Toothers

just wanted ot update...mitchell now has three teeth. the two on the bottom have been joined by a beauty on the top right. he's been handling it well. very little fussing! what a good guy.

by the way...there are two more on the way. bottom on either side.

First Day of K

Wow...the day I've been preparing for for so long....is over. Connor is now a kindergartener. The day was pretty great. We got up early...got out of the house okay. (thanks to the Grandmas for coming over to help with that.) It was a brisk morning..so Connor asked to wear a jacket (I know my son and had one ready and waiting). He also wanted pants...but that was not going to happen.

We walked down the lane together...Connor and I held back a little. I wanted to chat a bit about what he should expect. I was sooooo nervous. I truly had butterflies in my stomach! He was a-okay though.

We paused part way to the bus stop to take this pic. He was so cute! When we got to the bus stop, we were actually surprised when a different bus showed up (bus 21 pulled up instead of bus 6). The driver told us that from now on he would be picking Connor up at the end of the lane. I was a bit concerned and stopped traffic to figure it all out...but after my questions were answered...Connor took his first steps onto the big yellow.

Once he was on...he asked me, what do i do now? I told him...while sniffling back tears...to sit down and relax and soon I would be there picking him up. So he did.

Ugh.

My little boy is growing up.

I cried the whole way back home.

My mom and the boys and I went to Panera...then took a walk.

I couldn't wait to pick him up. We were the first people in the parking lot...though I let another car pull in front of me to be kind.

He spotted us right away. I couldn't wait to give him a hug and hear about his day!

He climbed right in the van...i hugged and kissed him...and started to tear up again.

His teacher stopped by the car and told us he had a great day......except.....for one minor? meltdown. He didn't want to cut out a school bus with scissors...said he hated cutting and couldn't do it....refused to do it. She kindly said that we'll have to work on fine motor skills at home. Hmmm.

Wow. My baby is a kindergartener.

Watch out world.

A Dutch Wonderful Day

we promised the boys a day at dutch wonderland before the end of summer. so friday...amidst the rain drops, we fulfilled our promise.

we had a great time. so many smiles. jackson was non-stop!



Sawyer didn't get to ride too much...but loved the slide and all the trains.



connor and i posed. he thought this was pretty cool!

my boys on the merry go round. this is the first time we actually rode it. we branched out this trip. we road at least 5 new things!

of course, their favorite....the train. choo....chooo.

we got there at 11 am...left for lunch for 20 minutes at sonic...and came home at 7 pm. they closed the park early because it was pouring!

the boys were awesome. no naps, no fussying...just patient, polite little boys. they crashed at 8:30...craig and i followed at 9:30!

picture pages

We pulled out the ol' exer-saucer for Mitchell. Its on its fourth little one in our house (plus the two kids from the family who gave it to us.) He loved it right away.

Craig called it...he said Mitchell would love chewing on the plastic flower. Mitchell reached right for it.



We painted a little bit this week too. The boys had a good time. Connor painted the "whole earth". Jackson loved it too. And Sawyer...well, Sawyer ate and wore more paint than he painted. YUM!

Oh what a week!

This was an eventful week for us. On Monday Connor and I attended his kindergarten assessment. I was so nervous...he was totally cool. He asked me to go with him to the actualy assessment, so I walked him there...then left. About 40 minutes later he and the other kindergarteners returned. Connor was full of excitement! He loved it...and told me that kindergarten was awesome. Such a relief for us. Connor doesn't like change, so we knew the first impression of K-town would be huge.

On Tuesday, Craig and I returned to the school for orientation. Connor was so excited to go back. He met his teacher...(Craig and I went to high school with her) and it turns out two kids he already knows are in his class. He road the bus too. Loved it!

Tuesday was a loooooong day. I went to work after the orientation and didn't get home until after 8:30. The whole week was kind of like that....long. Plus, it was hot and super humid. UGH.

Thursday we laid low. In the evening we went to our church picnic. The boys ate everything I put on their plate. Rare, yes. But they did it. Then Friday was our day care picnic. It's hard to believe the boys only have two days left. I have such mixed feelings.

Saturday we mostly relaxed. The boys painted at the kitchen table. Sawyer ate more paint than landed on the paper. I'll post pictures later. We had a great time though.

Tomorrow, the boys will be home with our new babysitter. I'm a little nervous, but excited. I'm praying it'll go really well.

Five months...oh, my

Mitchell is five months old! Wow. It flew by. I've enjoyed just about every moment!

*your eyes are a little red in these pics...maybe you have some allergies?

Here's a bit of a status update....

• You have two teeth - the bottom middle - but a third is working its way in
• You love to roll on your belly...and can stay there for a few minutes
• You have an awesome laugh...you really get going when I tickle your thighs!
• You love to sleep on your belly and will fuss until you get there
• You just started taking a pacifier. you like to chew on it.
• You've had your first taste of cereal...your reaction is still a bit mixed
• You're getting a bit more on a regular schedule...but still wake up twice a night
• you've got the most adorable chunky thighs that i love to kiss
• You get "excessive" love from your brothers, but take it in stride
• You love your bouncy seat...and have really started to enjoy your play mat
• Daddy and I love to lay you on our bed and play with you after your brothers are asleep
• You still enjoy taking baths but have started kicking the water everywhere
• I love to cuddle and hold you...no matter the hour!

ps - you also love your toes...you get them in your mouth whenever you can!

The Graduate

Connor is a graduate! It's been 5 long years, but he finally made it. He made it through daycare...now its on to kindergarten.

Here he is being escorted in by Miss Cherie. (He was not looking forward to graduation. He told me he didn't want anyone to clap or cheer, he was feeling shy.) Miss Cherie has been his special buddy since the first day he was at day care...it was so touching to see her walk him in.)

This is his teacher Miss Brandy reading him a special letter that Craig and I wrote to him. It was neat to hear what each of the parents had to say as their kids graduated.

Connor and Miss Cherie. (He insisted on wearing his spiderman shirt. It lights up, after all.)

Miss Brandy, Connor, and Miss Cherie.

(at one point, they asked parents to share a special memory...i started to cry as i shared the story of how miss cherie would take time out to rock connor to sleep almost every day when he was an infant.)

Let the celebration begin!

Cake for everyone....(watch your hand Grandma!)