First Day of School

Yes, I am about a week and a half late in posting this, but this new schedule is kicking my booty!  I think we are finally starting to fall into a routine, but I know it takes a month to form a habit...I guess we are halfway there. :)

The day before school started, I had my sister take a family picture at church.  It turned out really nice.

I needed it for Nathan's lunchbox.  See:

I know that some parents put notes in their kids' lunches every day, but my kindergartener can't read yet!  I thought this would be a nice reminder of how much his family loves him.  But, I wasn't sure if it would embarrass him, because, you know, he has a reputation to maintain.  He put all my fears aside, though, when the first thing he said upon entering the van after school was, "You put a picture in my lunch!" with a big grin.  Whew!  He even checked the next morning to make sure that I had left it there.  One and a half weeks later, it's still there and will probably remain there until we decide to replace it, it becomes ruined or I am asked to remove it.

I had a friend recently start an embroidery business so I asked her to make a "Kindergarten Rocks" shirt for Nathan.  It turned out AWESOME!  (Even Daddy liked it.)  Our little man was HAPPY to show it off the first day of school...after he had hoped right out of bed, scarfed down breakfast, and gotten dressed.

We got Nathan to school a bit early - around 7:30-7:40 a.m.  Because it was the first day, we were able to walk him in...and yes, we all 4 walked him in as Sean went in to work late that day so he could go.  Nathan was most impressed by his locker.

He strutted into class, and Sean helped him find his seat.  I snuck in for one last glimpse of my baby and a picture of he and his teacher, Ms. Cone.  Oh, yeah...and that one last glimpse...I was hoping for a hug, kiss...something!  I had to ask for a hug, and it was quite forced.  My baby is growing up!

I didn't think to get any pictures of he and I or he and Sean.  Let's just say that I was not quite myself that day.  I didn't cry...BUT when we went to the Coffee and Kleenex breakfast for new parents, one of the PTO moms asked me how it went...I felt the tears well up, and I couldn't speak there for a minute.  I was pretty much that way during the entire breakfast...heck, I was like that the entire day!  All someone had to do was get me talking about my baby growing up.

For dinner that night, we went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate OUR first day of kindergarten.

A week and a half later, Nathan is thriving.  His teacher told me that he makes friends with everyone - yep, that's my boy. (my politician)  He jumps out of bed in the morning and gets ready for school without too much prompting.  He gets in the van every afternoon talking about how much fun he had at school.  Nate is an older kindergartener - he will turn 6 next month; he was so ready to start school this year (but was definitely not ready last year).  As for me, I am getting used to the routine.  I LOVE hearing his excitement about school and becoming a big kid...and yet, I also love seeing his face light up and seeing him wave when he sees me in the carpool lane.  He might have made his first flight of independence, but he still holds my heart!

Meet the Teacher

Tonight, we got to meet Nathan's very first teacher - Ms. Cone.  I went into the meeting a bit apprehensive and concerned - afterall, she is going to have my baby longer than I will during his waking hours. :)  But, a few minutes with Ms. Cone put me at ease.  I feel like we are on the same page and are in this journey together.  Nathan was REALLY excited about his room and walked around checking it out with Daddy and Elijah.  However, he got all shy and put his head on the desk when I tried to get him to talk to the boy who sits across the table from him.  (I think Monday might be exciting!)

When we got home, I had a message from a friend of mine who made Nathan's first day of school shirt.  She brought it by tonight, and I LOVE it!  I'll leave it as a surprise for Monday, but my boy will be "rockin'."

As we inch closer and closer to Monday, this song keeps playin in my head (and goes along with my last post)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4NS7...eature=related

I know all I've been writing about is Nathan and him starting kindergarten, but...well...that's all we are talking about around here.  Here's a funny story in closing...tonight at dinner, Nathan was concerned that we wouldn't pick him up from school.  I assured him that I would never leave him at school, and then Sean and I both said that we loved him and couldn't live without him.  "Oh, you love ME, just not Elijah!" Ha!  Knowing Nathan, I am pretty sure that he is convinced that he is loved more because he is not the one always getting in trouble (Elijah pushes the boundaries).  We nipped that thought process in the bud; it had the makings for the Prodigal Son story to me!!!  :)

Here's a recent shot of all 3 of our cuties in the sunflowers, taken by Desiree Chapman of Bella Mia Portraits.  It's next to impossible to get 3 looking at the camera with cute faces so she did the best she could with what they gave her.  It's a great shot!

My Baby

Six years ago, I waited in eager anticipation for the birth of my firstborn.  I could not wait to become a mother!  Ten short weeks later, I met my Nathan Isaac face-to-face.  I loved spending one on one time with Nathan as a newborn and toddler.  But, as a first time parent, I was a bit too eager for him to reach the next milestone, the next stage.

Nathan has always been the typical firstborn - receiving attention from everyone (esp. his Uncle Sam).

