Things to remember about these days

Madeline walks to school with a group of kids from the neighborhood.  Even on the brisk, spring mornings she bounds out the door with a catching enthusiasm yelling out to the neighbor boy as he runs to meet her.  The dichotomy of parenting amazes me.  How can it be that she was a baby in my arms both minutes and lifetimes ago?  How can she be so grown-up, yet so tiny in a big, big world both at the same time?

Turning four was a magical turning point for Audrey.  Is she still rambunctious, opinionated, and loud?  Yes.  But she's also an absolute joy to be around.  Most of the time.  And she has been sleeping through the night for a few months now.  That seems to change everything.

James now sleeps with a teddy bear, a baby and a blanket.  It's a full crib.  He usually wakes up talking and falls asleep with a few words to say.  He enjoys sleep and usually says "bye-bye!" after I tuck him in and turn out the light.

Madeline is a reader.  She pours through books and begs to have one in the car even if we're only going five minutes away.  Her latest favorites are the American Girl books and the Kylie Jean series.  I love them both.  Kylie Jean is new to me, and she is so sweet and funny.

The other day Madeline came home from school completely disheveled.   Her already worn leggings were completely ripped through, her hair was wild, and she had on a weeks worth of random accessories.  My first thought was to instruct her in how to stay a bit more...together...at school.  But I paused.  This was a day well lived, well played and well read.  A first-grade life lived with gusto.

The girls are best friends one minute and mortal enemies the next.  But they always seem to have a common ally: James.