- Peace Out, Kindergarten! -

And .just.like.that...

...this beautiful, self-deemed "older girl" is donezo with kindergarten!   

 

Whatttttt?!?  I just read back through her first day of kindergarten post, and I can't believe everything came and went so quickly.  My momma heart can hardly take it!  Between the strict masking every single day and all the other COVID-19 related changes that the school had to enforce in order to safely conduct in-person learning all year long, I am so proud of Harper for not just making the best of it, but totally thriving through all of it! 

A comparison from the first few days to the 100th day... ;) :)

Call me "that mom" or whatevaaaa, but I loved reviewing the schoolwork that came home in folders every day!  Harper was so proud of all of it, too.  She made big strides this year away from writing backwards letters and words -- total "mirror writing" was her norm in the fall, but she almost 100% corrected it all within a few months of hard work! 

Over Christmas break, she had the option to do a religion fair project on any Bible story she wanted, and she chose the Story of Creation.  We used the Cricut together a little bit, but all the rest of this diorama was her idea and craftwork!

On the last day of school, several families met up at Annie's for an ice cream treat!  Harper bumped into her 7th grade buddy there [who she didn't get to spend much time with this year thanks to COVID forcing classes to keep their distance, but we are hopeful they'll get to be together more next year!] and also lots of other classmates and friends who she will miss so much this summer!

Gosh, I just still can't believe it's over!  We love you so much, sweet Harper girl!  Now let's enjoy an amazing summer break!!! 

 

 

 

 

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL XXI -

Before she was headed off to a sleepover at Grammy and Papa's:
Grammy:  "Scarlett, give your Mommy a kiss goodbye!"
Scarlett:  *gives kiss*
Grammy:  "Give the baby a kiss goodbye!"
Scarlett:  "Wellllll, I don't know where 'da bebe's yips [lips] are..."

While driving past a cemetery:
"'Dere's alllllll 'da people 'dat died!"

One evening:
Scarlett:  "Why you got a bee-yuh [beer]?"
Brian:  "Because I want to drink a beer and watch TV and snuggle by you on the couch!"
Scarlett:  "Well you can't drink TOOOOO MANY BEE-YUHS, else you will get sick."
Brian:  "Ok..."
Scarlett:  "Why doesn't 'dat bee-yuh have a yid [lid] on it?"
Brian:  "Because I'm drinking it."
Scarlett:  "Well why don't you take a yitta [little] drink 'den put 'da yid back on?"
Brian:  ".....That's not how you drink a beer, bro."
Scarlett:  "Oh."

While scratching her cheek:
Scarlett:  "What 'dis fing [thing] 'dat won't come off?"
Me:  "Is it a little pimple?"
Scarlett: "No. Guhs [girls] don't get pim-puhs, only boys."

 

 

At 9:20 pm, staring at her full dinner plate from 5:30pm:
Scarlett:  "Daddy, I am hun-ga-ree [hungry], but I not feelin' yike [like] eatin' my dinna."
Brian:  ".....So just a normal night, then."

During an OB visit:
"Why 'dat docta' got a step-a-cope [stethoscope]?"

On the way home from school drop-off [at 7:40am]:
"Mommy, when we get home, can we bof' [both] eat an ice cweam sham-wish [sandwich]?"

While driving and approaching a stop sign:
"MOM!  'Dere is a 'top sign right 'dere, you know 'dat?"

After passing a flooded field:
"Is 'dat a yake [lake]?"

Proudly shout/screamed from the living room as the rest of the family is in the kitchen:
"I JUS' HAD A TOOTIE, GUYS!!!"

 

 

One morning as we're trying to plan our day:
Me:  "Harper needs some new clothes... I wonder if Old Navy has any sales going on right now?"
Scarlett:  "Yeah, I wonda' too..."

After passing a house that burnt down recently:
"'Dere's 'da burnt house!  I wish somebody could wiv [live] 'dere, but it's all burned up...  But YOOK [look]!  'Da trees didn't burn down be-cuh [because] 'dey are big and 'trong [strong].  ...But it's ok if houses burn down be-cuh at yeast [least] 'da people are safe and you can ah-ways [always] buy a-nudduh [another] one."

While in line at Starbucks one Saturday:
"Daddy ah-ways [always], ah-ways, AH-WAYSSS gets on a po' [phone] call when we in wine [line] at 'Tarbucks after we take Hawpie to school."

 On the way to Harper's T-ball practice:
"A COURSE, when we get to T-ball, Hawpie can't wear her sungwasses, be-cuh 'dats 'da rules to not wear sungwasses or bwacelets or wings [rings]."

 

Randomly:
Scarlett:  "Why did God make me yike [like] 'dis?"
Me:  "Because He wanted to make something really special, so he made you!"
Scarlett:  "Yeah, because we are yike His wo-bots [robots]."
Me:  .....

