End of summer

The end of summer always makes me a bit sad. I'm not sure why, maybe just remnants of being a kid and realizing that instead of the endless sleepovers and pool days of summer, school was looming on the horizon. 

Summer brings a lazy, laid back attitude and schedule. Some days the kids don't take a bath. Some days we wear our swimsuits all day long. Some days we have fruit, cheese and sandwiches for dinner. Those things just don't seem to fly during the rest of the year. 

Now we are back to school, back to dance classes, back to work. Back, back, back. Part of me wants to just scream to the world that I AM NOT DONE WITH SUMMER YET!!!!! It went so quickly, and I'd really like to have a few more beach days, a few more lazy evenings, a few more vacations.

The poetic part of my soul wants to write some hokey, sentimental crap about summer being a metaphor for childhood . . . but I'm not gonna do that. I think it just suffices to say that these shorter days and crisper breezes tweak my heart just a bit.

And 10 things I am really good at!

Since I confessed to some things that may not be all that flattering, I wanted to add ten things that I think I do really well in my life as a mama.

1. I have always put my girls and their needs first, no matter what that means for me personally. Breast feeding, staying home, cloth diapering--these things have meant lots of sacrifice on my part, but they are what I think is best for the girls. Not judging those who choose differently, but these things are important to me.

2. We DO lots of things together--crafts, cooking, playing, cleaning. I really enjoy being with my girls most of the time, and we are constantly interacting. I go to their classes, talk to their friends, and get involved every day. I am not a sideline mom.

3. I have to steal this one from my friend, Kim. I chose a really, really good Daddy for my girls. Jason is an amazing father, and he is so into the kids. He takes the girls out for Daddy dates every week, and he can't wait to get home every day and just hang out with us. He is not just there for the fun stuff, he is there for EVERYTHING!

4. Caitlyn is a very polite little girl. She says, "please," "thank you," "excuse me," and "can I may . . ." She generally doesn't grab or play with things at the store, and she is usually very well-behaved. Caitlyn has never been the kid who runs wild in a store, picking up things and causing a scene. I hope that Lorelei learns these manners, too.

5. Both of the girls are kind and gentle. When I watch Caitlyn play Mama with her dolls, she is so loving, and I can only hope that I am modeling half of what she emulates. I sing to the girls and snuggle them every chance I get, and my favorite moments are mornings when they both pile in bed with Jason and I.

6. I read to the girls all the time. I love books, and I love that they do, too. We don't play a lot of video games or watch movies all the time, and I can see a big difference between them and kids who do.

7. Holidays are a BIG deal, and I try to go all out for special events. I make special food, and we have lots of decorations. I try to cram as much joy and togetherness as I can into every single holiday. I hope the kids remember our traditions with fondness.

8. I try to teach the girls to play hard and work hard. We might play dress up and build a castle, dragging out half of the toy closet and moving furniture in the process. But, once playtime is done, we all pick up and take pride in a clean house.

9. My kids will never be without memories and mementos. I have locks of all of their hair, completely filled in baby books for all but Chris, first outfits, school memory books, and more. We take pictures almost every single day, and I have a big chest filled with their special things. Jason has so little from his childhood, and I don't want any of the children to ever feel the sadness he does over that.

10. I am proud that I am very honest with all of the kids. While we censor information that isn't age appropriate, we strive to tell them the truth about anything they want to know, even when the truth is tough. This is especially important for Chris, but we do this for all the kids. Honesty is so important, and I think the best way to teach the kids to be honest is to be honest with them.

Mama Confessions

One of my online mama friends just posted a confession post on her family blog, and I loved it. We try so hard to chronicle the good times, but we tend to either gloss over or entirely forget the things we'd rather people not know about- hence the confessions title. I've got ten things I rarely speak or write about, and today I'm letting them out!

1. Sometimes I miss the freedom of a quick trip to the store. I miss wandering through the departments that are interesting to me--clothes, shoes, books, organizational tools--without the whiney toy chant from the kids.

2. I honestly think that Caitlyn is a genius. She is so interested in and knows so much about so many things, and she has an incredible memory. She also grasps abstract concepts in a way that no three year old should, and her language is remarkable. I try really hard not to sound like I'm bragging, but there you go.

3. Lorelei is at my absolute favorite stage. I love all of their ages and stages, but hers is the best. I love the sweet smiles, the constant milestones, the lack of back talk--I just love every bit of it.

4. The kids watch a couple hours of tv most days. They watch in the morning and in the evening. Some days they watch more than that. Hey, its Noggin or the Disney channel, mostly. So what if Caitlyn knows all the words to all the High School Musical songs? 

