Swensen Sentral

Can't believe I have survived the last two years with a dog. Really I didn't have a choice. But I'm glad she's turned out to be so great.  We had a small party with Oreo cake for the people and Alpo cake for the dog. And she got two presents. Some treats for her Kong and a Darth Vader squeaker doll. Who says girls can't have boy toys?  Besides, it matches her.  She couldn't have been happier. She knew she was the center of attention for a while, and was running and jumping around the house. Everyone holding her back from the alpo while we sang

Warning: this is a bragging post. But I just can't help myself. Chase is such an amazing kid and he is growing so fast and pretty soon will be out of my house and I will miss him terribly. So before I forget, I want to capture some of the incredible things I have seen in him lately. And to be clear, it is not of my own doing. It's all him. He just came to earth this way. He is such a hard worker. When he plays sports he pushes himself to give it his all, and never gives up.  He wakes up early in the morning all on his own and gets ready for school, without being asked. Sometimes he is even showered and dressed before I even get out of bed! I never have to tell him to do his homework. He is self-motivated and disciplined and does it all on his own. He likes having things done and he likes being on time. He gets extremely good grades and without any prodding from me. Yesterday he told me that he got the highest grade in the class on his math test, and his teacher was so impressed...

It's been 10 1/2 years since I've had kids with me all the time. This is my last year of having a constant side-kick and I'm a little torn about it. I'm looking forward to the freedom of being alone all day, but also mourning the loss that will be.  So for now I'm just trying to enjoy the time I have left, because it will be gone before I know it.  As much as Soleil can really get under my skin (she really enjoys getting reactions out of people, good or bad), she is also incredibly cute and sweet and creative and smart and confident and brings me great joy. I'm so glad to have this year alone with her to get to know her better. She is so grown up for her age that sometimes I forget she's only 4, but once in a while she does things or says things that remind me I still have a toddler in the house, and I don't want to forget it.  For example, I found the dolls like this today. In a shoe bed. It made me smile.  She still talks about wearing "swim soups...

Sawyer says the funniest things sometimes.  Here's a couple I remember over the last 24 hrs.  Today he was looking around the house for Chase and he couldn't find him anywhere. After a while of searching he asked Rick and I if we could make a missing persons sign. And he was serious.  Yesterday we watched Zorro as a family. At the end there's quite a passionate open-mouthed kiss. Rick made fun of it with the kids by saying "Eeewww I would NEVER kiss mom that way!" And sweet Sawyer who never wants anyone's feelings to get hurt quickly said "I would!"   We had some sparkling cider left over from thanksgiving so I gave him a glass. He took a sip and told me it was really "frizzy". At the dinner table Rick was teasing me because I was grumpy by saying that he never gets grumpy like that. Without hesitation Sawyer piped in and said "yes you do! You get really grumpy!"....then realizing his mistake he corrected himself..."well you ...

Sawyer: Mom? Is Rudoloh true? Me: What do you mean? Sawyer: Well, I know Santa Claus is true, I'm just not sure about Rudolph. Funny to me that it is Rudolph he's questioning and not Santa. It will be a sad day when we have no more believers in the house. 

Today, Monday, I had the following conversation with Soleil.  Me: Soleil, do you want to have a play date with Hannah on Friday morning? Soleil: mmmmm, I would like to have one now? Me: No now doesn't work. But you can play on Friday? Soleil: mmmmm, how about we can play on Wednesday.  Me: No Wednesday is preschool. Just Friday works best.  Soleil: mmmmm, ok I'll take your deal.  What? I didn't know I was offering a deal?

This girl is a born fashionista. Every single day she asks to wear sparkles or dresses or skirts or jewelry or heels or whatever pretty thing she can find. She is quickly developing her own sense of style and likes to pick out her own stuff and her own accessories. Today she insisted on a SIDE ponytail because she said "it looks more better", and she specifically wanted EXTRA flower clips in her hair and placed TOWARDS THE FRONT so they could be seen "more better". She also wanted one glove for her hand because it helps keep her red heart ring on, and she specifically wore two bracelets because the one in front is tighter and it keeps the looser one in back on. And believe it or not, the whole outfit was designed around her sparkly black tights, which you can hardly see. But she insisted on wearing them this morning.  I love that she is her own person and is not afraid to let her personality shine through. Despite how many times she is told "that doesn't lo...