School over all has really been great for everyone. I really like Eli's teacher and as it turns out, he has a few friends in his class from preschool. I would not say that he loves school, but his only complaint is that the days are too long. Considering that he is still an (extremely) early riser, the days seem like they never end to him. He has fun, looooves library Fridays, enjoys buying his lunch (on days that he approves of the menu), and has made new friends. I have been totally impressed by the school so far. We live really close to school, so our days always start out walking to school. I really, really enjoy this time of the day. Sometimes all 5 of us go, other days it is just me and Eli, and other days it is a combination of us. It is such a nice, quiet time of the day and gives us all the time to slow down and diffuse before the day begins. Plus, Eli generally holds my hand when its just the two of us when we are walking which just melts my heart to feel his little hand in mine. We have made new friends in the neighborhood who we always meet on the way to school and its fun to watch Eli and Owen run around on the way to school with new friends. As a side note, they don't really all sit like this....its impossible to keep them contained like this.
We also got our very first elementary school pictures back!
Owen knows almost his entire class already from previous years at Shepherd of the Hills, and his teacher is AMAZING. He has a different teacher as Eli had last year, but I could not be more pleased! He is so confident this year! It will be interesting to see how he does toward the end of the year. We will have to make the decision of holding him back or letting him go through and hoping he is ready, so only time will tell at this point.
Cash had a pretty rocky first two weeks. He would start saying "no, no, no, no, no" as soon as we pulled into the parking lot and would hold on to me for dear life. I had to peel his little fingers from my shirt and hand him off to one of his teachers and listen to his sad cry as I ran out the door. The director would send me updates through the second week of school saying things like "he isn't crying but is watching everyone from afar" or "he seems happy but he isn't eating his snack." The teachers would tell me that when they would go out on the playground he would see Owen and get so, so happy and they would hug and give each other high-fives. Melt. My. Heart.
And then, something happened last week as we were walking into school and he was saying "no, no, no" I asked him if he had fun at school and he said yes, and I asked him if I always, always come back to pick him up and he said yes, and then after me showing a ridiculous amount of excitement about the play-doh that was waiting for him at his table, he got down from my arms, walked to his chair at the table and started playing- no tears. Amazing. And again, and again, he has happily walked in and started doing the art project that has been waiting for him at the table. He still stands at the gate when he sees Owen on the playground yelling "OWEY! OEWY! OWEY!" over and over again until Owen acknowledges him.
So, with my new found freedom of having all THREE out of the house on Mondays and Wednesdays, I have been spending it taking care of and keeping Rachel and my mom company. Two weeks ago, Rachel had back surgery to fix some of her back problems, the numbness and weakness in her left leg in particular. She has strict instructions not to bend, lift or twist for 4 weeks. She has someone coming over from 8-5 every day to take care of her and Lola and is pretty much stuck at home all day long. So every free day, I have been going over there and hanging out with her. I love hanging out with her, but this also means that my house remains a mess and nothing is getting done while I go hang out with her! Oh well, she is much more fun than all the grown-up stuff that needs to be done.
Last week my mom also went in for surgery on her hip. Turns out she needed an anterior hip replacement and with some good luck (and a couple of phone calls from others) was able to get into one of the best hip doctor in the country (Dr. Henirich) immediately and treated like a rock star and put at the top of the list to get the surgery done ASAP. The surgery went well, and she is still currently in the rehab getting really strong before she comes home. I have been making my rounds visiting everyone and have spent a good amount of time with her in her hospital room.
Cash even came with me one day before school pick-up and shared a Popsicle with her.
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| Popsicle cheers |
He also started soccer this fall. If you recall, Owen was signed up last year for Soccer Shots and refused to play so we had this credit that needed to be used, and so Cash was the lucky recipient of the credit! The kids are only 2 and 3, so its kind of a joke, but its a fun thing to do and gets him out there playing soccer and its a sure day to make it to the park for all of us.
Eli also started soccer this fall with Lonestar Soccer Club. I swore I would not do the whole practice during the week and games on the weekend thing for another year or so, but Oh, the things you do for your kids. He really, really, really wanted to play on his friends team from school, so sign up we did. It has been great. Really great. He loves it, and to watch him improve from week to week is amazing and to see him fall or trip over the ball and then get right back up and keep playing is wonderful to see. For Eli especially, this is a really good thing for him. He just lights up on the field and has a smile from ear to ear during the whole practice. He even came downstairs at 5:20am yesterday dressed and ready for his soccer game.
Eli has scored at every game! Go Eli!!!!
A few other random happening as of late...
Owen have himself a haircut after over hearing Blaine and I talking about him needing one. He came downstairs so, so proud of himself and declared "I gave myself a better haircut!" Blaine and I both bursted out in laughter, like tears running down your face laughter...and then the hilarity of it turned into horror of how crazy his hair looked!
These pictures really dont do his new do justice. Its pretty ridiculous looking, much more so than in the pictures. But we rescheduled out holiday pictures and know that is just hair, and soon, it will grow back, so its pretty funny!
Just for comparison, this was him earlier that day...and all those rocks around him were the rocks he brought home in his shoes from the playground at school that day.
Just for comparison, this was him earlier that day...and all those rocks around him were the rocks he brought home in his shoes from the playground at school that day.
We got to meet up with my college friend Stephanie and her family and got to meet sweet Clara.
Eli brought home an interesting piece of artwork from school.
Kiker had their Track and Field Day and Cash and I spent the whole morning watching Eli and his class go from station to station and then we volunteered to monitor his class during lunch to give the teacher a break. Cash was a TROOPER and hung out next to me the entire time!!!! And Eli did an awesome job at every single activity!
It was an off day for me and taking pictures, so I did not get a lot of good pictures from Track and Field Day from the races and outdoor stuff. Im just hoping the photographer got a few of Eli!
And the of course our annual trip to the pumpkin patch....a few out-takes.
