It's the Little Things

I may have mentioned this on here before but I'll mention it again just in case I didn't or wasn't able to articulate it clearly.  Parents of young children are all too often reminded to "cherish the moment,"  "make memories," "live in the present."We are inundated on social media with articles such as "What I wish I would Have Done When My Kids Were Small,"  and "Because Someday the Children Will be Grown."  I'll admit it, I fall victim to reading these articles and try to follow the advice - hello, I have this blog.   combat it, I often here a voice in the back of my mind saying "Experience this and live it, don't just document it."

But because I'm sleep deprived and stretched way to thin for my memory to absorb many of the simple moments that I do in fact experience, here are some things I'd like to remember when once I'm one of those older parents spouting off the same advice...

The way Adrienne says mozzarella sticks...monsterella sticks
The way that Coco indicates she wants to be included... I, too.
The way that Luke, even at 8 years old wants someone to lay with him every night while he falls asleep.
The handstand talent shows that go on in the living room most days.
That Luke counts swimming as taking a bath and we roll with it.
That Coco LOVES to brush her teeth.
That Adrienne has a mad talent for self face painting.
That the tickle monster game creates the best kid belly laughs and leaves Matt and I panting and gripping at the cramps in our sides from exertion.
That Coco makes us take off our shoes immediately when we get home to indicate that we are staying and not going anywhere.
I want to remember the lego guys I pull out Luke's pockets and the treasures he keeps in his backpack (sometimes my jewelry, other times football cards).
I want to remember Ade's love of the match game and how she's "known" at the JCC for this.
And that Coco loves Ring Around the Rosie, Row Row Row Your Boat, and randomly yells out ABC! as if it is a real expression.

I've just realized I'm going to be one of those crazy old ladies in the grocery store asking all the young gals to let me see their babies. Eh, life could be worse.

Birthdays!

The Zappia family is in the midst of birthday-mania!  We have lots of birthdays in the late spring/early summer in this family so it seems like we have cake almost every weekend for somebody.  No complaints, obviously.  Luke and Adrienne shared a birthday party this year - best move ever by me.  We hosted roughly 5 boys and 5 girls at Rochester Gymnastics Academy.  The kids did Tarzan swings on the ropes, flips in the spotting belt on the trampoline, jumped in the pit, climbed the rock wall and bounced in the bounce house.  We sugared them up right before we handed them off to their parents with cookie cake and mini cupcakes.  Spastic fun was had by all.