Grandma and Grandpa

Erich's parents came to visit last weekend. The kids had fun playing them. We look forward to their next trip down here.

Lauren 3 weeks

A mother's love

A mother's love is walking .38 miles to the bus stop when it is 115 degrees outside to greet your kindergartner because she LOVES walking home. And her eyes light up when you tell her that you walked not drove.

And it's true devotion when you run the last 5 houses (4 months pregnant) because she wants to race you.

What a waste

So I am the first to admit that I am somewhat strict with our kids. I spent a lot of time in junior highs and I know what I don't want my kids to turn in to. (Not that my rules are guaranteed to work, I know.)

One thing I am fairly strict about is eating all of their food, in particular their dinner. I try to be a good judge of what they can eat. With foods I know they don't really care for, I onlyy give them 2 or 3 bites. But they are expected to eat their dinner. And they may not have anything else to eat if they haven't finished it.

So at Laney's school, all the kids are given breakfast in their classrooms every morning. (I am pretty sure it is some grant from some agency.) I have always been skeptical of the program because it seems like a big waste of food and money. When she came home on the first day of school, I asked her what she did with her milk, cereal, and juice. And her reaction pretty much summed it all up for me. She half-laughed and then said, " The other teacher said I could throw it in the garbage. So I did." Followed by another half-laugh. It was as if she was saying to me, I am actually allowed to throw food tin the trash and so I am going to.

Like I said, what a waste.

And don't worry, Erich and I have been trying to reinforce taht it is not good to waste food and that she shouldn't throw it away just for fun.

Because I don't want to forget

Last night I felt my baby girl move for the first time. I love feeling the baby move. It makes it all a little more real.

First Week of Kindergarten

Last Monday, Laney had her first day of kindergarten. She has been counting down the days all summer and was so excited to go. Erich had taken her to meet her teacher the week before and she was anxious to go back on Monday morning. I seemed to be handling the situation well until Erich gave her a Father's blessing on Sunday night. And then it hit me that she was really going away to school.

She got up Monday morning and got herself ready in her outfit of choice. We packed her lunch and she kept asking if it was time to go yet. I walked her to her classroom and was able to go in with her for a little bit. And while she was still so excited, I could see she was a little nervous. But she sat at her table and tried to get me to stop taking pictures. (She was pretty much over the photos before we started taking them.) The parents were able to go on a little tour with the teacher and then her teacher told the kids to say good-bye. Most kids went to hug their parents, mine waved and said good-bye. I insisted on a hug and kiss and told her to be good.

I cried as I left the school- not so much because I was sad she was growing up but because I have spent way too much time in the school system. I worried that kids would be mean or that she wouldn't have friends. Or that she wasn't going to like it. And then I went home to a house that seemed extra quiet. (Laney is definitely our loudest child.) And Allie and I kept checking the clock to see if it was time for her to come home yet. We made her a special treat and were excited when it was finally time to walk to the bus stop. And while she almost didn't get off the bus and then had a slight breakdown when Allie reported that we had already been swimming without her, she was so excited about school. She skipped part of the walk home (which is saying a lot since it was 105 degrees out.) And while she was pretty quiet on what she did at school, she reported that she liked it and was excited to go back the next day.

So now we have finished one week. And it's been a good week. Everyday she comes home with a little more information. She is finally learning peoples' names. She chases boys at recess (She's only 5!). She received an invite to a BOY in the class's birthday party ("His mom invited the whole kindergarten" according to Laney. She doesn't get that there is 6 classes of kindergarteners). Allie, Nixon and I joined her for lunch on Friday which she loved. But was quick to leave us when she saw her friends going to recess. She is learning to do proper jumping jacks from Mr. Mike. She thinks the bus is great. She was able to check out a book from the library. And when I asked her Friday morning on our drive to school if she liked school, she replied, "yes." And when I asked her if she like her teacher, she replied with "I love it all." It makes me happy to know that she is happy. (But if she gave me some info about what they actually do at school for 7 hours that would be nice too.)

Now if I could just figure out how to keep Allie entertained all day, then life would be great.

Numbers

It's no secret that I am a math person and there are always some numbers going through my head. Here are some that are currently on my mind.

2 weeks from today we will find out the gender of #4.

25.5 weeks till #4 joins the family. (For you non-number readers, that means I am abbout 14.5 weeks pregnant. Just finished the first trimester. EDD January 23rd- just for you Becky, Megan, and Pam.)

19.5 months between Nixon and #4. (That is 2 more months that Laney and Allie.)

5.5 years between 1 and 4.

2 out of the 4 that was "planned".

And I try to imagine the number of people who think we must be crazy. But we are excited. I am excited to find out the gender. Laney really wants a brother for Nixon to play with. Allie really wants a baby sister. Nixon has no idea what's going on (if he knew what was going on, he might not smile at me so much!) . And Erich and I see the benefits of boh genders so we don't care.