I have come to the conclusion that my kids are at the best age.

Maybe not the cheapest age with preschool and diapers and needed a parent to watch them 24/7, etc.

But beyond that, a pretty good age.

When I went to lunch Tuesday there were a couple of screaming babies and younger ones.

Baby screamed all through lunch though.

I don't really miss those times - LOL.

Everyone else is scrambling with back to school. I have some friends who are pretty low key and refuse to put their kids in any activities (fine with me - they don't have my kids though - LOL). & think we lean towards the overscheduling side. Not at all. Drop the kids off a couple of days a week so we can get a break and they can play and get messy. & karate is a whopping 1/2 hour a week. The kids have about 5 full days a week and 6 nights a week with NOTHING scheduled. I think for the most part though my work can get busy, we lead a rather carefree life. At least the kids and hubby do...

& that all ends when school starts! LOL. Then suddenly the kids will be at school a good chunk of every day and will have homework and projects. Dh will be expected to work a bit more, etc.

It has been hitting me more lately, we really need to enjoy while we have the time. & the kids are just at a fun age. LM is talking up a storm too. Which is fun! & cute.

BM never really had much of a Terrible 2 stage because he could always communicate so well. LM is much more shy and moody (takes after me) and I figured we would be in trouble, but suddenly he can talk in full and complete sentences (though he just turned 2) and he seems to be following the way of his brother. I read somewhere the terrible 2s comes with frustration as the brain moves ahead with how much the kids at that age can usually communicate. I in turn feel extremely blessed and see that being able to communicate really makes ALL the difference at that age. I can't say BM ever really had a tantrum, and LM has been a tantrum boy since birth (we look at him like where did that come from? So much he picks up from his brother but that was all him). But those have completely disappeared with his ability to communicate.

Don't get me wrong, the kids go through phases. Though both seem to be in a pleasant phase lately, so phew. But the worst for both thus far was pre-2.

Of course last night, dh put BM's drink in the dishwasher and he flipped out and started screaming and crying. I told him to calm down and ask for a new cup - it really is that simple. God forbid daddy wants to do the dishes. YEah, they have their moments, regardless... Still need that reminder to use their words once in a while though most of the time they don't have a problem - hehe.

Also, I am trying to figure out in my head how much easier life will really be once the kids are out of preschool. We've capped out at about $300/week (per kid anyway) and don't see spending more. But once school starts how much will we spend on supplies, uniforms? Extra-curriculars and music lessons (stuff that school no longer provides)? I'd love to pop the money in for a spousal IRA starting in 2009 or so, but I don't know if it's realistic.

Then again dh would not need to pay daycare to work so maybe it will all be moot. The spousal IRA should be in the bag by then.

Who knows. We are already slipping backwards with this LM preschool thing. "It's just one year." But I am already stressed out about it. If it means I can slide the money over to an IRA starting next September though, I don't care. I just wonder if it will really work out that way.

Or maybe I will get a big raise and it won't matter.

I seem to get myself in trouble when I plan too ahead in the future, so I am wary. I Am sure I am forgetting something...

Then again this is our last carefree, & working is too expensive to make sense year. I should probably just relax and enjoy.