First day of kinder & 3rd

Sorry for the spacing in this post - blogger is weird sometimes.

Thank you Lord for a great start to the school year! I had so many mixed feelings going into this first week... I can't believe our little Mae is old enough for Kinder. However, she is so ready & so excited that it's hard to be sad about it. Also, I am craving routine again, but dreaded the early mornings - Anna & I are not morning people! God is good & has given us such a smooth start. The girls love their teachers, the mornings have gone so well, and they both felt good about their first day. This morning as I walked the girls to school Mae asked if Anna could walk her to class this morning instead of me. I told her that I was allowed to go in the building for one more morning (it's a closed campus after today) & that she might need help finding where to put her folder, lunch, etc. She said, "Mom, I know, I know, I know all that stuff. Can't sister just walk me to class?" Proud of her & a little sad for me all at the same time! Our only kink, Anna has had such a hard time going to sleep at night. She doesn't seem anxious, but is having a hard time turning her brain off & has been up for hours after bedtime every night. I have not figured that issue out in my whole life, so I feel bad for her. We are going to try a lavender bubble bath tonight & pray for the best!

Just for kicks... I'm putting in some of the comments that friends posted to these pics on Facebook. I think it will be funny some day when the kids read the blog book & ask what in the world is Facebook?

Also, here is what Mae's teacher emailed us after the first day: "Maelyn had a great first day! I used her as an example a lot today of "doing the right thing." She is such a sweet little girl and I am blessed to have her in my class!" Mrs. P

Aunt Krystal: I just love her sassyness!! wow, kindergarten!!!

Nikki: Your girls are all grown up and precious Amber!!!

Aunt Mandy: Such personality! I just love it. I bet she's thrilled about being in the same school as big sister!

Aunt Veda: This one may end up being a model. Rarely is there a picture where she isn't posing. Love the girl.

Anna picked out & accessorized this entire outfit - such a fashionista! Aunt Krytal: oh my goodness! she looks so grown up!! I cannot believe she is in 3rd grade!
Aunt Mandy: she looks like a pro. So glad she is excited for her new school year. Such a beautiful young lady.
Chantelle: She does look so grown up
Neely: Wow! She does look so grown up.
Rhonda (Grammy): She absolutely looks the part.
Suzi (Nana): What a big girl. She is growing up too fast
William (Dingdaddy): That's my girl! Keep hearing that "Turn Around" song.
Aunt Veda: Oh Bill don't you know it. She has grown up so much in so many ways. It has been fun to see the changes in confidence, willingness to try new things, and her loving heart.
Monica: She looks so grown up and beautiful!!!
Christy (Anna's teacher from last year): Beautiful girl! We miss her!
Angela: She's got this!

Cheryl: How sweet!!!

Aunt Krystal: this melts my heart!

Emiley: Love sisters... love these girls!

Chantelle: That is too sweet. I also love seeing all the other people walking to school. Love your neighborhood.

Julia: I love this! Such precious girls - I'm so thankful for them!

Ashley (Anna's homeroom teacher last year): I got to see both of your sweet girls today and got big hugs from both!! They made my day!

a few friends from our street starting Kinder

Mae's first riding lesson

A week of firsts at our house! Mae & Anna are both going to take riding lessons this fall, and this Monday was Mae's turn. A much, much anticipated event! She helped groom the horse, did some riding in the arena, then went on a trail ride. She was all smiles the whole time... I asked her afterwards what her favorite parts were. She said, "going over a bridge (a small wooden one in the arena), the trail ride, and when I almost fell off and Clumsy saved me!" I asked her who Clumsy was & she told me that was her horse. His name was actually Quincy. :) Apparently when I was at the van checking on Anna & Judah, Quincy shook himself & Mae slid right off her bareback saddle. She hung on to Quincy's mane, and the instructor ran around & put Mae back up. She just giggled about it at the time, not scared at all, very true to her personality! Next week is Anna's turn, but Mae has asked each day since if it's her lesson day. What a cute little cowgirl.

Judah at 8 months

I don't like typing 8 months - it seems too old! I can't believe we are two thirds through this sweet boy's first year. Summer has come to an end and we are about to enter into a new phase of life with Judah - as an only child for much of the day! He is so going to miss his other two mommies & entertainers... you can see in the pictures below that they keep him busy all day - pushing him in the wagon, pulling him around in a laundry basket, & dressing him up. I am going to seem pretty boring in comparison! This month was full of little milestones - he learned to eat baby food well & started on lots of soft table foods which he loves (avacado, banana, pieces of grilled cheese sandwich, scrambled egg yokes, veggie muffins, beans, blueberries, & of course, cheerios). He gets up on his hands & knees or hands & feet all the time & sometimes crawls forward a bit, but usually when he wants something he army crawls or rolls. He also learned to sit up on his own from laying down (need to lower the crib matress). He also got his very first head cold this past week, but thankfully no ear infection so far & he continued to eat & sleep well through it so I can't complain. It's been such a fun summer enjoying this little guy, and I can't wait to see what our days of just the two of us will hold.

eating: nursing - morning, after naps, before bed, trying to drop the "dream feed" at 10pm; enjoying baby food & table food now - 2 to 3 meals per day.

