The Fairy Of Making Things...

I have to say, that it's been an adjustment for all of us since Bennie and Ollie have started school, and how incredible it is to see how much they've grown in two weeks time.

Benjamin on the school slide 

Benjamin wouldn't even let go of my leg when we would drop him off to school, and he would cry everyday in the beginning, and now he will just go right into his classroom with a sweet smile and goodbye and he's set for the day.

Oliver keeps on smiling no matter what. It's so important to him to be good and follow the rules and make everyone happy. He really is trying so hard, and both of my boys are doing so well.

I think that I'm finally used to the silence and I'm not paranoid anymore that the phone will ring off the hook with a problem at school. So I'm glad to say that I'm more relaxed now when I am at home, and when I'm relaxed, I get ideas, and so I started Drama Group locally for Bridgetown. I don't know what I'm doing at all, but since I have so many eager volunteers, we'll see how this turns out. To my pleasant surprise, there seems to be a need and a thirst for some excitement in Bridgetown. So I'm going to cross my fingers and hope for the best. My optimism is at it's highest. I think we can do something great, and any money we make can go back to the community.

Michael on the other hand, has taken it on as his sole and blood oath mission to gut the house of all it's dust, and clutter. And not only is he tackling the house, he's going hard and steady at the shed, and throwing out things we don't need, or things that have just molded and have gotten old over time.

It never seizes to amaze me though, how much children can see the magic in ordinary things. Like for example, Olive brought home a pine tree branch he found on the sidewalk a few days ago when were walking home from school, and he said "Oh Mommy, look at this cool branch I found, we should decorate it like a christmas tree and put a gold star on top of it".

He also went into elaborate detail about how we should add jewel like ornaments to it, and other flashy things, which I told him very politely that we might have edit out. I told him that we'd work on it as soon as I wasn't working and had a day off. So on the weekend he reminded me again about the tree branch, and I tumbled through my messy craft room and found some pom-pom balls and some pipe cleaners.

I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out as I never seem to have enough hours or minutes in a day to be super creative, but I just did my best with what I had. I remember puffing under my breath saying nicely "Well I'll do my best Ollie, I'm not a fairy and can't make magic happen, but hopefully your tree will turn out just how you like it", to which Oliver replied ever so sweetly "But you are a fairy Mommy, you're a fairy of making things, and you can make beautiful things quickly."

Well I must say, that I stopped puffing under my breath in that moment and looked at Oliver with amazement. What deep insight my little five year old has. I never looked at myself this way, but there was truth to what he said, but as a mother and a parent, I never stop to think all the time about what I do most of the time or how it affects my child, or how my child sees things. Here I was beating myself up in a way because I didn't think I was doing a good job crafting this tree for my child, but it was more than good enough than for Oliver, and he recognized and appreciated all of my good intentions. I guess you could say that Oliver opened up my eyes and made me appreciate myself a bit more, and made me realize that if I can appreciate myself, that I can give so much more to both my children. Sometimes it's good to just turn off the "keep on going" switch and enjoy the moment for what it is.

How many times as a mother or parent have we made magic happen for our kids? We do this everyday out of love, and isn't that one of the main ingredient that kids need to grow and to be healthy and happy? I guess I can sort of crown myself the "Fairy Of Making Things" at home, and it's a title I'm proud of.

Benjamin playing with the christmas tree

My sweet boys after their bath on Sunday, sitting in front of the fire to keep warm

I keep on reminding myself on the days, especially when I'm tired and think my patience is running thin because I have a million things on the go, and both my little ones need my attention constantly, that they will never be this little forever. I will miss these days when they're still so small and sweet. I will miss these moments that we have together, and so will they, and that's why I'm doing my best now to make the magic of childhood twinkle on forever, long into their adult years. 

Oliver's sweet smile...

Full Circle

Hello out there all of my fellow blog followers. So needless to say that I haven't kept up with my blog and that this is my first official blog post in 3 years since we've moved here. I won't get into all of the boring computer technicalities and moving issues, (or the invasion of the ants, heating, dealing with an almost 200 years old house that constantly needs repair issues, etc.) and just flat out crazy busy life that we've had which all contributed to my inconsistency of keeping my blog updated. But I will say this. It's been 3 years of adventures, challenges, and bottom line, just flat out amazingness. Bridgetown has truly become our home, and I'm happy to say, we've established deep bonds and life-long friendships with so many amazing people here in town.

So why do I choose to update my blog today? Because for the first time in 3 years since we've moved here the house is silent. So silent that I can hear my own breath and hear the crickets outside, and the light breeze brushing the leaves on the trees. And why you may ask is it so quiet? Because today is Ben and Ollie's first day of school! My babies are now 5 years old and they are in SCHOOL!

