JT update

Our sweet little guy is not so little anymore. He is growing and talking and learning new things. It's exciting to watch him grow up. But sad at the same time. Here's a little taste of what he's been up to lately:
1. He moved into a big boy bed.

2. Here he is on his first night in his bed. I laid with him that night. =)

3. Uh oh. Already a lady's man! This little gal's mom told Jonathan to give Eliza a hug. And, what did he do? Yeppers, a big ole' kiss.

4. Eliza didn't know what to think about that one. We've got to work on manners and appropriate rules in the church nursery.

5. Good ole' friends again!

6. He loves to "wash water". Or in other words, he means to wash dishes. Of course, in reality, this involves lots of water everywhere!

7. Look at those curls!

8. One of my favorite times this summer was right after nap time. Both kids were usually really cuddly and I soaked it up. This is one of those times on a rainy day. We went to rock on the porch and listen to nature.

9. He still LOVES to eat and can definitely eat more than his sister. He usually eats her food if she's not quick enough to get to the table.

10. Here he is trying to go to sleep. I was sneaking a picture of him when I thought he was asleep.

11. We spent lots of time outdoors this summer and he had his fair share of popsicles.

12. He loves anything that has to do with "big trucks", cars, boats, and fishing poles.

13. Just another sweet cuddle time. This little guy is a momma's boy! If Mike gets up with him through this night, Jonathan will yell "Mommy" until he falls asleep or until I go in there. Then, if he wakes up and Mike is here he gets mad!

14. Y'all, he really is a happy boy. He loves to play peek-a-boo, ring around the rosies, chase after you pretending to be an alligator/lion/duck/bird, and smiles like this for no reason in the car.

15. JT, we love you and are thankful we get to watch you grow and learn! Even if that does involve your daily tantrums on the floor. You are 2 though! That's part of it!

Bella update

Bella will be 5 in a few months. Can you believe it? This little one is full of mystery. Just when I feel like I have her figured out, another part of her personality comes out. Here's what she's been up to lately.

1. We started piano lessons. She can play a few songs but doesn't like to practice. Oh well, we'll keep working on her.

2. She still likes to garden with me - complete with my hippy-headband. Raisin' her full of nature-lovin', butterfly-watchin', tomato-pickin' gal!

3. She is still a daddy's girl.

4. She is dropping her afternoon nap very slowly! She'll skip about once a week but is not consistent yet. This is what I caught her doing during her quiet play time. She's definitely like her parents!

5. Can you see what's inside the pack-n-play? Bella helped JT get in and I found them reading together. She was very expressive in telling him the story!

First day of school

It's the first day of school! After a fun, long, traveling, bubble-blowin', water-soakin' summer...it's finally time to go to school. This year is different though. Jonathan starts preschool, Bella starts kindergarten, and I start my 3rd year (aka. the time when you are supposed to start your dissertation...halleluyer!). Wait, did I just type those words together? Kindergarten, dissertation, preschool? Team Smith is movin' on up. Let me show you a snapshot of our first day:

1. We had a back-to-school-campout in the living room the night before. Complete with smores and lots of stickiness!

2. My first day was the day before Bella started. So, she came with her sweet daddy to eat lunch with me. Talk about happy! Y'all, I just beam with joy when she's walking with me. It's like I want to make eye contact with everyone and say, "Yes, she's mine".

3. She now takes a lunch to kindergarten. I've been looking forward to doing little notes and surprises in her lunchbox for a while now. My mom did that to my sister and I. I'm carrying on the tradition, Mom!

4. Here's the little cutie walking into school. I'm sure she got bored with me wanting to take a picture of everything that morning. "Bella, stop here. You just walked 30 feet." "Bella, wait. Let me get a picture of you, well uhm, smiling again."  You know, the usual mom-on-first-day stuff. She also gets to wear pretty darn cute uniforms. And, her daddy is jumping up and down in excitement! Long skirts, long shirts, long jumpers. ha! It's already started at 4 years old.

5. Here she is in her desk. She's at the back of the class in the middle. I'm a back row gal too in school so we'll see if she likes sitting here or not. She wanted to let me know that she puts her lunchbox underneath her seat. She was very specific in telling me about that. =)

6. "Bella, let your mother (who is about to panic and cry) take another picture of you doing, well, nothing again."

7. "Bella, take a picture with your mommy before all of my mascara runs down my face. Hurry, momma's about to lost it!"

8. Bella took the camera away from me and took pictures of the cupcakes.

9. This is totally normal y'all. I had left the room (after the other kids came in with the teacher). This is usually code to kick the hovering parents out right? So, what's a momma to do? I paced the halls with the rest of the parents and looked back in to sneak a picture.

10. The bell had rung. Prayers were being said. Where was I? Yep. Totally still creepin'. There were lots of parents and families hovering too - all of us with cameras and video cameras and iphones and ipads hovering around the door way. We would take turns snapping another picture of our children doing, well, nothing. But, you know. We needed that other picture.

***SIDE NOTE: I finally left after one final wave goodbye. Mainly I left because lots of moms were starting to lose it and cry. And I did not want to break down there too! So I walked to the car where Mike was (he had taken Jonathan in) and said, "That is the weirdest feeling". Bella has been in preschool or daycare for a long time. I wasn't sad. I was happy that she was in school and growing up and experiencing the world. It's an honor to watch my kiddos come into their own life and loves and personalities. But it just feels different. Granted, part of that is probably implanted by cultural expectations. But, it still felt weird. I guess it's just another part of letting go. I didn't cry until I started heading to my school. Then, after calling the moms and best friend Gayla for support, I cried some more. It surprised me that I cried too. I'm so excited about her starting school.

11. And, 3:00 happened! Mike and I both went to pick that sweet girl up. Here's a picture of her doing nothing more than coming out of the door. Yep, creepers still.

12. Mike went back to work while Bella and I went to get celebratory ice cream. She told me about her day. I asked about every little detail. "Where did you sit for lunch, who did you sit with, did you have a good nap, what did your nap-mat look like, did you make any friends, was anyone mean to you (because I'll have some words with them - just kidding - kindof)....." A momma needs to know these things, y'all!

13. We went for ice cream every day last week to celebrate. This is Friday when we were all celebrating making it through the first week of school.

I am completely thankful for the opportunity of education for me and my kids as this is a rarity in a global sense. I never want to take for granted this opportunity! Until next time, I'm going to keep taking pictures of their every move.

Love,
A happy, proud, and teary momma

Summer livin'-Bluberry pickin'

The kids and I went with some special friends to go pick blueberries.  Bella picked. Jonathan picked and dumped and threw. Oh well, we had fun.

He was actually very proud of his bucket o'blueberries. So proud, in fact, that he wanted to dump them again and again. Little cutie!

I'm so thankful for this time during the summer to spend some one on one time with them. No obligations except to be with the kiddos!
 And live it up we did!