Ages & Stages

Weeks ago, when the Governor closed schools until April 30th, I began to prepare myself for the inevitable -- my kids would not be going back to school this year. This was confirmed more recently with the Governor’s decision to close for the year. I dreaded telling my nine-year-old daughter because I knew this would be especially hard for her. She loves school and thrives in the structure that the classroom brings. When my husband and I broke the news to her, she was visibly upset with tears welling up in her eyes. She stormed off to her room, and I later asked her to write down what she was feeling. The following words are hers: I’m in 4th grade...

People always tell you about the firsts, but no one ever warns you about the lasts. -Jessica Simpson My sweet caboose, my baby number four, I know you’re my last baby. The day you were born, my mommy heart was complete. You filled every void. I held you in my arms and knew you’d be my baby forever. I brought you home and had you next to me in your bassinet. I nursed you, I held you (A LOT), I rocked you and I stared at you. I tried to soak in every sweet moment because I knew they’d be my last to experience. Looking Forward... I remember with my firstborn looking forward to every milestone. I couldn’t wait for him to...

Do you remember all those times before you had kids that you would look at parents or other moms in public and think to yourself “I will never be that mom”! The mom that allows her kid to have her cellphone at the restaurant, be the parents that let their kid run in front of them at the airport, or how about the mom who allows her kid to eat a doughnut from the bakery at the grocery store while still shopping? Ugh, those people! Ridiculous, am I right? How about those kids that throw the big public tantrums? Why would they let them act like that? I will never be that mom. Jump ahead a few years… Hi there. That was...

April 8, 2019. That date probably has zero significance to any of you, but to me, it means a lot. That is the day my caboose baby was born. To say I was looking forward to planning the most extravagant first birthday party one last time would be a huge understatement! I love a good theme. I love decorating and crafting. And I love going all out (most of my friends call me extra). So when social distancing began nearly a month ago, I lived on a hope and a prayer that by my son’s birthday party date, things would die down and we would not have to cancel. With each update and as the numbers continued to rise, I...

Before everyone’s normal routine was flipped upside down, my husband and I had our family’s daily routine down to a science. We both worked full time, our older two went to school, and the youngest went to daycare. Our day started bright and early at 5:45 AM, with everyone out to face the world by 6:30. After the daily grind of work, school, homework, and after-school activities, we ended the day with dinner before 6:00 PM and the kids bathed and in bed by 7:30. Of course, that daily routine was thrown out the window due to COVID-19. While we no longer leave the house on a daily basis, we try to fill the day with activities to stay busy. Our...