Kindergarten

So, I first need to apologize to our families that check the blog for updates. Busy is not an excuse, but goodness finding the time to get on the actual computer!!

August 1st Jake started kindergarten. He had been in all day prek last year, but for some reason Kindergarten just seemed like such a big deal. He is in a big new school with all new people. And since our move he was going to a school where we really knew no one at all. Jake couldn't have been more excited to be starting kindergarten. He loves it...his teachers love him and he is doing great!! We walked Jake to his class and he never looked back. He was more then ready for this new adventure in his life. It helped that we had gone a couple days before for his open house. He was able to meet his teachers and find his seat. It didn't make it any easier for me that he was starting Kindergarten. But I was able to hold it together until I made it back to the car before the tears came. Driving away with him there was so sad. And I think this was the longest day ever...I just wanted to pick him up & here all about his day. And he was so excited to hear all about his day and his new friends he had made. 

Camping

The beginning of June we had a great one night camping trip. This was the 1st time camping with kids. We used to camp every summer, but over the years that had stopped. Then it seemed like Jake was too little. This year was the perfect time to go. Jake loved every minute of it. Loved being outside all day...loved swimming in the lake, loved playing...did I say loved every minute of it!! Lily on the other hand was a little more difficult. She seemed to love it just as much and loved playing in the lake. But when it came time to sleep it was another story. She did not want to go to sleep and every time she seemed to be asleep she would wake up as soon as I tried to lay her down. Finally around midnight it was Pawpaw to the rescue and he was able to get her to sleep and stay asleep when he laid her down. There will definitely be more camping trips this summer. Jake can't stop talking about it.

 Jake out in the lake...it was hard getting pictures of him...this is where he stayed the whole time

 Wyatt...playing in the water

 Hi Mommy...walking down to the lake

All the boys fishing across the lake

Goodbye PreK

Jake had his preK graduation this week. Prek was a big change for us...Jake went from being home every day with us to being in school 5 days a week all day. He adjusted great & loved it! Well, if you ask him it was only ok because having an hour long quiet time might have been the worst thing to ever happen to him. But now that the year is coming to an end he is sad to be saying goodbye to preK...even among the excitement to be home for the whole summer and starting Kindergarten in the fall.  The graduation was super cute and each class made graduation gowns out of white pillow cases. Each class sang songs and then they were presented with their graduation certificate. Although he spent an entire year in school I still don't know that I am ready for him to be going to big school & Kindergarten!!! I can't believe he is old enough for this already! 

 Walking into the graduation

 Holding Wednesday for his days of the week song

 Just received his certificate from his teacher Ms. Tara

Me & my big boy graduate!!

Easter Morning

Valentine's Day

Well a little over a month late with this update...but if you are still checking for updates here is one. I am so sorry I haven't been good about updating the blog with all the fun my children are having.

It literally took me 30 pictures and a sucker bribe to get Lily to sit still for a picture. Finally they were both sitting and I love that they are cracking up!!

My babies are definitely the best Valentine's a mommy could have!!

Pre-Christmas

Ok so I am totally behind in blogging. Maybe in the new year life will settle down a little and I can get back to regular blog post. But until that happens here is leading up to Christmas day in pictures.

Jake's school Christmas Performance

Santa was little traumatizing to the babies

Decorating Cookies

FIVE

Dear Five Year Old Jake,
I can't believe you are already 5!!! Where has the time gone? Five seems like such a big number. You are now officially a whole hand old...it takes all your fingers and your thumb to show how old you are. It seems at five all the baby is gone. You are officially a child...no more in the preschool age...you are a school age child now! And I just can't believe the little boy you are growing to be.

A lot has changed for you in the last year and you have handled it all so well.
This year you became a big brother. And the best big brother you are!! You are so sweet with Lily. And as she gets bigger you love to play with her. You are always concerned that she is ok. You hate for her to cry and always run to help her. You usually share so nicely with her. You love to baby wrestle with her and she loves it too. Although, you are wrestling with her you are still gentle. Lily couldn't have a better big brother then you.

