Fresh.

A new school year starts today. Luca is in her 2nd year of preschool (too young for Kindy just yet), Rohan is back at Laura's after a summer hiatus from daycare, and Darrick's back in the classroom.
I had some proud moments dropping off the kids this morning. Being able to tell Laura that Rohan is potty trained ("Even at naptime?" "Yes! Even at naptime! Shoot, almost overnight already!!!") was definitely mom-brag worthy. And dropping off Luca at school only to see her walk right in and hug her old teachers made this Monday morning so amazing. I'm excited for a new year for her and can't wait to see how much fun they both have at school and daycare.

I promise, she is wearing shorts under that.

The only thing I'm nervous about? Coaching started Friday for Darrick, so the pick-ups are squarely on my shoulders from now through February for the most part! I'm on a new work schedule which is going to take some work to figure out, coming in earlier and leaving by 4 at the latest so I can have both kids in the car by 5. Should be interesting. Thank goodness I have my amazing mom not 2 minutes from daycare, just in case I need back-up now and then.

It should also be noted, we finally bit the bullet and cut Rohan's hair. I never thought I'd let my son's hair grow too long, but Rohan has exceptionally beautiful hair for a little boy. It's super blonde and thick and shiny and soft. In addition, it grows really fast so haircuts don't happen as often as they should. It was getting embarassingly long, as you can see here:

This is also an exceptionally bad picture of him, but let's just say we were verging on rat-tail territoy in the back. We started making jokes about braiding and beading it.

But look at how amazing that hair is! There are a LOT of women in Scottsdale who pay a pretty penny every 6 weeks to try to get hair this blonde.

But when I came home from work last week to find his sister trying to sit him down for a pretend "Free-Off Haircut" I got the message.

Him? Not so much with the shorts. Yes, my son owns pants. No, he doesn't like to wear them. Please see 'potty trained' above.

My sister-in-law offered to cut it for us on Sunday, but then my husband took the kids to visit his parents on Saturday night and my mother in law took her kitchen scissors to his bangs, then straight back over his ears. I didn't take a picture because I couldn't bear to, but suffice it to say he looked a lot like this:

From here.

So now it looks more like this. Super cute AND super grown up! Ack! Where'd my baby?

Friday Night Talent Show.

Today I had to go to a small town about 30 minutes south of my house for an all-day event for work. Sitting at a display table bored between visitors, I decided to catch up with a few people via text.

First, I texted my friend who is also on WW:

"I've always heard a tomato is a fruit since it has seeds inside. Does this make pumpkins, bell peppers, and squash fruit as well?"
"I guess so?"
"Sweet. So I can eat an entire pumpkin and it's 0 points."

Then I texted my brother's wife who is due with Baby #2 on July 4th. This baby is a boy, and an active one in the womb. I jokingly call him Seamus, though my daughter has nicknamed him Bingo. In fact, when we learned she was pregnant with #2, we asked Luca what nickname she wanted to give it. "Bingo!" she answered. We then asked if it was going to be a girl baby or a boy baby, since she was 2 for 2 with guessing the sex of her other baby cousins. "A boy of course, Mommy. Bingo is a boy!" And she was right...about the boy thing, anyhow. About the name Bingo? Not so much.:

"Any baby news? When do you see your Dr next?"
"Still officially due on 7/4. See the Dr. next week. Unofficially, I am a planet, can't walk, and am having random contractions here and there. I am soooooo done!"

Seeing as her baby was still in her belly and not on his way out, I kept searching for someone to give me an excuse to leave the event early. So, I texted my other sister-in-law, who is also due with her second in December. Luca has also proclaimed this one to be a boy, and I wanted to know when we will find out if she is right:

"Is today your ultrasound?"
"Monday is the big day. Your kiddos are coming over to swim. Leave early and come over!!!"
:::Ding Ding Ding:::

(My husband is in summer school, but has Fridays home with the kids. They had arranged for a post-nap 'borrowing' of my brother- and sister-in-law's pool.)

Never one to turn down an invite, I headed home around 3, fed the dog, grabbed my things and headed over. We spent some time in the pool, the kids playing and splashing and having fun (my neice, who is 1, and my daughter have matching swimsuits which was just too cute for words). Somewhere along the line, I noticed Rohan pulling at his...um...crotch. A lot. At first I chocked it up to boy obsession with the penis, but then I noticed he was looking around the pool area sort of anxiously. Turns out, he had to pee. He was wearing a swim diaper, but didn't want to pee in it (HOLY amazing!!!!) so I had him get out and I stripped him down, staying in the pool myself. Then I pointed to the plants by the edge of the pool decking and said, "You can pee on those."

Next thing we know, Luca jumped out, stripped off her swimsuit, and stood beside him. Both kids, completely naked, butts to the pool, faced the wall. She reached over and patted his back, leaned in to say something to him we couldn't hear (I love that. Nothing is sweeter to me than the relationship they are building with each other.) and then smiled over her shoulder at us.

The next thing we knew, twin streams of urine started to flow. Oh, yes. My son and my daughter stood side by side, peeing into the rocks. It had to have been the cutest and most hilarious thing we'd ever seen. I mean, I guess I sort of knew girls could pee standing, but to see her do it with such expertise was seriously amusing.

Rohan's First Haircut

My fabulous sister in law gave Rohan his first haircut tonight. She was also responsible for Luca's first haircut, and let me just say my kids are SO lucky they have a talented hair magician as an Aunt!

Rohan was less than impressed with the process, but it was fast and he looks so adorable now. However, I wish he didn't look SO grown up!!

Here's my 'Meemo', as Luca calls him, being tortured silly:

Before, with wild hair.