Newport Aquarium

Dear Em,
Traveling with kids can be tough, especially when the agenda is not geared toward kids. Some of the best trips we've had with you are ones where our hosts introduce us to the kid friendly activities of their area. This trip was so nice because I was able to enjoy time with my best friend while our kids enjoyed fun activities together.

One day we went on a family outing to the aquarium. We loaded up, the six of us, into one car & headed to the Newport Aquarium. I love visiting aquariums, & this one was no exception. It was large & geared toward children. We all had an amazing time.

There were areas to touch crabs & starfish. You wanted none of that, while one year old little T was excited to put his hands right in.

The Newport Aquarium is home to the largest collection of shark rays on display. They have ray shaped heads & shark shaped bodies. We had never seen a shark ray. They were fascinating to see, especially for Daddy who loves sharks.

There was a fun little play area with tunnels & slides for you to climb up & slide down right in the middle of the aquarium. It was perfectly placed, & allowed you to get out some built up energy. You were thrilled & would have played there all day if we had let you. T was a little young to join you, & instead he climbed on frog sculptures & ran around the surrounding area.

The adults & the kids had such an amazing time exploring this kid friendly aquarium. Outside of the aquarium is really nice mall with a view of Cincinnati, an ice cream shop, movie theater, restaurants, & stores. We could have spent the whole day having fun in that one spot. We grabbed some frozen yogurt before heading home. It was the perfect evening for families with littles, & I felt so fortunate we were able to share it with my best friend & her little family.

I love you so,

Mommy

"When I grow up, I'm going to live on a farm."

Dear Em,
We are on vacation this week, visiting my family in North Carolina (my baby brother is graduating high school!). Since I knew I wouldn't be keeping up with the blog this week, I thought I would take this week's blog posts to recap our last family adventure in Ohio. My best friend lives in Ohio, & we had such an amazing time visiting her, her husband, & her one year old son T at the end of April.

Jayme & I have been best friends for more than ten years, but have lived in different states for most of our friendship. While we only get to see each other once or twice a year, I love that we have still been able to share so much. We shared angst over our post-graduate studies (for her it was vet school & for me it was my MBA), the excitement of our engagements & planning of our weddings, marriage, making our houses homes, & now motherhood. It's so fun to be able to share the journey of motherhood with my best friend & to watch our littles interact & play together.

Jayme lives on a farm, & our visits give us all kinds of new things to experience. There are four wheeler rides...

Big fields, a pond, & beautiful natural views...

Guns & outdoor shooting ranges (you did not participate or come anywhere near this)...

& Nights with fire pits & fireworks...

You loved it so much, you made up a song about how you're going to live on a farm when you grow up. You sang & danced while you played Jayme's ukelele. I have to admit I was enchanted by life on the farm too, especially with the smiles it put on your face (We decided if we suddenly lost power & the world was ending, Jayme's farm in Ohio is where we're going to find refuge. Is it weird that I think about these things?). We sure had an amazing trip, & I'm so thankful that we're able to continue to share fun adventures with my best friend & her little family.

I love you so,
Mommy

love letters

Dear Em,

"Ohana means family. I have one of those!"

- Emma McGovern, 3 years old

Remember how I said you were learning French & Spanish? Well, thanks to the movie Lilo & Stitch, you've been learning a little Hawaiian too. Today is all about Ohana, because after school & work today we're making the trip down to North Carolina to visit my family. I'm so excited we have a full week to be all together!

I've been a little absent from the blog this week because between work projects, your last week of school, planning your 3.5 birthday party, gatherings with friends, & packing for a week-long trip I think I bit off a little more than I could chew. But you know what? It all got done in the end, & now I can just enjoy & appreciate your last day of school.

You made it through another school year. This year has been full of changes & transitions for you. It hasn't always been easy, but I can't believe how much you've learned & grown. What a difference a year makes.

Last Day of School 2012:

Last Day of School 2013:

I love you so,

Mommy

Knowing Spanish

Dear Em,
Living with you means at any given moment, we will have something to smile & laugh about. Take the other day for instance...

Em: "Español. Mommy & Daddy, español!"
Me: "That's right. That means Spanish."
Em: "I know Spanish."
Me: "That's great! What words do you know in Spanish?"
Em: "Well, I just know Spanish."
Me: "Ok, well, for instance agua is Spanish for water."
Em: "Water is Spanish?"
Daddy: <Laughing>
Me: "No, agua is the Spanish word for water."
Em: "Well, I just know Spanish."
Me: <giving up on the language lesson>"Ok, that's great."

When you speak to us in a language you have made up & only you understand, sometimes you tell us that is Spanish. Although none of the books we own are in Spanish, sometimes you tell us some of yours are in Spanish. You read them to us proudly in your made up language. We don't understand the story line at all, but I don't know Spanish. So, I guess I wouldn't understand the story lines even if you were really reading them to us in Spanish.

