First Day of Kindergarten

Here is my big kindergartener. What's scary is that I totally remember being in kindergarten myself and it doesn't even really seem like that long ago. Crazy!

Noah picked out his back-to-school outfit

My and my little big boy

Noah sitting at his table

Noah's cute classroom

Noah's Birthday Party

Here are pictures from Noah's 5th birthday party last month. Happy Birthday to Noah!!

Lullaby Update

Tonight, at Noah's request, I sang the lullaby to Jafar. You know, the evil villain on Aladdin. I think the line between "good mom" (thanks, commenters) and "pushover" is getting a little thin.

Letter to Noah

Dear Noah,

This is a picture of you, taken exactly 5 years ago, when you were 1 month old.

Last month we celebrated your 5th birthday. I can't believe it's been 5 whole years since the day I took this picture. I remember it like it was yesterday, laying your blanket over your rocking chair and getting you all propped up next to your monkey. I can remember exactly the way it felt to hold you in my arms as an infant (it's probably so engrained in my memory because I held you almost contantly - you were a pretty high-maintenance baby!). Tonight you went to sleep hugging that same monkey, although now of course you are much bigger than him. Over the last 5 years, he has become a bit tattered but you still love him like you have ever since the day you were born.

You have grown so much in the last five years. You even started elementary school a couple of weeks ago. Here you are on your first day:

You were apprehensive about it at first - you kept telling me that you didn't want to turn 5 because you didn't want to go to kindergarten. But you loved it the very first day, much to my extreme relief. It's so fun to talk to you about your day at school and to hear about the things you are learning. Tonight we sat at the dining room table and did your homework together. I can't believe you are old enough to do homework (get used to it, kid).

You are such a funny little guy. You like to tell jokes that you make up yourself. Generally speaking, they make no sense at all but they always make me laugh! For awhile they all ended with the punchline "because it wanted to POP itself!" but you're starting to diversify now.

Noah, I love you so much. I love your cute sense of humor and your tender heart and your funny grumpy faces and the way you dramatize stories and do all the different voices. I have loved being your mom for these last 5 years and I can't wait to see what the next 5 bring with you.

Love,

Mama

Lullabies All Around

Every night when I'm putting the boys to sleep I sing them each a lullaby that goes like this:

La la la Noah/Sam, go to sleep
La la la Noah/Sam, time to dream
La la la Noah/Sam, go to bed
La la la Noah/Sam, lay down your head

Lately the boys like for me to also sing this lullaby to some or all the stuffed animals, etc that they sleep with. Depending on the night, this can take quite awhile.

Tonight, I sang the lullaby to Noah and to his favorite stuffed animal, Monkey.

Sam was a bit more demanding. First I sang the lullaby to Sam, then to "Charlie," Sam's alter-ego-du-jour. Then, at Sam's insistance, I sang the lullaby one by one to Froggie, George (his Curious George stuffed monkey), Buster (his stuffed puppy), Lightning McQueen (his favorite toy car), and finally to Corner (a specific corner of Sam's blankie which for some reason he favors over the other three).

I finally cut him off when he wanted me to go back and sing to everyone again.

Parenting Lesson of the Day

A few minutes ago, completely out of the blue, Noah looked at me and said with a chuckle, "Your butt is just big, isn't it?"

One should never rely on one's children to boost one's self-esteem.

Hide and Seek with Sam

This is a picture of Sam in his hiding place when we were playing Hide 'n Seek the other day. If his chosen location was not obvious enough, I kept hearing muffled giggles from underneath the sheet when I would say, "Where's Sam? Is he in the closet? Is he under the bed?" while pretending to search for him. When I got my camera out and he heard it turn on, he exclaimed "CHEESE!!" from his very elusive hiding spot.

This boy is very fun to play Hide 'n Seek with.

Nut's Birthday Party

We had Sam's birthday party a couple of weekends ago (the Saturday after his birthday). I thought I'd better post the pictures before Noah's birthday party next week, which will basically be identical. There are definite advantage to having your kids both born in the summer and close enough in age that they are obsessed with the same thing at the same time (birthday party themes for both: Cars).

