Hannah in Kindergarten

Hannah - my brave little school girl. Dave and I commented on how we have become so familiar with your "Brave Face". It's so mind blowing to see you trying to keep it all together when you want to burst into tears and hide. We are going into day 3 of Kindergarten and you are struggling so much with everything new. It's so tough for you to go off on your own, needing to take care of yourself but I'm proud of you for doing it anyway. You are clearly going to need a long time to get used to this new crazy trip you are going on but I know you are ready.

When you woke up this morning you started to cry almost right away. "Please!!! Do I have to go to school?" I had to give you the same line I was given 29 years ago by my parents. "Yes, you have to go to school. All children have go to school." At the moment, I am really not sure why you have to go to school but you do so tomorrow is a new day, and the day after that, and the next day too. Let's hope you find yourself soon.

I am also so happy to witness a beautiful sisterhood in the making. When you walked off with your teacher crying on your first day of school I got very teary myself. I was instantly out done by Sadie, who began to sob. I am sure it was partly because she was worried she was missing out but I also know that she was definitely feeling your pain. You have a true friend in Sadie - where ever you go, rest assured she is missing you as much as I am.

I hope that tomorrow you wake up without the butterflies and tears. I hope you gobble down your oatmeal and rush off to get backpack on. I hope you skip all the way to school. But, if you don't, I will take care of you in the best way I know how - for as many days as it takes.

Camping at Oka

We just got back from a weekend at Oka. Our first time camping there, although we have visited the beach many times before. It was also our first time camping by ourselves and it was so nice to be by ourselves. You girls got such a kick out of all the toads hopping around. I caught one after you went to sleep and took a picture of it in your pink Croc Hannah. He peed on my hand when I picked him up so I left him alone after snapping a quick picture for you.

How sweet, and a little sad...

This is a photo of Sadie hanging onto my leg on the day of Hannah's preschool graduation.

Sadie- you just recently learned the notion of missing someone when they are not around. I am glad you are developing a full bag of feelings to work with from this point forward but there is a small part of me that wishes I could shield you with my Wonder Woman powers, protecting you from having to miss people you love.

For the past few months you have been fairly pleasant with the good byes. It so much easier to give you a kiss and have you yell "Bye Mama" while I walk all the way down the stairs. About a week ago, you suddenly changed the script on me though. Now at good bye time you reach out for me and start chanting "miss you Mama". It's so amazing how you figure that stuff out all on your own. The concept of missing someone is not easy to explain and I think you're brilliant for figuring it out all by yourself.

Hannah - Thank you for noticing!

It has been hot today and we spent most of the day walking around and playing in the park. You and Sadie were totally fried and you complained about your feet most of the walk home. After a much needed long bath (full of bubble and giggles), we had dinner on the back balcony. You asked for something to drink. When I got up to get the water, this is the conversation that followed:
You: "I can get the drinks if you want".
Me: "No - you rest, I'll get them."
You: "But you didn't."
Me: "Didn't what?"
You: "Rest."
Me: "Can you tell I'm that tired?"
You: "You are as tired as me. We are all as tired as me. We all need to rest."

Love you Hannah!

Sadie turned Two!! Happy You You Sadie Jayne!

"Happy You You" has been Sadie's way of saying (and singing) Happy Birthday for the better part of this year.



I am so amazed by my little power house two year old girl. She is small but mighty and makes a smile burst onto my face just thinking about her. All day on Friday, the day before her actual birthday and the day before our huge birthday party, she kept telling me it was time to "go now". I was fairly busy preparing things for the big day and didn't take the time to figure out where exactly we were supposed to be going. When bed time rolled around, she sat up during story time and said "Go now Mama". I asked her where she was going and she said "Happy You You!". I guess she picked up on the fact that there was a pretty special birthday party in the works and thought she ought to be the first one there.

My heart is full of love for my two little girls.

Another year, another party

We had a double birthday for the girls yesterday. It was just as great as last years party although we had to move it from the park to our house because of weather. We are lucky to have so many really wonderful friends to help us celebrate the birth of our daughters. I haven't done the final count yet but we were right up around 50 people. It was pretty nuts for a while in the dining room, which is where we tend to gather when company is over.



I have this huge dining room table that came from the house I grew up in. It has seen some pretty amazing parties over the years. There have been a lot of laughs and tears shared by a lot of family and friends at that table. I am counting my blessings that my young family is leaving it's marks on this family treasure. Hannah and Sadie have left marker, food, spilled milk and their own tears on it. In fact, just yesterday, Sadie managed to split her lip on it when the tray from her booster seat fell off unexpectedly. I am pretty sure she has left her bright pink blood on it now. The lip is fine and the table is now a part of her too.

July 4th, 2007 - Hannah is 5 years old today. This is a picture of her on the beach on our camping trip. I have begun to notice how hard she tries to be good to her sister, good to her friends and thoughtful to Dave and I. It makes me very proud; I have every faith that she will know to do the right thing when she is out there on her own, fending for herself in Kindergarten. Dave and I gave Hannah and Sadie a scooter each for their birthday this year. It's so cute to see Hannah scooting along the sidewalk on her hot pick "Razor". She has been asking for a scooter since she was two, so it was a great pleasure to buy her one after all that waiting. Day one of the Surette / Strahl family Birthday week is over.