Ben on the left Ollie on the right, on the way out the door for the first day of school!

How the time has flown and how it hasn't if that makes any sense. It's been five years of challenges we thought we could never over come being parents of multiples, and yet we have over come them, and our kids are still healthy and alive, and most importantly happy, so I think that we did ok, and it felt like the preschool years of insanity would never end, but suddenly, it just has.

Michael and I stayed up a bit late last night prepping their stuff for school today and talking about this transition in their lives. We talked about how good it would be to have quiet in the house for a few hours so we could get things done, and then we got emotional. It hit us. They're growing up. This is it. It's not just the start of school, it's the start of a new chapter in their lives. The days of needing mommy and daddy every second of every day, the little arms and legs that wrap themselves around us so sweetly when we hug them, because we're their universe, the sweet little lull of their voices (when they're not screaming at you), the tender and delicate little kisses, and sweet little flutter of their long lashes on those tiny little faces in which we can see ourselves and all of their hopes and dreams yet to be realized....We're starting the journey of saying good bye to those preschool years, because as of now, we know the years will just fly by, and Ben and Ollie will grow up faster than we can blink, and they will no longer be this little and sweet and they will no longer want to cling to us and give us hugs and kisses all the time. Don't get me wrong. We welcome the years ahead and we can't wait to watch them grow up, but as all parents know, this is the time you will never get back. Once they grow up, they grow up. It's a bittersweet transition. 

Oliver in the Robot shirt, and Ben still waking up this morning before the start of school

Oliver was the first one to get up this morning. He was up bright and early at 6:30 AM  and ready for school. He was so excited to get there and learn new things. Benjamin slept in. I got Michael and Oliver to wake him up and bring him downstairs. He was so sleepy and out of it. It was too funny. When I asked him if he was ready for school, he said he didn't want to go because they wouldn't have the toys he liked to play with there. I assured him there would be some toys and that he was going to have so much fun with all of his friends. It didn't really seem to change his mind about school though. Once the boys had breakfast, the morning just flew by, and before I knew it, they were dressed, backpacks on and ready to go! 

Ollie and Ben's favorite breakfast sandwiches

It all happened so quickly. Michael and I each took a twin, and walked the short walk to school. The morning was cool and foggy, and it was emotional at the same time. I couldn't believe I was walking them to their first day of school. We walked through the front doors of the school, and walked them right to their primary class. We did our best to just get them settled quickly amongst the slight chaos of the other parents and children dancing around in the hallways trying to do the same thing. Oliver found his name easily on his coat hook and hanged his backpack and ran right in. Ben held my hand tightly and asked me to walk him in. I watched Ben and Ollie mingle with their friends briefly and then pick up some ABC books sitting around. It was then that I had to fight back the tears. "This is it", I said to myself. "Here we go". Amongst the chaos of getting them settled, Michael and I didn't get out fast enough and we got stuck in the classroom for the National Anthem. We said goodbye quickly, and their teacher asked all the remaining parents very nicely to leave. Ben started crying when I said goodbye and clung to my leg all the way to the door. Oliver said very bravely, "Bye Mom, I'll miss you!", but he didn't cry. Mrs. Taylor (their substitute teacher), pulled Bennie gently off of me, and then Michael and I were down the hall quickly, and out the front doors of the school in less than a blink of an eye. 

Oliver in his Primary classroom

We walked quietly down the sidewalks for a few moments just taking the moment in. Even the streets seemed quieter without Bennie and Ollie. Our neighbors stopped us briefly on our way home and asked us how we were doing, and then we went home and that was it. We survived the first day of school without completely breaking down and crying, although it wasn't any less emotional for the both of us. Once we were home it was so odd to hear the silence. It was so eerily quiet, and I just didn't know what to do with myself. Even as I sit here typing this blog, I'm looking over my shoulder every now and then because I'm waiting for an interruption, or to hear a noise, and there is nothing. It will still be some time I think before I can adjust to just having this silence all around me, and it just being Michael, myself and our dog Maya (and oh yes the hamsters, new additions to our family, Chris and Martin).

Ben and his best friend Hunter in their Primary class

So, Michael and I have planned a bike ride today. We've never had a bike ride together, so it will be fun I would imagine. Even that feels odd to do. I feel like I shouldn't leave the house, but my neighbor (whose kids have already been in school) told me not to worry, that it will be fine and to just go, and I know it will be. I know it's all going to be ok. We've had our challenges raising multiples, but I would like to think that we've always done the right thing in the end for Ben and Ollie, and when I dropped them off at school today, I thought to myself, we did alright. I think we gave them the right tools in life so far to be alright and what amazing little boys they are....

My two brave little boys in their primary class and supporting eachother on their first day of school