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First Week of (Pre) School 2011-2012

We spent a lot of last week getting the kids ready for their first week of pre school that started this week. This is Hayden's third year and Emerson's first! Between meet the teacher for both kids, a hair cut for Hayden (we buzzed it one last time before fall since it's still so hot and he was insistent on another cut like Daddy's...fauxhawk, we'll be back soon!), picking up nap mats and getting totes and back packs monogrammed, to buying new undies and socks and making sure we had lots of food stocked for school lunches, we were busy but finally ready come Sunday night.

I laid out Hayden's outfit, got his back pack ready, clothes labeled, and made his lunch all the night before. It just keeps the mornings less chaotic that way. I did the same for Emerson Monday night, too. Her first day was yesterday, Tuesday.


The morning of Hayden's first day, I made his favorite breakfast, cinnamon rolls!! And off we went.


I have to back up here for a minute. At meet the teacher last Friday, I went with Ems to her class and Kris took Hayden to his. They were at same time. It's times like that where I need a clone but luckily Kris helps me! After meet the teacher Hayden wanted to see Emerson's class. She's in the same class he was in his first year so he was excited about that. After that he was TOO cute showing her the motor skills room and telling her all about what her day would be like. He told her that he'd be there to keep an eye on her and if she were to get upset, the teachers could get him and he'd be there for her. Seriously, melt.

When I picked up Hayden the teachers said he had a good day and he seemed really happy. I took the kids for a dipped ice cream cone afterwards.

The next morning it was time to celebrate Emerson's first day! I made this yummy Nutella stuffed french toast recipe that I found and it was so easy and really good. The whole family enjoyed. The drop off was super quick as the teachers explained that it's much easier that way. When Kris and I went to peek in on her she was happily playing. My big girl! When I picked her up they said she had a great day but no nap. Her teacher said to me "but we remember Hayden didn't nap either!" It's kind of cool to have her known already by her big brother. I think that will be nice when they get older, too. I think I always wanted a big brother growing up for that reason. Hayden and I made whoopie pies together that afternoon for a special after first day(s) of school snack. Yum!


The motor skills teacher told me that when she saw Hayden at school, she told him that they had his little sister in motor skills and how much fun she had with the balloons and the balls and she said that Hayden replied "good, did she eat all of her lunch and take a nap?" LOL. He asked me the same questions when I picked them both up along with "did she stay in line?"


I'm not going to lie... I've been enjoying my 'more then normal' quiet time this week. And the day Emerson went, it was very relaxing to have just the baby! After a busy summer, I'm grateful for the time the kids have to be social and to have fun in a school environment and for the fact that it allows me to "miss them" having been away from them for a bit!

Big batch of iphone pics coming soon!

H*E*S

Whenever a post is titled H*E*S, it's going to be an update on the kiddos!

Hayden

Hayden is turning 5 in 3 months and I can hardly believe it. He loves all things transformers. He wants to have a transformer themed fifth birthday party. He also loves super heroes.

He took his first shower by himself after being at the property with Daddy Sunday morning. He has a Lightening McQueen loofah that he used and he actually washed himself pretty well. Of course, I gave him a quick wash after wards just to be sure but I think for the most part, he can do it himself. He also really enjoys to do his own laundry. I'll take it! He was initially interested in the laundry b/c he would look for a particular item of clothing and I'd tell him it was dirty and it needed to be washed. So now he always wants to make sure all of his favorite pj's, underwear and clothes are clean. He loves to hang his shirts and fold and to load the washer. He even enjoys helping me with dishes. He loves being the oldest!

Hayden still wants to be just like Dad. It's the sweetest. He likes to draw pictures and write everyone's names. He loves doing crafts and recently helped me create a stained glass master piece! He's also mastered the monkey bars and has taken his climbing to new heights, literally. He's climbing fences and the top of his play set. Makes me nervous.

Hayden still loves school and excited to start back next week. He has been talking about Kindergarten for several years now. I'm always explaining that he has one more year before that though.

Emerson


Emerson these days could not be more adorable!! She is talking up a storm and such a little girl. She loves all things pink and princess or barbies, who she thinks are princesses. She calls all princesses "p p's" and requests to watch her "p p" movies often. She has a princess tooth brush and toothpaste, princess vitamins and loves to brush her teeth and get her vitamins b/c of it. Any time she sees something in the store that is pink or has a princess on it, she says "my p p" and reaches for it.

She loves giving kisses and will not go to bed until she gives a kiss to each one of us and if we forget someone she'll be sure to remind us. Throughout the day she requests to give us kisses often. If we ask for a kiss or hug and for some reason she doesn't want to in that moment, all we have to do is fake cry and she'll immediately hug and kiss us. She says thank you unprompted after I give her things, every time.

Emerson still loves balloons but is afraid of them popping when Hayden is playing rough with them. She will ball her fists and put them next to her face and shiver a little while saying "I'm scared." She does that at night sometimes too if she's trying to convince us to leave the door open. She wants to do a lot of things for herself these days like change her own diaper and tells me "I got it" pretty often.

