Fall is here, which means life is getting busier and busier. Our biggest news is that Maggie can ride a 2-wheeler now! She's been so frustrated and scared, and she finally conquered it! We worked in a big empty parking lot, and I just kept running with her until she got it.
The girls were supposed to play soccer in the spring, but the season was postponed until the fall. Evie had her first practice last week, and had a good time (one of her classmates is also on the team). Maggie and Ben came with us, but Maggie quickly made a new friend and was off playing. Maggie's first practice is this week, and she's excited!
Listening to the coach
Things are still going well at school, so far they are excited to go every day!
Evie uncharacteristically asked me to take a photo of her
We celebrated my dad's 75th birthday! Hard to believe!
Birthday boy
The kids found ALL the pillows in the house to create a massive fort
Posing after demolition
Jamie's father's day gift this year was a tent, which we never got around to using. So he finally set it up for a backyard campout with the girls. They had the best time, though I think no one got more than a few hours' sleep... it was a cranky Sunday, but I think the great memory was worth it! (Ben and I slept peacefully in the house!)
Ready for the great outdoors!
We went to the cider mill last weekend for some nice outdoor fun time. We walked the trail, and Ben flirted with everyone we walked past. The girls and Jamie explored the riverbank, and we all enjoyed cider and donuts after!
Ben was not in the mood for photos
Enjoying a day of sunshine
He really loves carrying an umbrella like a cane
Pony rides for the win!
Ben had his doctor checkup and is doing great! He has entered a shy phase around strangers, so he kept hiding behind his hands when the doctor or nurse were around. He's about 26.5 lb and 34.25 inches tall now. Ben is a chatter box and has several words in his vocabulary. One of my favorite phrases is when he's really tired, he'll come to me and say "night night." His favorite thing right now is his toothbrush which he calls "teeth" and gets really angry when we put it away.
Waiting for the doc
Dental advocate
They grow up so fast
A few others:
Aunt Amy sent us a backpack of family activities from their church, which included M&M cookies!
The girls started at school last week, and Ben started daycare this week. It's been a lot more coordination and planning for us, but overall, it's been going great!
Back to school 2020
Maggie started 2nd grade, and is in a classroom of 18. Her teacher is amazing and I'm really excited for her! She is thrilled to be back with her best buddies again.
First day of second grade!
All the confidence
Living her best life
Evie started kindergarten this year - it was so weird to not walk her to her room. I had to leave her with the other kids outside, but it actually went really well. She acted shy, but no tears and she did not seem scared. She is thriving and has so much to talk about after school. In the car ride home, she often raises her hand and gets mad at me when I don't notice it!
First day of kindergarten!
Let's do this!
Evie lost her first tooth on the first day of kindergarten - Maggie did the exact same thing in kindergarten, so weird! She was terrified of losing it, thinking it would hurt. It fell out in her mask at recess, a perfect experience!
Kind of a big deal
I'm so impressed with our girls. They never complain about their masks and they don't have any trouble following all the distancing rules at school. They can have their masks off in the classroom, but they wear them everywhere else. Jamie sewed them each a bunch of really cute masks which was very sweet.
Mask models
Daddy hard at work
As expected, Ben really struggled his first few days at daycare. Jamie is back to work full-time and so am I, so we are sending him five days a week. They said he does pretty well during the day, and by the third day he seemed comfortable and happy during the day. This is not how he acts at drop off, but I think he will be ok soon. I think he might be shy about eating while he's there, because when he gets home each afternoon, he runs to his high chair and grabs his bib for me to put on... then he eats ALL the food!
Nom nom nom
Pleased as punch at Grandma's
Jamie and I celebrated 10 years of marriage a couple weeks ago! We were planning a trip to Spain and France, but obviously that plan was cancelled. Instead, Grandma and Grandpa took the kids for a couple days and we got some quality time together.
Cheers to 10 years!
Elsa-icorn
Rockstar wig
Maggie slept in curlers and got some fancy hair
Evie opted for pink hair spray
We went to our first in-person mass last weekend. We've been holding off because we figured Ben would be too difficult to keep in one spot... we were right. It went pretty well though, and it felt good to be there again, especially seeing the girls participate.
