Wow time really does fly, again I find myself wondering how so long could have possibly passed between my last posting. Is it really already July??
The kids are growing and changing so fast each and every day, we seem to flucuate between periods of being syncronized and harmonious to the opposite end of on the verge of chaos and disharmony. Fortunately in this week, in spite of the massive never ending heat way we are suffering from we appear to be in one of those former states.
This summer has been a big transitional one for the kids, and the latest arrival hasn't made it's presence fully known yet. Though on that note, this pregancy has been really magical having both Grayson and Eme both old enough to understand what is going on and to be such partners to their new yet unknown sibling (affectionatly known as "Snowy Chinese Dragon Lake Tahoe Dawes") whom according to Grayson our resident expert on such things, as he was right with the predictions of both of his sister, deems Snowy to be a boy.
Each child has had a chance to feel Snowy kicking and moving, and I will never forget the looks on their faces when each one felt the baby move for the first time. They all clammer for Snowy time and if I could only accurately predict Snowy's movements I would have a great bribe for them.
Grayson is preparing for Kindergarten and I can really sense although he still has one foot in the nest cuddled under mom's wing he is just as equally preparing to soar. He has been doing "camps", more like a community center, up at his future school and it's been really cool to watch his nervousness and timidness abate as he is starting to form friendships with some of the older kids and he is being to realize they are just people too.
WIth Grayson's new found independence both of his sisters have quickly followed his lead, and whereas 3 months ago none of our children could bear to be apart from mom for any amount of time, I now find them asking for time apart.
Eme is back in swim class, which is a major milestone in and of itself. Of course it wasn't without a bribe, her choice a kitten when she earned her first ribbon, but funny enough she has now grown to love just the joy of accomplishment and pride of doing it and excelling that she doesn't even want any more reward than the ribbon itself. Wow that couldn't have worked out any more textbook had I tried.
Eme also is coming out of her shell, so to speak. Where as she was almost always very demure and quiet in new surroundings she is now starting to make her opinion known and play with other children besides Grayson. And if someone tries to take something that is hers she has no problem telling them so.
Anna has been a lesson is now matter how experienced you are as a parent some kids are just prone to tantrums. She vacillitates between the most docile easy going outgoing child to completely unwilling to budge. The hardest part is sometimes it's hard to predict. Just yesterday when I was getting ready to take the kids to Ikea (mostly to escape the heat) she very clearly stated that she wanted to stay with Rosie and not come with mommy. As she often makes this statement, and just as often changes her mind, I decided that, again because of the heat, she really would be better off with me. She seemed okay with it, but just as we got in the car to head home she suddenly decided that she would have rather not come with us (yes a full 3 hours later) and threw a huge fit, and I mean huge. It last 42 minutes and resulted in her losing her voice.
Thankfully Grayson and Eme had the wisdom and maturity to mind themselves during this time, ask minimally of mom as my hands were clearly full with their sister, and we all made it through (actually I wonder if they were just so shocked by what was going on, as I am sure they have never seen anything like that in their lives). Sadly Anna wore herself out, fell asleep and by the time she did wake Rosie had gone for the day and we had to leave for swim class. Luckily she seemed okay with the whole thing.
Well as it is now pushing 10:30 and I am wiped I should end it here, with the not so faithful promise to update again soon!
