Wordless Wednesday

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the kids together:

 



What we have been up to and baby update

Now that the girls are back in school, we are getting back into busy season.  This fall will be especially busy with a new baby added into the mix.  Both girls are in soccer, and they are very excited to be back playing the sport they both enjoy.  Brayden could have played in Tiny Tots, but I knew better than to push my luck having 3 in soccer with new baby.

The girls are loving school, and so far I am really liking both of their teachers, although I am not sure they can measure up to Ella's kindergarten teacher.  Mrs. Oliver was amazing!  I still try to talk to her several times a week.  I had a meeting with both teachers today, and of course the girls are doing awesome!  As if I expected any different.  I am one proud momma of my smart girls.

We took Brayden to Chuck E. Cheese's on his actual birthday (the girls first day of school), and of course he had a blast.  Even better, we were the only ones there for a very long time.  He loves guns, so his favorite games were Shoot the Monsters (with water) and Shoot the Spiders.  Then he found the game where you watch a screen and it takes you on a roller coaster ride, and he loved that as well.  Actually, I think he had a blast playing and doing just about everything in there.

7 days after Brayden's birthday, it was time to celebrate Maddi.  She turned 9 this year, and I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by.  I had a dr. appt. scheduled with a sonogram, so we got the girls out of school early, so they could be with us when we saw the baby.  Maddi had soccer practice that night, and we ended the day with a cookie cake and presents.

Things are about to get even more crazy in our house.  My due date isn't till September 24th but we are inducing this Thursday.  When we got the sono last week, the doctor noticed that I had a lot of extra fluid (double the amount I am supposed to have) and that baby girl is already big (measuring 8 lbs.) so she bumped up my induction date by a week.  I am nervous and not quite sure I am ready to go through everything, but it is happening whether I am ready or not.  Luckily my mom is still able to come in and help which will be a HUGE life saver while Marco and I are in the hospital.

The great thing is the kids are very ready to meet their baby sister.  Brayden has been loving on my belly and talking to it (more like yelling), and he wants to buy the baby something at every store we go to.  I have been loving on him all that I can before his "baby" card is handed over.  I know that once he gets used to her being here, he will be a great big brother!

38 weeks has crept and flown by, I have had many mixed emotions (some high and some very low), and one thing is for sure, by the end of the week, I will be a mom of 4!!

Summer is almost over

I can't believe the end of summer is this week!  School starts Monday for the girls.  Maddi will be going into 3rd grade and Ella into 1st.

In some ways it went by way too slow, with six (yes 6!) kids under one roof I was ready to throw in the towel most days.  By 6 kids, I mean my three plus Savannah, plus the two kids I was babysitting.  The four oldest were girls (ages 10, 8, 6, and 6) and then two little boys (2 and 3).  My days were spent breaking up fights, consoling Ella (who was always crying and nothing was ever fair), being the bad guy by making the kids play outside, and telling the boys to leave the girls alone.  All those kids plus being huge and pregnant, made for some very long days.

In some ways it went by way too fast.  It feels like yesterday that it was May and the girls were just getting out of school for summer.

I hate the feeling that I didn't do enough with the kids while they were out for the summer.  We didn't go on vacations, we didn't stay up late watching movies and eating popcorn (most days I was ready for the kids to go to bed at 8), we didn't swim as much as I wanted to, we didn't do any cool crafts, we didn't get out of the house to do as many fun things as I wanted to do (Science Spectrum, dollar movies, etc.), and I didn't take very many pictures at all.  The list could truly go on and on.

With the start of school, our busy schedule comes back.  We have 2 birthdays to plan for.  Brayden will be turning 3 next week and Maddi will be 9 at the beginning of September.  Then we will be having a baby some time in September.  Plus both girls are starting fall soccer next month.  I am not sure what else we could fit into our September schedule.

I wanted to post more and update throughout the summer, but all my posts would have been very negative.  It was very hard for me to see the good most days.  Marco was blessed with a new job, Savannah was able to come in for the summer, and I made extra money by babysitting, but honestly, most days I was negative nancy.  I let my frustrations get the best of me, and I did not enjoy the moments that I should have.  I regret that now.  That is time that I will not get back.

Since I was so blah over the summer I think it is best that I figure out what I am looking forward to in the coming months.

