The Winter of our Muchcontent

Since it is April, I thought I would actually blog about winter.

Sounds logical, right?

And the Shakesperian reference in the title of this post sounded better in my head than it actually looks written out.

I digress. On to the blog post. When we decided to move to Dallas the first thing I did was ask people if it snowed there. Seriously. First thing. I know Texas isn't really known for its amazing ski resorts, but since Dallas is in the northern part of the state and fairly close to the Oklahoma border, I thought there might be a chance. And luckily, I was right.

We had about three separate snowfalls this year and the kids missed several days of school due to ice and snow. There was enough to build a snowman and go sledding, but not enough to make me curl into a ball and and pray the Lord would call us to Miami next.

This first picture is my favorite of all of them. All of Bennett's Frozen dreams finally came true. I am afraid that Texas doesn't look much like Arendelle, but for one glorious day, it came close enough.

 Look at how their feet are kind of sinking in the snow. We had 4 inches at least. Not much compared to other places I have lived, but we were all thrilled.

And who needs Olaf? This, my friends, is Brrrrrr Bryant. Roll Tide, little snowman.

Do you want to build a snowman? Sorry. Had to go there.

Snowball fight with Daddy.

We sadly sold our sled when we moved from Kansas City. This is what sledding used to look like with our kids. And can I point out 5 years later that this might not have been the safest thing in the world for Will?

And now instead of cool wooden sleds, we have cardboard. Oh, well.

I don't even see the cardboard in this picture? Did he just slide down on his own? I don't know. I was too busy chasing Lainey who was having none of this sledding business.

 But then we finally caught her and forced her to have fun. She did. For a second. Before she announced, "I go home now. Lainey go home. NOW!"

  

Sledding in McKinney, Texas.

I love this shot of three of my favorites.

And this was taken on another snow day. Three happy faces for sure.

And when cabin fever starts to strike, snow dog heads out to dance on the frozen tundra.

Just call me Anastasia... or Drizella

My best friend from college used to tell me that I could go out in the middle of a field, with nothing around for miles and something dramatic would still happen to me. I did have a lot of dramatic things happen to me. A lot. But something could happen while out in the middle of the field? Not possible, right? As I sit here tonight, I am thinking that her prediction may have come true.

The kids and I have been lamenting lately about all of the construction going on here north of Dallas. Not only are we missing living close to the beach but we are missing yards. And grass. And well, anything green to be honest. We even walked to a construction site a few nights ago that was a gorgeous sunflower field just a few months ago and sighed.

And then the kids ran around the construction site like lunatics and and cheered at a pile of PVC pipe. But that's another story.

So maybe the lack of nature was weighing on my mind tonight. Maybe it wasn't, but at this point I really need some sort of excuse. The kids and I were out running errands and I let them wear their pajamas because none of the errands required leaving the car. And because I like to let them think I'm cool every now and then.

We were driving home when we spotted a beautiful field of lush grass. We commented on how fun it would be to take off our shoes and run through that field. We were talking about how cool the grass would feel and how much we missed big yards with lots of grass.

And then I had that moment. The crazy burst of spontaneity that I used to have quite frequently (ask anyone who knew me before the age of 24) that has somehow diminished under the piles of laundry and diapers.

And so I did it. I decided to throw caution to the wind. The street looked fairly empty and you only live once. We were going to make a memory, gosh darn it. We were going to run through that field and laugh and play tag and feel the beautiful grass underneath our feet. And they would remember it for 50 years and tell their kids how fun and spontaneous 'ole Grandma Webster used to be.

So I pulled into a parking lot across the street and told the kids to get out. They thought I was joking. They refused. I insisted. I told them to take off their shoes and they pointed out that they didn't have them on anyway. "Even better," I shouted maniacally as I dragged them out of the car.

And then we ran across the street laughing to this beautiful field of tall lush grass. Okay, we ran 5 feet before cars started zooming past us. And then we waited.... and waited.....and waited..... while the cars passed us and then we ran across the street while laughing.

Once we actually reached the grass, we all took off across the field. However, as we started running through the grass we realized that we weren't running. We were kind of wading. Okay, there was no "kind of." We were definitely wading. Perhaps my depth perception is not quite what it once was because this grass was a whole lot taller in person than it was from the view of my windshield parked across the street.

And it was muddy. Very muddy. So muddy in fact that the kids were just sinking in it. And then they started crying. And then one of my shoes sunk down into the mud. And I couldn't get it because I was too busy noticing that my 2 year old was sinking as well just a few feet away from me.

I grabbed her and held her and I went back to look for my shoe. I couldn't find it anywhere. Then my son took off for the car followed by my oldest daughter who was yelling, "WORST. IDEA. EVER!" And we got to the edge of the field and waited.... and waited... and waited as the cars zoomed past us. And they were shivering. And muddy. Once it was clear, I finally followed them across two lanes of traffic while limping with one shoe and simultaneously trying to scrape the mud off of my youngest child's leg.

