10/52 - she can do change

Lily:

It's been a challenging week for our girl.

We suddenly got offered a spot in the preschool connected to the primary school we had hoped for Lily to attend. Completely unexpected, we suddenly had to pour much thought, prayer and discussion (with each other and multiple friends and family) about whether to pull her out of her old preschool now or wait until kindy next year. We decided that though it was a big change, it would be harder for her to start in a new school next year than to move now. It was a tough decision with multiple factors too complicated (and long-winded) to delve into here, but that was where we ended up.

Although she had been constantly asking to return to where her playschool was (next to the new preschool), she was devastated when she realised she would actually be leaving her current preschool. The night before she changed schools, she wept copiously and begged to stay at her old school with her beloved friends and teachers. I felt torn, awful and guilty to see her so upset - though the change was for her long term ease and gain. I hated to see my girl understandably hurting, scared and anxious after the build up to starting at her old school and having just settled in. Parenting decisions are tough sometimes!! Trying to make decisions for their best but not having any guarantees how things will pan out. We can only try, huh? So, we prayed and talked with her about how change is hard, but God can help us to be brave and do hard things. 

The next morning she lifted that little chin and told her Daddy 'I'm going to try to be brave and happy today' even though she was still very sad and scared. Seeing her be determined to do her best even in the face of scary stuff made Mark and I crazy-proud. When she arrived at her new school... she was immediately enchanted by the baby chicks and the menagerie of animals in the classroom. She made new 'best friends' literally within a minute of walking in, and bounced off to play with the incredible set up there, giving me a fleeting and relaxed goodbye. She had a fabulous first day!! And now tells me continually how much she loves it. As she said later that day 'At first I was scared, but God helped me be brave - now I love my new school, it's the best school I ever saw!'

Phew!

I am so proud of her effort to embrace a very sudden shift in her little world. Thankfully she can now settle into this fabulous new school for the long haul- and it is all we hoped it would be and more. I am thanking God for opening the door for her to attend and for guiding her - and us! - through the transition. 

She is brave, she is resilient, she is my daughter.

Party Dress Days...

Eli:

I found some old badges and he insisted on wearing them with pride...

I have loved hanging out with this little dude this week!

Miles:

Getting chatty and oh, so expressive!

Project 52: A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013. 

More highlights from the week that was....

Helping Daddy with the mulchingBtw - please note this activity is VERY closely supervised, and the opening to the mulcher is less than 3cm wide and over 45cm away from the chompy bits - plus the  kids are only allowed to feed in the top of the branches. Very safe. Just thought I better clarify there is no Fargo-potential here!!

All of Daddy's colleagues have been dying to meet Miles so I trooped in with the three kiddos this week. Suffice to
say the children charmed the entire floor of office workers and the kids just LOVED seeing that mysterious place
called 'work' that Daddy disappears to every day. Lily said she wants to work there too one day, sitting so close to
Daddy that 'they bonk heads'. Mark was rather pleased! 

Just outside Daddy's office window. Gorgeous green fields, trees and mountains just beyond them!

Walking back from seeing the kangaroos. This makes Daddy's work the coolest place around, according to Eli!

Lily said 'Take a photo of me holding my baby!'

With Harper at music class. They love to hang out - centre stage in the music circle, heehee!

Eli wanted to hang with Miles and teach him all the songs.

Off for our first neighbourhood stroll together.With Lily off to school a couple days a week, it is a strange thing to find myself
mothering two boys! Me, a newborn and a toddler... flashback to early
days with Lily and Eli. Funny how the parenting season ebb and flow like this!

Mr Muscles. 

Lily invented a game - these are the rules she gave Eli:
'You pour the rose petals from the cup to the bowl and then say 'I WIN' then you look if your letter is in the book,
then I write it down on the paper. Then it's my turn.' 
Um.... this may not make sense to you or I but it kept them busy playing for half an hour!!

Saturday morning puppet show

Am thinking of starting a series called 'What she really wore!'with all of Lily's
concocted home-day outfits. They just make me smile...
at least there is a slight ruffle theme in both skirt and top?!