Amazing Weekend

Wow, look at me - posting twice in the space of a week. I'm a regular blogging powerhouse! ;)

Actually, it was just such a wonderful weekend that I really wanted to write about it. Just thinking about it makes me smile.

Friday night, we went to the family bingo fundraiser at Sadie's school. We went last year for the first time and had such a good time that we were pretty excited to go back. Let me just say that this event isn't for everyone. It is crowded, noisy, chaotic and raucus - probably exactly why we love it! Seriously, I just get a kick out of seeing everyone come out to support the school. It is a nice chance to socialize with other parents and the kids love 'competing' and picking out their crappy, dollar-store prizes when they win. As a bonus, I love seeing Sadie work the room - running over and greeting all the kids she knows and just generally acting as if she owns the place. She has really blossomed so much out of the shy kid who was so intimidated by crowds not too long ago. Anyway, as if the night wasn't fun enough - our family ended up winning the 'grand finale' round and scoring $50. Go Team Cotler!

Saturday, I took Sadie ice-skating as part one of Abby's birthday celebration. Four girls, four moms. Oh. my. goodness. Thank goodness we had a 1-1 ratio - those girls got out on the ice and it was just a tangle of slipping and sliding limbs everywhere. It was a lot of fun, though, and by the end, Sadie was really catching on and skating unassisted (well, with frequent visits to the wall to steady herself). I had gone to a pilates class right beforehand, and the combination of the class and the workout I got skating (first time in probably 25 years) had me feeling it pretty good by Saturday evening.

That evening was part two of Abby's celebration. Carolyn and Kenny had a big crowd over for pizza, presents and adult beverages. We had a great time hanging out with some parents we already know pretty well, and some we got to know better while the whole gaggle of kids just ran wild all night. Good times!

I was feeling it (the drinking and the skating soreness) when I woke up on Sunday. But, we had a packed day ahead of us, so no time to lie in bed and recover. We had Evan's parents over for breakfast, then got our act together and headed in to the city for the day. The weather was perfect and we had a super easy trip in, picked up Jeff and headed up to the Bronx Zoo. The kids loved it (as did we). We then headed back down to Jeff's apartment and made a great dinner and celebrated the fantastic news that Jeff and Anonda are expecting!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for them.

We came back late last night, and after transporting to sleepy kids from car to bed basically just collapsed into bed ourselves. I got nothing done that I was planning on doing this weekend as far as errands and chores (oy, the laundry pile is frightening as this point), but it was just a glorious weekend all around, that sometimes you gotta just go with it. We were all exhausted this morning (no one got enough sleep all weekend) so I'm going to make a real effort to tone it down this week and have some quiet evenings and early bedtimes and hopefully we'll all be back on track in no time.

Checking In

Over the course of the past month, I've mentally reminded myself that I needed to get here and check in a bunch of times, but somehow, it didn't happen. Eh, what can I say? Life has been busy.

We are really going full throttle with the whole school-year routine at this point, and summer vacation is really just a distant memory. So...what's been going on? Well, for the kids it has been school, soccer, brownies, swimming (Eden), new friends, birthday parties and playdates. Along the way, Sadie has lost a few teeth (she is currently sporting that delicious, quintessentially seven year old toothless grin), and gained her first trophy (for participating in soccer). We decorated, carved, costumed and trick-or-treated for Halloween. We took a mini-road trip to Maryland to help Kayleigh ring in her birthday (and to practice for our BIG trip in February).

For me, it has been a lot of volunteering at both kids' schools. I made a promise to myself that I would get more involved this year, and man, I wasn't kidding! A typical week now has me at one or both of their classes, attending parent committee meetings, working book fairs and bake sales, and just generally running like mad trying to fit all of this in with work. It is definitely hard to be as involved as you want when you've got that pesky job in the way, but not impossible. It is really rewarding, though...to know that you are doing something that so directly and positively impacts the kids. I love getting to see them during the day, I really like getting to know so many of the kids in the school ("Sadie's mom is here! Hi Sadie's mom!"), and it has been a great way to connect with more of the parents. So, it is all good. Just...busy.

