Tomorrow is Leap Year Day. Did you know that February 29th only happens once every four years?! So what’s so significant about it? For our family, nothing. Except one tradition that I’ve been set on starting with my kids and am determined to carry out until they are grown. My kids will get to have ice cream for breakfast tomorrow. Yes, that’s right. Ice Cream for breakfast! My kids will get ice cream for breakfast twice this year in fact.  They get ice cream for breakfast on the first day of school and on Leap Year Day! I do not tell you this for parent cool points. Is there even such a thing and if so how do I attain more? Do tell!

I tell you this for simply that I think it’s important that each family creates their own traditions. I say no to a lot of things that other parents allow their kids to do. But ice cream for breakfast on the first day of school and on Leap Year Day is something that I share with my kids and my kids only. It’s one of the ways I feel the roots of our family growing down a little deeper into the soil. I’m pretty sure it’s something they’ll talk about with their own kids someday. What kind of traditions are you creating within your own family? Leap Year Day may be a great first start.

I ran across a Parents.com poll that asked, “Have you let your kids watch a movie that’s out of their age range?”  A whopping 67% said YES and 33% said NO.

This has been a topic that has bothered me for some time. Parents serve as the boundary providers for their kids. This means that, if you let your kids see something that is out of their age range, the boundary line for what they can see or have been exposed to gets placed at that level of a movie. Remember, its always harder to go backwards on setting a boundary line! Maybe sometimes, as parents, we get a little bit lazy in remembering that what our kids hear and see goes straight to their heart.

I can remember as a kid watching Disney’s Snow White and being scared out of my mind for weeks! Just because there’s a stamp of the great Walt Disney on a movie, does this mean its appropriate for all kids?

What do you think? Do you think Parents need to pay more attention to the unspoken boundary lines they are setting for their kids? Do you think its no big deal?

My babies walking into school last year.

My kids start school next week. (Mommy is doing the happy dance!) Well, its not actually school, school. It’s preschool that we’ve been sending our kids to the last couple of  school years. They go for a few hours in the morning and the kids learn so much and have a ton of fun too.

So with the first days of school comes a newly refreshed mom. That’s right, it’s about me! I’m pretty sure that I’m more excited about it than they are and counting down the days. Granted, they are only 4 and 3 years old and question anything you tell them ahead of time with “Today?” or “Tomorrow?”

Yep, some of you are saying, “How in the world could you say that?! Your babies are only babies for so long!”

Well, those are the sort of thoughts that provoked this post. It’s been a crazy last couple of days getting ready for next week. School shopping for clothes, supplies and doctor appointments. You see, I have 3 kids under the age of 4! Crazy, right?! (You can find out more about me, here.) It is enough to make me go crazy at times. My baby just turned 7 months old and I look forward to some quality alone time with him on the days that the other 2 monkies are in school. Not to mention the amount of stuff I’ll hopefully be able to achieve around the house without them here for a few hours. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back to a regular showering routine!

But then there are those moments that I’m reminded of  how soon they will be in school 5 days a week 7 hours a day and for years to come. I think about how many days a week I’ll be THAT mom that drives my kids to school in my minivan only to have to come back a few more hundred times and that won’t include all the sports games, parties and other events. And then before I know it, they are able to drive themselves and then they are off to college! Okay, so that was a little bit dramatic, but it was a good reminder.

So quickly I forget that these little people are a blessing. Yes, smeared food and constant messes and all. God blessed me with these kids! Sure it’s not wrong to enjoy my moments of “freedom.” Being a mom is hard work and a 24/7 job. But with the days being as long as they are with 3 under 4, I need to remind myself to soak up as many moments with them while they are at this stage. How do I want them to remember “Mom” spending this time with them? My how impressionable they are at this age. The days are long, but the years are short! Gotta go rub some baby lotion on me…is there any better reminder of our babies than baby lotion?! Memories of my babies flood my brain when I smell it. Or  perhaps I’m breathing it in a bit too much.

How about you? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Are you excited about school starting this year or do you wish you could hold on to summer and your kids a little longer?

