Let's go Fly a Kite

Yesterday the girls attempted to make their own kites. I told Mckenna that it probably wouldn't work. What a mean mom I am, dashing her hopes like that. She didn't waiver though. She insisted that she could get it to work. Her kite consisted of a paper cut into a triangle. She spent quite a bit of time coloring a rainbow pattern and then she punched a hole and tied some string to it.

She took it outside and for about half an hour used varying strategies to get it up in the air. She ran with it. She threw it up in the air. She swung it around. She stood on the bench and threw it up while jumping off the bench. She tied it to her bike and rode really fast. No matter what she did it wouldn't fly.

She came in feeling a little defeated and I asked her if it worked. She said, "no, it wouldn't stay up." I asked her why she thought it wouldn't stay up. After thinking for a second she said, "Well, I need a stronger string."

This led to a great discussion about how kites fly and how they stay up in the air. I told her tomorrow we could try to change her kite and make it stronger so it would stay up. (Or maybe I'll do it the lazy way and just go to the dollar store and buy her one).

I love having conversations like this with my kids. It's so fun to see the light turn on when I teach them something, and the excitement to learn more that follows. I remember having moments like this when I was young. I wish I could have more moments like this as an adult.

Growing Pains

When did Mckenna and Kayla grow up? Today I picked Kenna up from school. As we were walking out she said goodbye to all the kids and teachers we passed in the hall. She knew all of them and some of them she even conversed with about things that had happened that day. I realized that she now has this whole part of her life that I'm not really a part of. It's so hard as a mom to let go. As I've watched her get on the bus each day I just think "oh well, she is only in pre-k." Now that this school year is beginning to wrap up I am realizing that my little baby is going to be a kindergartener in September. She officially begins her school career and all the growing pains that come with that! She'll continue to develop this whole different life that I'm not really a part of. It scares me, but I'm excited to watch her learn, grow, and make decisions on her own. Tomorrow I register Kayla for pre-k. I thought that with each kid it would get a little easier to let them go, but I don't think it will. I will miss having my little sunshine Kayla at home with me. She will go to school and like Kenna she will make her own little world that doesn't really include me. Good thing I have Halle now, but before I know it, she will anxiously be running out to the bus each day.

Time goes by so fast. Halle has almost been with us now for 5 weeks. It's been so fun to have her with us. There is so much I want to say, but I have no time to write it. Although I am the most exhausted and busy I've ever been, I'm also the most happy as well. We've been up to a lot so here is some of what we've been doing. I am fulfilling the many requests for pictures of Halle, so here ya go.

The First Newspaper

One day a few weeks ago, Mckenna came home from school talking about how she had her picture taken and had an interview for the newspaper. I didn't think she was serious. I thought it was just some game they played in her class.

Well, she wasn't kidding around. Her picture was in the paper along with her response to the question:
When was the first newspaper created and what did it look like?

Her answer: "March 23. It probably had pictures of a dog that got hit by a car or something happy like somebody who came back to life. "

I think she's right, don't you? lol

Birth DAY

I have a few minutes so I thought I'd share a little about Halle's arrival.

I was due to have Halle on March 3rd, but as most of you know, she was late. This was pretty torturous. I had an ultrasound on Monday, which was 5 days after my due date. At this appointment I was told again that I had made no progress--no dilation. I left feeling discouraged, but my doctor said that everything looked great so I could be induced on Thursday. That night I started feeling contractions, but they weren't very significant. I really thought they'd go away like all the other times before. Around 8 pm I called Jason at work and told him that he might need to come home early. By about 10 pm I knew that she was coming for sure. Jason got home and one of my good friends came to sleep over and be with Mckenna and Kayla.

We got to the hospital around midnight. I was progressing at a good rate. I really struggled on wheather I would get an epidural. I knew it would probably slow my labor down. I decided to get the epidural and it was absolutely wonderful! I got the epidural around 4 am and was able to get a few hours of sleep before the pushing started. Near the end I felt minimal pain and pressure from the contractions. Halle was born at 10:46 am. She was 7 lbs 10.5 oz and 19 and 3/4 inches long. She has dark hair and big blue eyes. She looks just like my other babies. She's perfect.

The hospital stay was pretty good. I didn't have much milk in yet to give Halle so she was very fussy, but by the time we came home, my milk was in and she was a much happier baby.

Now, I'm just extremely tired. I've never been so busy in my life.