Finishing school shopping
Meeting the teachers on Friday
Brayden's birthday party and my baby shower this weekend, which will hopefully include my mom driving in for the week
Getting back on a school schedule
Maddi's birthday and her birthday party
Start of fall soccer for the girls
Hopefully a baby sooner rather than later in September

How was your summer?  Did you do everything you wanted to do?

What are you looking forward to with the start of fall?

 



Last day of school

Today I sent the girls off to their last day of school for the year.  Our summer will officially start at noon. 

I can't believe how quickly this year flew by.  I couldn't have been more pleased with the girls' school (after our super quick move) than I am, we truly lucked out with a great school and AMAZING teachers!

Maddi is very sad to be leaving school, she is worried that she will lose all her friends over the summer.  I sent her today with my number, so she can give it out to her friends so they can keep in touch.  I can't say that I blame her for being sad.  With as much as we have moved, she has been through a lot of friends.

 

She did amazing in school this year!  She kept all A's (mostly high 90s), she is reading way beyond her school level, she feel in love with art, and she amazes me with her ease of learning.  She loves to learn and soaks up everything like a sponge.  I really hope she continues throughout her upcoming school years.  I am so very proud of her!  She has really grown up this past year!  Here is her first day vs. last day comparison picture! 

Ella is so excited to be a first grader!  She told me this morning, "mom at 12 o'clock when we get out of school, I will be a first grader!"  She has really grown into her own person this year.  She did great this year in school.  She learned how to read, she made some good friends, and she is slowly how to write better (she has very messy hand writing). 

She tried to pretend to be sad this morning, but she really wasn't.  Her teacher Mrs. Oliver was amazing and nurtured her and helped her realize how truly smart she is.  Mrs. Oliver told me on a weekly basis how much she loved Ella and how amazing she was.  We couldn't have asked for a better teacher for the start of Ella's school journey.  I am so proud of how far she has come in the past year.

 Ella's comparison pictures from first day to last day of kinder.  I didn't realize how much she has grown up and changed.  I love her so much (even though we butt heads on a daily hourly basis).  She is so funny, loving, beautiful and silly.

Since the girls took their lunch almost everyday to school, I always wrote on their napkins everyday, but today I included special treats to go along with their normal lunch.  I hope they enjoy them!

 
This year brought on so many changes and growth for my girls. 

I love my girls so very much and I am ready to spend the summer with them!  

School Programs

Today both girls had recognition programs where they sang some songs and then were given awards. 

They both were so excited to dress up in their fancy dresses and wear high heels to school.  Ella even asked if she could wear makeup and perfume!  I just wish I would have gotten up earlier to really fix their hair, but they looked beautiful anyway.

Ella's program was bright and early this morning.  I basically dropped the girls off at school, went back home to change and get Brayden dressed, and then went back up to the school for her program.  We didn't get good seats, I guess most of the parents went in when they dropped their kids off before the bell.  I am not that parent.  I barely brushed my hair this morning, much less get dressed and ready before I take the kids to school.  I was able to take Maddi out of her class to go and watch Ella.  She was excited about not going to P.E.  (I am not sure my girly girl is my child LOL I would have never missed P.E.)  Ella's program was cute.  They sang a few songs, talked about the things they learned in kindergarten, showed a slide show (which I couldn't really see) and then passed out awards.  Ella's award was for creative writing.  Then we went back to her class for some hugs and pictures before we left.  I am very proud of how far Ella has come this year, and I owe it all to Mrs. Oliver.  She has been a great teacher!!

Maddi's program was after lunch, so it gave Brayden and I time to come home and relax before heading back to the school. 

Not as many parents were there, so we were able to get decent seats (plus Maddi's class was on the very back of the risers, so she was easy to spot).  Ella wanted to go see Maddi's program so I took her out of class also.  It makes my heart happy to know they wanted to support each other.  Maddi's program was just about the same as Ella's.  They sang some songs, showed a slide show of the year, and then passed out awards.  Maddi was able to pick what award she wanted, and she chose art.  Which totally suits her.  She says all the time she wants to be an artist or an art teacher when she grows up.  I can definitely see her doing something creative in her life.

Brayden was not into the programs and spent Ella's playing on my phone and Maddi's playing on the floor.  He can be such a handful sometimes, but I don't blame a 2 year old for being uninterested.

