"You Guys Really Have Something Special Here"

So we took the kiddos for an after-preschool lunch trip to BK this afternoon with my moms group. It's something we've done many times, and will do many more. I had noticed an older lady in the corner with her little boy (whom I thought at the time was her grandson). She was just eating lunch quietly with him and observing our group of mommies and masses of kids. I assumed she was probably rolling her eyes (on the inside of course) at the chaos we were all enduring.

I went to throw away my loads of trash when she stopped me and said "you guys really have something special here"... I was taken back. She proceeded to tell me that it wasn't everyday that you see a group of moms helping and coming along side each other the way that we were. She continued to talk to me for about 10 minutes about how she had a baby post-menopause, and at the age of 51, she felt very lonely with a toddler in tow. (FYI-I offered her info to join our group and she declined.) She then asked one final question that made me think all of the way home... "how did this group change your life?" Let me tell you...

I know this awesome group of girls that just get it. They understand why I am always 10 minutes late and a little disheveled. They get why some days my clothes are some days too big, some days too small, and occasionally they fit! They know why my hair is dirty, or not straightened. They understand why we use coupons for EVERYTHING, and instead of turning their noses when I admit to having a whopping .19 cents in our bank account (before deposit), they say at least it wasn't negative.

They are a great group of girls that will hold your baby, feed your toddler, and sometimes even change your kids diaper like they are their own. They bring you meals when you have a baby... or a hubby that just got laid off. They help you track down bargains at Target, and they make sure you ALWAYS get the best deal! They help hold hands, buckle car seats, clean up spills, load cars, watch kids, corral kids... whatever.

This group of girls will chat with you on a bad day or a good one. They offer advice on sleep habits, temper tantrums, poop, pregnancy, preschool, you name it. They will carpool with you to make the ride more bearable, or will sit in the backyard when you're stuck at home just to make the day more tolerable. They guarantee that I will get 2 hot meals a month (girls night out, and the organizational meeting) and a little time to recoup my mind, body, and soul.

And that's what it's really all about, our souls. They make my soul feel good. Some call us clickish, or like a sorority, but really at the end of the day, this moms group has gotten my soul through some really great, and some really tough times. We have something really special here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Boys, Boo-boos, and "Buy me a bike"

I know it's been forever since I posted. I wish I was one of those mommies that could post once or twice a day, but I can't, don't, and won't. I have to be honest that this program runs so slow on my computer that it usually takes me at least an hour to create a post, and that time just usually isn't in my day... so here's a recap of the past couple of weeks.

First of all, here is a new pic of the boys together. It is rare that we get one of these...

Cole has been such a walking disaster waiting to happen the past couple of weeks poor baby. I think I may soon need some of my close friends to bear witness that I don't beat my children as he seems to have a new bump, bruise, or scrape every day. Wednesday night he stuck a toy tennis racket on his head. It got REALLY stuck. Brian tried tugging, and lotioning his head to get it off, but it would not come off. When Brian finally just pulled it off, all of the skin of his forehead came with it. Here is a pic of the walking wounded...

I know, the bandage is a little dramatic, but he really loved it, and he has used up all of my band aids this week. To top it off, this morning, he fell in the kitchen, and now has a huge bruise on his right cheek. Good Lord!

Finally we had a big boy moment this week. Cole bought a bike! Thursday morning we had a birthday party to attend at a park. We all decided we would bring bikes for the kiddo to ride, so I loaded the car with the bikes that we already owned... three beautiful tricycles. At the park, Cole jumped on his trike and took off, quickly to discover that most of the kids his age were riding real bikes. (Please understand his pride wasn't hurt, he just realized that there was something better out there.) So the kids rode their bikes, and Cole would sneak in short moments of riding the big bikes when his friends would walk away from their bikes. Bless his heart, he even skipped eating treats because he knew his friends would be occupied and this would be a perfect time for him to ride. So by the end of our time at the park, I knew where we were heading. Cole has been saving (out of our pockets) change for about a year now. When he gets little bits of money, we throw it in the piggy bank, and then occasionally, we take it to the bank for a deposit. We've kind of just been saving their money for a rainy day. I figured we would know when the time was right to offer spending it. This felt like the time. So, after Brian and I talked, we offered it to Cole that he could use his savings to buy a bike. He quickly accepted.

So he put on his bicycle helmet (he insisted upon wearing it), and we headed to the bank.

I wrote out his withdrawal slip, and he signed his name.


Then we went and chose a bike. We decided Walmart would be the most reasonably priced, and he found a great bike right in his price range... then the wheeling and dealing began. Carter obviously did not need a bike, but he was really missing that he did not have a helmet like the big boys, so we decided we would buy Carter a new bike helmet... Cole decided that he would give Carter his Sesame Street helmet, and he would get a big boy helmet. Honestly, it probably worked out for the best since the Sesame Street helmet had only been worn a couple of times, and it was much more age appropriate for Carter. So we allowed the transaction to occur. Carter was perfectly happy with his new helmet.


He even paid the cashier his "monies". He just couldn't wait to pay for that bike.

Cole has been so responsible with his bike. When he is done riding, he parks his bike and hangs his helmet from the handlebars.

Here are my two sweet babies on their bike getting ready to go for their first ride... fun times! We have spent the rest of the weekend park hopping so that they can ride around and try out their new wheels. They are growing up so fast!