love bug's turn

Today was Love Bug's first day of preschool.  My little baby is growing up.  I thought there would be tears but not one tear was shed.  Not one.  Her eyes didn't even water.  I guess after seeing her brother go off to preschool for the past two years she knew the drill and was ready.  Although she refused to let her "pink blanket" stay in the car, it had to go to school with her.

When we went to pick her up this afternoon, her teacher said she had a great day.  In fact all of the kids in her class had a great day.  She said none of the kids cried today.  Which is a great thing...I guess :)

She was exhausted when we got home so nap time was immediate and she fell fast asleep.  And so did I.  I tore a calf muscle on Tuesday playing tennis so I am in a boot for a month and on some good medication.  I have taken a nap every afternoon while Love Bug sleeps too.  Thank goodness D is here playing Mr. Mom and chauffeuring us around...especially since it is my right leg.

Tomorrow The Mayor goes to school and I am pretty sure we are going to have one upset little girl because she doesn't go to school on Fridays.  I think I'm going to regret only sending her two days a week.

I love this stage when their backpacks are just as big as they are

where did my baby go?

my gorgeous girl

saying "cheese"

the backpack wore her out.  The blanket also went with her to school.

first day of prek

Today was The Mayor's first day of PreK.  The day I have been dreading and anticipating all summer finally arrived.  Dreading because it is his last year in preschool and dreading because I am so afraid we are going to run into issues like we did last year.  But anticipating because he is so ready for PreK and anticipating because he has grown so much in the past year and I know this year is going to be a great year for him.

After his speech therapy, D and I loaded up The Mayor and headed straight to school.  As soon as we got into the carpool line, we started preparing him, again, about what was to come.  We reminded him we would unbuckle him and one of the teachers in the school would come get him from the car and take him to his class.  I was preparing myself for tears and a lot of "no" but he surprised us.  He was completely fine.  And I sat in shock and awe as I watched him hop down from the car, holding a teacher's hand (a teacher he has never laid eyes on) and walked into the school with her.  What a change from last year.  Praying this is our new norm and we can utilize carpool all year long.

We picked him up this afternoon and he stood patiently and quietly holding a teacher's hand while we pulled up for him to be loaded in.  His teacher told us he had a great day.  He was a little overwhelmed by the new environment and with the noise and chaos of a classroom full of 4 year olds, but she said a lot of them were as well.  And since The Mayor's OT is specifically working on this (having The Mayor do quiet activities in a room with a lot of noise and chaos) I am confident he will be comfortable in a couple of weeks and this won't be any issue.

To say I am proud of The Mayor is a complete understatement.  He has made such strides and I am hopeful and prayerful that this year is going to be his best preschool year yet.

Tomorrow...Love Bug has her first day.

nothing better than a day in athens

We were out the door by 10AM and in Athens an hour and a half later.  We first went to Meghan's apartment and got the grand tour (I wish Ikea was around when I was in college - their apartment was so cute with fun Ikea furniture and decorations).  After the tour, we loaded up and went to lunch and then back to Meghan's apartment to get her roommate.  Then we made the short drive to downtown and walked around.  I just love downtown Athens.  The atmosphere is amazing.  I actually wanted to go and sit in a lecture.  It really made me miss going to classes and being in college.

We went to a store downtown to get some game day shirts for The Mayor.  I picked him up two shirts and of course found the cutest dress ever for Love Bug.  Even though I told myself she needed no clothes with Georgia/UGA on them since she has plenty, I still caved in.  The dress was too cute not to buy.  After I made my purchases, we walked around downtown and got some frozen yogurt.  By the time we were done with walking, shopping and frozen yogurt, it was 3:00.  The kids were getting tired and we still had to drive back to Atlanta.

The kids were so sad to leave Meghan.  After I promised we would go back and that Meghan would be home soon as well, they agreed to get in the car and head home.  Ten minutes later, Love Bug was passed out in her car seat.

We got home around 5:00 and after a quick dinner and some errands, it was bedtime.  The kids were exhausted from a great day in Athens.

This weekend finds us with no plans and I love weekends like that!  The weather should be great and I hope to spend lots of time outside playing.

Meghan and Love Bug

The Mayor, Meghan and Love Bug

sweet girls

Sue and Love Bug

The Arch - Go Dawgs!

Allyssa, Love Bug and Meghan (Love Bug loved being with the "big girls")

the girls swinging Love Bug

love

meet the teachers

Today was "Meet The Teachers" at preschool.  The Mayor and Love Bug were so excited to get to school and see their new classrooms.  Typical Love Bug - so excited to get there and once she is in class becomes shy, sheds a few tears and then gets won over when her teacher shows her the baby doll collection.  By the end, she is waving, saying "bye-bye" and dishing out hugs for her teachers.

The Mayor did great today.  He patiently waited to get to his class while we went to Love Bug's first.  He sat in a chair quietly and then asked nicely to play with some trains.  He made sure to share the trains with the little ones.  He really has come such a long way.