You started school this year. For the 1st time you are away from me for 6 1/2 hours a day. At first we both had some adjusting to do. It was a long time for you to be gone. But you have started to love it and I can really see you growing, maturing, and learning so much. Every day when I pick you up, you ask "did you miss me mommy?" "Did Lily miss me?" Yes, Jake we miss you the whole time you are gone, but you are doing great in school. You have made several friends all on your own (the 1st time you have had friends that aren't mommy's friends kids). You share the best stories when you come home from school and tell us all about your day.

You are smart, funny, loving, caring, full of imagination, and full of life. You are my best and favorite boy in the whole world. We have started playing I love you more. And you always want us to stay in the same category. Sometimes we start out with I love you more than ice cream and then we go on naming all kinds of food, sometimes we name animals, things in the house, or the world.

I know some scary changes have happened for you this year and there are things you still don't understand. Don't worry some of it mommy doesn't understand either. But most important I want you to know that God loves you so much. He has an amazing plan for your life. He will you use all you are learning to help grow you into the man you will one day be. God's love never fails no matter what is happening here in your life. God always wants the best for you. I am sure he is even more proud of you then Daddy & I are. But I want you to know that Daddy & I are so proud of you and all you do.

You are into sports...especially baseball. You love to play and be outside. You are fascinated by bugs, frogs, birds, and chipmunks. Really anything you find outside you want to catch it or watch what it does. You love to play and use your imagination.

Watching you grow is one of my greatest joys. But I can't believe you are already FIVE!!!

I love you my sweet Jake...you are my best boy!!!
Mommy

Pre-K

This week Jake started pre-k...my little boy is now spending 6 1/2 hours away at school every day. He was unbelievable excited to start school. We were counting down the days, buying school supplies, meeting his teachers and he could not wait. I tried to hide my sadness behind his excitement. I wanted him to be excited. This was an important step for us. Him being away from me ALL day(or really me spending my days without him home). He could not wait. Of course the night before came with some 1st day jitters. He was concerned I wouldn't walk him in. His school offers a kiss and go line...you pull up and the teachers are standing there to get your child out of the car. He at first was excited for this, but the night before he had to make sure I would walk him in. And tell his teachers he didn't want to do the kiss and go line. The morning of school his excitement was back. We walked into his class found his cubby, put his stuff in and then found his seat.

However, as soon as I began to walk out of the room he started crying. The whole time I was thinking to myself...don't blink tears will flow. Him crying made it even harder for me. After one last kiss I was out the door and not a moment too soon I could no longer hold the tears. Thankfully I made it all the way back to the car before totally losing it. I ended up needing to bring him a pair of socks back to the school...so an hour later I was back up there and could see him happily eating snack with the rest of his class. Thankfully he looked to be enjoying his day. I counted down until I could go pick him up and hear all about his 1st day. He said he had a great day and liked his class. As the week has gone on we have had some "I don't want to go to school," nights and more crying mornings. But he has also met some new friends and finally by the end of the week isn't crying anymore at drop off(he still wants me to walk him in though).

Can it really be that he is old enough to be in school? I am sure as soon as I blink my boy will be heading off to college...but for now I will secretly count down to school breaks when he is home with us all day again. And also enjoy the precious and fleeting one on one time I have with Lily while Jake is away.

Sports Camp

I sent my little boy off to camp. Well, not really...last week he attended sports camp. It was every day from 8:30-12:30. This was the 1st time he had been somewhere that I dropped him off with people he didn't really know. Two of the coaches he had were the same from the sports class he had been doing once a week. Game Time Sports has been one of our favorite weekly activities. It is great for Jake to be able to learn about several different sports before we put him in a team sport. Getting started with a team sport early a lot of times leads to kids being burnt out at a young age. When Jake finds a sport he really wants to do I am hoping he will continue through college. By doing Game Time sports he will have an advantage when he does pick a team sport...having already learned the basics of that sport.

