Mother's Day Out

Mother's Day Out (MDO) began this week and I wish I could say I was sad, scared and restless about the whole thing.  But no.  I was SO EXCITED.  I don't think I need to convince anyone that Jude & Sloane are my BFFs and two of my greatest joys, but after almost two years... Mama needed a break.

This is how I expected the day to go...
9 am: Children arrive on time to MDO and have a long, sentimental goodbye that ends with me pulling one off of each leg and wiping a single tear from my cheek.
9:15 am: Attend mandatory MDO meeting, run a quick errand for the McKinney house, pick up donuts
10 am: Enjoy coffee and two donuts
10:30 am - 1:45 PM: Wash four loads of laundry, make pumpkin muffins, work on Twin Talk, take a nap, get clothes ready for Instagram sale, relax
2 pm: Pick up kids and hear wonderful words from their new teachers

Here is how the day went....
8:45 am: Applaud myself for leaving on time
8:48 am: Realize I left their pacifiers at home.  Turn around and go back.
9:05 am: Arrive to MDO.  Late.
9:07 am: Jude & Sloane see their room and run straight in.  Don't look back.  Never look back.  No sentimental hugs.  No tears.
9:15 am: Attend mandatory MDO meeting, run a quick errand for the house, pick up donuts, get stuck in traffic
10:30 am:  Enjoy 1/2 of my coffee and 1 donut
11:00 am: Receive a call that a realtor wants to show our disaster of a home in 45 minutes (!!!)
11:01 am: Panic.  Clean.  Clean, clean, clean.  The house hasn't been in this bad of shape in two weeks.
11:44 am: Leave house with one minute to spare
12:45 pm: Return home.  Potential buyers are still looking at our house (from the outside) so I wait until they leave before I pull into the garage.
12:55 pm: Finally walk in the door.  Look at my checklist.  Laundry (not done), muffins (not done), Twin Talk (not done), nap (definitely not done), Instagram sale (yeah right), relax (HA)
1 pm:  Work on Twin Talk's post
1:45 pm: Leave to pick up kids
2 pm: Pick up kids and hear wonderful words from their new teachers  (!!!!)

The first day of MDO wasn't my dream day, but it was for the kids.  They had a great time and got glowing reports from their teachers.  Sloane made herself right at home and was the class leader (if you're privy to my scholastic history, you know this news made me so proud).  Jude was extra cuddly and the teacher's helper - he threw everyone's trash away.  :)   I could've listened to them talk about my kids all day.  They worked on numbers, colors, and shapes, and learned about the first few days of creation.  I gave Jude & Sloane huge hugs and we made our way home.

I think this MDO thing is everything it's cracked up to be and I'm so excited to watch them grow, learn, and meet new friends.  I'm also so excited to cover our fridge in every single craft (x2) they bring home!

 First Day of School Pictures:

This was a big week for all of us.  I'm now solely in charge of Twin Talk, which makes me a bit nervous but also really excited for all that's to come.  Twin Talk has been such a positive part of my life and I can't wait to watch it grow.  I wrote more about this (and being a mom) here. 

Here's to new beginnings for all of us! 

Jude & Sloane | 22 Months

Jude Sullivan... 

 ...adores piggyback rides. If you're sitting on the floor he will come up behind you and wrap his arms around your neck. That is your cue. Don't miss it or those sweet hands will turn into a death grip.

...has never enjoyed the stroller but we finally discovered a way to keep him happy. Michael pushes the stroller and I walk next to Jude and hold his hand. It's pretty sweet unless we're trying to walk through a narrow aisle.

 ...stashes snacks around the house. I'm constantly cleaning up since we're in the process of selling our home. Every time I looked at him he was snacking on another piece of food and I had no clue where he was getting it. Turns out he has one drawer full of Cracklin Oat Bran and another full of animal crackers. I'm now scared to open anything - who knows what else is lurking behind closed drawers.

 ...loves to count his fingers and toes. He doesn't actually count, but if you count for him he'll point to each one.

...has become far less aggressive, which was a huge prayer of mine. He has the sweetest heart but his strength is terrifying. He's starting to understand "soft hands" and everyone is so grateful.

 ...is a terrific helper. He loves to help me pick up their toys and if I correct Sloane he walks right up to her and says, "No, no, no!" Even if he was doing the exact same thing minutes before.

 ...wants whatever Sloane is holding, eating, watching, and/or using. If he had zero interest in it before, he is all about it once she gives it attention.

 ...was attacked by ants this month. We were playing in the front yard and I looked up to see him standing in a HUGE ant pile and holding half of the pile in his hands. His hands and feet were covered in bites. It was horrifying.

 ...doesn't quite understand the purpose of a blanket in bed. When we cover him up at night, he lifts his legs straight up. Makes tucking him in quite hard and awkward.

 ...loves to be naked. LOVES it. And who am I to deny him so much happiness?

 ...wears 2T tops and bottoms, size 6.5 XW shoes, and appears to be working on his two-year molars. He received his fifth haircut this month.

 ...puts his little hands together and bows his head when we pray before bedtime. I just adore this boy of mine.

 

Sloane Elisabeth... 

 ...wants to jump. All day long. She has perfected her skill and jumps off of anything. A rug. A step. A couch. A cliff. Because of this, we must always be ready to catch her and are avoiding cliffs altogether.

 ...is talking up a storm. I stopped keeping track of her new words because there were so many. She LOVES finally having a voice, which unfortunately means she...

 ...has become the queen of tantrums. Recently she decided throwing fits is the answer to all of life's problems. First she will run in place and shake her head. When that does not work, she will throw herself on the ground and cry at least two tears. We do not give in. Most of the time we tell her we can't wait to play with her once she is done throwing her fit.

...is quite the mimic. If you have your head resting on your chin she will come up next to you and do the same. Same with talking, coughing and sneezing. And then she laughs and laughs because fake sneezing is funny.

...loves to be held (when you are standing up) and is a spider monkey. If my arms get tired, I simply let go and she holds onto my neck and wraps her long legs around me. It feels like the best hug ever.

 ...is so independent. She doesn't want you to hold her hand when she's walking down the steps or crossing the street. What she has yet to figure out is sometimes in life you don't get a choice.

 ...has enough hair for an adorable ponytail and soft curls in the back. I will admit, I'm so used to seeing her without hair that it's hard to imagine her with it.

...hasn't mastered the prayer hands but loves to end each prayer with an emphatic "Mamen!!" Mamen, indeed.

...wears 2T tops/pants and (probably) size 6 shoes.

 ...adores coloring. She will color until the page is completely filled. When we were meeting their teachers at MDO, she colored all over the (paper-covered) tables and then tried to leave her mark on the sign-in sheet. Little artist!

 ...has a voracious appetite and eats faster than her mama. I'm already preparing myself to see little Sloaney competing in the hot dog eating contest on ESPN.

...doesn't know a stranger. She waves and smiles at everyone and giggled when she met her new classmates. So proud of my sweet girl.

Love you both so much!  Love - Mama