awards for everything).

I feel like I just sat there and sobbed as I dropped her off for her first day.  I can't believe her last day is actually here. The growth I have seen from her this year is amazing and I am so proud of my little girl.   She can read, write, is an amazing drawer, and is such a great helper.  I was lucky enough to do a lot of volunteering at the school and got to watch her in the classroom first hand.

Her Teacher:  Debbie Kessler
Her Best Friends:  Addie, Lily, Morgann
Favorite School Subject:  Reading
What She Wants to Be When She Grows Up:   Veterinarian

Crazy Hair Day!!

He wanted to look like "Cutie Lion" today for Crazy Hair Day.

 

The Superhero and Lego Life

If you ask Leo the real name of Superheroes he can answer.  Gwen's imagination shines when she plays with Legos.  She even created a scenario where Mike and I were having cocktails on the patio of the house she built.  Not sure if I should applaud her creativity or worry that I like wine too much.

Yes, as seen below, I did dress up like "Captain America Girl".  Funny story.  So all super hero costumes for women are slutty.  So the dress you see in the pictures below, is tight and super short.  I have to wear shorts underneath.  Well the pictures were taken on a Friday and Leo and I were running around.  The pizza man came and I answered the door in the dress.  I of course said "we are playing superheroes".   Leo shows up at the door and had gotten out of his costume so it looked like it was just a crazy lady dressed up in suburbia, on a Friday night.  Good times.

Pistachios

We received Leo's results from his blood test.  Unfortunately he is still allergic to peanuts, sesame, and fish that swim (not to be mistaken for shell fish).  There are some tree nuts he can try in the hospital.  I don't care enough to spend money to have him eat a nut under the watchful eye of a doctor.  There are also some we could try at home:  cashews, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans.  It's a catch 22 really because most tree nuts are processed with other tree nuts or peanuts, therefore he can't eat them. 

We did find that the "Wonderful" company processes each of their nuts in different plants to avoid cross contamination.  So we went with those.  It's a bigger process than eat them and go.  I won't go into details.  The whole process ended with him throwing up his entire breakfast because he couldn't handle the texture of the nuts.  Luckily no breathing issues or hives right?? 

Needless to say, we will continue being a nut free family.  I didn't say we weren't nuts........haha.  Okay, sorry bad joke.

Mother's Day 2015!

As usual I had an amazing Mother's Day!!  The weather tried to ruin it for us with a lot of wet/heavy snow the night before, but redeemed herself with sun and warmer temperatures. 

I wanted to sleep in, but when a little guy runs into your room yelling "Happy Mudder's Day", you can help but pull him into bed for cuddles.  It is the best way to start the day!  Gwen then came in and we opened gifts.  Leo made me a painting of his feet into flowers and Gwen made me a purse and bracelet.  I also received a beautiful necklace with their names engraved on it.  Mike went out of his way by making it special too.  He hand wrote a beautiful letter about me as a mother.  This was extra special because being a working mom is pretty tough in the guilt department.

That morning we went to brunch at "Linger".  I had the best meal of my life..........short rib fried rice with a poached egg.  It was amazing.  The blood orange mimosas were not bad either.  Afterwards we went for ice cream next door.  I had "nutter butter"..............so good!  That night we had dinner with friends.  Mike made an amazing lasagna and the girls got to just sit on our butts...........the way it should be!!

I love Mother's Day.  The only thing missing was my mom.  Not surprising though as I wish I could see her everyday.

My How Beach Trips Have Changed.......

My happy place is at the beach in late afternoon.  The sun is low in the sky and people are normally just lounging around or heading home to gear up for the evening.  I most always get to enjoy a Pina Colada at this time.  Sitting on the lounge chair, pina colada in hand, feeling the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and the sound of the waves singing in my ears.  Well, times have changed.  This time I got to drink my Pina Colada in the public bathroom while my son took a dump.

That sums up my trip with Leo to Fort Lauderdale to see my friend Jen.  I decided to take Leo on my "girls trip" because I had recently come back from Mexico on a true girls trip and felt guilty about doing another one.  Plus Jen is pregnant, so I knew it wouldn't be crazy.

I can easily say it was the best thing I have ever done.  The alone time I got to spend with Leo was amazing!!  An old man approached me at the beach and said "I have been watching you guys for over 2 hours and you have the happiest boy on the beach".  That pretty much summed up the trip.  Leo loved the ocean.........the waves, the sand, the eating ice cream whenever he wanted!  He was king and would go non-stop from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.  After 2 days Jen and I looked at each other and wondered how we would survive the next couple days at that pace.  Luckily though he did eventually slow down.

He would play in the waves for hours getting pummeled.  He would play in the sand with snot running down his nose and would become "snot monster".  He would immediately come home from the beach and have to swim in the pool.  He swam in his underpants (total highlight) and rode on a boat with a dog.  He played with a dog on wheels, slept with me every night, ate more Mac and Cheese than any human should, karate chopped waves, saw a whale, and never napped.  Not sure how he did it because I was exhausted.

To me this trip helped me gain perspective.  I stood in the ocean and watched him be so free and happy.  At that moment, I felt pure joy.  There was nowhere I would have rather been and nothing on my mind.  Leo still tells me how much he misses Florida.........so do I.  Not just for vacation purposes, but what it represents.  I read a quote that said "My goal is to create a life I don't need a vacation from".............that is exactly what I will do.

Nope

I had such hope walking into Denver Children's Hospital that Leo's allergies were gone.  As seen by the below picture that would be a big fat nope.  I'm anxious to see how the blood tests come back though and figure out why there is a discrepancy with the skin tests.  To be honest it kind of crushed my spirit. I really wanted this for him.  I hate that he is the perfect kid at the doctors.....so brave and amazing.  He should hate it!  He shouldn't look forward to getting his blood drawn.  He shouldn't like being there.


I know that people have it way worse.  I see that first hand when I walk through the hospital.  It's an eerily sad place yet so much hope.  I know I am lucky that all he struggles with are food allergies.  I just don't want my baby to struggle.  Any mom would feel that way.

Isn't that a cute butt crack?