As I watched him grow from a baby to a toddler to a preschooler...I was amazed at the blessing and gift God had given me in my son.  Sean & I always wanted children and being a stay-at-home mommy was always a dream of mine.  To see that dream become a reality, still leaves me in awe sometimes.

And then, even that preschool age faded as he turned 5 last fall.  FIVE?!  How could I have a five year old?!  I had babies, not children!!!  But, much to our chagrin, they do grow up.

With almost six years of motherhood under my belt, there are times where I wish I could go back and savor every moment of those one on one times I had with my firstborn.  I did not know how fast it would go by and how much I would miss it!  So, here we stand today...with our first hill behind us(infancy/toddlerhood/preschool years)...and our first cliff before us - where my baby will take his first flight (kindergarten)!  I pray that he does well; I know this is not the last flight he'll take as he has many more ahead of him.  Mama might shed a few tears, but I'll be his biggest cheerleader.  I anticipate what lies ahead of this young man.  I have known from the time he was in my womb that God's hand was upon him.  His name means "God's gift of laughter," and I know he will touch the world with that.  He has a very outgoing personality and a compassionate heart.  Shortly after his birth, it was prophesied that he would go to lands and do things that his grandfather and father only dreamed of reaching.  I cannot wait to see this come into fruition!

Nathan, as we stand here together just 4 days before your big first flight, know that you can do ALL things through Jesus who gives you strength (Phil 4:13 - the first verse you ever memorized).  May His love be the wind that allows you to soar through this!  I love you very much, sweetie, and will always be here for you cheering you on!

Book Sneeze

Giving this a program so you might see a review in the near future... :)

Our "Powder Puff Girl" is Rolling!

Let me clarify...by rolling, I do not mean that she is getting around by rolling across the room.  Not YET.  Come on, she's only 3 months old!  BUT, during the Super Bowl party at church last night, I put her on her tummy and watched her roll onto her back for the first time. :)  I think she is the first of my kids that I actually got to SEE do this.  Love it!  I tried yelling at my mom to look while she did it, but it was rather hard to hear in there with the game on.  (She did catch on and saw Kadynce on her back shortly thereafter.)  It won't be long before she'll roll from her back to her tummy - she can get to her side but not all the way over yet. 

And now for her new title of "Powder Puff Girl..."  We had MOPS this morning, and I was holding her during our group's discussion time.  At one point, I thought I smelled a dirty diaper.  She was sitting up on the table so I leaned her head on my shoulder and peeked at the diaper from the top.  As I opened the diaper, she let out a little toot and "poof" - out came a poof of baby powder.  It was hilarious, and the 2 other ladies at my table at the time got quite a kick out of it.  Thus, she has earned herself the title of "Powder Puff Girl." :)

Happy Valentine's Day from our own "Powder Puff Girl!"

Darn Wisdom Teeth

So...why do we have wisdom teeth?!  Very few people actually get to keep them or have room for them, and most people go through much pain with them.  I have often wondered what God's reasoning was in giving us these extra teeth since very few people can actually use them!  I am not one of those lucky people.  I have been battling with my wisdom teeth since high school, and the time has finally come for them to be removed IMMEDIATELY!

When Kadynce was about 3 weeks old (right before Thanksgiving), I started having some pain on the left side of my mouth.  Very soon, I realized that I was clenching my jaw/gritting my teeth whenever I slept.  Sean later told me that I was grinding my teeth at times as well.  The pain subsided for a few weeks around Christmas and New Year's, but it started up again at the end of Jan.  I finally broke down and went to the dentist last week.  I have a rather large cavity in my upper left wisdom tooth - which is fully in.  I am now finishing my last day of penicillin and will be calling an oral surgeon this week.  I was told that I need that tooth out ASAP...within the next 2 weeks.  So, we are working fast and furiously on that!  Blech!  I am getting all 4 done at once...2 will be pulled (top) and 2 will be surgically removed.

I am hoping to get this scheduled on a Friday so that Sean only has to miss one day of work to help with my recovery.  He will probably stay with the kids, and my mom will help me.  I am waking early every morning to pump as I suspect that even if I CAN nurse Kadynce during this time, I will not feel like it (thank goodness that she takes a bottle).  My sis is helping with this part of the endeavor (and I am eternally grateful) - I KNEW there was a reason we got pregnant at the same time. LOL

I will keep everyone posted on this...as much as I hate the idea of it! :)

Tissue...Kiss You...

Last Thursday, I had to go to the dentist so my mom watched the boys for me (Kadynce stayed with me).  Elijah said something to my mom...and having worked with children most of her life, she went to interpret what he said as a mispronunciation of the phrase, "Kiss You."  She immediately corrected him - "Elijah, say k-k-kiss you."  He confusingly obliged and said, "K-k-kiss you!"  Nathan finally spoke up on his brother's behalf and said, "Mawmaw, he needs a TISSUE!"  Apparently, Elijah had originally said, "I need a tissue," and my mom heard, "I need to 'tiss' you." LOL  How cute is that (on both parts)?!

Not the best picture, but it's the most recent one I have of Elijah on the computer. :)