It's official...Sophia is 5 and Ashlyn is 2! How do they grow up so fast? I can't believe Sophia is 5...I remember being pregnant with her, I remember her delivery, our first week...first steps and words. All of these memories seem to rush to me at every birthday. And little Ashlyn...my baby... is not so baby any more! She has turned into this wonderful little girl that tries so desperately to keep up with her big sissy. She is impossible to be mad at and a joy to be around...I swear I have felt my heart stop and that lump in my throat form to let me know soon I will have to let them go...and I wondered if I could do it!
I will try to keep this balloon tradition going as long as possible they seem to love it! I love the screech of happiness and they amazement when they awake to a room full of balloons!
Here is the skinny on the chocolate teddy bears. I ordered some from etsy and needless to say chocolate packaged in a regular box melts ...therefore I had to pull out all of my creativity to make the bears...Toby and I were hard at work for two days to make these little bears...they didn't turn out too bad!
We ended up throwing their birthday parties together this year...thank goodness neither of them seemed to care! I thought for sure Sophia would have a fit, but she always seems to surprise me. I did do something special for each on "their day" which I think made a little difference. Plus there birthday drug out for a weekend. We celebrated a "friend" party and Build a Bear followed by a "family" party at Chucky Cheese. Toby and I were exhausted by the end of the day and I am grateful birthday's only come around once a year!
We have prepared for this day all summer. I felt like I was always thinking of things I needed to do for her before Kindergarten. New shoes, backpack, lunch box, school supplies, doctor's appointment....the list could go on forever and not to mention, Toby and I have attended atleast 6 hours of parent, student and catholic archdiocese orientation. After all that, the day was upon us...we started early bedtime the week before and then it was Wednesday. I must have checked the clock 6 times through the night to make sure we would wake up...we have to get up at 6:45am and it is very painful. She resisted the first day, but was excited to wear her uniform and her new shoes. (Ashlyn slept in thank goodness, because I think the morning would have gone a little worse than it did.) Sophia has always been so brave and excited to do anything new. We told her about the school bus and Toby gave her a quick pep talk on his expectations because she is after all a daddy's girl and then it was time. We did the prerequisite from door pics and the bus arrived right on schedule. Toby walked her to the bus and the wave of panic hit me again...what if no on let's her sit down. The scene from Forrest Gump popped in my head when all the kids say "seat taken!"...what if someone is mean to her, what if she does not know where to go after she gets off the bus? All these questions and no answers then again the tears started to flow. I think Toby was almost shocked to see me cry... he was supportive and little more logical than me...imagine that! He reassured me she would be fine, but my heart just ached at all the unknown out there...all the what if's with no answers. I heard someone once say "parenthood isn't for sissies" and I think they are right. Poor Ashlyn is lonely with out her and all day says to me "I need my Sophie." It is so cute and crazy because the minute Sophia gets off the school bus they are fighting! Mother's day out as helped fill her void, but not mine. I will say I have accomplished so much in the last week as far as errands and pampering myself. I wonder if the newness of it all will wear off and I will miss my girls and my time with them...I suppose I will cherish the weekends and the breaks they get!
