Last Days Of Summer

We have been really busy around here the last few days scrambling to get ready for school on Monday. I cannot believe I have two middle schoolers. They have both grown up so quickly. And I think this summer has been one of the biggest in physical appearance. The both look like middle schoolers!

OH! And we had our first ever house showing this week! They called about 5 minutes before coming over, so I had dinner on the grill, so we couldn't leave, but I think they liked it. I haven't heard anything else about it. But very exciting that someone actually looked!!

This past weekend we had one of the most unsuccessful trips to the mall in history. The kids like NOTHING for back to school clothes. I was shocked and annoyed, as displayed by quiet (ok, NOT so quiet) rants to my husband "what do they think they are going to wear? Sid's jeans are TOO small! Zoe hates all her current clothes!" And so on. Since then I have taken Zoe to Target and Kohls and found several items she adores. Sid on the other hand, I am just going to have to go shopping FOR him I think.

Zoe and I went Monday night to the girls athletics meeting. It was super informative! I hope Zoe has fun with all of that. She saw her friend Aidan who will also be in athletics.

The Head Coach, Coach V, stated that we are starting volleyball the first week of school and that the girls need to be at the school at 6 AM!!! WHOA! Talk about a slap in the face that your summer is over- for real! I have been lucky if the kids come out of there rooms before 9:30 everyday!

Last night we picked up her schedule and walked it a few times. 1st year of switching classrooms for every period can be really tricky. I think she is a little nervous. She learned it quickly though. She has the same math teacher that Sid did last year, and she is also in an advanced Language Arts class.

We get Sid's schedule to night. He is a seasoned middle schooler and not nervous at all. Especially since we are returning to Fossil Hill home of the Wildcats, when we spent a good portion of our summer thinking that we would be in Waco this year!

Last night Sid went over to his friend Tyler's house to spend the night and hang out, one last little hurrah before school starts! I think he may be going back over there tonight.

Zoe and I went yesterday to sign up for violin lessons and rent her a violin. This is something she has been asking to do ever since she heard an instrumental version of some of her favorite songs. I think she has a lot of talent in the music area. She plays the piano really well.

After we got her violin, I talked to her about the importance of practice and caring for the instrument, which was met with the standard "I know!" which seems to have taken the place of my generations "Duh!"

So there you have it. Back to school shopping, violins, sleep overs and schedules. And being at the school at 6 am. With a baby.

SO thankful everyday for the gift I have been given to stay at home!

The Haircut (And How It Is A Metaphor for Mine and Zoe's Relationship Right Now)

So, I haven't talked much about the change in mine and Zoe's relationship, probably because its really painful for me to think about, much less vocalize. Let me start by saying that I won't go into all the details, out of respect for my girl. But there has been a change. A letting go if you will, a cutting of the apron strings. Zoe and I had quite the bond from birth to age 10. Like connected at the hip kind of close. We were "closerthanthis". And we were so tightly wound up with one another, that any "seperation" was bound to feel catastrophic. And let me tell you this has been on the rictor scale like a 9 for me (not sure about the rictor scale actually- but a 9 sounds about right.)

There comes a certain time in every young ladies life when she must kind of pull away from her mama. She has to leave the nest little by little and learn to fly on her own. That is the stage that me and my little birdie are at right now. It started gradually with her not wanting notes in her school lunch last year. Which was a huge blow for me, but also understandable- I sort of figured she was the only one still with notes from her mama.

Then she wanted to "redo" her room, taking down all cuddly kitten posters and sweet puppies in baskets posters. And all of her calico critters got moved to the garage with the doll houses. And American Girl stuff too- ALL Gone! Replaced by art supplies and journals.

Then came more stuff, things that I have always done with her but now she wants to do herself. Again, very normal though a little painful for this mama. But now her clothes are different and she leaves the room in the middle of me talking and I am sure if she read this she would roll her eyes, cause lately eye rolling has been the most consistent communication we have had.

And it is breaking my heart.

Zoe is not a bad child by any means. I am not fearing that she has gotten "into" a bad group or any thing like that. I think she is just letting go. I did it (rather harshly too, now that I think of it- sorry mom!) (Hmm complete with haircut and a nose peircing- yikes! So far I count myself lucky) (Agian Sorry MOM!)

Most of my girlfriends and I have all talked about the time between 16 and 25 when mom wasn't needed anymore and she was annoying and so on. So I am not completley unaware that this is part of the normal process, it is just super hard on me.

This is the most recent picture of Zoe
from Aubrey's birthday party. Note the warning look that says to Aaron (the photograoher) "if you want to keep your camera, stop snapping photos of me"

I have always loved Zoe's hair. It is beautiful long lucious! And it has curl and volume and it had golden strands and a auburn tint that puts Julia Roberts "Vivian" to shame. And I think Zoe knows how much I love it.