 Monday was a little sad for me. Of course my little boy was totally ready. When I was getting ready to leave I had to look for him to say bye. He was already out on the field kicking the soccer ball around. Come Tuesday he asked if he could just tell me bye in the parking lot and give me a hug & a kiss there. Really??? He is only 4(well, if you ask him he is 4 1/2). I had no idea it would start so early. The rest of the week went great. He did let me walk him in and kiss him & was excited to see me...even in front of his new friends. The sports camp was held in a big in door sports arena and they learned basic skills for soccer, golf, hockey, basketball, baseball, & tennis. Then it was filled in with other fun sports activities like running, tug of war, and tons more.

4 1/2 Interview

For Jake's half birthday we did a birthday interview. He made sure to tell me we had to do it again at 5 to see if he said the same stuff. I simply asked the questions and wrote down the answers that he said.

Your Favorite Food: Panda Express(fried rice & orange chicken)
Favorite Sport: Baseball
My favorite tv show is: Doc McStuffins
The coolest person I know is: my Daddy
The thing I do most awesome: throwing frisbees
My favorite color is: red
When I grow up I want to be: just like Daddy & work at Dominos going to all the stores
My favorite song is: veggie tales
Favorite book: Curious George:Curious You, by Mawmaw & Papa Jack(a book they recorded for him)
3 words that describe me: happy, cool, & scared
When I was little I: slept all the time
Favorite season: winter-that's when it is cold right?
Favorite snack: pears
Food I dislike: nothing
My best friend: Caleb
Best Memory: touch-a-truck & date at chick-fil-a(both of which were over the weekend)

4 1/2

My Dear 4 1/2 year old Boy!!
I can't believe you are half way to 5. You will soon be a whole hand old. You are beyond excited to be 4 1/2...just like Caleb now. It is always about being like your cousin & you were so excited when you woke up today and could finally add the 1/2 to your age. I suppose at 4 it is a big deal to be that extra half. All day today you would talk in a sing-song voice that it was your 4 1/2 birthday. Today was all about you sweet boy. We met daddy for lunch at your favorite place Panda Express. You love their orange chicken & fried rice and would eat there every day if we let you.

You have started to come out of your shell the older you are, but you still hold onto some shyness. You like to make sure someone you know is always in eye sight when we are out. You still won't talk to people freely, but that is fine with me.
 You have the biggest imagination and I love to listen to you play. You make up the funnest conversations with your toys. You have a big love for stuffed animals(despite mommy not being a big stuffed animal fan). You have a couple that you are very attached to right now...Po, a panda & Pudding a smaller Panda Po's baby sister.
You love just about every sport and will play just about any of them. You have a weekly sports class that is perfect for you and covers baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, tennis, & basketball. During your class you get to learn a little about each sport. Of course your favorites are baseball and golf. But you have also started to be into hockey. Daddy is a big nascar fan & you have decided that number 11 Denny Hamlin is your favorite race car driver(even though Daddy has always been a Ryan Newman fan). We aren't sure how you picked Denny Hamlin, but you have stuck with him since last year.  Every race you are sure he is going to win.

You are such a fun & happy little boy. And I am so excited you are 4 1/2(even if that means you are growing up way too fast).

Our precious boy we love you so much. And love watching you grow.

Backyard Baseball

Jake absolutely loves baseball!! He wants to be a baseball player on tv when he grows up. And loves to play baseball in the backyard. Of course there is nothing better then playing baseball with daddy.

Brother meet Sister

To say that Jake has been so excited to meet Lily would be an understatement & it all came together when he came up to the hospital meet Lily.

Oh if you could feel excitement through pictures it would make it so much better. Jake was beside himself when he got to see Lily for the 1st time. The smile on his face was bigger then ever. He just wanted to sit and hold her and look at her. He kept saying "I can't believe she is really here."