I got them in the van and ran limped back across the two lanes (I swear there wasn't any traffic when I decided to make this spontaneous stop) to look for my shoe, but it was gone. It had disappeared along with any hopes I had of making a wonderful memory with my kids.

As I got back in the car my two older kids were laughing hysterically.

"Mom, you're just like Cinderella!" exclaimed my son.

"Or..... maybe she's more like Anastasia" said my daughter. "No way Dad's coming back out here in that mud to look for her old shoe."

Thanks, kids. And there was our night. They talked about it non-stop the whole way home and laughed all throughout the bath as I was vigorously scrubbing mud off of their legs and telling them that this was never to spoken of again. And that I didn't really like those shoes anyway. We didn't quite make the memory I had planned, but I feel certain we made one. Of some sort.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

I can't get sentimental. I just can't right now. Because if I really sit down and think about the fact that my baby is 7 I might lose it. So I will just blog about how much fun we had celebrating 7 years of my awesome kid and I will refrain from being my normal sappy self.

We went to Alabama in early February for a family camp and we stopped by my sister's for an afternoon. My parent's met us there and they had a little surprise party for Bennett. It was a few weeks early, but since we only get to see my family a few times a year, they decided to celebrate while we could. They had presents and cupcakes for her and she has talked about it nonstop.

For the big day in Texas she decided that she didn't want a party but would rather spend the night at Great Wolf Lodge. If you have never stayed at one of those, you should. It is a huge lodge with restaurants, an arcade, activities and a huge indoor water park. It is amazing and we are so glad there is one in Dallas.

I knew I was making her a cake, and we didn't want to eat it all by ourselves, so I did ask a few friends over the day before her birthday to come and have cake with us and play. Since we all walk to school in Texas, it was fun to have 5 friends walk home from school with us and just play for a few hours.

Of course Bennett got into costume the second they all got back to our house. At least a few friends joined her.

And karaoke was a must. I am pretty sure they were singing songs from Frozen. In fact, I am 100% sure of it.

I had to capture this sweet moment, because I feel like they are rare these days. Bennett's friends told Will that he couldn't play with them because he was a Kindergarten baby. :( He ran to Lainey's room and was crying. I went in to comfort him but before I could get to him, Bennett flew in the room to hug him and tell him that of course he could play. With all the fighting that is going on these days, it was such a nice reminder that when push comes to shove, the bond these two have is unbreakable.

And here is the Frozen castle cake I clearly made for Bennett. Not my finest creation, but I love making them for her and she is still too young to be embarrassed by my sloppy handiwork.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

 So thankful for friends. When you move, that is your biggest concern for your children.

Oh, how I love this SEVEN year old!!

And this two year old as well.

***side note- I adore the 5 year old as well, but I didn't have any pictures of him at the table. But Will, if you are reading this in a few years, you were there, and I love you as well. This blog post shall not be evidence for your therapist. ***

The next day, on her actual birthday, Lainey and I took Chick-Fil-A up to Bennett's school and had lunch with her.

And then she came home and opened presents from her family.....

....and then we immediately hopped in the car and headed to Great Wolf Lodge for the night.

We're here! The rooms were so much fun. Rob and I had a king sized bed but right next to it was a little built in log cabin. Inside the cabin were bunk beds and another twin bed. Perfect for our three kids. They felt like they were on a camping trip instead of at a water park.

Okay, enough with the hotel. Let's get to the water park!! Happy Birthday, Bennett!!

Will and Lainey were grateful beneficiaries of Bennett's birthday choice.

After dinner the kids got in their pajamas and went to the lobby for a really cool story time.

And then we went to the ice cream shop in the hotel for a giant ice cream sundae. 

It's good to be 7!

Because when it's your birthday you get to eat ice cream with your sister in your pajamas at 9pm.

This place is awesome!!

Good night, everyone.

The next morning we got up and the kids went to the arcade in their pajamas. Why not?

And then Lainey realized that there was still water fun to be had and that was the end of pajama time.

Birthday fun continuing to the next day.

We stayed in the water park for most of the day but we had to leave a bit early, because outside of our warm pool, it was doing this outside. But that's another blog for another day.

I promised I wouldn't get sappy, and I won't, but I have to say that I have been a mom for seven years now (!!???!!!) and it has been the craziest, hardest, most wonderful adventure of my life. Happy Birthday to the creative ball of sunshine that made me a mother. I love you to the moon and back.

Growing up so quickly

Bennett has discovered my blog and has loved reading it in the past few weeks. I have been astonished by a few things.

