Five Fact Friday – Dancing, Dates, and Our Very Own Easter Bunny!

Five Fact Friday – Dancing, Dates, and Our Very Own Easter Bunny! It’s been a crazy few weeks. Here are some highlights…happy weekend!

1. Daddy Daughter Dance.

Sophie’s school held their Daddy-Daughter Dance last weekend, and it was basically the highlight of Sophie’s month. The dance didn’t start until 6pm, but she wanted to get dressed and ready at 3pm in “my special occasion dress.” She was sure to wear her dancin’ shoes and practice her dance moves (swipe on this IG post to watch a cute little boomerang).

She and Michael danced for a solid hour before Sophie was announced she was ready to come home. It was dark out, and Milo was already in bed when they walked in. I helped her change out of her dress and crawl into bed as she dreamily told me all about it. “Mom, I can’t believe I danced until midnight…” she whispered as she drifted off.

(And, to her, I suppose 7:15 is as good as midnight. I didn’t have the heart to correct her.)

2. Pajama Game.

While those two boogied the night away, Milo and I changed into our jammies, piled my bed high with blankets and (at Milo’s request) watched cartoons and ate candy. I’m going to go ahead and say it: I’m glad I got to be on our date! Kindergarten is going to be SO good for him next school year, but I am a little sad for what it’s going to do for our dynamic. He’s been my buddy for so much of the last four years since Sophie’s been in school part- or full-time.

3. Our Very Own Easter Bunny.

After coming home from a date night last week, Sophie and Milo excitedly told us they’d seen a “rat” in the backyard while we were gone. Cue: all of my insides wanting to be on my outside.

Thankfully, the babysitter quickly explained the rat was, in fact, a *really* small bunny. The poor thing seemed scared to death, but it was supposed to be really cold that night, so Michael put a little towel out with some water and veggies in case it might need something in the night.

The next day, the bunny was still there and we discovered there were actually THREE tiny bunnies. We tried not to disturb them, since their moms typically come back for them at night to feed them, and they can actually die of stress/fright. But two days later, they weren’t looking good, and still wouldn’t accept anything we offered them. One poor little bunny didn’t make it. We immediately got in touch with a rescue, and it turned out they were brand newborn baby jackrabbits (a protected species where we live). We’ve been getting updates from the rescue the other bunnies are doing SO much better!

4. Smilo. 

Milo has always been a boy with a big heart and a big smile. One of his first nicknames was “Smilo” (do yourself a favor and peek at tiny Milo in that post) because he was just so quick to smile. He’s been growing so much lately, and has been so proud of himself for so much. His greatest joys still include being in the front/first at just about anything (from riding bikes to taking a shower). He’s been reading more and more, and loves practicing sight words, can’t can’t get enough of building things and playing with cars and trucks. Oh, how I love this smiley Smilo boy.

5. IEP Meetings and Brave Things.

Last week, we had Sophie’s annual IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting with her teachers/team at school, and they always leave my heart VERY full. For about an hour, we were surrounded by a table full of people who are all helping and cheering Sophie on every step of the way. She’s been so supported and loved by every teacher and therapist we’ve been blessed to know over the past few years, and these meetings are such a beautiful, poignant chance to really see how far she’s come.

We still have a lot of things we work through on a daily basis, but this girl is doing brave, hard things at school. She’s excelling in almost every area, doing math, and reading and writing far above her grade level. She’s got classmates she gets along with, teachers and therapists who support and encourage her, and a school I couldn’t feel more fortunate to attend.

Michael and I couldn’t help but remember the little girl we could barely get to say the word “onk” (on) just a few years ago, who wouldn’t look at us, cried all day and night, and barely slept or ate. I wish so much that every person who met her could appreciate how very exceptionally hard she has worked since she was 2 years old to get to this point. And how true that is for so many of us. We all struggle with our own challenges, but all deserve the benefit of the doubt and some space to grow and learn.

Happy Weekend, dear reader!
Wishing you every good thing!

PS – The weekly newsletter goes out tonight at 6pm MST. It’s packed with a fresh look at March (including some sneak peeks at upcoming posts), some fun weekly favorites, and more! You can sign up here if you don’t want to miss it!