I don't know who we have to thank, Dora the explorer or your teachers at school. I mean, it's pretty clear, you're almost bilingual...at least you think so. Through reading Fancy Nancy books you've also learned to say French words like "oui" & "bon appétit." Is there such a thing as triple-lingual?! 

Joking aside, you know Spanish & French (although I don't know that you know it's French) exists & that makes you more knowledgeable about other languages than I was at your age. And in a world where most other countries are far ahead of us in learning languages other than their native ones, I think you're on the right track.

I love you so,
Mommy

How a Three Year Old Says: "Mom, your shorts are too short."

Dear Em,
Sometimes I feel like we're a family of bears. It's not that we're nasty & wild & tear things apart (although sometimes we do). It's just that it's almost like we hibernate during the winter. We don't sleep from November until April (although, sometimes I feel like I would like to), but our activity levels & outside time decrease a lot. We spend much of our winters bundled up inside & are ready to don shorts & sundresses on the first 60 degree day.

We've been thrilled to make the most of our Spring by getting outside as much as we can. One of our favorite activities to return to is bike riding on the South County Bike Path. Towing a little love behind you always makes it a little more challenging of a workout. As you've grown bigger each year, each year the workout gets a little more challenging. Your daddy & I take turns towing you. One of us tows you the four miles to the park where we picnic & play, & one of us tows you back.

Last week, we had one of our warmest summer days. We agreed to pack a dinner picnic & go for a bike ride after work. In preparation for the heat, I dressed in shorts & a t-shirt. You apparently did not approve of my outfit. "Mommy, you're naked! Put some clothes on!" I looked down to make sure this wasn't a major case of Mommy-Brain. Nope, I had remembered to put on all my clothes. All necessary body parts were covered.

"Em, I'm wearing clothes. See, these are shorts?" You looked at me & rolled your eyes exasperated. "No, Mommy, you're naked. You need to put on more clothes." This aparently would be the first of many times in our lives that you are embarassed by my clothing choices.

Regardless, we had a great family bike ride & picnic.

Daddy brought macaroons for desert. Sooooo stinkin' yummy.

You're getting so big. I remember how scared we used to be when you wanted to climb this.

At the end of our ride, you & I stretched together.

And sure, you called me naked at least six or seven more times during our bike ride & picnic. Apparently, that's your very tactful way of telling me you think my shorts are too short.

I love you so,

Mommy

Toes Behind You

Dear Em,
We were driving home from school last week. The music was on, but I was totally in my head. I had gotten some bummer news that day, & I was kind of on auto-pilot as I replayed it in my mind again & again.

Your little voice broke through the clouds in my head. "Mom, toes behind you." What?! I checked my review mirror to see what if anything was traveling behind our car that you could be talking about. "Mom, you like toes, right? Toes behind you." I looked down & to my right. There I saw your outstretched bare foot, placed on the armrest like a present for me. "Want some toes, Mom?" You had a huge, sweet grin on your face.

Leave it to you to pull me out of my head & put a smile on my face. I tickled your little toes & yelled "TOES!" in a big monster voice. We spent the rest of the ride home giggling as you reached out one foot & then the other.

Even on the most frustrating days, I've got TOES! AND really, Who needs anything else?

I love you so,
Mommy

My Mini-Me

Dear Em,
I found a comfortable black & white striped sundress at Old Navy this year, & you were thrilled when we found you a black & white striped sundress at Target. For better or for worse, you are my mini-me. People ask your daddy & I who you take after. Your daddy smiles as he says "she's all Julie." You're not soft spoken, & I've seen it get you into trouble just as I've gotten in trouble for sometimes not knowing when to hold back from speaking my mind. You're incredibly stubborn & strong willed. At the same time, you have a quiet sensitivity. Your confidence is easily shaken. You're incredibly curious & serious, wanting to know how things work & why- wanting to try things out for yourself. You also have such a fun side, loving to sing & dance & tell (bad) jokes.

It breaks my heart to think that someday you will have a hard time with & detest some of the traits that take after me (your wide feet will probably top that list). But for now, you're thrilled when you can be "just like Mommy." This past weekend you got to dress just like mommy as we both wore our black & white striped dresses. You buzzed with happiness. I wasn't even allowed to put on a cardigan without you pouting that we were supposed to be exactly the same.

We headed to what you refer to as the big city (Providence) to have lunch at Duck & Bunny. I wasn't surprised to find that my mini-me loves my favorite Rhode Island snuggery just as much as I do. Then again, who doesn't love yummy crepes & cupcakes? We were lucky to be able to sit in the garden area outside & played Old Maid while we waited for our food.

