Kindergarten here we come!

My big guy went from a bundle of baby into a bouncy 5 year old in the blink of an eye! And down in the south we start school super early....must be because by the end of May the heat index is astronomical already! 

So a couple weeks ago we made lunch, ironed uniforms, filled out tons of papers and off to kindergarten we went! 

Big guy totally loves it! I felt like a wreck but held it together....at least in front of him. I wanted to linger in his classroom longer....but he sat down and did his thing and I just had to kiss him and walk away..... That is SO hard sometimes. Especially for this "want to control everything on my life" kinda girl. 

"Is it the right choice?" "Should I home school?" "All day?!?! He will be gone a long time!" "What if he gets hurt, or someone hurts him, or he gets in trouble, or bullied..." The enemy had me in a  tailspin of emotions, doubts and fears. 

And then I prayed....and peace whispered to my heart. "I love him more than you do. I am always with him. I will not call him to something I will not walk through with him. Just trust me." 

This whole making choices for your kids thing is hard! So many options and opinions and voices in the world, all often well intended, but sometimes difficult to discern. 

So on the first day of kindergarten my big dude wasn't the only one learning lessons. I had some of my own to learn. Like letting go just a little, trusting a whole lot more and staying in constant prayer. 

And now, weeks into the year my dude is doing great! His teacher is fantastic, he loves her and his new friends, he has mastered buying lunch, new classes, staying on his behavior chart and even moving up to the amazing "blue level" and his first week of homework. Always love how beautifully God takes care of everything! 

Kindergarten Round Up

I struggle with how quickly the childhood stage is passing with my big little. I feel like I just have birth to MJD and then somehow this week we had to go register for kindergarten an do a tour of the school! 

I will say that I was quite impressed with the way the school ran the event, the gift bags for the kiddos, teachers, all of it. And my standards are typically unattainable by most. 

I am just glad he isn't starting kindergarten yet! Let's enjoy the summer together :)

Cool Dude

We went shopping for VPK graduation clothes....and this is what my "cool dude" picked out! 

Also needed to rock his sunglasses and hat all day!!! 

Last CT&J....

My big little just finished his last Clap, Tap and Jingle....after three years of once weekly music class, he is all done....mixed emotions as we exit this stage and move into the next!

Really Gross Accomplishment

MJD lost his first tooth.....and I am definitely not the parent to pull teeth! So gross!!!! Nothing in any baby book prepares you for this.....

Pajama Day

You would have thought he was going to be happy to wear pjs to school?!?? Not my dude...."I am going to look ridiculous wearing pajamas at school mom!"

A really big 5 year old

Well birthday celebration week has come and gone! Birthday fairy came with presents at home, birthday boy got lunch out with Nena and Papa an then a dinner at his other grandparents house with cousins. To finish off the week we celebrated with some of his school and church buddies for a hassle free but very busy party at CFA....which by the way was awesome! No work for me to do and we got to walk away from the mess at the end, and it was about the same, if not less money in total because I didn't go over board or stress out about party planning!

Post Pre-School pick up date

I love this spunky, funny, rambunctious dude who was the first boy in the world to call me mama. So when we had an impromptu date at Panera following school today, I found myself just staring at his sweet self and soaking in the short 30 mins of alone time bliss.

He is getting too big, too fast!

Lord, help me never take for granted this precious little man!!!!

Birthday Fairy

Tomorrow morning my big is going to be FIVE years old!?!?! How did that many years just slip away????

I remember so vividly this same night five years ago, packing for the hospital, chatting with Tim in bed and sleeping very little as we anxiously awaited 5 am to go to the hospital for our induction!

Here we are, 5 years later, playing Birthday Fairy....tired from wearing the boys out and just a month or less away from meeting our final little addition to our family.

So as we curl up in bed tonight to chat and watch some tv...we have streamers taped to his door that he will walk through when he awakes, a new desk and chair for a big guy for his room (with all the trimmings for his wall and new art stuff) and even some presents from the little brothers an an aunt on the other side of the country.

Can't wait to share another birthday with him!!!!

Daddy

Tim sent me a text picture this morning and told me to call him for the story....

