Smith Playhouse

I have never been to the Smith playhouse until this week when Teri took us! It was so much fun! The playground is awesome and my kids LOVED the slide! Thank you Teri for taking us!

Gabi Goo!

Gabi is taking steps and has been for awhile now...but she just seems to love crawling because she is so fast. She loves to push things though...hard to believe but she will try and push her brother if he is sitting on one of the riding toys.
I love it when they are in that can't walk but trying stage...it is fun to watch them figure out how to balance and take those first scary steps. What a blessing...I am sure she will be running before I know it and once again I will be so sad to have to chase another kid around the store or try and entertain while I grocery shop...but for right now it is just exciting and fun to watch her learn this new thing!

Tissue Anyone?

So today Brad started pre-school! He was cute as a bug and SO excited about school! I couldn't get him to eat breakfast or even sit still...he was dressed and ready to go so fast this morning...he did not want to wait on his slow mom!

So I get Brad to school and the parents can stay (Thank you to Mrs. Welsh for watching Gabi for me)! Anyway there are tons of parents and kids and Brad just jumps right in and starts playing...he didn't care there were lots of kids around and that it was loud and unknown...he was ready to get the whole pre-school thing started. So I am taking pictures and watching Brad very carefully when all the sudden I realize I am the only parent remaining and the teachers are nice but they are like...'okay lady...time to go'!

So I tell Brad that I am leaving in 2 minutes (everything is done in 2 minutes in our house by the way)! He gets up and I am like okay here we go he is about to scream don't leave and I will console him and tell him what a big boy he is and blah blah blah. All I got was a 'stay her mom' and I said 'no I have to get Gabi but I will be back' so then I get an "OKAY" and he continues playing! WHAT!!! My child is totally fine with me leaving him!!!!

Now to those of you who know me are probably thinking I am an idiot...I have worked until the past 6 months and have left Brad for work so you are probably thinking what is the big deal. All I know to say is ...it was so different.

I leave his classroom and stand there for 10 minutes outside his door watching him play at a table and all the sudden I lose it...I am crying like a crazy lady and so I go to my car and cry some more! I finally pull it together only to lose it again on the way to pick up Gabi...so I get it together again and go pick up Gabi. I am doing fine and then I get back to the school and I was about 30 minutes early so I decide to wait in the car...next thing I know I am bawling again! I mean not just crying but bawling! It was pathetic! Big Brad just laughed at me when I told him...so feel free to laugh if you want.

I guess...I just saw today has a glimpse of things to come...a time when Brad will no longer need me to change his diaper (okay that will be a good thing), get him a sippy cup, help him get dressed, bath him, make his plate, read him books, and get all the kisses and hugs I want...before I know it...he will be in kindergarten and then junior high, and high school...and then OH MY GOSH grown with a family of his own. Oh my gosh...what if his wife HATES me...no...she wouldn't right?

So cliche I know but time goes so quickly and today I guess I had a small dose of things to come and based on how I handled today...I am sure to embarrass the HECK out of Brad when I leave him for kindergarten.

Mushy

WARNING...MUSHY STUFF!
So recently Brad and I have been talking so much about what we want to do in May when he graduates and it has me all emotional about moving and CHANGE! I am not good with change.
When we moved to Philly I remember crying ALOT...I had just had a baby so cut me some slack! :-) The city seemed so dirty to me...and kind of scary. But slowly my eyes seem to see things differently. Isn't it funny how a place becomes alive to you and all the sudden it is so special to you after you get to know it! Now we are in our last year here and I find myself very sentimental about everything.
On the drive to church today I was thinking in my head how different my perception is of Philly than it was those first few months.
I feel like we have been so blessed living here...I am sad to know it is coming to a head. Even though I know we might still be here longer...it will not be the same with everyone leaving this year that we started this journey with. Time really does fly...I can't believe we are going on 4 years here...I can't believe Little Brad will be 4 in June, when we moved here that seemed like forever away. I can't believe that my baby is about to be a year old. I can't believe I am being so mushy right now...but like I said...I am feeling sentimental and mushy and I was updating my blog...so there it is.

Feeding the Ducks

So this is probably my favorite time of the year here in Philly. I love the beginning of Fall. It isn't too cold, but its so nice outside you just want to stay out there. Also, I can start making soups and I love hot soup on a 'cold' day! Anyway...while Brad was gone the kids and I got a little stir crazy in the house so we went to feed the horses and the ducks on Friday. It was the perfect outing. I love that I live in a big city but yet it feels like a small town. While feeding the horses, Angela Stevens pulled up with her kiddos and not 5 minutes later, Tamar with hers and we visited and watched our kids try and play with the horses. Then we headed off to feed the ducks and Gabi wanted to get out...but I made her stay put so I can jump in and save her brother in case he decided to jump in and swim with the ducks! My fearless son!

A New Car Seat for Gabi

Gabi was practically hanging out of her infant car seat so she has upgraded to a forward facing seat! She is still getting used to it...she doesn't seem to like it as much especially when she is tired but that is hard for everyone!