**For those of you that are not familiar with what BlogHer is, check it out. I wish I could have gone to the Conference in NYC, but this just wasn’t the year for it. So, I’m doing the next best thing and that’s linking up with other women bloggers who also couldn’t make it.  While a tad sad, we are the ones who get to network in our jammies and with no makeup on if we so choose! **

I’m so excited for the next couple of days.  I’m ecstatic that we get to connect through the No Go BlogHer Blog Hop! Woot! Woot! So a big thanks to @ToBeThode and @MarfMom for this great opportunity! So here it goes….

1. When did you start blogging?

I started blogging almost a year and a half ago. It has taken me this long (mostly my kids fault!) to get my blog to a point that I am super proud of and I finally feel like I have a direction and a goal with it. While I think it will be ever changing in order to reach my goals, i think I’m on my way.

2. Why did you start blogging?

Well, Let’s be honest here and just state the obvious. I’m a stay at home mom to 3 kids, 3 years of age and under. (enough said, right?! I’m crazy!) I don’t get out much. It’s my way of staying connected to the outside world and I’ve fallen in love with the power of words. The power of stories. The power of  laughter and the power of community. Thanks to whomever is responsible for the Internet! : )

3. What is one thing you are going to do this week that is WAY cooler than going to BlogHer?

Cooler than being in NYC with no kids and mingling?! Wow, tough question.

We are celebrating my kids birthdays with my family this week. While it may just seem sweet and not cool, I have to say, I think its awesome! It is in some ways a celebration for me! (I know, seems selfish) I get to celebrate surviving, learning and loving two of the biggest blessings in my life! Eating cake and watching them open gifts from our family is FUN too, of course!

4. Share a post that you think says a lot about you or is your favorite.

http://momwithaminivan.com/2010/08/who-i-am/

This post was written by many, many moms… please add you’re contributions in the comments section.

You know you’re a mom when:

1. … you can no longer wear black, for fear of massive spit up marks
2. …you sing “Dora Dora Dora the Explorer” in the shower.
3. … you believe that macaroni and cheese should become it’s own food group.
4. … play dates have taken over your life!
5. …you sing to the Elmo CD that is playing on your radio long after you’ve dropped your children off at daycare.
6. …you can’t wait to hug your own kids after you see something troubling on the news.
7. …you lick your finger to wipe the face of a child AND suddenly stop when you realize that child ISN’T YOURS!
8. …your baby is sick down your front. It misses your t-shirt and trickles down your chest and you are actually happy – because now it saves you having to rake around trying to find anything remotely keen to wear.
9. …you reach into your pocket and pull out a crayon, a matchbox car and a dirty sock.
10. …you have no issues sniffing another person’s butt for a poopie diaper.
11. …you think yourself lucky to get out of the house without visible a spit-up
stain.
12. …a night on the town means taking the kids out past 6 pm.
13. …a packet of crisps (chips), and a chocolate bar is considered a hearty breakfast.
14. …you count the days until your next girl’s night.
15. …your purse contains packages of Pepperage farm goldfish, a juice box, assorted wrappers and a binky.
16. …you give up your cool car for a minivan, and within a few weeks, you really start to like the van, and use phrases like “It’s just so convenient.” And you really mean it.
17. …you memorize and juggle more schedules and activities than American Airlines, and when people ask you where you live, you say, “In a tan minivan on I-95″
18. …you end up tying your husband’s shoes, or cutting your in-laws meat, before you realize your doing it.
19. …you ask where “the potty” is.
20. …you look through family pictures, and realize there aren’t very many of you, because you are always behind the camera yourself.
21. …you begin to wonder whether fed-exing the kids to grandma’s is an idea who’s time has come.
22. “whine” is no longer simply red or white.
23. …when people ask you what you do, you tell them you are a “pediatric logistics specialist”!
24. …sleeping in means… sleeping IN the middle of three little bodies!!!
25. …you just gave your kids two kittens even though you’re allergic to cats!
26. …you’d rather listen to your 6 year old’s music than your own.
27. …when you walk into another room in your house to get something and by the time
you get there you forget what you were going to get.

Your turn…