Seven months old!

Elijah is seven months old today! We are thankful every day that he is healthy and happy! It's hard to believe that it's been three months since his surgery. He had his first follow-up MRI almost two weeks ago and everything went as well as we could have hoped. There is no sign of the tumor and he's developing well. We don't have to go back to Children's for another three months. Yippee!!
Elijah is working on rolling over. Once his head tips...
...his body follows!
It looks like he's getting close to cutting his first tooth. His bottom left tooth should be poking through any day now!

First Day of Preschool!

Sienna finally had her first day of preschool today!!

Sienna & Luke

Cal, Sienna & Luke
(It was very noisy at drop-off today.)

Sienna & Lauren

Here goes nothing! Miss Monica with some of the gang.

There they go!

"Raise your hand when you see your mom or dad!"

Happy after the first day of preschool

Luke, Sienna, Callie, Drake (brother of a classmate), Cal, Lily & Lauren

Sienna (channeling her Great Aunt Susie), Luke & Lauren

It's nearly impossible to get these three
to look at the camera at the same time!

Sienna's first "homework" assignment. She had to color and cut out pieces to make a weather wheel that they'll use at circle time each day.

The finished product.

Isabella made the same weather wheel during her first week of preschool. Since Sienna is in the same program with the same teacher, I'm sure we'll see a lot of the same projects. She had a great first day, and I enjoyed some peace and quiet at home while Elijah snoozed for a bit. I actually got some organizing done-as tempting as it would have been to sit on the couch! Both girls are back in school tomorrow!

Preschool Open House

This is Sienna's big week! She had her preschool open house for an hour today, and she'll have her first official day on Thursday.

Lauren and Sienna headed in to school together this morning.

They got their name tags from Miss Monica.

Sienna hung her backpack in her cubby!

Luke, Sienna and Lauren spent lots of time at the sand table. Notice how there's just sand and a few toys in the table.
Someone decided to dump a bucket of animals in with the sand!! The teachers didn't have that in mind for today, so they said that they'll have to go over the rules about what belongs in the sand table. What's the big deal, right?!

Lauren, Sienna and Lily

Sienna and I worked together to make a family tree.

Sienna made a sandwich with a new friend, Michael.

Sienna and Lily

A good-bye hug for Lauren!

First Official Day of Kindergarten

Thursday was Isabella's Kindergarten orientation, and Friday was the official first day where she was on her own! She was excited but a little bit nervous.

John, Isabella and Hope are ready for Kindergarten!
In addition to the 8 Kindergarteners from our neighborhood, there are a bunch of 1st-3rd graders, so there's a big crowd of kids at our bus stop. Isabella and Sarah bravely headed off for the bus.
Isabella didn't even look back! There were only a few tears shed (by several moms-myself included).
Sienna and Lauren are ready for their turn.
Everyone made it home on the right bus!
Four half-day Kindergarteners: Isabella, Sarah, Hope and John.
Holly was prepared with her hand sanitizer when the kids got off the bus!!
The baby brigade. Elijah and Adam will be heading to Kindergarten in another five years.

A Week of "Firsts"

This has been a big week for our five-year-old! Isabella had her first soccer practice on Tuesday, first gymnastics class on Wednesday, and her first day of Kindergarten today!!!!

Ready to practice

The five girls on Isabella's team decided to call themselves the "Ants"!

Sarah and Isabella are taking gymnastics together

Sienna and Isabella

Isabella and John ready for the first day of Kindergarten!

Walking to the bus stop (holding hands)

Here comes trouble!
There are 8 Kindergarteners from our neighborhood
(one is missing from the picture)

I got to ride on the bus with Isabella today.
Tomorrow she's on her own.

John, Sarah and Isabella sat together

My big girl!

Isabella's cubby

Back on the bus