After lunch, we headed a few miles away to the Hope Street Block Party. I get a weekly email from Rhode Island Monthly listing 5 events going on each weekend. When our weekends aren't already planned, I love checking out some of activities & events offered throughout the state. I love trying new things. So does my mini-me. It didn't matter that you didn't know anyone else at the block party other than Daddy & I. You dove right into the activities. You had a blast decorating a cookie, watching an alien marching band, blowing bubbles, eating Dels, dancing, driving a firetruck, & carrying around a red balloon. I loved that it was all free- such an incredible event for the community.

You joined a dance class but made it pretty clear that you came with your very own moves. I love that you didn't worry about being like everyone else. I also worry that you got your unique dance rhythm (or lack there of) from me.

"But I didn't even get to play with any blocks," you whimpered as we drove home. As much as we tried, you didn't understand the whole BLOCK party concept. Still, you didn't want to leave all the fun. I was sad to leave too. I loved watching you explore & dive into the day. 

There may be a day when you're frustrated with how similar we are, where you choose to see the differences more than the similarities. That's OK. There are a lot of traits I hope you don't get from me. But for now, I'm relishing the fact that my mini-me looks up to & wants to be just like her mommy.

I love you so,

Mommy

"God, please don't let there be rain in the sky."

Dear Em,
Once we finally started to get some non-winter weather, it's been a beautiful Spring in Rhode Island. We've had plenty of beautiful, sunshiney days with no humidity. It's my favorite weather for activities that don't involve the pool or beach. We've also had plenty of rain- which is fine. We need rain for the flowers to bloom & for our grass to be the perfect green that Daddy likes. The unpredictable weather does make it difficult to plan outdoor activities- like using our new kayaks.

We bought them last weekend in the middle of a rain storm (loading kayaks on your car for the first time in the rain is not ideal), & we've been trying to plan a perfect first kayaking outing since. After a week of questionable weather reports, we decided to go for our first outing at Barber's Pond on Sunday.

After breakfast on Sunday, your daddy looked at the weather report. Uh-oh. While the sun was shining at that moment, it looked like rain was headed our way. We rushed to get dressed, pack a picnic, get the kayaks on the car, & load the car with everything else we would need. Just as we finished packing everything into the car, the clouds rolled in.

Should we just unload & try another day? Should we chance it? I quickly ran back into our house to grab some rain jackets as we decided we would still go & hope for the best. I began to pull out of the driveway & heard your little voice behind me. "God, please don't let there be rain in the sky." You were looking out the window at the clouds, a hopeful expression filling your face. It was the sweetest little thing, & my heart swelled. Of course when you're not sure what to do, what can you do but pray?

God answered your prayers. We had perfect weather for our first family kayaking adventure- clouds sprinkled with sunshine. You & I shared the tandem kayak, & I couldn't have been happier with my adorable view.

Not knowing how you would do, we let you take a few toys along on the adventure. Your babies joined in on the fun. You sang "The Wheels on the Bus" as you splashed them in & out of the water. Ultimately, you got a little upset with them for "splashing water" on your pants.

Barber's Pond is small. It was perfect for a first outing. We easily paddled from one end to the other. You put your feet up as you yelled for me to paddle "faster!"

We had a blast on our first outing. You wanted to go swimming, & although it was great weather for kayaking, it wasn't really the weather for swimming. We have plenty of time for that, though. I see lots & lots of kayaking adventures filling our summer- God & weather willing.

I love you so,

Mommy

First Haircut

Dear Em,
We've been trying to talk to you about getting your first haircut for months. I say TRYING because every time we've broached the topic, you started screaming NO, threw yourself down on the floor, & began kicking your feet in the hair. "I'm not saying we're going to get your hair cut right now. I'm just asking you to think about it," I would plead through the screams.

Then, out of the blue, you walked up to me one morning & said, "Mommy, I'm ready to go get my haircut." I think my mouth dropped open in shock. "What made you change your mind," I asked. "Well, Daddy says I can watch TV while I get my haircut," you simply replied with a sweet smile. I silently rejoiced that you had finally agreed to a haircut while simultaneously started stressing out about trying to find a place that has TVs at every station (of course it would be the promise of TV that would change your mind). "MO-OM, are we going? I'm ready to get my haircut right noooooow," you snapped me out of the silent conversation I was having with myself in my head. Once you make up your mind, there's no messing around. You want to do what you want to do now.

That was Mother's Day morning at 8am. For a quick moment I thought about trying to squeeze it in that day. There was just no way. We had a full day planned, & I wasn't sure where I was going to take you. I spent the next couple days thoroughly researching different kids spots. Most don't include on their websites whether or not they have TVs, but I used the images function on Google to find pictures of the insides of each place. I knew that no TV would mean no haircut.

