Charli got a rock tumbler for her birthday, she has enjoyed checking the progress every night! I think this was after day one. These went through a 4-5 day cycle!
cousin Braxton had a sleepover at our house last weekend. After supper we took the kids to the horse races and then around to see all the "big" water around town...(lakes, ponds, etc) -- it's all big when you're so little!
Braxton * Harper....the boys!
Book before bed!
Charli put on a magic show last weekend. I think I was putting clothes away when she called me in the living room, she had it all set up! I was her special helper, Dad and Harper were not to help they were watch only!
During her magic show she had a very prescriptive sign on her "helper table"...
"No Dad Harper :-)"
Charli will be starting school on Wednesday. Our daycare is going on vacation next week to spend time with their new grandson, so it made our last day just a few days earlier. What a sad day. Charli has been at the same daycare since I returned to work after having her. We knew this was the place for us long before we knew Charli!
Lynn helped us fight to get her diagnosis, taught Charli her colors, helped to ween from the paci and bottle, showed her meaning of unconditional love, Lynn was Charli's second mother...she is all she has known. So, on our last day to drop off at Lynn's house, I found myself to be more emotional than I thought I may be. Finding daycare can be challenge. Knowing you can go to work and have your kids with someone who will love them all the time, and be strong enough to be strong and sturdy when they need to be is difficult. We all want our kids to spend the day with someone who will love then and care for them...but our kids also need someone who truly loves them. Loves them enough to teach them the lessons in life, build them up, and nurture them so they are ready for their next steps. This is Lynn.
Charli can be a lot of things, and Lynn has loved her through them all! For this I say "thank you" to Lynn...not all parents know what it is like to have a provider like Lynn. It makes my heart happy that we found her.
Charli and Lynn on her last day! (mom was fighting back a few tears when I snapped this shot!)
There is NO forgetting Lonnie! Lonnie is the infamous "best buddy". As soon as the kids can talk, they are taught who their best buddy is! They tease that it is brainwashing, but it turns out to be the reality! Lonnie is a full-time working man, who loves his second job of helping Lynn with the kids when he gets home in the afternoon. The kids adore him, and he loves them right back. He is not the typical husband of a provider, at least none that I know! Lonnie has stepped up to watch the kids while Lynn was away helping one of their daughters after having a baby, far earlier than they were expecting! Lonnie is just as much a part of the equation as anyone else...the kids enjoy him and he truly fits the "best buddy" role!
Lynn and Lonnie ...(I am sure they won't read this, but it is a place for my thoughts so humor me)
Thank you for all you have given Charli. You taught her that not every color is pink, and that it is okay to wear spiderman, superman, and captain america socks...your friends will still love you! You helped to foster her love to color and her ability to think outside of the box. Your love and support has helped her to be strong, confident, and carefree enough to be a superhero when the girls around may rather be the princess. Thank you for loving my child. Thank you for teaching my child, and most of all...thank you for being a safe haven to place my child in every day for the past six years.
Charli with most (but not all!!) of her buddies from daycare!
Sadie * Charli * Lexi * Eastyn *Harrison * Harper * Henry
(taken with Charli's new camera!!)
this was a busy little street this morning...traffic jam in "humphrey"
Along with the camera Charli also bought a Batman lego set. I don't think we are done yet. These pieces have taken a lot of patience and attention to detail!
Harper is becoming quite obsessed with coloring. He will sit and color for 45 minutes without a care in the world...this just started a few weeks ago. He does a great job too!
Harper wanted to wear this t-shirt he made!
For those of you who know Chad and I, you know where the artistic talent comes from...and it isn't me! This picture is Charli's rendition of "Captain America". I haven't asked my mom...but I sure don't remember enjoying coloring as much as my kids seem too. I hope they will keep Chad's artistic talent and abilities as they get older!
These two kids played SO WELL together today, unlike anything I have seen before! From the second they got up at 7am Saturday morning until 1:30 they played and imagined a billion things together! As soon as I said the "nap" word, a few things changed! They spend at least 2 hours outside as they worked on their "fort"/ "ship". I checked out their digs and noticed that they used their sidewalk chalk to color all of the steps, brought stuffed animals out to drive the ship (see the chair on the railing!), and it didn't end there. They had a GREAT time. It is safe today that, for today, they were friends and not just brother & sister!
Great pictures! Harper is great at coloring, I would take a picture!! Charli is getting such a grown up look to her. When my kids passed into K, I found myself being able to "see" how grown up they really were. I hope Lynn & Lonnie get to read this letter, what wonderful words to say AND hear.
ReplyDelete~~Tabi~~