sleeping: 2 naps - one short & one long most days, 12 hours at night w/ a dream feed at 10 & usually nursing at around 6 am, sometimes as late as 7.

likes: water - bath is still his favorite - trying to drink the water in the pool or tub, peek a boo, sceaming/squeeling back & forth with us, lift the flap books, his glow worm that Mae gave him, staring his sisters - they have to leave the room for him to nurse, being outside in the stroller, wagon, or saucer, playing on the floor in the playroom

dislikes: having his nose or face wiped, being ignored in the evenings while I cook

Mae made him this crown because she said he's the king of the family -she's right :)

Proud Momma

My girls both have such precious hearts. Recently Anna decided that she wanted to honor her Daddy with a special surprise. She spent the afternoon cleaning - she even mopped the kitchen & vacuumed our room! She enlisted Maelyn's help & assigned jobs to all of us - we made brownies, she wrote place cards, Mae folded napkins, and she picked out a tablecloth & candles for the table. Daddy had to work late, but I let the girls stay up past bedtime so they could be awake when he got home to see his surprise. I love her servant attitude!

A day later I needed a power nap - our dog had kept us awake all night (anyone want to borrow our crazy Bitsie & be her dog whisperer?). While I was asleep she & Mae made a special lunch for me - she made my sandwich, decorated the table, served a leftover brownie with a scoop of ice cream, and served crystal light in a wine glass. I asked her about the glass (she's never seen them before - not what I've ever used at lunch time - promise!) - she said that they were fancy glasses that people used to drink wine out of in the "olden days" :).

While I was away at a women's retreat this weekend Anna made sure that Mae got her fancy dinner as well. She told me this morning, "Mom... do you want to know something a little awkward? We've done special meals for everyone except me. That's a little awkward don't you think?" Point taken - guess that needs to happen soon!

The girls finished their super summer challenge last week - woohoo! They've earned water guns, a "kid day" when they were in charge of picking all our activities, a friend spending the night, and now - Hawaiian Falls. They earned tokens for reading, book reports, school practice, cleaning, kindness, challenges like swimming across the pool underwater, & volunteer work (they organized a food drive on our street for the CEC, wrote to our sponsored children, etc). Sad to see summer over, but proud of all the fun we had & things they accomplished.

Jenny's visit

We got to have some really fun houseguests a couple weekends ago - Jenny & her two sweeties - Zeke & Kaelyn. Jenny had come to town for seminar then came to our house after picking up the kids from their grandparents. Our kids only see each other once or twice a year, but when they get together they play great & have a ball. We spent some time at the neighborhood pool, went to church, & visited the yogurt shop twice - yum. I just love hanging out with one of my very best friends, and always wish we lived closer! Zeke's Bible buck prize of a sticky spider is still stuck on our second story living room window - but sometime soon we'll figure out how to get it down & mail it to him. :) Thanks for coming Jenny!

Judah's summer

I've done a lot of posts lately about what the girls have been up to, so I need to add some of the littlest cutie. He has been such a trooper this summer - he just goes with the flow during all of the many activities the girls have been part of - swim days, sports camp at church, playdates with neighbors & friends, appointments, etc. He's down to two naps a day, so as long as he gets those in a bed somewhere he's such a good baby.

He is so close to crawling - for a week now he's spent lots of time on his hands & knees or hands & feet, but all he manages to do it scooch backwards until he gives up & rolls everywhere instead. I need to enjoy these last few days before he's into everything!

trying spaghetti - yum
water fun in the backyard

Father's Day (very late post)

How we love our Daddy! We were a month late taking this annual hand picture - it was hard to coordinate everyone having their nails done (the girls), being awake (Judah), and my scatterbrain! Tom is such an amazing Daddy - he is sweet, firm, & loving with the girls. He is playful & patient with Judah. He is SO helpful to me - we couldn't ask for more!

For Father's Day Tom wanted a guitar... he's been wanting to try it out for years. He got on the computer & found a used one he wanted in May, so he kind of bought his own gift. He's loving it, practicing most nights after the kids go to bed, and he's really gotten so good in a short amount of time. We are so proud of him!

Cousin Camp

Cousin camp! My girls love it, Judah loved all the mommy & daddy time, and we loved the quiet time with just one little monkey at home. Thank you, thank you Grammy & Dingdaddy!

My parents took them to a water park attached to a campground - two of their favorite things. The waterpark was a huge hit - Anna even got bribed by my mom to try the water slides & loved them. A huge accomplishment for this chick who doesn't like water on her face... she even conquered really splashly ones (for a price of course!). At night all the girls slept in the camper & my dad was kicked out to the tent - what a good sport.

I asked the girls what their favorite part of cousin camp was - Mae said spending time with G, D, & Madison. Anna said getting swept into the lazy river with no grownups. Apparently when my dad was on duty watching them in the wave pool they got too close to the inlet to the river & took a trip around (it was shallow & harmless, but Anna thought that was an adventure).

After camping a few nights they headed back to my parents house & did a tour of the small town where I went to high school on the way. They stopped by the high school & the house we lived in for 6 years. Back at G & D, they spent a couple of days doing crafts & playing until the surprise train ride home.