1. I used to write a lot. A lot! I recorded nearly everything in her first three years of life.

2. I remember very little of it. There are phrases that Will used to say and funny moments that I cannot remember at all. Bennett was reading them out loud to me and I was blown away. How could I have forgotten that? And then I was so grateful for the blog. I was thankful I had taken the time to write so much down.

3. I have hardly written anything about Lainey.

I know, I know...... third child. But I want to remember her funny phases as well. And as much as I think I am going to realize Bennett at (almost) 7 and Will at 5, I am realizing that I won't. So here is a massive catch up on all of the Webster kiddos.

I'll start with Lainey. Why should she always be last?

Lainey at 2 is hysterical. She just is. I didn't write too much about this, but she has always been my child with the strongest will. She gave up nursing one day and refused to ever go back. She would not cuddle. She would only let a few people hold her and would flat out turn her head and everyone else. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to let you know it. In fact, she still has her paci. We took it

away for a week but she won out in the end. Hey, third child. You loosen up a bit. I fully realize that she won't go to Kindergarten with a paci so I am just going to relax a bit. Well, I hope she won't. With Lainey you never know.

But just in the past month she has really softened. She has become so much more compliant and easy going. I am still getting over the shock. Don't get me wrong, she still has moments, but she is actually getting a bit easier. She has gotten cuddlier and lets me actually rock and sing to her at night. Finally! She loves laying her head on my shoulder and patting my back when we hug.

She talks non stop and her favorite phrases are, "Hold me to you" "No, No, dat's Wainey's" "Meg Meg go way" and "I do it by myself." She loves telling knock knock jokes. Of course she can't really get to the punchline, but she laughs hysterically at herself and covers her mouth with her hands like she has just said the funniest thing in the world.

I have to say that she gets along amazingly well with Will and Bennett. If any of the three have conflict, it is definitely my older two. That can go at it like you wouldn't believe, but they are so gentle and kind with Lainey. You always worry about the third child being left out, but if anything, she has united us even more. We all delight in her and she keeps us laughing all day long.

Her favorite books are- Night Night Little Pookie, a Farm Book, Elmo's Boo Boo Book, Moo Baa La La La and anything with princesses on it. She loves to watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Sesame Street, Baby Genius, Barney and Frozen.

We think she has a pretty good voice. She loves to sing. She knows all the words to "Let it Go" along with every other child in America, but it is so funny to hear this little 2 year old sing it. And she nails the big note to boot. She also seems to be athletic. She loves to play ball more than the other two did at this age and is always asking you to play catch with her.

She is our joy and delight.

On to Will. Oh my. This boy is unstoppable. He has a summer birthday so we have been debating

since he was born whether or not we would send him on to Kindergarten as a very young 5 or hold him back. We ended up sending him on because he was ready. There was no holding this kid back. But we sent him to a private Kindergarten to give him the option of then repeating at our local elementary school if we thought he needed it. We haven't quite made our final decision, but he is showing us once again that he is unstoppable.

He didn't read as early as Bennett, but once he caught on, he caught on quickly. He can read chapter books with the best of them. His math skills are through the roof. We will be working with Bennett on her math problems and Will will be watching TV in the other room and he will absentmindedly call out the answer. He can solve problems in his head so quickly. His teacher tells us that he is at the top of the class in math. Take that for being the youngest.

But he is also one of the kindest little boys I have ever met. When neighborhood kids come over to hang out, Will is the first one to offer them a snack and he will run and pour a drink for them. He will ask anyone if they want to play and he loves to find toys for them or set up board games.

He always wants to help people and constantly wants to give away his money to other people. He loves the Lord and asks questions about God non-stop. I don't think he has a mean bone in his body. He is just wide open and loves life and loves people to the fullest.

He is creative but he seems to be wired a bit more on the science and engineering side. He loves to build things and he asks me to write out math problems for him for fun. I may have written this
before but Will told me last year that sometimes he felt as if there was a string attached from his heart to my heart. And when we got too far away from each other, the string hurts him too much, but when we were back together his string felt all better. He absolutely astounds me.

I can't wait to see what God had in store for this extremely kind, sensitive, loving and smart boy.

And finally, there is my Bennett. Bennett is surprising me as she gets older. She much prefers to be alone with her family. Whereas Will would invite every kid in the neighborhood over every day, Bennett would rather have one close friend and that's it. Too much noise over-stimulates her and then she needs to retreat and read or listen to music.

But the creativity on this little girl is unparalleled. Sometimes when she is at school I just sit in her room and stare at her latest creations. She opened an American Girl flag company and drew American flags to accompany each American Girl doll. She wrote her own musical and had original songs and compositions. And then she got her fashion kit and designed the costumes. She is 6.