Weekend in Galveston

We spent this past weekend in Galveston and had such a great time. I love, love, love the beach. I love the sand and the water and the sound of the waves and the salty air and the breeze and the smell of suntan lotion and the kick-back atmosphere. So I was really excited when my friend Jamee told me she had rented a condo on the beach with her kids and invited the boys and I to join them (thanks again Jamee!). We drove down on Saturday and spend the afternoon at the beach. It was a perfect day for it. It was hot of course (this is Texas in July) but there was a nice breaze going on. We had fun playing in the sand and splashing in the waves. I'd actually only been to the beach once in Texas and even then it was at night. It's crazy to me how far out you can go in the Gulf and still only be waist-deep. It's really nice with kids because it's not quite as scary as being at the ocean. Noah especially loved playing the water and letting the waves crash on him. He informed me that before we go to the beach next time he would like to buy a surf board. Sam preferred to stay on dry land, but he'd laugh like crazy when I'd hold him up just out of the waves' reach. Here are some pictures:

Sam digging in the sand

Noah playing in the Gulf

Building sand castles

Noah and Sam with Corinne, Callie and Cayden

After we exhausted ourselves at the beach, (and by "ourselves" I mainly mean me and Jamee) we went back to the condo to clean up (always a fun thing after the beach) and relax and have dinner. Then Jamee took her kids and my Sam to the pool while Noah and I drove to the store to get some things for Sam's birthday. The next day we headed back to the beach in the morning, and then opened presents and had cupcakes for Sam.

Noah and Sam on the balcony at the condo

More beach:

Me and my boys

Jamee and her kiddos
Opening presents:



Cupcake lover

We finished our stay in Galveston with some pool-time at the condo. The pool there was so nice. It had a lazy river and a baby-creek so it was a big hit with my boys (and with me).

And this pretty much sums up how we all felt on the way home:

Letter to Sam

Dear Sam,

Exactly 3 years ago this very minute, I was in hard labor, 40 1/2 weeks pregnant with you. I didn't even know you were a boy at the time. At 10:35pm, I was holding you for the very first time, feeling like I'd known you all my life.

Today we celebrated your 3rd birthday. Happy Birthday little guy!! We spent the weekend at the beach in Galveston and had such a great time together, jumping in the waves and building sand castles. We opened presents and had cupcakes and practiced with you so that you'll answer "three!" instead of "two" when we ask how old you are. (You're very good at it now).

You are such a fun little boy. Your laugh is so infectious and your dimples are still as adorable as they were the day you were born. You are starting to get so good at conversation and it's so fun to talk with you. You say the most darling things. Today when you were opening your birthday presents you would get so excited with each one and you'd hold it up and say/squeal, "Legos (or whatever is was)?!? I can't believe it!!"

Although overall you are still my little easy-going guy, you can be quite fiesty too, and you have such an independent streak. I can't even tell you how many times I've heard, "No! I can do it my-SELF!" But it's okay because you still like me to hold you too. You're still my little cuddle-bug (except in the middle of the night when for some reason you like to sleep sideways with your feet pressed into my back...).

Anyway, Sammy I love you so much. I am so grateful that you were born three years ago. I love being your mommy. Happy Birthday, little peanut.

Love,
Mama

Mother's Day Tea

Today I went to Mother's Day Tea at my boys' preschool. Their teachers were kind enough to coordinate their classes so that my boys would have their Mother's Day Teas on the same day but different times so I only had to take one day off work (don't you love thoughtful people?). I went to tea at Sam's classroom in the morning, and at Noah's classroom in the afternoon. The kids made darling presents for me and we had cake and I read the questionaires that the boys had answered about me.

From Sam:

My mom's name is: "Mom"
She is "I don't know" years old
Her favorite thing to eat is: "don't know"
Her favorite color is: "don't know"
Our favorite thing to do together is: "don't know"
I love my mom because: "don't know"

From Noah:

My mom always says: "What?!? and she sings me Child of God at night."
My mom really loves: "Me and my brother"
My mom and I like to: "Go to the zoo. I love to go everywhere with her."
My mom's favorite clothes to wear are: "A lot of them. She has 100 clothes."
My mom is beautiful because: "She plays with me."