I guess I can forgive myself for not updating here as often as I had planned and hoped. I'll be back soon to upload some pictures.

Rainy Day Update

Things have been so busy, both at work and home, that I have sort of been neglecting to blog about it all. It is a miserable, rainy day out there, and I'm not motivated to do anything too productive today, so I figured it was a good time to catch up.

One thing I've been meaning to blog about and haven't to date is the fact that Eden has stopped sucking her thumb. I am completely amazed by this; given how much of a comfort the whole suck on thumb and stroke taggie routine is for her, I was sure it was something we were just going to have to ride out until she was big enough to be reasoned with. I was so wrong. Or, maybe not wrong, maybe I just underestimated her maturity.

She had a routine dentist visit a few weeks ago, at which point the dentist commented that her thumb was causing her significant overbite (obviously) and said it was nothing to worry about at this point, but told her she should stop sucking her thumb so her teeth could straighten out. No joke, that very night, she stopped. Twice, she caught herself about to put her thumb in her mouth and stopped. At bedtime, she deliberately put her hand under her pillow so she wouldn't accidentally put it in her mouth. It took her about two days to completely break the habit. Amazing! And, while I do miss that little slurping sound she would make and the look of her asleep with her thumb in her mouth, I am loving that her thumb is no longer wrinkly and her teeth have already started moving back. So proud of my girl!

As a side effect, now that she no longer sucks her thumb, she is rapidly losing interest in her taggie. I guess it was a package deal. At night, she asks me to put Taggie next to her bed, and she really doesn't touch it at all during the day. She is growing up so fast. :) and :(

She also loves -- LOVES -- school. She is so excited to go each day and comes home full of excitement about what they did that day, and what they are doing the next day. She is making friends (mostly boys, which is interesting, as it is the complete opposite of Sadie.) and just all around having a good time.

So, that's the latest on Eden.

As for Sadie, I guess one word sums it up for her lately: busy. Between school, soccer, brownies, playdates, birthday parties and sleepovers, the girl runs around a lot. She seems to enjoy it all (well, ok, she doesn't love school, but she doesn't hate it, either), and truthfully, I love it vicariously through her.

Speaking of busy, with Sadie being so busy, and having the girls at two different schools, I am, myself, learning what it is like to be stretched thin. I've been trying to be involved at both of their schools, as well as with the brownie troop and the soccer team. Add that on to a full-time job, plus honoring a goal I set for myself to make time for the gym, plus the pressure I put on myself to have us eat dinner together as a family and many of my days are crazy. Yesterday was a good example - I was up and out at the gym by 6:30. Back home at 7:30 to get the girls up and ready for school At work by 9, then at Sadie's school from noon to 1 to work the school store. Back at work until 5, then at soccer practice until 6:30. We didn't even sit down for dinner until nearly 7:30. Needless to say, I was exhausted last night. This whole week has been a blur of days like that. I guess over the next few weeks, I'm going to have to figure out realistically what I can, and can't, do. I really want to do it all. I know I'm not alone in this struggle.

Friday Nights with Eden

Ever since I became a mother of two, I have lamented over how there is never quite enough of me to go around. Someone always seems to have to wait, or share their time. I know this is simply a part of being in a family, and that the benefits of having a sister far outweigh this negative, for both girls. But still. It is frustrating. For all of us, at one time or another.

I've always felt especially bad about what Eden misses out on. I know some parents obsess over how the older sibling has to sacrifice the one-on-one relationship with parents once a second comes along, and of course, I do care about that. But, even more, I think I have always felt that Sadie had 3+ years of having us to herself, and certainly that undiluted relationship had a profound impact on who she has become (for better or for worse, I suppose). And, I've always regretted that Eden could never have that same experience. Sure, she gets one-on-one time with either of us throughout the week, but there is a big difference between time alone with mom or dad and time alone with both mom and dad, if that makes sense.

