Maddie and Cora are almost exactly two years apart. Maddie’s development often seems to catch me by surprise – hey, look at that, she’s rolling over! I can’t believe she recognizes her alphabet! Wow, is she putting her face in the water and blowing bubbles already? That sort of thing. Cora is just the opposite: I’m inclined to think such unfair thoughts as – hey, why isn’t she brushing her teeth as well as Maddie does? When is her attention span going to get better?

It’s not that I’m constantly comparing Cora to Maddie, in a sort of “Well, Maddie rolled over at four months and Cora didn’t do it until five months. Slacker.” way. But with your first child, whatever stage you are in feels like it will go on forever: you will ALWAYS be breastfeeding/pureeing solid foods/changing diapers/potty training/sleep training/whatever. And then suddenly you’re in a different stage.

We've officially hit insanity time in our neighborhood, as school winds down and all the obligatory parties and celebrations come with it.

This week alone, we've got Cora's end-of-year party (preschool ends three weeks earlier than public school) today, which unfortunately conflicts with Maddie's class kickball tournament, so I'm hitting Cora's party while Mom cheers Maddie on. As well this morning Cora is celebrating her upcoming birthday in her school - since it's after school is out - so this morning will find me bringing a dozen and a half mini-cupcakes to her class and reading one of her favorite books aloud while the four-year-olds get sugared up for the day.

Then tomorrow is Cora's preschool graduation, and yes, I rolled my eyes too. Before they started weeping when I watched Maddie "graduate" two years ago. So tomorrow's Cora's last day of school - don't get me started on my baby growing up - and I'll pull Maddie out for the graduation ceremony and luncheon, then take her back for the remainder of the day.

The Friday is Cora's birthday, so you can imagine how that will go: lots of running and crafting and bouncing and probably swimming.

And sugar.

And we put a huge button on the end of this week with Cora's blowout birthday party on Saturday - she and several of her friends will be putting on a mini version of the Nutcracker at my theatre school on the big stage. To call this a huge undertaking is an understatement. But you only turn five once.

Tired? A little. But it keeps me from thinking about all the milestones we're hitting this week.

And then, of course, there's next week: Maddie's class party, Maddie's field day at school, Cora's summer vacation starts, ballet recital . . .

I'll think about all that later.

Sunday was, of course, Mothers’ Day, and I had a lovely time with my girls, my mother, and my mother-in-law. We ate out both lunch and dinner – decadent, I know – and I took a good long nap in the middle of the day – equally decadent.

When Brian asked me last week what I wanted to do for Mothers’ Day, it reminded me of every day over the past several years he’s asked me that question. And how my answer has evolved over time.

The other day Cora and I were in a public restroom – Cora sitting on the potty, me staring politely at the back wall. This is how we do it. A moment of silence, and then Cora said amiably, “You know, Mommy, Chiwallas are baby dogs.”

A Chiwalla, in case you wondered, is a Chihuahua. Sure, I could correct her, but who wants to? It’s so darn cute every time she says it.

“Some Chihuahuas are baby dogs, you’re right, honey. But some are grown-up dogs.”

“No, Mommy, a baby dog is called a Chiwalla.”