Now I'm off to go introduce myself to Sam.

Moving Day

Moving day today. Thank goodness my parents flew in to help. We're exhausted.

Little Patriot

Hello Friends

I think it's time that I open up about something going on in my life. I've obviously been out of blogging for a long time and many of you have asked me about it. I've been so preoccupied with other things going on that I haven't had time or emotional energy for blogging or keeping in touch or, sadly, being a good friend. So please don't take any unreturned emails, Facebook messages, or phone calls personally.

Many of you have heard about this by now but some probably still haven't. The last couple of years in particular have been really rough for my marriage. Things have not been going well and despite our best efforts and several months of counseling, we have not been able to work things out. After over a year of thinking and praying and soul-searching, I finally filed for divorce at the beginning of January. Anyone who knows me knows that this is not something I came to quickly or easily. But it is something that I believe will be for the best in the long run for everyone involved.

We've continued living together the last couple of months and keeping it together for our boys' sake. I think we've done a pretty good job of keeping them out of it and I hope we can always be successful in that. We both love them more than anything and we both have their best interests at heart.

We haven't worked out all the details yet, but things are starting to come together. I've leased an apartment nearby and the boys and I will be moving out at the end of this month. There is a daycare that I've toured several times that I feel really comfortable with for Sam that is 1/2 mile from my apartment, and Noah's elementary school is just 1/2 mile from that. I've started working part-time while the boys are in preschool. I work retail on the weekends and I work during the week (preschool hours) at a CPA firm in Houston and will hopefully move up to full-time there when preschool lets out at the end of May. Although accounting has never been my favorite thing, I'm really grateful that I've been able to get a good job after being out of that world for almost five years. And I'm unbelievably grateful for the baby and toddler years I had at home with my boys.

Anyway, so that's what's going on over here. Life's hard sometimes.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. You all may have noticed an absense of the Simiskey family Christmas card in your mail. Don't take it personally - I didn't send out any Christmas cards this year. I guess this post will have to do! (Oh, and please don't take me off your Christmas card list. I have loved getting your cards and will hopefully be more on the ball next year).

Merry Christmas!

Just Can't Get Enough

This morning when we were crossing the street and Sam refused to hold hands, Noah said, "Mama, if Sam doesn't hold hands a car is going to hit him. And then the big tire is going to sqeeze him. And then he is going to die." Sometimes I think I am too graphic with my kids.

More Noah: The other day we were at the library, playing in the children's section. Noah was having fun with all the animals when he held up the giraffe and said, "Mama, this giraffe is the Mommy. She says good morning to all the sweethearts and then she gives them kisses and chocolate milk."

Yet more Noah: One night Ben was putting Noah to bed. Noah said the prayer all by himself and afterward Ben gave him a big hug and said, "Great job, Beeju! I'm so proud of you!" To which Noah responded, "Yeah, yeah. Don't make a big deal about it."

Last one (for now): Sometimes Noah is not in the mood for a hug, but he likes to let us down gently. For instance, once my mom was saying goodbye to Noah while he was in his carseat. She leaned into the car and reached for him, asking if she could have a hug. Noah stuck out his foot and said, "Here Grammie - you can hug my toe."


I can't get enough of this kid.

P.S.

Speaking of Noah, yesterday I walked into the family room to find Noah lying on the floor, completely naked, with his underpants on his head.

Noah's Preschool Questionnaire

What is your Daddy's name?
Papa

How old is your Dad?
43

What is your Dad's job?
I don't know. He eats. He cuts the grass. He plays with my outside toys and plays inside with me.

What is his favorite food?
Meat.

What does your Daddy like to do for fun?
To play with me.

What is your favorite thing to do with your Dad?
To play with my animals.

Why do you love your Dad?
Because I do.

Sam Really Gets Into His Treats

The boy loves his ice cream...


...and his cake