So many mixed feelings .... SO little time.....

Yes - truly pressed for time this week. I'm sure you guys are too. In fact, lately have felt like I'm blogging into the abyss - no emails, few FB messages & commments, and.... the poolside discussions are long gone. Miss you all ;-). I know we're all getting back into our school and fall routines. All good.

Some ups and downs this week. Enzo saw his old class from last year, and... while they were happy to see him, patting him, shouting "hello", etc., he got sad - and embarassed - and felt left out. Some good has come of it.... I know they still consider him a pal - he got to be comforted by his beloved Mrs. K in kindergarten - and... now Mrs. W has a plan in place designed to help him make new friends... my shy guy. After some tears and cuddling with mommy yesterday, he greeted today with smiles and happy good-byes, eager to join the classroom. And ... today WAS a beautiful day.... Milo was up and dressed - excited to take his lunch again - no fight as I pumped him full of vitamins and iron supplements again (they seem to be working :-) - he looked so sweet in a stripey shirt and denim shorts. We packed jackets (because it was true blue fall-like chilly today) - we snapped another photo in front of the school - we greeted friends - we sloshed through fallen leaves (yep - it's starting). I do love this school. I like that I can call - know the woman who answers the phone because she's been there since Olivia was little - tell them Milo's jacket is in his back pack, and I don't want him to forget it's there, and... they'll tell him down in the preschool room - like they're all family. I love that the grandmotherly woman who teaches the little ones reading stops me to tell me how sweet and smiley Enzo has been lately and that he seems more ready than last year - already making new friends, etc. I love that they all know Lil and remember before she was born - and I love that the teachers and principal still ask about how Olivia is doing.....

And... Olivia is doing great. She has been asked to two homecoming dances (you heard that right) - has an outing with friends from Mt. Lebanon tonight (the boys school, Central, has a game :-) - a mixer at school tomorrow - AFTER her first official field hockey game, that is (she'll even ride the team bus - a first for all of us - I mean, when my middle school and high school booted my gymnastics practice to a grade school gym, they bussed us after school, but... no TEAM bus - and.. Marcello did not enjoy a soccer bus back in the day either). The other night she walked the neighborhood with some Oakland Catholic, St. Bede and Shadyside Academy friends - they even came back here to look at Facebook photos of their new friends, etc. to show one another. Sweet. Really. High school silliness, but... sweet... and encouraging that they still hang together - boys and girls - different schools - friends for a long time, I hope.

Today? Lil and I will dig out Olivia's old ballet gear so that she can use it tomorrow. And... we will continue to coordinate our tricky morning tomorrow.... get Olivia to field hockey bus at Oakland Catholic - take mommy and me ballet with Lil at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre - swing by home to get Milo (who did his gymnastics yesterday at Gymkhana - no Miss Beth this semester, but... we did do our donuts and his new teacher is super cool - Luke - let Milo demonstrate) - Coach daddy and Enzo will be off to his first soccer game (and both boys had a fantastic driveway practice with me the other night - Milo even showing some interest now) - Me, Lil, Milo will head to Olivia's game.... flu shots later in day ..... polo shirt shopping for Enzo (Children's Place has them on sale for $5.99!).... prep for Olivia's school "mixer" (and I'm sure we'll have one leg of the carpool - will miss a school fundraising party to handle all this, but.... the year is just beginning .... VERY exciting).

Photos: Some summer mess - anything from Olivia's incessantly unmade bed to the snip of Milo's hair I found on the deck after I let him practice cutting paper - The many photos of Olivia's middle school life packed onto her bulletin board and... the melted ice cream, smooshed cupcakes, ever-present "prince-ness" doll or scribbled on walls that makes life with preschoolers and toddlers VERY interesting - a self-portrait by the marshmallow roasting pit - ghostly memories of our little fairy hula hooping...... Some day .... I'll look back on all this and LOVE IT more than I do now, which is saying A LOT.

Last night, I took all three wee ones to the store in pjs (hubby working late, as usual - Olivia at field hockey practice, also as usual)- crisp fall evening - everyone showered and ready for bed - wearing their cozy little jackets - we listened to music in the car - we laughed and had fun - Our mission? To get ice cream, popcorn and other treats for a cozy movie night at home. See? The fun continues even after the summer is long gone. Have a good week, all.