Easter Weekend

As I watched the kids hunt for Easter eggs this weekend it hit me just how much they have grown up over the past year.  It's been a year since I have updated my blog and what a year it's been. 

Leo started kindergarten in the fall.  It's still shocking to think that I now have a school age child.  Overall he enjoys school.  He loves to read.  Leo can really read, another think that shocks me still.  He comes home from school and shows off all he is learning.  He loves to tell me something, like George Washington was the first president, and then is surprised that I know this fact.  He says "How did you know that?"  Well son, I too went to kindergarten a long time ago.  While reading and writing have come easy for Leo this year, behaving at school has not.  He still struggles with following the rules and realizing that he isn't in charge. 

Nora started attending a daycare two days a week.  For the first three weeks, she cried every time I dropped her off.  Although I knew that she stopped crying as soon as left, it's still hard to leave your baby crying.  I feel for all moms that dropped their babies into my classroom crying.   This is a new experience for me.  Leo would walk into any daycare so independent without looking back.  Nora, however, prefers to the baby and is a lot less independent than Leo was at that age.  Attending daycare has been a godsend for both me and Nora.  She gets the opportunity to be around other children and adults and I get to have two days to myself.  It's wonderful.

Of course Nora has grown by leaps and bounds this past year.  For one, she now walks, runs, and dances all the time.  She is getting more comfortable being around other people.  Her little personality is really shining through now.  Nora can be the bossiest little thing.  I guess when you are the youngest you learn how to get your way quickly.  And yes Nora will always be the youngest in our family!!!!  Every once in a while I think awww how sweet would it be to have another baby, but thankfully reality snaps me out of that dream quick.  I feel outnumbered with two kids, I can only imagine how crazy it would be to have three. 

Leo is no longer a little kid.  He looks like a big kid.  His baby teeth are loose and everything!  I don't think I'm ready for him to loose his baby teeth.  I have no idea why, but just the thought of him loosing baby teeth makes me so sad.  It's like the last part of him that is still little.  I have loved watching Leo grow into a little man, but I guess there will always be that part of me that will want him to be little forever.  He still reaches up and grabs my hand when we cross the street.  It seems like these moments with Leo are getting fewer and farther between.  I have to remind myself to enjoy them more often. 

In January, my Uncle Ralph and Grand DeAnn, as the kids call her, moved to Bridgeport.  Not only to our small town, but just two houses down.  Leo was so excited to have them living in our backyard!  A few short weeks later, Uncle Ralph lost his battle with cancer.  It was devastating to our family.  They were truly like a second set of parents to me.  Uncle Ralph and Aunt DeAnn were a part of every birthday, holiday and graduation.  All of my best childhood memories seem to involve them.  His passing was really the first time Leo ever had to experienced the loss of a close loved one.  We miss him everyday, but are so thankful that Grand DeAnn is here so close by. 

We have had lots of fun moments and some sad but overall it has been a good year for the Harris family. 

Eating chocolate bunnies Easter morning