Changes

With all the talk of the new baby coming soon and Jonathan's birthday, I haven't blogged much about the fact that Clara starts Kindergarten on Monday. There are just too many emotions for this pregnant woman to deal with right now. Don't my kids understand that we spaced them out so they can space out these milestones as well?! They aren't all supposed to have these big days right on top of one another. My 'baby boy' just turned 3, my beautiful girl is heading off to school, and soon there will be a new baby in the family...how am I supposed to cope with all this at one time?!

Clara is VERY excited about heading to school, everyday she has more questions about it...who's going to be there, how long does she have to go each day, what will Jonathan and I do when she's gone, what is she going to learn, why is this school 5 days a week when preschool was just 3 days...? The list goes on and on. Those who know Clara know that she is quite the talker. When she was just learning to talk at about 1.5 -2 years old, I used to joke about how she started every morning with her dissertation on what color all the marshmallows were in each bite on her spoon as she ate her Lucky Charms (or 'Minkey Awbons' as she called them then) -- and I am not a morning person! Well, the amount she talks on a normal daily basis is nothing compared to how much she talks when she's excited about something. Maybe that's the Lord's way of preparing me for her going off to school...it certainly leaves me looking forward to some peace and quiet :)

Since Clara starts school on Monday, and Jonathan was simply in need, I took the kids for haircuts yesterday. I had told Clara we'd make a day out of it and head to Chuck E Cheese for lunch after haircuts, hoping this would also help Jonathan make it through another haircut. Both kids did really well.

Clara went a little shorter. She got her haircut as Jonathan sat in my lap to get his, so I had told the lady cutting her hair what I wanted, but then was distracted while she was actually getting it cut. It's a beautiful cut, and I love the length on Clara. Her hair looks so thick and full and healthy.

My only concern is whether it is fully age appropriate. The back is a little shorter and stacked up a bit. It's adorable and looks super cute on her, I just don't know if it's right for a 5 year old. Maybe I'm just too self conscious. I think Clara has a lot of features that can easily make her look older than she is, and I try not to emphasize that, because I want her to grow up in her own time. I think that's difficult enough in this day and age. At the same time, I know it's just a haircut and it will grow...and yes, she's still beautiful just the same.

Jonathan was excited about getting his new haircut. He told the neighbor, "I'm getting my new haircut, 'cause it keeps growing. I'm gonna laugh." I was surprised by his plans, but skeptical nonetheless. Sure enough when we arrived, he had no problem watching Clara get seated for her cut, but then refused to get in the chair for his own. He cried and protested as I got on my cape and picked him up to carry him to sit in my lap, but once in my lap he started saying in a half cry, half laugh, "Look, I'm laughing." I wish I had a picture of his face at that point because he looked like he was crying, but he was in fact laughing. More importantly, he sat still, so we didn't have to buzz it this time. It's just a little longer on the top, shorter on the sides...He looks very handsome!

We spiked the top a little today for his 'cool dude' look!

Haircuts done, so we headed to Chuck E Cheese for lunch. I may have the only 2 kids in America that don't like pizza. Clara is just starting to come around to liking cheese pizza, but Jonathan won't touch any of it. Can you see what he ate instead? A huge plate of fruit and veggies from the salad bar! He's the only kid I know who eats healthier at Chuck E Cheese! -- and yes, he ate every last bit of it (though Clara did help a little).

Thankfully, the Chuck E Cheese here actually has a decent salad bar. There's not a lot of selection, but the produce is good, which I'm thankful for given Chuck E Cheese prices!

I love doing these every time we go to Chuck E Cheese. This one turned out pretty well, so I though I'd share!

On the way home Clara said to me one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard:

Clara: "Mom, Guess what?"

Me: "What?"

Clara: "You know my heart is spinning really fast right
now, making a lot of love for my new baby brother. It keeps spinning faster and faster, making more and more love and it's been making love since Christmas when you first found out you were pregnant."

Me: "Aww, Clara that's such a nice thing to say. There
must be a lot of love in there if you've been making love since Christmas."

Clara: "Yep, there's so much we won't ever run out!"

So, maybe it's not such a bad thing that she talks incessantly after all. She is a special little girl...and she's right, 'we won't ever run out'!