The Winningham Family: Just catching up

Tucker is asleep now and we will go and pick up Madeline at 2. This has been a good day. I got up and got all three of us ready and out the door by 9 to take Madeline to school. Good practice because Tucker will start "school" at Mother's Day Out with Madeline the day after his birthday. Great. Now I'm crying and typing. I have taught Madeline how to go through the bathroom that is between her room and Tucker's room. We have practiced what she will say to her teacher, Ms. Stacy- "Just going to check on my brother!" And she will peek her head into his room. One of my very best friends, Amber, will be Tucker's teacher so that makes me feel better. Madeline didn't start MDO until she was 18 months old but I have got to get into the office (business has picked up int he Real Estate world) and Tucker will do great. I love our MDO so much. It feels like family. All of the staff is really looking forward to Tucker being there. There is only one other "baby" there- all of the other kids started at the beginning of the year and are between 15 and 20 months old. He'll do great with them though, he is used to his big sister! I know I sound like I am reassuring myself and I am.

After we dropped "Sissy" off Tucker went to work with me. He is such a good kid. He was content to stay in his seat throughout most of our meeting and then got out and played nicely until it was over. We went to tour a new listing with the rest of the gang and then to Daddy's office to pick him up for lunch.

Tucker is so communicative lately. This morning he was shaking his head "no" when he was finished with his bottle. Last night he was telling his Daddy "baby" so Tyler would lift him up into the mirror to see his reflection. He "blows kisses" which is just him making the smooching noise but it is soooo sweet.

Madeline has been so good. She is changing so much. She is in full on dress up mode all day every day. She is crowned and gowned from the moment she wakes up in the morning and then again after school until bedtime. She says that her night gowns are her "raggedy dresses" (because Cinderella and Snow white have raggedy dresses before they get their ball gowns) and asks to be changed into her princess dresses. We got down her pink dress that she wore to the first Daddy Daughter dance (it's a 24 month) and she wears it unbuttoned with heels, a necklace, and a crown. I bought her a dress for the upcoming Dance and she wears it almost every day as well. She says things like - "A princess always has her gown/ crown on."

I love my kids. My life is good. Of course we still have days that are not so good but man oh man am I blessed. I have been a mom of 2 for a whole year. It took a little time to adjust to it but at this point Tucker has become so easy. He is sleeping well, eating well, and not too demanding. I am such a more laid back mom with him than I was Madeline. Not that I was mean or strict with Madeline but, well, here is an example. Madeline had never even tasted anything sweet other than fruit (to my knowledge) prior to her first birthday. In preparation for her big day I made, for the first time, her cake. It was a carrot cake with pureed carrots sweetened with apple juice concentrate. No sugar, no "real" icing. It tasted pretty good but it was dense. I allowed mom to order- for the REST of the guests- a sheet cake. Well, of course Madeline got a big hunk of both on her high chair tray. My heart was racing as she chose the good cake. I don't know if I thought her head would explode or what if she ate sugar. But I was freaked out. Not only did she have cake but the grandmothers also let her DRINK the melting ice cream! Well, needless to say, she loved the good stuff and has ever since. But would I really want a kid that didn't? Anyway, Tucker has eaten a lot of cake, a lot of icing, he's not too crazy about ice cream but he does love chocolate. He loves fruit too and will eat a ton of broccoli. So will Madeline. I'm proud of my kids and I'm proud of Tyler and I. We have turned into a pretty good team. We have learned a lot about parenting in the last year and we have become better parents in the last year. This birthday will be a celebration for all of us. I think my eyes are dry enough now to order the invites. Watch for it in the mail and in the mean time here are a couple of sneak peeks at Madeline and Tucker's birthday invites...