lesson learned

If you saw my last post, you know Kaitlyn started a mother's day out program this week. I am so thankful she got in! There was a waiting list and b/c I am such a procrastinator she was on that list! They call it preschool there which I like, b/c Kaitlyn loves anything to do with "school". What she also loves, is her "pack-pack" as she calls it. She always puts it on and says "wanna ride the school bus" or "let's go see the school bus". When she would stay the night at Mimi & Poppi's last year she'd watch Brooke and Barrett get on the bus with their back packs.. I think that is where her love for school started.
As most of the stores got stocked with school supplies, preparing for the new school year, I saw lots of new back packs and lunch boxes. I wanted to get Kaitlyn a new pretty one and have her name put on it. It seemed like that was the thing to do. Well, as my husband usually does, He gave me a reality check. What two year old needs a new expensive back pack? I just like girly things and I really love things with monograms and embroidery. And there is nothing wrong with that. The thing that was wrong was my motivation. I didn't want to send her to school with a red, blue and yellow Dr. Seuss back pack that I had gotten for free in the mail. Which she LOVES by the way and has no misconception that there is anything wrong with it. Only I, her 30 year old mom who was too busy worrying about what she would look like, had this misconception. I wanted her to have a new, pink girly one b/c I was sure that every other little two year old would have one. As I walked Kaitlyn in to her class yesterday, sure enough lots of children had what looked like cute new back packs. I did not buy a new back pack. Oh I tried several times, but for some reason every time I went to look, I just didn't see one that I wanted and could not bring myself to spend the money on one. Do you know that I didn't send Kaitlyn to school with a back pack at all! How sad, her first day of preschool and she didn't even get to take her precious Dr. Suess back pack. I mean, I let her wear it to the store, church, tons of other places that she would plea.. "Mommy, Mommy, my pack-pack" and I would put it on her, it was soo cute how she loved to wear it. But why now, when it was really time to wear it, did I not give it to her? Well, I felt so awful that she didn't wear a back pack yesterday that I gave it to her this morning. But it wasn't until this afternoon that I really felt like the Lord spoke to me about this silly back pack.
More than being the most well dressed and having the newest cutest things, I want Kaitlyn to be noticed for WHO she is not WHAT she has. I want others to see her sweet spirit, her gentleness, her sensitivity, and how she loves to rub peoples arms to show affection, that she shares her toys and obeys (most of the time). Most of all, I want to teach Kaitlyn to love others unconditionally because that is how Jesus loves. I want her to know that what is on the inside matters more than what is on the outside. Whether it was the holy spirit or that I am just too picky, I am thankful that I didn't buy a new back pack. Every time I see Kaitlyn wearing her little red, yellow and blue back pack it will be a reminder to me.. "what are my actions (and motivations of those actions) teaching my little girl?"
This all may seem so trite, but for this Mommy it was a lesson learned.

Kaitlyn's 2nd Day of preschool!

Well, I am a slacker of a mom and failed to take a picture of Kaitlyn on her first day of preschool (also known as mother's day out) :o). I know you can't believe it right! I have pictures of everything.. well oops I missed this one. But don't worry, I won't miss the first day of kindergarden. Here are a few pics of the big girl. She's not much of a "poser" so I don't have a great one of her smiling at the camera. She normally is saying the word cheese and making a funny face. Nevertheless, here is the cutie.

4 month pictures

I took some pics of nathan while we were in cincinnati three weeks ago.. here are some of my favorites.. i could just squeeze him!

teeth update..

Both of Nathan's bottom two teeth came in this week! whew! I really can't complain though, he was such a trooper. If you click on the picture it will get bigger so you can see them better.

teeth... ALREADY!

Nathan has been a major slobber box lately and I guess I just didn't think anything of it, until two nights ago I saw a faint white line on his gums. As of yesterday it officially broke through the gum, and now the one next to it is coming through! I must admit I was a little sad. I thought its too early! It's just another reminder of how fast times goes. It's funny how with your first child you boast in every "first" that happens and proudly welcome it as if your child is above the charts so to speak, but with your second (third, fourth or last etc) you tend to want things to go slower to savor the "baby" phase. Even though we want to have more babies, I am trying to savor each small moment. I had my fingers all in Nathan's mouth this morning trying to get a picture of the tooth.. here is what I got! :o)

Cincinnati

We just got back from Cincinnati last week. It was our first road trip with both kids. They did remarkably well until the last 45 minutes.. I think they were done being in their carseats! But I would be too if I was trapped in one for 10 hours. It was most of my family's first time seeing Nathan! The pics of my mom and him are the first time she held him.. and obviously he isn't so little anymore! That is one of the stinky parts of not living close to my family. They miss out on the "little" things.. like when Nathan only weighed 8lbs :o) It was so wonderful to be with everyone. Elaina (my niece) and Kaitlyn always have so much fun together. They are only 7 weeks apart in age. I love the pictures my sister took of them. They were wearing the same dress and had been playing hard outside.. they are still beautiful even when they are sweaty! One night we all went to a restaurant called Mongolian Grill it was an interesting concept. Like a Miyabi's but Subway style. You go through a buffet line and pick out your food then you take it to the grill and they cook it for you. It was a fun variation of going out to eat. The trip was too short and I was sad to leave. Yes, I cried like I most always do when leaving "home". Thankfully, David (and maybe Steph) will be visiting next month. Here are a few pics from the trip.