Time for School!

Sadly, preschool started over a month ago and I am just now getting around to blogging about it.  Ah well. 

We have the boys at a wonderful preschool just south of Katy in Richmond called Faith School for Young Children.  Ethan attended last year and we were just so impressed with it.  They go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2.  Perfect break for Mommy but I also have lots of time with them at home to go on playdates, etc. 

This year, Ethan is in the 3's Zebra Class with Ms. Megan and Ms. Dawn.  He asked about school a lot over the summer...and by a lot, I mean, almost every day.  I just kept telling him that all the teachers were on vacation and that he would start soon.  On Meet the Teacher day, he was very confused why he wasn't in the same classroom as last year and why he didn't have the same teachers, even though I had been preparing him for that over the summer.  But he loves it just as much and has a lot of the same friends in his class. 

Mason was a different story.  He is right in the middle of the stranger anxiety phase (Ethan went through it too at this age) plus he's just not used to being dropped off like Ethan was since I worked when Ethan was 5 months to age 2.  He cries and cries when we drop him off at the nursery at church, though he is getting better at that.  I knew that school was going to be a tough transition on him.  Mason is in the toddler class with Ms. Dawn (the most adorable British lady EVER) and Ms. Christy.  He did ok at Meet the Teacher, even when I was bouncing back and forth between the boys' classrooms.  But he was NOT ok on the first day.  I had Jake come with me that day since I had all the boys' school supplies to carry and he wanted to meet their teachers too.  We dropped him off and quickly left since I did not want to prolong the 'goodbye' event.  We could hear him SCREAMING even as we walked to the car.  Broke my heart.  But we were reassured that it was normal and that he would get used to it.  Now, a month into it, he practically leaps out of my arms to RUN into his classroom.  Definitely an answer to this momma's prayers! 

Here are a few pics from Meet the Teacher, First Day, and Grandparents' Day last week:

 First Day!  Daddy was taking the picture...wish we would have gotten one of all 4 of us...

 water bottles for their teachers on the first day that said "We hope you had a TEA-riffic first day!

 Mason exploring on Meet the Teacher

 Ethan exploring on Meet the Teacher

 Ethan Mommy had to decorate his star for their bulletin board. 

 Ethan with Grandma!

 Mason caught a glimpse of his grandparents while they came for Ethan's celebration, but he didn't cry!

playing on the playground

Mason-15 months

Wow, Mason turned 15 months last Thursday!  We took him to the Dr. the following day and he is getting so big!  98th percentile for height (whoa) at 34 inches, and 30th percentile for weight at 23 pounds.  Ethan was 36 inches when he was THREE!!  This kid is crazy tall.  He is the youngest in his preschool class (it's supposed to be a class for 18-24 months, but the director was nice and let me start him early).  Anyway, he is the youngest in the class but bigger than most of the others. 

We started the boys at preschool yesterday so I will post a few of those pictures later. 

For now, here's some sweet ones of my youngest boy.  Love him! 

Summer Photo Journey!

As promised, here are LOTS of pics from this summer!  All from my iPhone so not the best quality. We have been trying to stay busy and also do things indoors since it's so stinkin hot here!  Can't believe summer is winding down but I am definitely ready for cooler weather and for preschool to start!  ;) 

Mason is 14 months and Ethan is 3 1/2.  Can't believe my babies are getting so big! 

 playing in the shoe bin

 doing a little painting

 girls' trip to Denver-SO FUN!!

 Ethan with his cousins Casey, Jamey, and Ava

 Mason has eczema and got a breakout on his little bottom.  Dr. said to let him "air out"

 you can see how bad it is in this one

 Ethan in his summer camp-about to perform their play about monsters!

 Ethan's solo!  We were so proud.  :)

 Ethan and BFF Carter "fixing" the baby gate

 playing so nice

 here they were wrestling

 fun at the Children's Museum

 kissing himself in the mirror :)

 Ethan was writing his name

 playing on Mommy's new iPad!

 bubbles!

 at the circus

 Mommy's little helper

 FINALLY started Mason's scrapbook!!

 loves to make them crash

 One of Mason's fav activities ;)  taking them in and out. 

 My mom and I went to a painting class and this is my final product. 

 Best.Idea.EVER at a restaurant! 

 playing on the computer at the library

 loves to read books

 playing with Uncle Matt's police badge.  Not a real gun-don't worry!

 he found a "fighter-fighter" costume at the mall so I let him try it on. This is what he wants to be for Halloween. 

 Chuck E. Cheese

 Ethan's newest obsession-building train tracks ALL over the house. 

learned how to drink the milk from his cereal bowl from Daddy. 

GENTLE!

Man, I have been horrible at updating this thing.  Tomorrow I am going to upload all my pics from my phone and do a recap from the summer!  :)  I know you're excited.  Actually, I don't even know if anyone still reads this! 

Ok, so this video is over a year old, but I mentioned this scenario today at my book study (we are reading "Don't Make Me Count to 3!" at church...WONDERFUL book on discipline).  Anyways,  2 of my friends are due with baby # 2 very soon so we were on the tropic of older siblings and their younger baby brothers/sisters. 

Here is a lovely video of Ethan patting Mason on the back but quickly turned into SLAPPING him!  We had to work on being gentle a lot that summer.  In fact, this is something we continue to work on daily!  Good thing Mason slept through it all-gotta love that stage where they can sleep through anything! 

California Dreamin'

Back in early June, Ethan and I got to go to Orange County, California with our good friends, Kelly and Aiden.  Her family is from there so we got to stay with her brother and got to fly for free with her husband's Southwest Airlines perks!  :) 

It was great because it was a week-long playdate!  The weather was amazing-in the 60s and 70s the whole time.  A bit chilly at the beach so we didn't go in the water but we still had a great time.  We also went to Disneyland and Legoland.  Awesome vacation! 

 Ethan's (and my)! first look at the Pacific Ocean

 Disneyland!

 Huntington Beach-it was cold!

 the boys ran into a little trouble at the beach :)

 so excited!

 In n Out Burger-soo yummy!

 fell asleep at dinner

potty break at LAX :)