Excuse me while I BRAG

So last night we had our family potluck over Kerri's house which was a fantastic idea and a great success. It was our time to meet each other husbands, eat great food, and have the kids interact as always. (pictures of this great occasion will be posted later!) When I came home I kept thinking about how great it is to have such a great group of women together bonded by the fact we have the same age children AND we have chosen to be stay at home moms. Our husbands could probably bond on the topic of financial stressers of one constant income in the home, and how they could never do what we do! LOL Now I know that there is tons of "moms" groups all over the US with similar bonds and interactions as us...but somehow I think we are special.
While talking to some of the husbands I realized that our family values are quite the same....we would all love to have a bigger home, better car, and more money....but the fact is...family is first. One of the husbands even went on to mention how powerful our "mom" job is by shaping a life. It is great to be able to fill a room of people with similar thoughts about raising a family as we do.
Now to the bragging part...
I have noticed after spending every week with the other kids in the group that relationships have changed. I see Rylan run over to another mom's lap and comfortably sit there and feeling safe. I feel so joyful when Penelope sees me and gets excited that I am there and wants to be held. Or Anthony Joseph snugged up on Emily's shoulder. The fact of the matter is..we are no longer strangers and we no longer cringe at the sight of our kid being held by someone "we kinda know"...because now it is a free for all....a love fest of some sorts...a place our kids feel safe when they know they are in a room filled with great MOMMA'S...that would take care of any of them like their own momma would.
Along with this comes with the part of us momma's becoming invested in the "other" kids lives and achievements. Now these aren't my kids but I am still very proud. I own a blog to bragging about my own son whenever I want...so let me take a minute to brag about the rest of the spilt milk crew..and what I have noticed over time:

Anthony Joseph was the first to walk in our group months and months ago and is the oldest. Recently I have noticed how he has become at ease with the rest of us mom's. He is usually a momma's boy (as all boys are and SHOULD be), but when he was left with me one day while his mom went to an appointment I was so pleased to see he was comfortable with me as a "stand in". He is beginning to talk a lot more, and (like his friend Rylan) does a great job at playing on his own.

Melody is a SPONGE. This kid amazes all of us. She is verbally a GENIUS! She stuns me all the time. When you ask her to go find the letter "I" on the fridge...the kid..at 1 years old runs back with the letter "I". When you ask her where her friend "blah blah" is...she points to "blah blah" friend. I am telling you she is a long legged, blonde hair, blue eyes, genius. When I am trying to review Rylan's milestones...I can never compare him to Mel because Mel is OFF the charts. She is going to be a teachers DREAM student. (maybe by the time I get back teaching I could request her!)

Julia is a chatter box. As you all have seen on this website in the video made by her parents..the kids is an addict of the phone. She is SOOO expressive and when she talks to you in her baby mumbo jumbo she looks at you like "why don't you understand me" and waits for your reply. I can tell she is even asking questions in her language by her voice and emphasis! She also has started to tell her parents when she poops in her pants...can you say a possible "early potty trainer". This is music to mom's ears since baby #2 is only a few months away!

Penelope is born to be a model or an actress. I swear she is always ON. If she sees a camera pointing at her she smiles and poses. She waves high like a mini miss America. She eats like a lady, and cries like a drama queen. I am telling you this one will be on tv someday, or in a great baby Gap ad. She is so cute and filled with personality you want to eat her up! She is also a signing queen. She signs for EVERYTHING. It is so impressive that she even signs please and thank you!

Ashley is a changed kid. I watched her recently while her mom and dad had a night out...and she amazed me. Usually in a group setting she is an observer and doesn't say much. She is also incredibly "CHILL". But when having her one on one I noticed she is chatting up a storm. As we watched a video she repeated all the words the video was showing...for instance...they showed a Helicopter, said the word and spelt the word, and then Ashley would attempt to say it "opter". She also amazed me when she kept pointing to the door and reenacting when her mom left by hugging and pointing to the door. I kept having the same conversation that "Mommy and Daddy left but they will be back soon". Nothing can be put over on this kid!

Our kids are getting wiser, cuter, and older by the day!