The Happs

A few happenings to catch-up on. First up, Dad's night at school. The first week of March Kaitlyn had a special date night with Daddy. Every year her preschool dedicates one night to just Dad's and kids. So off KP and Ryan went. Lots of fun to be had. And for me, I snuggled into bed and watched The Odd Life of Timothy Green. It was really a win-win all around. :)

Here are KP's comments on her Dad:

Next up, three cheers for hand-me-downs. KP got a big ole bag of fun from Ms. Emily. There were sunglasses, dress-up clothes, games, stuffies...all kinds of fun to be had. And the biggest hit, Dora Candyland. KP is really into board games (and Wii games). I think we've played 100 rounds of Candyland so far and 10x that number with our longer -held games like Sequence and Bug Trails.

Snow! Yes, Kaitlyn and I headed out to get a little Thursday evening ice cream treat but instead opened the garage to find a different kind of something cold...SNOW! Kaitlyn immediately ran out in her pj's and just started giggling and twirling around catching the snow with her tongue. So cute to sit back and just watch the pure joy and thrill on her face! She says as she's catching it with her tongue, "Momma, I LOVE snow. It tastes so good. It tastes like really, really good water!' Watch out Evian, you've got nothing on snow.

HUGE news in Kaitlyn's world...she got to take Jackson, her class mascot, home this weekend. It's so fascinating to see how attached these kids have gotten to Jackson and how thrilled they are to get to take him home. This is a very loved stuffed monkey. We write in a journal about our weekend experiences and then Kaitlyn shares with the class on Monday. Boy, pressure is on to ensure an over-the-top super-duper weekend for our very, very special house guest!

On a sad note, my Uncle Carl (Dad's brother) recently passed away. I have very fond memories of Uncle Carl and he will be missed! There was a nice service held for him last weekend. Although I wish the occasion for the get together had been different, it was really lovely to visit with family that I hadn't seen for years. In addition, Jen, Mom, Dad and I all went out for a late lunch. We couldn't remember the last time just the four of us just got a chance to hang out over lunch.

How is this possible?

Recently we registered Kaitlyn for kindergarten. I'm still in a bit of shock as to how this is possible. How did she get to the age where she's ready for this?! But I'm reminded of the following saying and really understand how true it is for parents: 'The days are long but the years are short'.

On one hand, I'm doing a big ole jig about the upcoming kindergarten milestone. Mainly, it's because she's so ready for it and excited about it and I can't wait to see all her curiosity play out in a more formal school setting. Also, I won't lie...it's lovely knowing that our child care expenses will be dramatically decreased. On the other hand though, I just want to keep her at home with me forever! Standing in the Rock Creek school office made me realize that we are about to enter a whole other world that's a bit foreign and includes a lot of letting go.

We've currently got her registered for both public school and private school. Not sure which direction we want to take yet but wanted to keep our options open. It's crazy how early and quick programs fill up. The good news is that we have some time to make our decision and we have until September before it becomes a reality. Until then, I'm going to enjoy all her preschool activities and events that she has remaining, savor our special Friday afternoons together, and soak in the remnants of goodness that comes with being a free spirited four-year old.

History Has Been Made!

I'm proud to announce that a few weeks ago we conducted the first ever sea lion eye transplant. Yep, Arfy got her eye back! Although we never found her original eye, with the help of Joann (as in Joann Fabrics) we were able to successful replace her eye with a new one. Arfy is recovering nicely and Kaitlyn is thrilled we didn't have to go the eye patch route. Please keep Arfy in your thoughts and prayers as she continues the healing process. Now I just need to convince KP to go back and update her big book of boo-boos to show a healed heart and a new eye.