Life With a Baby on Board: May 2020

April has been such a crazy month and looking back to when life was normal seems like a lifetime ago. At our house we've fallen into a routine of entertaining the kids, schoolwork and housework. I realize that we are in the minority right now where both parents are home and neither parent is working from home. We've definitely stayed busy and tried to keep the girls busy. This month we've cleaned out the garden and planted new seeds, washed cars, cleaned out the garage, given the trampoline a makeover, movie nights, painted nails, zoomed (is that a verb now?) with school friends and family, set up the tent and had sleepovers (the girls really like sleeping on the floor for some reason). While all the uncertainty is stressful for the adults the girls are living their best lives right now.

Along with all of this we do have some major medical news to share. Andy has been diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer that has spread to his lungs and liver. So far he has had one round of chemo and will start his next round on May 4th. We've both talked about how there are pros and cons for this to happen at this time. While we do have to be VERY careful about not bringing Covid-19 home to Andy we both feel blessed that we are able to spend so much time together as a family. We are also very blessed to have such a great support system and many thanks to our friends and family who have watched the girls while we went to doctors appointments, helped with yard work, dropped of treats or have brought us dinner. When we told the girls about Andy's diagnosis they listened intently and once we answered their medical questions they asked:

Lily "So.....when daddy is better can I get a turtle?" (Please don't anyone send

her a turtle I don't need anything else to take care of right now).

Clara "So..... how much longer is this family meeting going to go on".

I'm just glad that they know what's going on and we can talk about everything more freely.

Lily's April Update:

Lily still enjoying no school and anytime I mention her starting at her after school/ summer program she gets upset. During the summer she will have the same schedule that Clara does during the school year so she is looking forward to spending extra days at home. With Lily's "school work" we're just trying to keep her reading and writing and doing some math.....we have a very low bar at the McFalls Social Distancing Academy. Over the past several weeks both girls have LOVED the food trucks that have been scheduled in our neighborhood. A family favorite was the waffle truck and the edible cookie dough truck.

This month Lily loves:

-legos
-sleepovers
-the trampoline
-helping out around the house
-gardening
-food trucks

What Lily hates:

-writing sentences for school

Clara's April Update:
I saw something recently that said being quarantined with talkative child is like having an insane parrot super glued to your shoulder. Which is true. Andy's mom recently reminded Andy when he was Clara's age he was just as talkative. Luckily for us the weather has gotten nicer and both girls have been spending more time outside so Clara is not completely super glued to us at all times. Last month Clara started riding her bike without training wheels and she has only gotten faster since then. Clara's "school" work has consisted of working on letter sounds and numbers, shapes and cutting.

This month Clara loves:
-talking
-swinging
-praying before dinner
-the trampoline
-sleep overs
-tea ceremonies (consists of making the grown ups walk up the front walkway while she tell us not to touch the plants, having us sit in the rocking chairs on the porch and bring us imaginary food)

What Clara hates:
-cleaning up (her stalling/distraction skills are legendary)
-time out