Bike Ride with my Big Girl

Dex starts physical therapy this week through Early Intervention, so I decided it’s time for me to start exercising again beyond my physical therapy exercises. I’ve been really discouraged the last few weeks on just how weak I really am after three months of bedrest and another two sitting in a chair in the NICU. My physical therapist in the hospital was clear that there would be a significant toll on my physical strength. When she came by to visit one day and I was in the shower, the PT warned my mom that I would only be able to care for my basic needs (shower and dress myself) for the first 4-6 weeks. No laundry, no cooking, no bathing babies, no stairs, no lifting. I’m not sure she took into account that I’d have a baby in the hospital, and there’s no drive like that of a mama bear. Ten days after my c section, I drove myself to Roanoke Memorial, parked in the garage, and walked the 800 steps to the NICU. I think we were all a little surprised at how quickly I was able to do.

But, the rest of it has been slower.  Probably because it hasn't been my focus, but I'm ready to start working on that.  And you know who my faaaaavorite personal trainer is?  Miss Harper Mae Titta.  My fitbit-wearing, salad-eating sidekick is always happy to plank it out beside mom or challenge me to a burpee contest (spoiler: she's winning these days.)  So, she happily took me up on the bike ride offer, though after mile 7, she was ready for some ice cream.   :)

A Poetry Program

It was a sweet morning of haikus, diamantés, couplets, and cinquains (huh?). Second grade poetry at its finest!

Each kiddo had a book of poetry, written by them over the course of the year. They were all allowed to read one of their poems in front of their class and parents. It is no surprise that A) Harper wrote a poem about Dex, and B) that’s the one she chose to share. 

While Kasey watched Dex (no way he’s ready for full on school germs), Willa and I snuck over to Clearbrook to hear our sweet girl mumble five lines from her desk. 😆

It’s always a treat to support Harper and be in her class.  She had tears in her eyes as Willa and I left, so I know it means so much to her, too. May it always be so!

Cousins

Oh my goodness, I couldn't love these babies more if I tried.  NOT. HAPPENING. 

For Father's Day, Dad asked for a canvas of each grandchild to put in his office.  Leah and I talked about it to decide what size and whether to do portrait or landscape, and finally the OCD won out, and we decided to wait until she came up with the boys for Fourth of July to have a matching background.  In classic Leah-Ally fashion, we waited until right before they packed up to leave to snap some shots, but these little kiddos are picture pros, so five minutes later we had some belated Father's Day photos ready to go.  I love these sweet cousins.

 

 

 

 

Spring Dance

 

Our little school has one of the absolute best Parent Teach Associations, and one of its big events is the Spring Dance.  Yes, for elementary school.  It's adorable.  We missed it last year because we went to the Lake House to celebrate March birthdays, so we were excited to give it a try this year. 

 

I told Sam I'd take Harper, and he could hang at the house with Wills, but after some begging and finding out that a friend was taking her preschool age son, I decided to let Willa Kate come along as well.  We grabbed some dresses out of the closet, and set out to dance the night (er, hour and a half) away.

 

Oh my goodness, it was the cutest thing ever.  Harp loved seeing her friends all dressed up!  And I always enjoy catching up with the other Clearbrook mamas.  Willa Kate had no trouble breaking into the elementary social scene and quickly had some friends of her own.

 

We had a great time doing every organized group dance from the last 10 years.  (Who's ready to Cha Cha Slide?!  Everybody out on the dance floor for some Whip Nae Nae!  Let's see some Juju on That Beat!)  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I was actually sad when it came to an end!

 

 

 

Harper's TV Debut

Anyone who knows Harper well isn't surprised that her news debut had to do with her inability to sit still in a seat!  Ha. 

Ninety-nine percent of the time, Harper is dressed to the nines for school.  Not because I care (though, let's be real.  Having a little girl is fun.), but because she's such a little diva when it comes to her clothes and accessories.  But, on this particular day, I had to leave super early for work and she had gym that day, so I laid out an easy, comfortable outfit with some tennis shoes for the next day.  We went ahead and put her hair in a pony tail the night before, and I found out when I went to check on her before I went to bed that she had gone ahead and put on her clothes for school and was sleeping in them.  So, naturally, she came home from school the next day, and said, "Mom!  I'm going to be on tv.  The news was at my school today."

Of course. 

At first, I thought she was kidding, but an email came home from her teacher saying that the class's alternative seating options would be featured on the local news.  So, here is sweet Harper.  Telling us about how it's hard to sit in a seat, and it's cool to have options.  I love that she was brave enough to share about her classroom.  Mom always wanted me to be on the news as a meteorologist.  Maybe it'll be her granddaughter instead. 

Summer Reading

"Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words."

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

So, one of the only things I remember about reading in my childhood is a good ol' reading program. I specifically remember our library in Cross Lanes, WV hosting a summer reading program that let you accumulate "coins" as you read books and at the end of the summer, they held a "shop" (read: yard sale) where you could cash in your coins for little trinkets. Man I felt like hot stuff with that little straw purse I bought. :)

Reading finally "clicked" for Harper late in the school year, so I wanted to build on that (or at least maintain it). The girls are both signed up for the summer reading program at the library, but to be honest, it's pretty meager. Most of the library's summer efforts are tied to events AT the library versus reading at home. Plus, her school didn't send home anything for guidance over the summer. Nada. 

Enter "Book-It" Fertitta style. Since I loved to read growing up (still do!  Just finished my 25th of 2016), I looooves the Book It program in elementary school. I mean, who doesn't love to get a personal pan pizza just for reading. :). 

Since Harp is so competitive and achievement based, I ordered a few sticker charts from Amazon and told Harper that for every completed chart (20 books read on her own, no duplicates), we would go for ice cream. She took the bait. Haha. I figured it would probably take a couple weeks to do (she struggles with a lot of ADD symptoms), but nope. SIX DAYS later we are headed to Sweet Frog to cash in her reward.

My favorite part is telling everyone why we're there. "Hey, this is Harper, and she earned an ice cream for reading 20 books this week!"  No matter what the reason, my girls always beam when they see how proud we are of them. 

I hope she learns to love to read. Despite how easy my Kindle and Audible are, ive tried to make a point of getting physical books from the library so that she can see how much Mama loves to read, too. 

"From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood. There was poetry for quiet companionship. There was adventure when she tired of quiet hours. There would be love stories when she came into adolescence and when she wanted to feel a closeness to someone she could read a biography. On that day when she first knew she could read, she made a vow to read one book a day as long as she lived."

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Hanging with My Girls

We have had such a fun summer so far, and even though there are days where I desperately miss those 8:00 p.m. school year bedtimes, I've loved all these little every day adventures.  We've had lots of

SNUGGLES

CUPCAKES

 

SLEEPOVERS

PARK DATES

MOVIES

ELMWOOD PARK WATER SPOUTS (fully clothed, haha)

FUN FOOD

(Harper tries sushi for the first time)

 

SHOPPING