Anyway, that was a pretty long preamble to say that as Sadie's social life is exploding, a really nice side effect is that Evan and I are getting to spend time as a party of three with Eden. And, it is wonderful - it really does remind me of our time with Sadie before Eden joined us. The past two Friday evenings, we've gone out as a threesome while Sadie was otherwise occupied (side note: when did Friday night become the new birthday party time?). Two weeks ago, we took her to Sawa for sushi - something we probably just would never do with two kids in tow. She loved the experience, and it was obvious, she loved the undivided attention. Last Friday, we were a bit more mundane, and simply took her grocery shopping; again, it was an experience reminiscent of our time with just Sadie. We used to take her grocery shopping all the time - once we had two kids, it just became easier for one of us to go and one to stay home with the kids. Anyway, again, it was just a fun evening - we let her pick out out a few extra treats at the store and then came home and made sundaes.

I'm guessing that these opportunities will continue to increase, at least until Eden hits the age where she'll have plans and then it will be just Evan and me (hard to imagine!). I'm already looking forward to my next Friday Night with Eden (in two weeks) and planning something good.

Seven Years Ago

I became a mom! In some ways, I feel like I can't believe it was that long ago, and in other ways, I feel like a real veteran parent - almost can't remember not being one.

Sometimes I can't even believe how lucky I am - Sadie has grown into the most amazing little girl. She is so kind and smart and funny... I love you, SadieBug! Happy Birthday, princess.

It has been a while since I posted any pictures, so here are some recent ones.

Excited for her first day of soccer practice (the pose was all her idea!).

"Surfing"


First Day of School

Getting pampered at her spa birthday party

Modeling matching PJs with Ruthie

And...cut! Cue Fall...

Wow, summer really seems to have ended abruptly. A week and a half ago it was hot and sticky and all about bathing suits and sunscreen. Now it is cool, windy, and all about homework and soccer practice. How quickly things change.

Labor Day weekend came and went. It was a good one, but it wasn't the summer swan song it could have been. Saturday was a magnificent beach day - a '10' in anyone's book. We had a great day and it was the perfect antidote to the first week of school for Sadie, who spent it in the water, riding waves, collecting shells and just generally enjoying herself. As we were waiting for the car at the end of the day, she sighed and said "Life is good." Indeed.

Sunday we hosted a backyard party. It ended up being 40 people - insane! If you had asked me beforehand if I had many friends in the area, I would have said no, but I guess we do. We borrowed a bounce house for the kids (what a great idea - the kids had a blast), grilled up a bunch of good food and kept the drinks flowing. It was a fun day/evening.

Yesterday was all about recovering mostly. I may or may not have had a bit of a hangover and was short on energy and patience. We did go and order Sadie's birthday cake, hit the (cold and windy!) beach club for the last day festivities and to clean out the locker, and stop at the Windmill for fries on the way home. So, even though I really just felt like snoozing all day, I guess we were productive.

Now it is Tuesday, feels like October, like summer was long ago. Sadie didn't feel like getting up and going to school today, and I can't say I blame her. I had the same thought about coming to work. Ah well, I guess it is an adjustment for us all.

Quickly...

This is going to be short, but it was definitely note-worthy...

Today was Sadie's first day of school. She has somewhat pretended to be miserable about going back for a few weeks, but in my mind, it has mostly been an act. There hasn't been any of the anxiety or acting out that characterized the end of last summer.

Anyway, this morning, I walked her and Abby over to school. This year, we're letting Sadie be an 'unescorted walker' in the afternoons; meaning, she can just walk herself home without being signed out. Evan had told her that today he would meet the girls outside of the building, and then they could plan from there how they want to proceed. So, on the walk in, I overheard Sadie telling Abby, "tomorrow I get to walk myself home all the way. Today, my dad really wants to meet me outside the building." This made me chuckle, and made me realize how right she is - SHE has no anxiety getting herself home - it is all Evan...

Anyway, we got to the school and I walked them inside and then before I could even say goodbye, Sadie took off and headed down the hall to her new classroom without even a look back. I'm so proud of her - what a far cry from the little girl who cried at dropoff every day! All the same, it is bittersweet, this business of growing up.

So, one more week and then we get to do the first day all over again with Eden - my confident, independent little go-getter. I'm excited for her!