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL XX -

While driving by a cemetery:
Me:  "Those are called headstones, and there's the building where you go inside to pick out a headstone for the grave."
Harper:  "So some day you pick that out for your family?"
Me:  "Yes."
Harper:  "So some day Scarlett and me will have to pick that out for you?"
Me:  "Yes.  But we might all four die together sometime, you just never know..."
Harper:  "Soooo, I'm guessing Scarlett and me will last longer.  'Cause we aren't as old as you guys, so we'll definitely last a lot longer."

While passing a Mazda convertible:
"Look, a real race car!"

Scream/shouted on the drive home from Grammy and Papa's as Scarlett was wailing that her water spilled:
"SCARLETT! REMEMBER THAT GRAMMY GAVE YOU THREE M&M'S TO NOT FUSS ANYMORE TODAY?  REMEMBER, SCARLETT??!?!"

After finding out she was going to be a big sister -- again!:
"Well, how do you know there's a baby in your tummy, anyway?  And how did the baby get there, anyway?"

Stomp/reporting into the master bathroom one evening after I asked her to "watch" Scarlett while I took a quick shower:
"Daddy took Sissy outside.  I told him NOT to get her dirty because she just had a bath.  And I don't know if she has shoes or bug spray on or not!"

While looking at photos of 6-week fetuses on Google:
"Well, that kind of looks more like a dinosaur to me." 

 

 

Randomly:
"Remember when we were at Mexico [La Casa, lol] and Sissy dropped her fork on the floor three times?! That was so crazy, but I was thinking we should go back to Mexico sometime!"

At the conclusion of an adorable song about Jesus:
Me:  "Did you learn that song in music class at school?"
Harper:  "Nope!  No singing at school with COVID because little spit germs come out of your mouth and spread the virus to other people.  So we just have to do music papers all year and just listen to songs and stuff, not really a lot of stuff to do that's really much music..."

At dinner:
"Do babies ever come out of your mouth, or only your tummy or vagina?"

At same said dinner ^^, as Scarlett was demanding to be spoon-fed:
Brian:  "Scarlett, when the new baby comes, I'm gonna have to feed the baby and you're gonna have to feed yourself!"
Harper:  "...Well DAD, you have two hands, you know..."

After lunch:
Me:  "Man, my stomach hurts..."
Harper:  "I bet it's because the baby is in there and he's so heavy that he's pulling your stomach down to your legs."

 

While driving by the Arch:
"Daddy!  Remember you said some day you would take me up in an alligator [elevator] to get to the top of that cross [Arch]?"

 

 

After getting out of bed for the fifth time one evening:
Me:  "Harper, get back in bed right now or you're losing your TV time after school tomorrow!"
Harper:  "Knock knock, who's there?.....BRIDGET MAD PANTS."

 

After pulling out of McDonald's drive-thru for a RARE treat:
"Well you KNOW, Mom, you shouldn't be feeding the baby that junk food..."

 

Randomly:
"If I lose my first tooth during the day, I'm gonna get a little bit of toothpaste and clean it off so the Tooth Fairy will think it's nice!"

- Mother's Day -

Whether it's the women who birthed us, the women who raised us, our spiritual mothers, expecting mothers, or women who long to be mothers, one thing remains the same: love flows from the hearts of all those who nurture us, and we celebrated that this weekend!  I absolutely loved the homemade gifts from the girls this year [including a candle Harper made at school!].  After breakfast and Mass, we headed up to see both sides of our families [somehow Brian's family always skates out of photo ops!].  It was a great day celebrating our sweet mommas and grammies!

 

Happy Mother's Day to all who radiate the joy of motherhood! Love grows from you!

 

- Easter Week 2021: The one where we were NOT quarantined! -

In stark contrast to Easter week[end] 2020, we had a very blessed Lent and a wonderful Easter weekend this year!  [...And although we didn't dye Easter eggs this year or make bunny butt pancakes and watch Easter Sunday Mass from the living room TV in our pajamas, we were able to celebrate with all the people we love the most.  It was a great trade off!]  Harper learned so much about the faith in kindergarten this year, and I absolutely loved experiencing Easter week through her little heart and mind.  After I miraculously got called off of work on Palm Sunday and we made it to Mass Sunday morning [donned in red, of course]...

 

 

...we flew through the rest of the week to Good Friday when Harper recorded the cutest ever video of The Stations of the Cross book she made at school... 

...and thennnnn it was Easter!  The kids enjoyed a community-wide egg hunt organized by the local Children's Museum.  We headed out with an empty egg carton early in the morning and hopped around town to a dozen different businesses to collect treats and eggs!  The last stop was back to the Children's Museum where the Easter Bunny was waiting... Scarlett was not fond of him this year and clung as tightly to Brian as she could!

 

 

 

 After the egg hunt, we headed down to Uncle Garett's for lunch and more egg hunting...

 

 

...and then back home to clean, set out carrots, and prep for "THE REAL" E.B.'s overnight visit!  The kids were not disappointed with their loot in the morning and got to indulge in plenty of it before we skipped off to Easter Sunday Mass at our parish.

 

ALLELUIA! He is Risen, just as he said! 

 

We capped off the day with lunch with my family and -- yes, you guessed it -- ANOTHER egg hunt! 

