Sharp sticks are fun

How you know this is my fourth child, not my first child:

I was glad she had found something to play with.

Back to school!

As a veteran of one year as a "back-to-school" mom, I think the first day of school puts a pause on the craziness of life. For that day, everything seems to slow down, you see that another year has passed, and your children are growing up WAY too fast.

It was almost too much for me this year. What did we do this last year?! How can you be suddenly so grown up?! You want to wear what?

But everyone was thrilled to be starting up again. Even me who has at least one rant each year about the absurdity of starting school at the beginning of August (even when I didn't have kids in school). But it was time.

Andrew got the teacher he somehow decided he must have. Ms. Matthew. She is very sweet and he loves her class. She sent a letter before school started telling the kids how excited she was to have them in her class and she told them that some of the things she likes to do include "sing songs (in English and Spanish), play games with math, spelling, grammar, and do exciting science and social studies activities".

As I was reading the letter out loud, Andrew exclaimed, "I LOVE THOSE THINGS!!" as he hopped up and down. It's nice to be reminded that even though he is growing up way too fast, 6 years old is still so small. He is still excited about everything. I love it.

He looks forward to going to school each day, obviously feels that first graders are much older and more mature than kindergartners, and still prays every day that he will get a green light for good behavior. So far the prayer has been answered, even when he dumped applesauce on somebody's head at lunch. oops.

On a positive note, he did confess to it when he got into the car. Even after admitting that he had done something but he didn't want to tell me what it was because he thought he would get in trouble.

Look at that face...he wouldn't dump applesauce on someone's head! And yet, he did.

Natalie is at Miss Tiffany's this year. She is in 7th heaven. Not only is she enjoying Miss Tiffany, but her best friend/soul sister, Nora, is in her class. She didn't just want to know when she got to start school, she wanted to know when she got to go to "Nora's school."

This is Natalie's typical picture pose.

Natalie directed me how she wanted her hair done, which is something she does daily. Sometimes she even plans it out the night before.

And poor James. Stuck at home with mom and Amelia. He asks me all day every day when are we going to get Andrew and when are we going to get Natalie. But I think he is starting to enjoy the quiet and the attention a little bit. And maybe he really enjoys being able to choose to watch "Rocket" every once in a while too without older sibling censorship.

Bubbles and Blogs

Phew. I haven't blogged in a long time.

And I miss it. I miss the different perspective it sometimes gave me in those difficult moments. When I could see the situation in "blogspective" and grab my camera instead of a scowl of some sort. And I really am missing those moments that need to be remembered. It goes by much too fast and what with my complete lack of a memory, it will all be forgotten. And I really don't want to forget. Yes, there are times that I do not want to repeat. EVER. But I do want to remember. And I especially want to remember those soft, tender, fun, warm moments.

So, thanks to the encouragement of my sister-in-law Chelsee, I am going to give it a go again. A very casual go.

And I'll start with yesterday (which is now several days ago). And bubbles. And LOTS of pictures.

So, here is the story of a boy and his bubbles. But really it is several stories of a boy and his sister. And that is why I have missed blogging. Because I have not been recording these stories.

Story 1:

Boy blows bubbles (I think this is the only time he actually blew some). Boy catches bubble on wand. Boy lets sister touch bubble. Sister loves it. Mom loves interaction and sister's baby-hands clapping.

Story 2:

Boy runs circles around sister. Sister stands there on baby legs loving it.

Story 3:

Boy eats bubbles. Yuck.

Sequel:

Boy tries to feed bubbles to sister after he knows what they taste like.

Story 4:

Boy covers sister's head in bubbles. Really. It was dripping down the sides of her head. But mom seemed to mind more than she did.

Story 5:

Boy really can be sweet.

Story 6:

Picture speaks for itself. Mom's favorite of the bunch.

Story 7:

Sister watches every move boy makes.

Story 8:

Addresses important questions such as:

When did boy get so big?

And why is he wearing his shirt like that?

Story 9 in two parts.

Part 1:

I'm cute.

Part 2:

I'm sassy.

These stories were brought to us by some bubbles sent by Grandma and trees that have finally grown tall enough to give us a little shade on a hot August afternoon.