5. At least once a week, Jason and I make sandwiches for the kids for dinner, and we order in a really nice meal once they are in bed. A steak tastes a lot better when you don't have a 7 year old whining about how he doesn't like it or a 3 year old whining to go play.

6. Speaking of whining, I have zero tolerance for it. I know kids whine sometimes, but I loathe it, and I do everything I can to raise kids who whine as little as possible. It is the one thing that really grates on my nerves and makes me want to run screaming from my house.

7. My girls have an ungodly amount of clothing. Way. too. much. You know the scene in Pretty Woman when they are talking about how much money Richard Gere will spend in the shop, and he says it will be "reeeeaaaaallllly offensive?" They may as well have been talking about the girls' closet. 

8. I desperately wanted to have two girls. Of course, their health was my number one priority, but I very badly wanted to have sisters. I even had dreams about having a boy, then waking up and telling myself having a boy would be ok too. We've got boys to love, so I actually feel ok about wanting girls so much.

9. My very favorite time of day is bedtime. I love my girls, and I love that I can be home with them all day, but after 12 hours of kid shenanigans, I am ready for a glass of wine and time with my husband. And I love the winter because bedtime comes earlier and easier with the shorter days.

10. I regularly throw toys away or donate them. I cannot stand all of the plastic crap that comes with having kids. When pieces are lost and sometimes when they aren't, the toy is gone. If I am cleaning the house and there is a stray plastic french fry from the kitchen set, into the trash it goes. I also throw away all Barbie and doll accessories as soon as they come out of the box. When the girls are old enough to keep up with that stuff, I'll keep it, but for now, all of our Barbies are shoeless.

Houston, uhh, we have a busy schedule!

These days I am writing a lot, but none of it seems to be for fun or family. I recently applied to write for a web company, and I have been busy with lots of articles from them. So far, I'm loving it (and so is the travel fund!).

But, between that and being in Houston to visit my family, I haven't had a lot of time lately for updates. Why don't we make this a list??

* Chris had a blast with us in Houston and at the lake. I am so glad that he wanted to extend his visit. He is a great kid, and we sure miss him now that he is back in Oklahoma. He and Caitlyn even traded bears so that they would be able to hug each other's while they are apart, and I think that Jason and I might have to get in on that as well.

* The girls and I have been busy seeing friends and family. We spent a couple of days in Shreveport, and now we are back in Houston. We have been staying busy and trying to stay out of the heat- over 100 degree temps are reason #657 I don't want to live in Houston.

* Caitlyn has decided that accents are fu-uhn, and she is drawling like a little cowgirl. Any word that has an "a" in it has been extended by at least one syllable, sometimes more. On our way home from Louisiana, she asked me, "Maah-ma, can I maa-ay have a craaaaack-er?" I only wish that words could convey the very cuteness of her little voice.

* Lorelei is busy capturing the hearts of everyone we meet. She has a such an infectious little smile, coupled with a bashful look from beneath her eyelashes that just makes everyone want to snuggle her. Luckily, she loves to be snuggled, so this trip has been wonderful for her.

As soon as I get a chance, I will get some new pictures up. These kids change so quickly!

Dear Automotive Industry,

I think I might have a wonderful idea to help pull you out of the current slump. In fact, I think my idea might be a bigger hit than the "Cash for Clunkers" program that has driven so many recent sales. So listen up!

Please, please, please with a cherry on top, can you work a soundproof barrier into your next design? I love my spacious SUV, but I would trade it in a heartbeat if you made a vehicle, any vehicle, with a retractable sound barrier between my kids and I. If being retractable makes said barrier impossible, then just go ahead and design it to be in place permanently. 

You see, I love my kids. Very much. But, they have recently discovered new levels of insanity-inducing antics when we are riding in the car. Lorelei, the baby, likes to shriek. At the top of her lungs. Normally, it is kind of cute, but not in heavy traffic when Mama has a splitting headache. Caitlyn likes to imitate . . . everything. She imitates the shrieking, she imitates annoying jokes that her brother tells her, and she imitates bodily functions. She also sings. Loudly. And off key. Chris whines. He is hungry/nauseous/tired/bored. He also antagonizes the other two, in what I have determined is an effort to see just how many ways he can get them to dissolve into tears of frustration. They don't take turns, either. All of this is going on simultaneously in a great big cacophony of madness and sound.

Did I mention I love them? Because I really do. But, I really think it might be best for all of us if I could just get a little peace and quiet, at least while I'm driving. 

Please? I'd certainly be willing to pay big bucks for the luxury of a peaceful moment or two. And I'm willing to be there are lots of other parents out there who would do the same. Just think of it as a bailout for moms.

Sincerely,

Ashley Marquez