ZeeZee and Calvey, Take 1

First blog post ever. Woohoo! Doing it while watching the kids (ie. actors) on Glee get drunk and party while I sit here drinking white wine with blueberries and getting a buzz. Good stuff. Shannon, I think, is pretty calm and relaxed, sitting beside me, arm outstretched. Except for the moments when he comments about how insane a 5th birthday party (yes, Zoe) would be with 15 kids. Running around. Going crazy. In our house.

But that's what we need to discuss. Planning a fifth birthday for our Zoester. How could she be 5? But that's not the question at hand.

The question is, where to do it? She suggested the ceramic studio, so it's either that or our living room. Hmm. Somehow I'm thinking living room will win out, which means decorations, games, and party favors are in order. Where to start?

Hoping to stay as far away from the plastic-y/throw-away-as-soon-as-you-walk-in-the-door toys. Can we do it homemade? Homemade crayons? Homemade bags? Bag of collage goodies? That's what I'm thinking...

But on another note. The whole catalyst for starting this little blog here is same 5 year old and her new ways. Yes, I'm feeling the interesting tug and pull *away* from mama of my eldest child. At this point I'm observing. Sensing, feeling. But it does seem as she moves into this 5th year (and yes, we're still two weeks away) she is finding some footing sans mama. She's always been such a mama's girl, but it does seem she is peeking, poking her head out of the house, looking for some independence. Where she normally wants only mama, to be near mama, to eat near mama, to sit on mama's lap, to gush to mama, now she's moving to dada! Dada, can you put me to bed? Dada, can you sleep with me? Dada, can you help me go potty? This is new territory. For all of us. And it will be interesting to see where she ends up. Is this temporary? Permanent? Where will she be a week from now?

Moving on toward her little brother. Calvin is the fast, funny, goofy, always-lookin-for-a-laugh guy that he has been since the minute he was born. Today we went to The Circuit, a climbing gym, where he climbed up the top of the wall. Over and over and over. So fast, and without fear. Up he went, down the slide. Up he went, down the slide. So fast that the three present mamas (myself, Auntie Jenna, Jeni) could hardly keep up. Trembling, his body working so hard. That little man is an animal and always has been.

Boy, do I love these kids.