Over the last few weeks, I've also had a terrible cough that has made life - and sleep - challenging. Quite honestly, by last weekend, which was Alumni Weekend at our high school where I was coordinating our class party, I'm pretty sure I was running on adrenaline alone to get through it all. In addition to the party, I'd signed up for at least me to be at nearly every event over the weekend.
We had a wonderful time. The party went off without a hitch - and with help and offers of help from many classmates (boy does adulthood bring out the best in folks) - and the whole weekend had so many special and touching moments. I could go on and on, and you're interested in more, I'll surely tell you about it. It made Michael and me once again feel so grateful for our experience there. For our friends, our classmates, our teachers, our memories, our opportunities. For our parents who made it happen for us. It made me grateful for the opportunity to try to keep our class together, and to wear purple and white.
Libby loved exploring the campus, too. She had a blast at the picnics and football game (especially watching the cheerleaders - in fact, she said she wants to be a cheerleader some day) and had a great time at the middle school and upper school buildings, as well. She and Matthew were big hits with classmates and former teachers alike.
Libby was so excited to see, and go in, where Michael and I got married. In fact, tonight we were playing and she looked up at the wall, pointed to the painting of Morris Chapel, and said, "I was just there this weekend!" Pretty cool.
Michael got to show off various honors, awards and trophies, too. It made me proud to watch.
And the photo below was our graduating class that showed up for the reunion. In fact, of the DarBabies, we had a 70 percent turnout! Not too bad. As one pointed out, "it wasn't a class reunion, it was a family reunion."
Before the weekend, I found that I had another full-time work offer to consider for the future. I had a good, long cry about yet again, not taking it. But after seeing my babies that night, rocking Matthew to sleep for the first time in probably months, I knew the answer was no, and that it would be the answer for a long while. And then a beloved teacher practically offered me whatever job I wanted at the school, so that was kind of a boost. The whole weekend was just really cathartic. And I'm finally on the upswing on the cough.
This weekend, when Libby and Matthew weren't with us, they were eating burgers or other favorite foods from Gigi, playing with her and Papa, feeding ducks, frolicking in their huge tub, etc. It was a good thing that they were well taken care of, because I was very much occupied and preoccupied. Michael said it was a good reminder of the real high school days, with all of the driving back and forth to Rome. Libby and Matthew both enjoyed good naps yesterday...
More on my babies! I don't think I've shared much about how thoroughly Libby is enjoying sight reading. She finds her new words everywhere and is always on the hunt. She also loves spelling other words on some flashcards I have in the car and I get to tell her, or help her figure out, what they spell. She is such fun! She gets SO excited about her words. She's going to be my little reader in no time and I can't wait to see it.
She also is obviously enjoying ballet. She has been doing dance performances with us and for us in the evenings that are just a hoot. She has even pulled out her leotard, tights and shoes and dressed herself in them at random times to dance in them. (And this is the girl who pretends that she can't manage to bathe herself.) She's also crazy for playing cards. Her favorites right now are Battle, Slap Jack and Crazy Eights. And anytime we flip over an eight in Battle, she squeals about it being a "crazy eight!"
And the car rides are particularly entertaining at the moment. Matthew likes to do this extremely loud squeal/yell. It is shrill and ear-piercing. So Libby does the "Ssss" sound that we used to do to calm him when he was a tiny baby. Between both sounds, there may be some times where you feel like flinging yourself out the window.
But mostly, look at this Matthew face! I LOVE IT! LIBBY LOVES IT! HOW COULD ANYONE NOT LOVE IT?!
So Matthew is walking like a champ. That's not to say there aren't plenty of falls. But he's getting fast - and he is a climber. Today it was climbing onto the fireplace and standing up on a stool in front of the sink in Libby's bathroom while getting ready for his bath. He just climbed right up while standing, just like his big sis. He also loves playing with the cloth napkins and clean diapers to make them rattle (like in the photo above.) Matthew also loves having us read to him now. He brings us books to read him and flips open the pages for us, too. He's doing a super job using sippy cups (of course, he still doesn't want to pick them up on his own, really) and much prefers to feed himself with his fingers than have you feed him with a spoon. And he's just about to get his top right tooth in to match the top left, which has come through the gum and is maybe 2 mm or so long.
His party planning is well underway, especially now that the class party is over. Oh boy! I can't believe my baby is soon to be a whole year.
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