The Other Child

I've posted so much about Joe lately I just wanted to make sure that I didn't forget the other child -- my James!  He's such a little stinker, full of personality.  Love him to death one minute and want to sell him on eBay the next.  I think I'll keep him though.  :)

Apple Picking with the wee ones

I took the boys to the apple orchard today.  You never would have guessed from the title though, right?  We went to Aamodt's apple farm.  I hadn't ever been there so it was nice to go somewhere new.  Last year we went to Apple Jacks and I think I liked it a little better for the boys. 

We saw a friend from Joe's soccer team while we were there, pet some goats, played on the swingset, took a hayride, bought some apples, picked some apples, ate some popcorn and then some more stuff that just made me tired.  The kids were great.  No fighting / bickering.  :)  Love these days with the kids.

Again with the laziness of editing so I just made a quick collage.  Love the picture of the two of them together and am thinking it needs to go in a frame.  :)

Sculpture

I've been on a little bit of a blogging break.  No particular reason though.  I always have good intentions of posting something and then comes the editing part.  Well, I guess that's a reason.  I have a feeling that I'm just going to have to just post stuff straight out of my camera.  I'll have to do that AND make a decision.  That's my other problem -- I have a terrible time deciding which pics to use.  If you know me well you'll know how indecisive I am.  Ugh.

I actually looked through pics and did a little editing with these.  About 2 weeks ago I took the kids to the Sculpture Garden.  It's one of my favorite places in the city.  I think the kids enjoyed themselves.  This is the proof.  :)

We took some silly photos:

 

Some pics around some of the sculptures:  (yes, James has shaggy hair.  He says that he wants to grow it out like his cousins, Eli and Noah.  I like it a little longer but I feel like I'm going to break out in hives -- hair touching the ears drives me nuts.)

We took the foot bridge over to Loring Park, had a little snack, and looked at the ducks.  The boys were very curious because the ducks let them get very close.  Look at the devlish expression on James' face.  Totally him.

We even managed to get in a family picture.  :)

Kindergarten!

So my countdown is done and kindergarten is here.  I finally feel like I can breathe because the anticipation is over.  He made it in, he made it out.  No catastrophes.  Good deal.

It was a restless night.  Joe was tossing and turning and I kept having dreams that we were going to be late.  (We were not.)  I had decided that we needed donuts to start off kindergarten.  Don't we all need donuts when we're starting an adventure?

(Not editing any pics tonight because I'm not motivated -- these are straight out of camera.)  Should have made a collage but that motivation factor comes in again.

We had to snap a few pics before school.

I was doing pretty good after all this.  Mike, James, and I walked him into his room, talked to his teacher briefly and got him settled in.  The teacher took his hand to lead him to his table and we left.  This is where the tears came in.  Me, not Joe.  (I'm sure you're not surprised.)  I had 3 crying episodes before 10am, each one worse than the first.  I got to work and got busy which is what I needed.  I made it through the rest of the day tear free.  I was even able to sneak out of work to pick him up from school.  I thought a good first day of school deserved a little ice cream. 

 

I love him so much!!

ONE!!

Yep, one day until kindergarten.  Well, it's one night now.  We tried on clothes for tomorrow.  I held it together (sort of).  We talked about how he needs to listen to his teacher and do his schoolwork.  I held it together (sort of).  We talked about how excited he is to meet new friends.  I held it together (sort of).  We talked about riding the KinderCare bus back to me at the end of the day.  I held it together (hanging by a string here).  I gave him a kiss goodnight and tucked him in.  This is where I lost it. 

I know that I'm not the first mom to go through this and I know that I'm won't be the last.  This has been a rough year for us and I'm so happy that we have pulled through everything together.  My "baby" has grown so much and I'm so incredibly proud of him.  Overflowing with love right now.  :)

Resting up for the big day. . .

2

2 days.
2 days and I just realized that we don't have a first day of school outfit.  I've bought jeans and a bunch of long sleeved shirts but nothing really for that first day.  What!?  I've been so prepared with all the school supplies and everything that I forgot that all important first day.  I guess I'll be doing a little shopping tomorrow.  :)

For this cute little (yet big enough to be a kindergartener) guy:

4,3

I was so buys making sure all my camera stuff was ready / charged for today's wedding that I didn't get time to do my #4 post.  I know you were all anxiously awaiting.  Reading my post was going to be the highlight of your Friday night.  Sorry to disappoint folks.  :)

I'm combining 4 and 3 because I feel like it.  Because I didn't have time last night / forgot.  Because I'm leaving for Wisconsin shortly and will not have time to do it later.  Because I said so.

This is it though.  The final weekend as a preschooler.  And he's with his dad.  It's Ok.  He'll come home on Monday and I make him snuggle with me all afternoon and evening so I can prepare myself.  I fully understand that I'm the one that needs to be prepared because he already is. 

Even though I'm not directly with him every day, I get to see him for little snippets of time throughout the day.  I always sympathize with the parents of infants that drop off at the center on their first day and cry because they are leaving their baby.  Tuesday will be that day for me.  He's been at the center since he was 6 weeks old and I've had 5 1/2 years to really get attached to seeing the little munchkin daily. 

Since I'm doing the two in one thing here I'm pretty sure that I should share 2 pics.  This one I took this summer at my mom's and I love it because it's pure Joe.  (Didn't have time to do any editing on these pics.)

 

Here's a pic of us from the state fair.  More to come on the fair later. . .

5

OMG -- We are down to 5!!  Ahhhhhh!!!!

Deep breaths, Carla, deep breaths.

He's so excited to start school and I'm excited for him.  I think.  I might be hyperventilating because my baby is leaving me, but it's ok.  It is.  I think.

Really, I am excited for him to start this journey but I can't help thinking that time has gone by so fast.  I decided to flash back today to a couple of my favorite baby photos of my baby.   (and Jackson too)  :)