Another Little Piece of My Heart Now...

Baby.

Dropped Baby Set off for his first day of Mother's Day Out. This was a first for him and to me it felt like I was letting a little piece of my heart go for the day. I guess I am. Isn't that what the saying says... Being a mom is like having your heart walking around outside your body... or something like that?

He is going to Trinity Methodist which is pretty close to our house and is across the street from St. Mark's Episcopal where Charlie will start next week. That's right. We have three different drop offs on the two days he goes to MDO, and I'm ok with that. Thankfully, most days Isaac takes Annette to school on his way to work. Another perk of being less than a mile away from her school.

Set pouted a bit (meaning he crosses his arm and sticks out that lip real big). And tried to escape at first. But then he started playing with toys and quickly forgot to stay mad.

Big brother enjoyed sending him off to school. He kept saying "I bet he's going to cry when we leave." And "I bet he's going to hit."     Oh, big brothers. Let's hope not.

 

20 months old. Saying about 20 words now. NO being his favorite right now.

I'll be very ready to pick up this little piece of my heart this afternoon.

 I'm wondering if he will take the paci that I packed for nap time, since I couldn't find his ultra favorite green one. I wonder if he will lay down on a mat at all to fall asleep. I wonder if he will eat his lunch or scream because he wants somebody else's. I pray he doesn't hit when he gets frustrated. Or push. Or say NO all day long.

He does well in the church nursery each week, so I'm banking on that and praying that he has lots of fun with new toys and new friends.

Lord, help us both :)

Kindergarten. Kindergarten! Kindergarten?

It happened. My first child started Kindergarten. About 45 minutes ago.

Posting the pictures now seems to be the right thing to do, because I am still with her in thought and heart. Want to be there with her now. I didn't think I'd get teary, but having this milestone come and go so quickly hit me on the way home. Ouch.

She woke up to my phone alarm (self chosen alarm tone:) readily this morning. Jumped in her uniform. Didn't complain once. All smiles all morning. I managed to get her to eat a banana, even though she always insists she isn't hungry before school.

We all jumped in the car, umbrellas ready, and drove the 0.6 mile to her sweet 102 year old school.

Ready to head back to Forest Park Elementary as a Kinder.

Wish it hadn't been raining, so I could have taken some pics in front of the school.

She was tired of smiling for my camera by this point, ha.

A quick hug goodbye and then a rainy walk back to the car with just the boys

It's in the books. 

Or blog posts.

Can't wait to hear all about it at about 2:45 pm.

~morgan

A Bit of the Circus

               

 As our last summer hurrah, we went to the circus and had a BIG time.

 I still. CAN. NOT. believe how Set sat still through the whole thing. Mesmerized by all the lights and sounds I guess?!?

                   

Loved having Cruz there too.

Isaac, I bet you'll love this next one as much as I do :)))

First day of Kindergarten for Annette tomorrow, so early bedtimes for all of us tonight.

Summer, you were pleasant and left us with lots of great family memories. 

~ a very grateful morgan

Fayetteville and a Hymn

We went to Fayetteville for a quick trip this weekend. Isaac had a work meeting up there and we happily tagged along. Isaac's family has a house there, and we swam in the neighborhood pool, and then played at the nearby Wilson Park. 

Somehow, Annette has been able to cross the monkey bars since before I can remember. 

Charlie has been working on this and proudly mastered it while we were at the park!

When it started raining we went to Boingo Bounce, which was perfect for our energetic kiddos.  My energy level is starting to dwindle, so I spent most of this time watching. Which makes me realize how much love I have in my heart for this family of mine. Seeing Annette take care of Set, helping him up the jumpy things. Watching Charlie and Set interact as rough little brothers-- like I imagine puppies would do. (I wouldn't really know ;)

We ate dinner at this coffee house place with a fun back patio. Kids didn't love the crepes so much, but it was still a fun memory. 

This guy makes being a parent look like constant fun. Which we all know it is ;)

Random note: This old song keeps popping in my head lately, Teach Me Lord, to Wait.  Not sure I'm even waiting for anything right now, but I still keep humming it in the car. 

That's one huge blessing of being around old hymns all the time when I was younger.... They pop in my head whenever I'm praying or seeking guidance or am frustrated or feeling crazy grateful. 

Not a professional video version, but I love the words to this hymn and can see why it has been viewed so many times. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxbYX1cGy4g

TEACH ME, LORD, TO WAIT

Stuart Hamblen

Teach me, Lord to wait
Down on my knees
Till in your own good time
You will answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer
For an answer from You

They that wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me, Lord, to wait

Teach me, Lord to wait
While my heart is all aflame
Let me humble my pride
And call on Your name
Keep my faith renewed;
Keep my eyes fixed on You
Let me be on this earth
What You want me to be

They that wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me, Lord to wait

Countdown

Countdown to Kindergarten, Preschool, Mother's Day Out, the end of summer vacation....

We've been filling our last weeks of summer break with lots of fun, the unrushed kind. 

Borrowed this idea from a friend, to make a Kindergarten countdown chain for Annette. 

We've had pool time with cousins and friends,

used our creative juices,

Biked with friends, 

Even the flowers that surround our back patio, I'm soaking up. 

A golf cart date,

Snacks on the patio, 

Set stuffs banana in his mouth, Annette loses her first tooth,

My favorite zoo trip to date,

Set on the train, ha! He loved it. 

Playing ball whe dad gets home, 

My expanding belly, 

Play dough cakes

 

Mr. Drool Face Set will start his first year of Mother's Day Out this year. Two days a week. I'm sure he will cry and break my heart those first several drop offs, but I know with a new baby coming in a few months I'll really appreciate the help. I know he will love the play times with friends and I look forward to the new things he will learn.

My sweet Charles got his four year old shots today. BOOO! It is so hard to hold his little hands down and see his eyes so scared and sad. Luckily it is for only a few seconds and it was over so quickly. We went to Chuck E Cheese afterwards for a big boy treat.

And my first born is starting KINDERGARTEN in 13 days! It helps that she started PreK at the same school last year. Not as scary of a step since we already know and love the school. But still... Knowing she will get real letter grades and have homework and be expected to behave like a big girl for much of the day makes it a big milestone.

 She is ready. Very ready. Although she is so smiley with excitement, she says she wishes she could do PreK4 again so she could have more recess. She knows the Kinder kids only get one recess a day. (Which truly is silly.) Yet, I know she will THRIVE in her classroom setting. She loves to learn in an organized way and I cannot wait to watch her reading skills blow up. She is a great little reader already for her age, reading lots of books we have at home that I know are on K level. I could brag on her for days :)

We have our school supplies, new school shoes with some extra room at the toes, uniforms ready, and backpacks monogrammed :) We have practiced our letters, words, numbers, names, phone numbers, and more. We went to the dentist, had our check ups, and now all we've got left on our to do list (I THINK:) is get haircuts, which i'm pretty sure we can handle.

A FULL summer.

And with our remaining chain links, we will do plenty more of the above.