So she comes to me last week while I am doing the laundry and says

"mom, I think I want to cut my hair."

"Yes," I agree. "Back to school hair cuts are needed for both of you"

"Not just a trim, I want it like really short....."

I can't tell you what else she said after that, cause my heart fell and I think I started sorting the laundry all wrong, hence an hour later I had a washer full of towels and jeans and a really cute turqouise blouse from forever 21. Cut her hair? Really short? Like.....a boy? I was confused.

She proceded to show me a picture she found online of an adorble model with a short hair cut modeling a cute retro slouch hat. I admired her matureness to research a picture and said something very cool like "Absolutley not, sorry- there is no way!" Which I beleive was met with an eyeroll and possibly a stomp off! What?? Could there have been a cooler way to handle that? Probably! Was I totally unprepared for that moment? Uh yes!

So, days go by and Zoe tries again. "Mom, I still really want my hair short" At this point she knows we both have hair appts on Friday. This time I am a little more prepared and try the more sublte 'play into her biggest fears approach'. I point out that she is about to start middle school- a brand new school! Does she really want something drastic to set her apart from everyone and possibly bring unwanted attention at a brand new school?
"True" she said quietly and left the room.

Mission accomplished.

Or so I thought.

And by the way that probably wasn't my finest parenting moment, encouragin the fear of a 12 year old who is obviously more confident about who she is at that age then I was. I think I even still played with barbies at age 12. But I was desperate. I really was afraid that she would chop off her hair and hate it and then we would have school in 1 week and I would have MORE of a problem on my hands with her anxiety! SO I thought I was doing her a favor.

I digress.

SO we leave to get hair cuts and before we get out of the car she states "I've decided I am still getting my haircut really short,"

"Uh, no, I though we discussed that"
"But I really will like it- I have given it a lot of thought"

"Well, what about a bob"
"No mom I don't want a bob"

"But you would look so cute with a bob, stacked in the back, etc"

"No, mom."

Big Brown eyes. Anguished expression.

Then it dawned on me. Why was I so against her trying something new? Was it just one more change that I thought I couldn't handle? She obviously thinks she can, she even made a folder on the desktop of our computer for haircuts and had been placing ideas in it when she came across a cute style. I had tried to forwarn her of the possible consequenses and she had heard me and still wanted to try it. What was the real problem here. Somewhere from the time we got out of the car adn walked inside, I could hear James Dobson, whispereing "pick your battles". ANd it was true, it wasn't like she was wanting a mohawk.

Here is the after.

Note the smile :)

I would love to say that I was so cool the whole time just playing with my phone. But I was hyperventalating- for real, I could barely breathe as all her curls hit the floor- like 5 inches at a time. The hairdresser even shot me a warning look when I stood up and walked over to observe more closley. She looked so confident in that chair and a young woman emerged as the baby hairs fell to the ground. And we both survived!

It actually looks really cute!

I miss my baby girl, but I think I had a glimpse that even though we may not see eye to eye over the next several years, and there is probably even more eye rolling to come everything is going to turn out ok.

And don't tell Zoe, but to me, it kind of looks like a "bob" ;)

Aubrey's Birthday Party...and Daddy's too!

First of all let me just say that next year I am going to do a better job of making Aaron feel like this is his special day too! But a one year olds party is all about the birthday girl! SO Aaron had to suffer through all the pink and animal print! He was a total good sport about it! I don't think he minds sharing with his little princess.

I had a lot of fun decorating for her party! That big vase on the table is full of cherrios (perfect snack for Aubrey's one year old guests) We also had a fruit salad and some little spinach artichoke quiches. Plus goldfish and chex mix! Love how this table turned out so cute!

All across the piano and mantle I had pictures of Aubrey months 1 through 12. Got the idea from a friend of mine! It turned out so cute! You can really see a change from month to month as they grow and develop! Even the big kids look so different in just one year!


We had lots of freinds and family over. Aubrey had the best time walking around to evryone! Such a sweet big girl!!

Aunt Nicole and Uncle Kyle with the birthday girl!

Angie and John from church came and so did Amy and Scarlet!

Ella is a few months older than Aubrey!

It took Aubrey a little while to get into the presents, but finally she did!

She really got a ton of stuff! Just not enough time to post all the pictures.

We sang to daddy and Aubrey~ I wish we would have gotten a picture of everyone singing to them- about 20 people! Aubrey was in awe. Aaron I am sure was too! LOL

Her first taste of birthday cake- she LOVED it! It took her no time to dig right in!

By the end of it she had it in her hair and eyelashes and some up her nose!

I think it is safe to say she had a wonderful 1st birthday!

Happy Birthday Sweet Aubrey~ and Daddy too!