After we met Love Bug's teachers, we went to The Mayor's class.  He greeted his teachers, made sure he found his name on his cubby and then went straight to the Lego table.  If there aren't trains around, he will find something to build.

I am really excited about this year.  I am going to be honest, I am nervous too.  I really want The Mayor to have a great last year of preschool.  I feel like it has been one hellacious roller coaster the past couple of years and I really want this year to be a great one for him.  He deserves it.  His teachers seem encouraged and everyone I have spoken to has said we couldn't have asked for better PreK teachers.  So now it is in God's Hands...

Tomorrow, we head to Athens to visit Meghan.  The kids are beyond excited.  My dear friend Sue, who happens to be Meghan's mom, is coming with us.  It will be fun to see Meghan in her element instead of her coming here to babysit and play with the kids here at our house.  Plus, a day in Athens...it doesn't get any better than that!

where did my baby go?

such an amazing boy

checking out the dollhouse in her classroom

me and my favorite girl

doing puzzles together

sweet boy...getting tired.  Smiling while sucking his thumb

one crazy week

You would think since we are still in summer mode around here that life would be pretty easy.  But this week has been one crazy week.  I'm not sure why, but this week was just jammed packed with stuff.  I guess we need to get used to it because in a week and a half, we are going to be in for a rude awakening.  No more laid back living...we will be busy bees until next summer.

Last night The Mayor and Love Bug spent the night at Mamie and PopPop's.  It was a last minute thing since D's CEO called that afternoon and asked us to go to dinner.  Thankfully we have family so close to help us in a bind.  The kids were thrilled to be spending the night and D and I got to enjoy a date night.  Mamie and PopPop took the kids to a friend's stable and they were mesmerized by the animals they got to see and help feed.  They saw horses and a pig but apparently the baby kittens were the big hit.

I picked the kids up after breakfast this morning and after some errands and lunch, we went to a birthday party.  It was for Emma and it was a rockstar party theme.  Thankfully Aidan was there because The Mayor and Aidan were the only boys at the party.  Love Bug loved seeing all the big girls play and dance around and I wish I could say The Mayor had a great time but he was not in the best mood.  I think he was exhausted from the slumber party at PopPop and Mamie's and he ended up falling asleep in the car 20 minutes before the party started.  That catnap did not really give him more energy...it kind of had the opposite effect.  He was so whiny.  But at the end of the party, the kids went outside and blew bubbles and that brightened his mood.  Thank goodness!

We came home for much needed rest time.  Since The Mayor wasn't in a great mood and Love Bug missed her nap because of the party, we really needed some downtime.  Cars 2 went into the DVD player and once that was over, it was dinner time.  After dinner we went outside to ride bikes and then it was baths and bed.  The kids were both asleep about 5 minutes after their lights were turned out.

Tomorrow is church and then more play time.  This week is our last full week of summer and the start of The Mayor's speech therapy.  He will be going twice a week and I am so thankful we start speech therapy the week before PreK.  I am worried about his jam-packed schedule for this school year so I am happy we can introduce new things in stages.

checking out the big girls dancing

taking it all in

rockstar

Aidan and The Mayor enjoying some yummy cake

Love Bug 

one second ago

Today my heart is breaking.  Today, I found out a friend of mine from high school lost her husband yesterday.  He was serving in Afghanistan and lost his life to a suicide bombing.  She is my age and has 2 year old twins.

I get it.  Life sucks.  And we are not guaranteed any amount of time on this Earth.  But it still doesn't keep me from somehow naively thinking we are still immune to loss.  But we aren't guaranteed anything.  We aren't guaranteed the next second.  We are only guaranteed one second ago.  Our past.  And I hate that it takes moments in life like this to make me appreciate what I have staring at me in the face.  It makes the whining and temper tantrums so much more tolerable when you think about someone else in the world attempting to accept the fact she is a 36 year old widow.

And I should know better.  I know loss.  But even after experiencing a loss you just never think will ever occur to you, I still have days where I think I am immune to losing someone again.  And I hate it is days like this that remind me of just how fragile life really is.  I hate someone else has to lose so I can gather an appreciation for what I have.  Why can't I appreciate it everyday?

I need to log off now and go love on my blessings...and start appreciating.

boys day

The Mayor and Aidan had a boys only play date today.  The Mayor was so excited...he talked about Aidan coming over all morning.  They came over when Love Bug went down for her nap and the boys darted off to the basement.  They played for almost 3 hours...completely by themselves.  It was awesome.  Vicki and I got to enjoy some adult conversation upstairs while the boys played trains, cars and whatever else they could get into in the basement.  There was no screaming, crying or fighting while they played in the basement; it was such a fun and relaxing afternoon.  Love Bug was thrilled Aidan was still here when she woke from her nap and she got in a few minutes of play time as well.

Tomorrow promises to be just as fun.  We have a pool play date in the morning and then I am getting my hair cut off!  Tomorrow evening I am having a fun girls night out at the nail salon with the ladies in our Sunday School class.  I am really excited about my day of pampering!