Life Lately

Fall is officially here and we've needed to pull out the sweatshirts in Raleigh this week. We're headed down to the beach tomorrow for our last hoorah, and thankfully the summer weather looks like it will show up for us! 80 and sunny - I'm here for it! The beach in September is truly my favorite time to go; no crowds and perfect if you hit the weather just right.

We've gotten back into our school routine and I am happy to say, with the exception of the past two rainy mornings, we have walked to school and home each day! I'm hopeful 5th grade will be a great year for Cam. We are also starting to think more about our middle school options, as that will be here before we know it. 

I never thought I would be a parent that would stress about school options, but here I am, stressing. Praying for the Lord's guidance as we make some decisions and try to do what's best for our kid with the information that we have. I've been listening to a really good podcast over the past two weeks (I only listen a few minutes at a time, which is why it takes me two weeks), but it has had some good reminders that our children are God's children and we just get to take care of them here on earth. And also, his tip for parents: don't overreact or freak out over anything. So I am trying to take that to heart with the whole middle school approaching thing. I'm trusting that we can make a decision and then make it the right one, and that God will be holding Cam throughout it all.

Brooke is in a...stage? Or, more likely, this is just who she is. Opinionated, whiny, particular, smart, clever, fun, independent - and all of it is big emotions. I know it's hard being a toddler but Lord help us in the Strawberry household. Cam and Brian are so laid back. Brooke and I are not that. 

She had her first dentist appointment and I think it was the greatest day of her life. She talked about it for a week leading up to the appointment and has been talking about it ever since. When she got on that chair and they turned on that overhead lamp, it was literally her time to shine. A full week of anticipation leading up to that very moment.

We also went to a zoo one Saturday morning and that was fun, too. The kangaroos were the best. 

Brooke fussed over every animal interaction and pouted that they were "scary," but then she bee-lined for the snakes, literally pushing her way to the front in order to hold one. What is it with my kids and reptiles?! Cam caught a snake in the yard yesterday and brought it inside to show me while I was cooking dinner. 

Lately Brooke has been asking if our dead dogs are in the oven. "Mommy, are Otis and Pippa in the oven?" The first time she asked it, it took me a few minutes to realize she meant to say heaven. Yes, Otis and Pippa are in heaven. It makes me smile because bulldogs notoriously look like roasted chickens (see example below). I miss Otis and Pippa so much, but I'm glad Brooke is making me smile.

Now onto the kids' bedrooms. Oh, the bedrooms! Switching and re-furnishing their bedrooms has been the death of me. 

I thought potty training Brooke would be my hardest goal of the year. Nope, that was easy. And then I thought switching Brooke from her crib to a bed would be equally challenging. Nope, that's been easy too! (In these first three weeks, she hasn't realized she can just climb down off the bed which is both hilarious and absolutely the greatest gift ever). 

Shopping for furniture, painting the bedrooms, taking all their stuff out, putting all their stuff back in...exhausting!! I grossly underestimated this task. Weeks of planning and decisions and cleaning and painting and organizing. I'm happy to say it's mostly done, but we still have to hang stuff on the walls, and I have the ideas for that, but just need to execute. 

Also, our basement is now full of so much stuff that I am completely overwhelmed and feel ready to let everything go and move into a tiny house. Yes, a tiny house. You know the ones. Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in...a tiny house. 

Here's their bedrooms right now:

I've bought and returned four sets of curtains for Brooke's room and still haven't found the perfect ones, but hey, progress! I'll do a full before-and-after post soon.

Lastly, I'll end with something I'm slowly re-learning as a parent:

Whatever the problem, letting Brooke "help" is the solution.