She listens pretty good, especially when asked to do something like pick up toys, etc. She's definitely a pleaser.

She is constantly asking me to paint her toes and nails. She's finally at an age where she'll sit while I read her books and has a new found love for them! The girl is also a fan of her brothers, let me tell you. She is constantly copying Hayden. In the morning, as soon as she wakes up and tells me "morning Mama", she'll immediately look for Hayden and want to say "hi" and "morning" to him, too. And as much as she notices pink and girly stuff for herself, she notices all of the boy stuff for Hayden and will point and say "for Hayden". She calls Sawyer "SoSo" and loves to kiss and hug him.

I cherish my girl!!

Sawyer

Sawyer is now 7 months old, with two bottom teeth. He sits up by himself and scoots and rolls all around. He just started to eat the little puffs and teether biscuits. He also gives himself his pacifier. He still will not take a bottle for the life of him. He's a total boob man! Literally. He's been a great nurser from day 1 and we're still going strong. With Emerson I was not a big fan of breastfeeding but I did it for 9 months. With Sawyer, it's been so easy and I guess with it being my second go around, it doesn't bother me at all so I think we will probably go for the whole year unless he has other plans.

Sawyer loves to hold and play with toys. If you take something away, he'll get upset. He is NOT a big fan of baby food. So far, he really only likes pears. We give him others but we have to work harder at it and sneak it in. He makes the funniest faces when eating baby food that he doesn't like. Emerson was never really into baby food either. I wonder if it's a breastfeeding thing?

When we push Sawyer in his swing outside, he makes the cutest, to die for face and arms when the swing goes back. I've tried to record it but you can't see it as well on video as you can in person. He'll stick his little arms and balled fists {similar to Emerson's I'm scared face} up by his face and shiver with his eyes real big. He does it if you barely hold him up high over your head in your arms, too.

He still smiles constantly. His smile is contagious and heart warming. He loves everybody and is SO happy. His spirit is SO sweet and loving, I can hardly stand it. When I pick him up and hold him close, I swear he hugs me tight each time. He nuzzles his face into me and squeezes tight. We're bonded in a special way.

I find that little baby things that might of been frustrating in the past like when he makes the motor boat noise while eating baby food and it sprays everywhere, I smile and laugh vs. getting frustrated. I think I know it's my last baby so things like that effect me differently.

Next month marks three years of stay-at-home motherhood for me. I can hardly believe that. Hayden wasn't even two years old when I left the work force to be home. I've since had two more children. So crazy to me. There hasn't been one day where I wish I was doing something else. I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be and I am fulfilled in more ways then one. I have the best job! Thank you to a good God and hard working husband for making it possible.

Moody Gardens Palm Beach & The Science Museum

We had a busy weekend! I wanted to take advantage of a plan free weekend and do some fun things as a family, especially with the school year fast approaching. During the week there are so many things I do with the kids that I wish Kris could be a part of. It was nice for him to be able to join us.

Saturday we headed to Moody Gardens and spent the afternoon at the water park attraction called Palm Beach. I had been hearing a lot about it and it sounded like fun. We met our friends Rob and Andrea and their little girl down there. The water park had a lazy river, wave pool, splash pad and water slides. We snacked in the white sand under an umbrella while the kids built sand castles. One thing I liked was the view of the bay from the water park. Very scenic.



When we left there, we went to the strand for an early dinner, window shopping and of course dessert! There was also a live band that we stopped and listened to for a bit. It was a really fun day and we were exhausted by the end of it.



Sunday we went out to one of our favorite places for lunch and then headed to the museum district. We went mainly to see an IMAX film at the Houston Museum of Natural Science but figured we might as well get the whole museum experience while we were there. Funny story behind that actually.

I googled 'IMAX Houston' and went onto a natural science museum website that it gave me in the search results. It was advertising a tornado IMAX feature which I was so excited about b/c Hayden loves watching the show Storm Chasers and is enthralled by all things weather. It was going to be the perfect show for us!



When we got to the museum Kris went to buy our tickets and told them we wanted to see the tornado feature. He thought it was odd when they gave him tickets to the planeterium and not the IMAX but he figured that must have been what I'd seen on the website. So after touring the museum we went to our show and it was the most boring 30 minutes of our lives. It was a major disappointment.

Kris said the lady told him that was the only show they had playing with tornados in it. Perplexed (and very bummed about not seeing an IMAX like we intended) I got back on the internet when we got home to find the show I'd originally seen. It turns out I was on the website of the scienece museum in New York, NY. Very cool looking museum by the way! It had me excited that morning about going! :)



I can be an airhead sometimes, what can I say? But, we are defnitely going to go back to see an actual IMAX. There was a shark one advertised that we think Hayden will like since he loves sharks, too!

We did enjoy the museum though and had yet another nice day.