Going Back

It's the final weekend of summer break!

We've been trying to squeeze in a few final fun outings, but we've also had baseball and some school related functions this week!

Hudson had Open House on Tuesday night.

For the first time in three years, we only have one kid going to preschool.  We only had one class to visit.  When Wyatt and Reese were still only going a few days a week, they went on opposite schedules, so I've been headed to the school every day for three years, too.  This year I'll only be making that drive three days a week!

After we met his teachers (the same fabulous team who taught Reese when she was four), we took him out for ice cream.

Last night I had to prep all of the school supplies for our Kindergartner and Second grader.  Yes.  Two Thirty-One Large Utility totes to get all the supplies to school.  So much stuff!

Wyatt's desk was all set up for him.  It was all official and big kid-looking.  With a planner. I didn't get any pictures of him because I was helping him distribute supplies and talking to his teacher, but I think he's in for a fun year in second grade!

After we got Wyatt situated, we brought him back home and picked up this Kindergarten cutie.  She went to her classroom, met her teacher, and then begged to go to the library!  She wanted to browse all the different sections and books.  She is very excited that the Kindergarten classes get to go to the library every week!

We visited the PTA table, the Spirit wear table, and finally headed back home. And I will be spending the weekend filling out mountains of paperwork!

And then on Tuesday I'm sending half of these kids off to school!

Reese's Sixth Birthday

I have never met a kid who gets as excited about their birthday as Reese does.  She actually made a video for me planning out her day in advance so that I would know what she wanted to do.  This included her menu for the day so I could shop.  Not even kidding.

Brian stopped at Party City for Frozen decorations, and I found a banner in our birthday supply box.  She loves to see decorations out "just for her."

 She also has the BEST reactions to gifts. She doesn't say anything until every piece of paper is off of the package (even if she can see what it is). Then she gets really excited, and runs and hugs the gift giver.

 Wearing pajama pants with nightgowns is her new thing.  And they don't match.

She loved the Palace Pet collection that Wyatt chose for her!

 Reese wrote thank you notes for her gifts the night BEFORE her birthday.  Even Finley is shocked by her prompt acknowledgment of gifts.

 Derek and Sophie were hanging out with Mimi for the day, so Reese suggested that we move her "pizza lunch" to Mimi's so she could share lunch and cupcakes with them.

 Finley was a big fan of that idea!  She loves a cupcake!

 Reese had tee ball practice, and then we went to her requested dinner at the "place with peanuts and mac and cheese," known to most people as Texas Roadhouse.  Then we had cake and ice cream!

 She walked around all day shouting, "I can't believe it's my BIRTHDAY!  I'm six!"

Happy Birthday, Reesie!  We love you so much!

As Daddy said,

Six years ago I had no idea what to do with a little girl. 

Six years later, I don't know what I would do without her. My Reesie is quite simply the most well rounded person I have ever met. Smart, funny, beautiful, loving and caring - great words that don't even begin to do her justice. My world is a better place because of her.

Happy 6th Birthday Reese!!

SIX!

Reese is going to be six years old on Monday!  It's hard to believe that six years ago she was here:

On Cpap before being placed on the vent, having to wait a week to hold her and feed her, and waiting 11 days to bring her home.

 To her first birthday smiles.

 To her second birthday, when she may have talked more than any other two year old on the planet!

 Best buddies with her big brother, and getting ready to evacuate for a hurricane on her third birthday!

 Excited to turn four!

 Celebrating Princess Sofia-style on her fifth birthday!

We are so excited to spend our day celebrating this sweet, funny, smart, caring little girl on Monday!  Happy Birthday, Reesie Piecey!

Busch Gardens: Trip One

We went to Busch Gardens two weeks ago (and again this week).

I'm just posting a few photos that basically speak for themselves...

And that's about all I've got.

#phoningitinbutcatchingup

Camp with the Tides!

We received an email from Wyatt's baseball league a few months ago about a camp opportunity with the Norfolk Tides.

We wasted no time signing him up. He was so excited to play on the field at Harbor Park!

He's out there somewhere.

Fielding grounders.

And throwing them back.

This player kept telling him to hustle.  Wyatt overthrew the ball and he made him go get it.  And he was (is) soooo slow.  

So he had to run to the dugout and back.  

And the Tides' player keep yelling at him to keep his arms at his side and run!

They got to field balls off the wall.

And I laughed hysterically when I saw this picture of a bunch of kids gathered around a beer sign.  Awesome.

Wyatt was excited to see the dugout and the batting cages! It was such a fun experience for these kids to get to play on a big league field.

But this week it's back to the pint sized ball fields!  Baseball season is back!

Another Week of Swim Lessons

One of my favorite things about August is the switch to evening swim lessons.

It frees up our mornings, we don't have to rush to get out of the house, AND the classes always seem smaller.  So the kids get more one on one time with their instructors! 

Hudson had has the same teacher several times this summer.  I'm sure she claims him because of this super cute smile.  He is the sweetest!

 One thing that I loved about Wyatt's lessons was that it was definitely more of a workout!  He had to swim a BUNCH of laps, and they made him practice all of his strokes and kicks.  If this kid wasn't already so busy, I would look into a swim team for him this winter.  I think that weekly trips to the Y pool are now on our winter agenda!  Laps for the two oldest!

 You can't wear goggles until you get to Station 5.  This kid definitely wore them as his "badge of being big" all summer!

 She loves hanging on the ropes.  Or sitting on the ledge?  You're at swim lessons, girl!  Stay in the pool!

 Waving to Hudson.

 Wyatt got to work on diving.

 I took this picture of Reese because it says everything about her perfectionist tendencies.  When she is swimming, she listens quietly while the coach tells her how to fix her stroke, and then she methodically puts it into practice.  It was most apparent when she was working on the Crawl!

 Hudson is getting to be quite the floater - at swim lessons.  I tried to get him to practice with me, and let's just say, he wanted nothing to do with that.

 I can hardly believe that baby sister is going to be joining them in lessons next summer.  What in the world will I do with a free half hour while I sit by the pool?

 Yeah, he won't even jump to me.  Apparently we have some trust issues.

At their first round of evening lessons, Reese managed to pass Station 3!  Both boys are still working hard to get their stickers, but I think they're in two pretty hard stations!

And Finley spent her time chowing down on some Yogurt Melts and yelling at the teen swim team.  "Goooooooo! Goooooo! Gooooooooo!"  It was pretty funny to watch her yell!