Today was a good day overall, made even better when I was able to bring both girls home after Maddi's program.  We are relaxing, watching Pocahontas, and they enjoyed a cupcake.

There is only a few days left till summer, and it is hard to believe how quickly time is flying by.  If only there was a way to slow it down.

Till next time!

School Update

School update:

Maddi is loving second grade!  She loves her teachers (yes I said teachers).  She has 3 different ones!  She has a teacher for English and reading, one for math and science, and one for social studies.  And that doesn't include the teachers for specials like art, music and PE.  I think it is crazy for the kids to be changing classes in second grade, but it seems to be working really well.  I would like to think it is good for the teachers, so they get a break from having the same kids all day and it probably breaks up the day for the students to change environments and teachers.  She has made several friends (one named Ella and one named Bella :)), and has even said she wants to go to third, fourth and fifth grade here.

Ella is really liking school so far.  Her teacher seems really amazing and has the softest, sweetest voice I think I have ever heard.  I am not sure she would be capable of being mad for any reason at any student.  I really like her, and I have only talked to her for maybe 5 minutes.  In kinder here in Lubbock, they still have a "rest" time, so Ella took a blanket to lay on, a blanket to cover up with, a pillow pet and a stuffed animal to nap with.  I love that idea.  It gives the kids time to rest their mind and recharge, even if they don't sleep.  She is so proud of the work she brings home and I have been enjoying hearing about everything she has made.

We are getting settled into Lubbock and our new routine, and I am so glad that they both love their new school so much.  It makes moving here so much more worth it.  This may have been the best possible move for my family.

I think it is safe to say that we are loving the change in our environment!

First day of school

I know I said that I would post about our super quick move, and I promise I will, but I have to talk about something more important today.

School.

We have to say goodbye to the summer fun of late nights and sleeping in, swimming and popsicles, lounging around all day, and trade it in for back to school clothes and supplies shopping, early mornings and early bedtimes, and homework.

Yesterday, Maddison started second grade and my sweet Gabriella started kinder.  I was very surprised that I didn't cry, because I felt like I wanted too.  I kept it together, I guess, because my hubby was with me.

I wasn't as upset that Maddi started kinder, because I knew she was very, very ready to be in school.  She is so smart and flourishes in school.  She is the oldest in the class, since her birthday missed the kinder cutoff by 3 days.  She was almost 6 when she started, and now she in second grade and has less than a week till she turns 8.  She is a very advanced reader, and is able to pick up things she doesn't know very quick.  Her new school teacher seems like she will be great at challenging Maddi, and even try to get her back into Talented and Gifted.

Gabriella is very different.  If I could, I would keep her home forever.  I feel like most days while Maddi was at school and I was home with Ella and Brayden, that Ella didn't get nearly as much attention as she needed.  I truly loved having her around me, but I took for granted the time I had her home.  I truly am upset that I let the computer (facebook, blogging, pinterest) come inbetween our relationship.  The tv became her babysitter while I dealt with Brayden.  The time that flew by is time with her that I can never get back.  I will miss her terribly every single day, and I will try not to make the same mistakes with Brayden.

Thinking about this, has actually brought tears to my eyes as I reveal to you that I have made mistakes.

I hope my girls both thrive in class, make lots of friends, and have lots of fond memories to take away from this school year.  I will cherish the stories that they tell and I cannot wait to hear about there days at school.

Here are some pictures from my girls' first day of school:

Maddison

I truly cannot believe that Maddison is about to turn 5 (Sept 3rd). She is one of the most amazing children I have ever seen. She is so beautiful, she is very smart, and she is so loving. I am so blessed to be her mom, and I am so thankful that God chose me for her. I know that she is destined to do something great in this world. She loves singing, playing her guitar, gymnastics and dance. She is always wanting to color or paint. She is already trying to find a talent, so she can go on America's Got Talent, so I know she is going to do something big in her life.

I am kinda sad that she isn't going to kindergarden this year, but I did not even mention it to her. I am more upset that she will not have any kids her age (5 year olds) to hang out with at school. She is so smart and I don't want her to be held back in any way. I know she will survive, I know she has friends, and I know I shouldn't be worried, but I am her mom after all.

I love my Maddi, and I couldn't imagine my life without her!