Write It Down

About every other week since February, I have had the thought I should write this down. Inevitably time gets away from me and a new fun fact or memory is formed, and I can't keep up. There are many big moments I should have written down over the last few months. Our sweet Easter with our families. An overdue family getaway to St. Louis. More recently, Auggie's first communion. There are smaller things too. Em being awarded Most Improved at her piano recital. Auggie losing his two front teeth. Bennett and the rats becoming the most popular little gang at school. Officially being a diaper free household since Theodore is a big boy now (all thanks goes to our babysitter). There are even tinier moments; the ones that I really should be writing down; the ones that mean the most. Like the sound of Emery and Doug playing "Heart and Soul" on repeat. Or watching my big three walk to my van together after school and then having to play moderator for who gets to tell me about their day first. Or when Theo holds my hand all the way home on our afternoon walks, or when he asks me if I need to go potty, or when he sits on my lap by the end of every meal or when he tells me he loves me 100 (okay so really anything Theodore says or does).

 Every month, every week, every day; this spring has been so full of write-downable moments for our family.

It is hard to believe that Emery Kayt is ready for 6th grade. She has had such a good school year. We are pretty hands off with Em (minus those Daddy-Daughter Math Test Study Sessions). She is organized, driven and creative, and I want to be just like her when I grow up. This was the year of music for Em. She absolutely loved band (except for having to lug her french horn around). She shared her love for singing at church, in choir and at her voice concert, and she improved immensely at the piano. I swear she is never not tinkering at it. And while Doug and I might yell at her to stop playing from time to time, we are thankful for the music (and calmness and laughter and ease) she brings to our home. This will be the summer of begging for cousin or friend sleepovers, theater camp, sleeping in, entertaining her brothers and maybe learning a duet or two with me hopefully. Its going to be a good one, Em. 

August Samuel can mark 3rd grade from his to-to list. 3rd grade had its up and its downs. He loved his teacher, time with friends and new experiences. He hated homework. There were many evenings of frustration but so many more evenings of accomplishments, pride and smiles. Auggie keeps us laughing (he really is so funny) and on our toes. In the last few months, he feels like a big kid to me. Maybe its that his 9th birthday is coming right up, or the missing teeth or the new obsession with his hairstyle...or maybe its the lessons he has been learning or his perseverance or his willingness to try new things. This will be the summer of baseball, tall socks and flat bill hats, begging to go somewhere and do anything, and probably getting into trouble. But he wouldn't be Auggie without a little trouble. 

I was so nervous for Bennett and Kindergarten, but I should have known all along that he would give 110% and that everyone would fall in love with him. Bennet has to work very hard at his speech and new this year, reading; thankfully we had the very best teacher and speech pathologist who knew just what he needed and always saw his potential. Everyday he came home so messy, so proud, and so happy. My favorite Bennett-Kindergarten moments have to be taking the rats for show and tell (they were a huge hit!) and anytime he got in trouble. I know that last one doesn't make any sense, but hear me out: I know my kids are going to mess up; I am not blind to their imperfections. But it is their contrite heart, changed actions and joy at another chance to do right that makes me a pretty happy parent. And all in all B did a great job at all three this year. Bennett was made for summer--I imagine he will still be the barefoot and sweaty tag-a-long he has always been, and he will be very pleased. 

At the beginning of the year, Theodore had Doug and I second guessing this whole parenting thing. We have had seasons of hard with each child...but Theo thought we should go out with a bang! We had to remind ourselves often of our favorite saying, and it turned out to be true: everything is a season. Thankfully Theo is back to his easy-peasy little self. He is officially apart of the "undies" gang, is obsessed with getting himself dressed, preferably in "thorts", and is such a mix of "the kids" as he calls them. He laughs and looks like Emery. He is particular and funny like Auggie. He is happy to tag-a-long and get messy like Bennett. And I think he is more stubborn than all of them. Almost everyday he asks me if it is "Mommy Day" or a "Sharon Day", and while I am sad because today marks his last "Sharon Day" (we are happy for her and her retirement but sad that our Sharon season is over), I am also so excited to now have a summer of only "Mommy Days"ahead of us.

 

We did it Jansens! We had a really wonderful school year together. We had easy mornings, we made new friends, we grew in confidence, we used our gifts, we tried new things, we helped each other, we learned lots, and we had fun. 

And now we are going to have the best summer yet together. Mark my words. 

Write it down.