We're over here s/p Easter x 3 weeks-ish, and there are still grocery sacks fulllll of Reese's eggs and fun-size Kit Kats in the pantry; I'm pretttttty sure I hear the baby begging for some more chocolate as we speak...

...so BYE FOR NOW! ;) :) 

PS:  A sincere and most happy and blessed Easter to all of you, sweet friends!  We are an Easter people, and "Alleluia!" is our song! 

 

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL XIX -

After seeing the Easter Bunny this year:
Scarlett:  "I don't yike 'da Easta Bunny be-cuh [because] I don't yike Easta bunnies when 'dey are hoooooooge [huge]!"
Harper:  "It's ok, Scarlett... They're only like a big human all dressed up."
Brian:  "Scarlett, you didn't like Santa Claus either!"
Scarlett:  "Yeah, be-cuh I don't yike 'dat."
Harper:  "But anyway Dad, was that Easter Bunny a boy or a girl?  And who are the Easter Bunny's parents, and what do they look like?"
Brian: .....

 

Randomly:
Scarlett:  "I fink [think] 'da bebe in your tummy is a boy OR a girl, do you fink so Mommy?"
Me:  "Yes, I hope so..."

 

Randomly a few days later:
"I have a good idea!  We can name our baby 'WEESA' [Resa]!"

After passing a wreck on the country roads:
"How do dose guys put 'dat piece [bumper] back on 'dat guh's [girl's] cah [car]?  Mebbe the po-weece [police] have some goo [glue] 'dey put it back on wif.  HOPE-A-LEE [hopefully] when we drive back dere 'da other way dere are more po-weece dere to help dose people feel bed-duh [better] and also ca-ween [clean] up 'da road!" 

Before bedtime:
Brian:  "My stomach hurts."
Scarlett:  "Well what you eat 'dat's bad?"
Brian:  "I don't know..."
Scarlett:  "Pob-ee [probably] some junk food."

In the car:
Scarlett:  "Yook [look], Mommy!  No boogas [boogers] anymo'!"
Me:  "Oh... Where'd you wipe the one you just had?"
Scarlett:  "Well, I don't see it on my hands anymo'...so...I don't know!"

One evening:
Scarlett:  "I eated too much junk food at Gama's [Grandma's] and my tummy isn't huh-tin' [hurting] yet, but I fink [think] 'dere is more room for food in my tummy be-cuh [because] I am hun-gee [hungry].
Brian:  "Ok, what do you want, Scar..."
Scarlett:  "I don't know!  Well Daddy, we have BAGELS or we have staw-berries or we have apple-sawce, I don't know what is hel-fee [healthy] and what not hel-fee!"
Brian:  "You want some strawberries?"
Scarlett:  "Welllll, I want sumpin' TOASTED..."
Brian:  "You want a bagel?"
Scarlett:  "Ummmmmm.....ok!"

 

Randomly:
"Boys are stran-gas [strangers]!  But guhs [girls] are not stran-gas."

With Grammy:
Scarlett:  "Wet's go get a Happy Meal!  Can we get one?  We shouldn't tell Mommy or Daddy be-cuh [because] 'dey will say it's not good for me."
Grammy:  "What should we say then when they asked us what we had for lunch?"
Scarlett:  ".....Jus' don't say nuffing [nothing]!"

Still with Grammy:
Grammy:  "You sing so well, Scarlett!  Do you sing those songs at church?"
Scarlett:  "No!  We don't sing.  We just wisten [listen] to Fah-duh [Fr.] Jeff talk."
Grammy:  "What does Fr. Jeff talk about?"
Scarlett:  "Well GAMA, you have been to our church before! You know what he talks 'bout!"

After dropping off Harper at school [at 7:30am]:
Scarlett:  "Can we peeeeeeeze [please] go to 'Tarbucks [Starbucks]?  I haven't been to 'Tarbucks alllll day.  Daddy didn't take me to 'Tarbucks yet today and he use-a-wee [usually] gets a big coffee and I use-a-wee get a small hot shocka-muk [hot chocolate milk]."
Me: .....

Randomly:
Grammy:  "What do you think the baby is going to be:  a boy or a girl?  What's your very best guess?"
Harper:  "A boy!"
Scarlett: "WELL HAWPIE, we don't KNOW what 'da bebe is gonna be be-cuh we already just don't know if it's a boy OR a girl."

After walking out of her bed one evening:
Scarlett:  "Mommy, I hun-gee [hungry]."
Me:  "No, Scarlett.  We're not having any more snacks tonight.  Go back to bed."
Scarlett:  "Fineeee, bossy pants!"

One afternoon:
Me:  "Daddy's going back to work in two weeks for the first time since last March!"
Harper:  "Why?!"
Scarlett:  "Be-cuhhhh Hawpie, he has 'da get his money!"
Harper:  "Oh."

Some Friday night:
Me:  "Can you bring me the remote so we can find a movie to watch?"
Scarlett:  "Ok!  You want YouTube or Hu-hu [Hulu]?"