Yesterday, when Tim got home, he saw I was tired and he had to go back to work and do some field samples. In a quick flash he told MJD to go get shoes and get in the truck to go work with Daddy :)
Apparently, in the truck, MJD got ahold of Tim's clipboard and started asking Tim how to spell his name and "best buds".....they must have gotten sidetracked, hence the X, but this was what Tim found in his paperwork this morning....

What melted my heart more was the tenderness in Tim's voice as he told the story to me this morning from work :)

Whatever you reap, that too you shall also sow.

Happy Days

Wrestling on the floor....little has learned how to join!

 

Sewing/embroidering during nap time!

Sharing Goldfish with Livie at Target :) 

Riding scooters in the house together 

Walking the dogs at Nena's house on Friday

Learning at the library with Hannah and Trenton on non-school days 

My family

I find that the older I get the more often I lose perspective. So thankful for a God who blessed me with three very real ways to see things differently. Sometimes taking the time see things through the eyes of my four year old is the best way to do life.
On our damp day at home due to Tropical Storm Isaac....which hardly brought more than a drizzle....MJD sat at the table to make me a present....he does these little drawings all the time and I usually just pitch all the random papers that float around. But today, today he wrapped it up in a bag, presented it to me and said as purely as possible, "I love you mama, this is for you." When I opened it up and said will you tell me about it he replied, "It's us. Our family. You, me, dada, Liam and Lincoln."

This is what life is all about. The moments of frustration, fear, apprehension, joy, success, struggle, bliss....all of it is worth it for building this world for them. Family.

What a day!

Yesterday we were busy! And super tired as littlest kept me awake most of the morning :(
But in spite of no naps for anyone we had a super awesome day....

Clap, Tap and Jingle class :) Little was so happy to find big and chase him around like one of the "big kids."

A successful dentist visit...big got his teeth cleaned, inspected and there were no tears or cavities!

Soccer season started up again. I was hesitant to commit again with the littlest on the way and all but after practice today I am glad we did. Big loved it and seemed much better at following directions and little loves to cheer and chase big!

Picture quality isn't great but all the photos were on my phone and most happening in motion.

Makes my heart smile

Doing homework together at the table before bed :) I'm a dork, I know!!!!

Sleep and blessings

Last night all the boys were awake way too much!!! As I was tempted to roll over grouchy at them this morning, I looked at this cuteness. Sleep or not this day is certainly blessed :)

VPK here we come!!!

I thought that since I've done the preschool thing before that this year would be a piece of cake for me....HA! While I didn't cry, I have to admit I did get more choked up than I thought....maybe just pregnancy hormones?!?!?

We did our normal first day of school photo....shadowing isn't great but the sun wasn't cooperating with me :/

 

 

We all went off to breakfast as a family like we do each year.

 

Finally, this year I remembered to get Daddy to take a picture of the two of us outside of school together :) 

 Hannah was walking in when we were, so we got to take a picture together.

 He looks so stinking grown up....how did that happen so quickly?

 His little band of buddies

 Upon entering he went right on in to his seat and started his activity, yeah!

 His teacher had him come sign into the class by writing his name and seeing what his job for the day was. Such a cute idea!

 Off to a great year with Ms. Brenda.

I should have come home for the day, but stayed in town with a friend, ran errands, had lunch with my man and then waited in pick up while the little one napped. When he got in the car, he was super happy and said he had a great day. (I had also surprised him with a little "first day of school" gift from Nena in his chair!) I was a little nervous about the long day since he's there past lunch now, but he did great. We had discussed that lunch bunch time wasn't going to be the end of his day anymore. 

After he got home he climbed up in bed and passed out with his new little race cars and is still sleeping while his brother plays and I catch up around the house. 

I am super glad he is off to a great start, but also kinda glad I get to keep him to myself tomorrow for the day before we go back to school again :)

Zoo Day

As if we don't have enough funny smells and loud noises in our home with all this boy creature, our family packed up for the day and headed out to the zoo....SO MUCH FUN.....and oh so HOT!

But the boys loved the afternoon of animal viewing....

 Giraffe feeding....

 Camel riding....

 Train Chooing.....

 

Water Splashing....

GOOD TIMES!