I finally settled on Kidz Adventure Cuts, & as a present to myself I took you for your very first haircut on my birthday. You loved the place the moment you walked in. There was a table with toys to play with in the waiting area, & each staton had its very own colorful TV. You oooohed & awwwed & bounced around until the hairdresser called your name. At that moment I think it sunk in for you what you were about to do. You clung to me & whimpered. I held your hand & promised I would be with you the whole time.

I have to say once got to to the hair-washing sink, I was pretty worried that the whole thing wasn't going to happen. I sat you down in the chair, & you started to throw a fit. The hairdresser (Dawn) was amazing. She talked you through the process calmly & step by step until you were laying your head down, getting your hair washed. "This is so cool mom," you smiled.

I was absolutely amazed by how great Dawn was at cutting hair with a moving child. You claim that you stayed very still & didn't move at all. You were great, as great as I could have expected, but you still moved your head all over. You looked from thing to thing in the sensory filled room & asked to hold every toy in eyesight. She seamlessly handed toy after toy to you while trimming your hair in an even line. This woman was a miracle worker.

Of course, you had to choose to watch Caillou during your first hair cut. I can't stand that whiney kid.

After your haircut, you got your hair blow-dried so that we could see the full look.

Once you finished, you got to pick a prize out of a whole chest full of prizes. Then they gave me a precious little certificate commemorating your first hair cut with a lock of your newly cut hair.

It's not a drastic change. Just a trim off the bottom to get rid of the dead, tangly ends & angled sides so your hair won't be on your face. You love it. There were lots of twirls & smiles as you asked me if I noticed anything different & if you were beautiful. Of course. You are always beautiful.

The next morning you woke up, ran into my room, & said "Mommy, I'm ready for another haircut." "But you just got one yesterday," I said quizzically. "Don't you know Mom?! You get your hair cut & let it grow, & get your hair cut & let it grow, & get your hair cut. I let it grow last night & now I need another hair cut." Oh geeze. I think we created a hair cutting monster.

I love you so,
Mommy

How old should a child be when they start doing chores?

Dear Em,
Daddy says he never really had chores as a child. In my family, we grew up doing chores. There was laundry folding, vacuuming, & dishes. Since there were so many of us, we all rotated in our tasks.  I'm not sure how old we were when we started doing chores, but I remember doing them until I moved out of my parents' house. I think every family probably does things a little differently, & I don't think your daddy & I really decided for sure what the protocol was going to be for our family.

You're at an age where grown-up tasks interest you. If I ask you to clean up your toys, you're about as thrilled as if I asked you to go to bed (sometimes I think you'd rather go to bed). You'll do it, but it's definitely not your favorite. On the other hand, you're eager to help out with our tasks. While I'm cleaning the bathroom, you beg to help. Clorox wipes in your hands make me nervous, but I will give you a paper towel & tell you you can help by "dusting." You dust EVERYTHING- the floors, our beds, the cats- EVERYTHING. You're always underfoot as Daddy sweeps the floors. You smile from ear to ear when Daddy gives you a brush & dustpan outside of the area he's directly sweeping & lets you "sweep." They're not real cleaning activities, as you're still too young to dust or sweep without missing spots or making bigger messes. Mostly they're just tasks to distract you from making bigger messes while we're cleaning up.

A few weeks ago I was putting the groceries away & starting dinner. I gave you the option of playing in the backyard, but you were having one of those moments where you didn't want to play on your own. You whined at my feet & I tried not to trip over you while I rushed around the kitchen. As I looked at the pile of cardboard, bottles, & cans on our kitchen counter, I had an idea. I asked you to take the items out to the recycling bins. You were excited about the task, & since you took each item separately the task distracted you long enough for me to finish the things I needed to get done.

I've often had the question & have been asked the question "how old should the child be when s/he is ready for..." The funny thing about you is more often than not you tell us or show us when you're ready. At six weeks old you showed us you were ready to sleep in your crib by crying until we put you in it. You showed us you were ready to potty train by basically picking it up in a weekend. You showed us you were ready to dress yourself by telling us firmly that you want to dress yourself ("Is it a deal, mom? I can dress myself?" you pleaded). And now, kind of by accident, you've showed us that you're ready to have a chore.

It's now your job to take out the recycling. It's not a task you do quickly (you still mostly take things outside one at a time), but it's still a task that's all your own & one that you look so proud to do. I like that you have a chore of your own. You're learning about the importance of helping out at home & more about the importance of recycling without even realizing it.

I really can't wait until you're old enough to handle the vacuuming & laundry...just kidding...well, kinda kidding.

I love you so,
Mommy