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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Mel's First Day of Preschool...

Mel's first day of Preschool finally came on Tuesday.  I feel like she has had to wait forever!  The last year she has asked at least twice a week when it will be her turn to go to school.

Sorry for the list of what seems like the same picture.  They are all different, I promise.  I just couldn't get enough of her in her backpack and Nike shoes that she loves!  The headband didn't last long.  After the pictures she decided it was too itchy so she tried on every other headband we have in the house. Then decided that none of them would work.  Which was a lot!  I really don't know why we have that many.  No one in the house wears them! 


She didn't understand why the school bus didn't come pick her up and take her to her school.  Although, I feel like I'm driving a school bus with 4 kiddos in tow!  She also didn't understand why her school is so short and why B gets to go all day. 
She went right to the building blocks that she played with at open house... 
And soon she was joined by a friend! 
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Steam Show Staycation...


The first weekend in August is the annual Pioneer Steam Show in our town.  We always have a ton of fun as a family.  The last few years we have treated it as our vacation, or staycation.  We have found it exhausting to travel when you have little kids, especially infants.  When we come home we almost need a vacation from our vacation.  So, until our kids get a little older, this will be the vacation spot for us.  We are grateful that our friends who set up camp for the whole weekend let us invade their space!  We cook, eat, visit, and enjoy the sights then head home for the evening to our air conditioned home with comfy beds only to wake up and do it again the next day!  We only live a couple miles from the show! 

During the show I do have to throw in a couple hours of work as the sorority that I am in is in charge of parking cars.  Last year I pulled the pregnancy card.  It was hot last year!  Like 95+ degrees!!!  This year I had to do my part with a little help...



Banner the baby whisperer...
While we were walking around the flea markets Jody lost her pacifier.  Luckily she fell asleep without it!
It was hot in those flea markets so ice cream was a must!


Sleeping baby and ice cream cones, perfect!  Now time for a cruise...



Time for the parade with cousins...
The lineup...
Love these two together...
Trust me, Brad was happy, but it was hot and the parade line seemed to move so slow!!!
Jo did great.  I was prepared to hop off the wagon at any moment with her.  This was post losing the pacifier, so I didn't think she would last.  Give the girl a package of Mum-Mums and she is good to go!

On Friday and Saturday evenings they have a spark show...
What do you do when you forget the keys to the camper?  Stick a 7-year old through the window;)..
These tractors are my favorite!  Always have been.  No, I'm not talking about the color.  They are called High Crop tractors...

I told Brad all I want for Christmas is a High Crop tractor.  He said they are very expensive so I guess I shouldn't hold my breath.

We are already looking forward to next year!!


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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

10 Months...

In about 2.5 weeks Jo will be 11 months so I figured now is the prime time to get her 10 month update posted.  As usual, it's been a bit crazy around here.  I doubt I am any busier than all the other moms out there, but most days it seems like all I do is run in circles!

Remember Jo's 9 month post when I said she was only pulling up on furniture and wasn't cruising yet?  Well she has mastered the cruising part.  Much to Mel's dismay.  It doesn't bother B at all, but Mel hasn't learned that she has to put her things out of Jo's reach even though we tell her this all.the.time.

She can also climb the stairs like it is her job! Coming down is another story. We have a baby gate, but it isn't convenient because B and Mel have to make numerous trips up the stairs daily since there room is upstairs.  So we are constantly taking it down and putting it up again.  I ordered an accordion style gate from Babies R Us and we are hoping this solves the issue.  I didn't want to have to drill any holes in the banister or wall, but what do you do?

She had her first bloody nose today.  That counts as a milestone, right?  She climbed the steps in the split second that I had my back turned.  Mel went upstairs to check on her and she must have been into something because Mel went to move her and she did a nose dive on the hardwood floor.  I think this is what happened.  All Mel said was that she was trying to help her.  Mel felt horrible!  I debated getting the camera out and snapping a photo for her baby book, but then I remembered I wouldn't have time to actually put the picture in the book :)

She can now say "Mom-Mom."  She mainly says it when she is hungry:)  She can also say "Hi", "Da", "Tu" for Tuff (our dog) and she can growl.  She loves playing peek-a-boo, playing in the sandbox, and eating.  We have yet to find a food that she doesn't like.  She still isn't a consistent full-night sleeper.  Most nights she will sleep from 9:30-5, but sometimes she decides she needs to have a bottle at 3 AM.  Did I mention she loves to eat?  I don't mind her waking up to eat in the early morning hours because I know if she does, she won't wake up until after B gets on the bus.  

She wasn't very smiley for her 10 month pictures.  This was the best smile I could get and I think it is only because she has my lens cap and she isn't normally supposed to have it...



Squirmy... 

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Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Summer is Over...

Okay, so summer isn't really over until Labor Day.  Or at least that is supposed to be the last "hurrah" weekend of the summer.  But, in my book, summer ended today.  Today is the first day of school for B.  I always get a little sad on the first day of school.  I thought once I got the first day of Kindergarten out of the way, all the other years would be a walk in the park.  Wrong!  While I'm excited to see all the new things she will experience in second grade and am proud of the little lady she is growing to become and continues to make us proud, I'm a little sad that she is another grade older.  

As the first day of school approaches, I find myself reflecting on the summer.
Did we do enough crafts?
Did I spend enough quality time with them?
Did our summer include enough family time?
Did we read enough books?
Did we practice our addition and subtraction, phonics, and language enough with her?
Did we have enough fun?
Did we spend enough time outdoors?
Did we have a memorable summer?

Mommy guilt usually kicks in as I find myself thinking that we should have done more.  I think back to my summers as a child and I recall doing a lot of yard work and gardening and helping my mom around the house.  Not because my parent's forced me to, but because that seemed to be what country kids did in the summer time.  Sure we had fun taking long bike rides.  My sister and I would spend a week or so at my grandparent's when we were younger and when I got older, I would spend a week with my closest cousin in the next county over, but I didn't think twice when my mom would ask me to mow the yard or help with the canning or run the vacuum while on my summer break.

I hope that B enjoyed her summer!

She said she wasn't excited about school, but she was up at 6:30 a.m.  We had a two hour delay because of fog and when Brad told her she could go back to bed, she didn't want to.  I think she was secretly excited. 

Jo was asleep, but I tried to get a picture of B and Mel.  Fail!  Sisters...


Here comes the bus...

And just like that she's off to start her 2nd grade year.  I hope she rocks it this year!
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