Growing Up in Moments

Molly, who is dangerously close to being done with preschool forever, has seemingly done a lot of growing up lately.  She lost her first tooth, and then another.

She swallowed them both.  But the tooth fairy still came.

She also surprised me by borrowing a bike from school and doing this:

We hadn't even gotten her a two wheeler yet, and now no training wheels! She is very proud. The preschool even insisted that we take the bike home for now, and she is everywhere. It won't be long before she is ready to take on the neighborhood with Porter (much to his slight dismay).

Everyone is changing so fast these days, not just Molly.  A traveling carnival came to town (this was news of miraculous proportions to the children of Juneau, as it only happens every ten years or so), and Cedar got this (good Lord):

And Porter rode the squirrel cages. At least that's what we used to call that crazy Ferris wheel-esque thing that goes upside down. He did look appropriately terrified afterwards though. This is the before shot, when he asked me why the rides were so rusty.

Some days I still can't believe I have three kids.  And that they are 8, 5 and 3.  But I also feel like I'm pretty dang lucky.

Happy Birthday Cedar

Now when people ask me how old my kids are, I can say 8, 5 and 3.  They are still so young, but this feels like a huge milestone to me.  I no longer have a baby or a toddler whose life I can think of in terms of months.  But I have a whole herd of kids.  Solid aged kids.  That go to school and tell me their opinions and have personalities of their own.  Today my baby, my sweet baby, turned three.  And I kind of want her to stay just like this.  Like today.  Perfect.

Cedar for the Win

Last week was spring break here in Alaska, and we had no plans.  Unlike the other half of the entire state that seems to leave for Hawaii and parts more glorious.  But I was happy to just lay low and sleep in.  It also seemed like a good time to potty train Cedar.  She's pretty much past the age that the other two were doing it, and she was excited.  After eight years of changing diapers, I'm ready to move on.  I've done this thing twice already, I'm a pro, right?  Fast forward to five days later.  Really not a single success.  That child just will not use the toilet.  Chocolate, toys, movies, walking around in wet clothes.  Wanting to be a big girl and go to preschool.  Nothing.  And by the end, I was getting kind of worried about her as she was holding it for like 12 hours at a time and getting constipated and we were all miserable.  So I gave up.  Put her back in diapers.  And I suppose as a third time mother to a toddler, I certainly haven't learned much about potty training.  But I have learned when to let it go, and I will live to fight this battle another day.

And luckily, after several days of cleaning pee off the floor and far, far too many wrestling beat downs in the living room, we got some nice weather.  And some awesome skiing.  Redemption for sure.