She loves art, music and ballet. She is an extremely artistic kid. She has shown some interest in softball and I would like for her to try swimming or volleyball, but so far she hasn't really wanted to play sports but will do anything that has an artistic bent. And she is extremely smart. We have known this since she was little, but she continues to do so well in school. She came in 3rd out of 92 in her first grade spelling bee, but we are mostly proud of how respectful she is to her teachers. She won a Star Student Award just last week for being kind and respectful.

And she needs me. A lot. When they were younger I always thought Will would be the one who needed me the most and that Bennett would be very independent and fearless. But as they are growing, I am beginning to think the opposite is true. Bennett constantly just wants to lay my by side. She wants me to have lunch with her every day. She runs out of the school and into my arms. If I am reading in bed, she grabs her book and reads hers next to me. She always wants to play with my hair or have special alone time with me. She will still hold my hand. Bennett isn't easy to get close to, but if she lets you in her inner circle, she is fiercely loyal and protective.

So, that's where we are now. I know this is more of a blog post for me to mark this particular stage in our lives, but that's what this blog is for. Our house is constantly loud. It is crazy. It can be overwhelming. It is definitely exhausting. But it is filled with love and the greatest joy of my life is the privilege of being a Mom to these three incredible people. It is an absolute delight to have a front row seat to their childhood.

Back on the Market

No, Rob and I are not having problems. I know the title might be misleading, but I am not back on the market looking for a new husband. But I do feel like trying to find a new friend is very similar to dating.

My sister-in-law sent me a great article a few months ago about how trying to find other moms to be friends with is like dating. You are trying to pick them up at the playground. You see a mom that you think you might be friends with so you work up the nerve to chat with them. Just like dating, you weed out the moms who wouldn't be a good match.

You think to yourself, "Okay, that mom looks too perfect. She just came to the playground after her Pilates class and she is feeding her kids organic granola in her BPA free container. We can't be friends." Or you see the mom who is in a pair of ratty sweatpants yelling at her kids and you don't want to strike up a conversation with her either because, let's be honest, she reminds you too much of yourself and you are trying to be in between the Pilates Mom and the Ratty T-shirt Mom.

So, you see her. Your new best friend. She looks pulled together, but not too much. She is feeding her kids a somewhat healthy snack, but she also has a Capri Sun to go along with it, so you feel better. Her clothes look somewhat fresh, but her messy pony tail is a dead give away that she doesn't have it all together. A perfect match for you. So, now what do you do? You try out some of your pick up lines. "Nice diaper bag," you say. Or, "Oh, we have that same striped shirt. Old Navy, right? Size 3T?"

It's a dilemma. It really is. And it is even more so when you have moved as much as I have and so you don't have a built in tribe of girlfriends. You are always hoping to meet a mom you can connect with and who has kids that will be your child's BFF. Am I right?

Keep all of this in mind as I explain what happened to me this week. All of the above thoughts were going through my mind as I took Lainey to a trampoline bounce place. One of those places that are mind numbingly boring if you have to go by yourself. Which I do. All the time. I mean watching your child jump up and down is cute for 5 minutes, but I can only watch Lainey bounce for so long before even reading a copy of Moby Dick sounds more appealing. I sat down and watched all of the moms coming in with their other mom friends on their playdates and I missed my friends in Kansas City and Alabama so much.

And then she sat down next to me. My new best friend perhaps? She had a little boy exactly Lainey's age. Check! She had a cute diaper bag. Great starting point! She looked cute and wasn't yelling at her little boy, but she was feeding him goldfish out of the bag. My kind of friend. We were talking. We were connecting. I felt giddy and I was planning family vacations for us where our kids would run and play for hours and our husbands would grill out together while she and I would recap the latest episodes of the Bachelor. **Side note. I don't really watch the Bachelor. But I needed something we could recap together. Side note #2- Rob doesn't really grill that much**

Then it happened. About 20 minutes after chatting with her and thinking we might exchange numbers and get the kids together again, another woman walked in the trampoline place. She was beautiful. She had on a great outfit, killer boots and yes, had a great diaper bag. She waved to my new friend and said, "Sorry I am late. Preston needed to go potty right before we got in the car and then Madison couldn't find her shoes and well, you know how it goes." My new friend smiled, stood up, gathered her things and walked over to another table where her little boy greeted Preston and Madison with enthusiastic hugs and they all ran off to play together leaving Lainey to jump alone and me to play my 375th round of Candy Crush.

I felt like I was at a bar and the guy I had been flirting with ditched me the second his girlfriend walked through the door. **Side note #3- I never did that. Not a flirt at a bar kind of girl. But it fits into my narrative so work with me.**

And so here I am . Still in a new city. Still looking for new friends. Still wishing Preston and Madison had had the flu that day and still braving the world as a single stay at home mom. And yes, that term exists. I am inventing it now.