overdue

So my spaced-decades-apart blog postings aren't exactly living up to my blog title, eh? Can't exactly call them constant these days unless I rename it Jenn's Constant Whining. I know there are several of you who know me well, and are snickering to yourself as you read that. Mostly because it's so undeniably appropriate.


I do believe I'm more ready for summer to be here than my kids are... not for summer itself (I'm not a fan of 90 degree days), but for them to be out of school! I can't wait to sleep in past 7am and not run back and forth between the preschool and the elementary school every day for dropoff and pickup. And I can't wait to spend our summer days relaxing at the pool and the beach. On the other hand, I can't believe this school year is over already... I'll have a 5th grader soon (I'm not that old, am I??). I'm so proud of Jake, and he's doing a great job paving the way for his brothers. And Noah has made the AG (Academically Gifted) program at school, making me a proud mama there too! Noah is the "crazy middle child", so we were happy to hear that he must pay attention at some point. :) And Tate.... he will be FIVE YEARS OLD on Sunday! I am in shock. I know they grow up, but this year has held so much for him... kinda makes it feel like a bigger milestone than usual. He'll be a big-boy kindergartner in a few short months, and I'm sure I'll miss him like crazy. So I plan to cherish every moment I have with my boys this summer. 


Tate is having a luau-themed pool party for his birthday. I know, not very original for a summer birthday, but it works, and he loves it! My dear friend, Kim, has been sweet enough to let Tate pick out some decorations and other items for his party and ordered them for him from Oriental Trading Company. I think she was worried that if they waited on me and my crazy schedule, Tate wouldn't have his pool party until November. I haven't been great at posting photos (I know, you're still waiting on me to post photos from our trip to California in March!), but I will definitely have my camera with me for his party, and will get some posted for you! 


So I mentioned my dear friend Kim... what I didn't mention is that she's Tate's girlfriend. At least he thinks so! I've never seen any of my boys act like that with someone before... he absolutely adores her! He follows her around, cuddles up with her to watch tv or hang out at the pool... it's SO cute. A couple of weeks ago, Tate was in the dining room, checking out all the cool goodies that Miss Kim got him for his birthday party, and she walked in to the living room, in an attempt to wake up her own sleepy boys, she said "Ok, who's going home with me?" In a lightning-fast reaction, we hear Tate yell "ME!!!" from 2 rooms away, and the little stinker runs into the living room, practically tripping over his own feet, just trying to get there fast enough. Seriously. Cutest thing ever. I'm sure that if Kim was 5 years old, they'd be engaged by now. 


We've been hanging out at the pool quite a bit already this summer (did I mention the 90+ degree days?!?). We were told by Tate's ocularist that we need to either take Tate's eye out or make him wear goggles when he goes swimming. So I gave Tate the choice, and of course, he chose goggles. So as we were at the pool that first day, all the boys were all sunscreened and Tate had his water wings on. His big brothers were already in the pool, and they were distracting him. I had asked him to come get his goggles on, and he kept wandering toward the pool steps. I called him again, and his big brothers won again in the attention-getting competition. Finally, I said "Tate Alexander! Get over here and put your goggles on or I'm taking your eye out!!!" And then.... I laughed. I don't know if I laughed because of what it would have sounded like if anyone had been around to hear it, or if they were just words that seemed really... wrong. But either way, it struck me as funny. Certainly not words I ever imagined saying to any of my kids! But he put his goggles on. Whatever works.