Missing the Dog Days of Summer!

So summer is officially coming to an end soon and all that know me, I am a "summer" girl. We have had our share of ups and downs this summer with all the craziness that life has brought us, but I have to say that it has been a fun summer and I'm sad to say good-bye to long summer days, no scheduled days, and lots of time outside.  Now that we have jumped into the daily routine of preschool and our schedule continues to be jam-packed, I am looking back at these pictures and am so thankful for the fun times we had!

And no post on this blog is complete with a few more shots of baby girl!  I don't have a lot of her "enjoying the outside" because she was usually strapped to me in the baby carrier and I am not a fan of "selfie" pictures:)  

Our weeks continue to be busy---Andrew finally has started his full three hours of school this week (twice a week)!  Of course, we had our first preschool meltdown because I forgot to pack his little "fire dog" lovey.  Yes, I was that crazy mom who drove all the way home to get it and head back to the school with it, just to make sure he would be content and secure at school.  Aiden continues to go four afternoons a week and is loving it, but it makes for an exhausted child at night (yes, we have had our fair share of meltdowns around here in the evening)!

We just arrived back from a wonderful trip back to New Jersey to see our great friends.  We miss them SO much but I have yet to catch up on my very lack of sleep.  We are also thankful for another special visitor who arrived here yesterday, my dad.  He is taking his first trip to see us in VA and I think we have already worn him out!  

Lots more planned on our calendar next month, looking forward to some great things planned as well as trying to find some  time out to block out for some  "much needed" family time.  It's such a rare thing to find time to "just be" as our little family at this season of our life, but yet so important, so as I look ahead to October I have to make sure I get that planned in before life gets too crazy.  Alright...off to bed, I'm pretty sure this little sweet rascal Abby will be up around 3 looking for some milk!

First Day of School!

We finally had our first days of school this week!  It seems crazy that school starts in mid-September when a lot of our friends back in the Midwest head back in mid to late August, but I will take the extra few weeks of summer to be with these two little boys!

I had two very excited boys ready to head to preschool on Tuesday.  Andrew will be going three hours, two days a week.  Aiden will be going three hours, four days a week.  We opted for the afternoon preschool, which is a little different than our morning schedule with Aiden last year, but I think I am really going to LOVE it once we get into the swing of things.  First of all, I don't have to rush around like a mad woman to get the kids to school before 9 am, especially with baby Abby nursing and napping!  I am REALLY going to savor a few quiet moments when they are away with Abby and I am going to work on getting her nap in while the boys are at school so I will have a few moments at home to catch up on chores, working out, emails, blogging, crafting, and whatever else I feel like doing!

So we started our Tuesday morning with a relaxing time around the house before we had an earlier lunch and headed outside to take a few quick pictures before we loaded up and headed on our way!

I originally wasn't going to send Andrew, but I loved the school on our tour last spring, and I thought he may benefit to have a little time socializing (without his mommy OR his very noisy brother!).  Andrew is a little unpredictable, so I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Sometimes he loves things, sometimes he cries---just like every other two year old, right?!  Safe to say, he ran right into class and showed his little stuffed kitty to his teachers.  He ran over to the toys, looked around and said, "Where are the cars?"  Thankfully, the teachers pulled the toy cars right out and this transportation loving boy was content!  First day was GREAT and he did have a few tears in the middle of day two, but I think he is doing great for his first school days.  

Aiden started school on Tuesday as well!  With a quick hug and kiss to me, Andrew, and Abby, he ran right into his classroom.  I wasn't sure how the adjustment to a new school would be, but so far, he is loving school!  We had met some of his classmates the week before at the park and everyone has been so friendly and inviting.  He came home on Wednesday and spent a good hour pretending to play school all by himself.  He already talks about his friends, the snacks, the crafts, and the playground.  Four afternoons a week will be great for him!

I attempted a family shot of the kids before we left---it didn't work awesome, but I managed to almost get a good one!

And here we are, at our new school!

  

And here's who I get to spend my precious afternoons with, 

I have to say that I am pretty lucky!

Our Month of August!

Another crazy month has come and gone.  I'm calling September the month to slow down around here, enjoy some time at home, and take some time to enjoy our new surroundings.   This summer really flew by with lots of fun adventures, but I am definitely ready for some time to just be.  

We started off the month of August with our first weekend up north at my sister's, Jill, house in Pennsylvania.  It was a special adventure as we headed to Dutch Wonderland with Jill and Jack for the day.  The kids had a BLAST riding all of the fun rides.  Let's just say that neither of them, especially Andrew, have no fear! 

This month, we headed a little west to do some blackberry picking for the first time ever with some of our new (and only:) friends here!  The kids had so much fun at the farm---jumping on the bouncy pillow, picking blackberries, playing on the playground, riding the cow train, and so much more.  

We spent another weekend up at the Jersey shore with two of our favorite families:  the Byrnes and the Nixons!  We had the most amazing day at the shore, where all the kids played for the ENTIRE day at the beach.  Delicious dinners, an ice cream truck visit, and a visit to one famous lighthouse wrapped up the trip.  We miss our friends SO much!

 

Someone turned 5 months---seriously we love our cutie bug so much!

Somehow, I failed to get any good pictures of one of the most exciting things of the month:  my mom came to visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We have been waiting and waiting for her to arrive and were thankful for four full days with MeMe Ruff.  I can tell you why I didn't get many pictures...we spent the time running errands, making curtains, and having my mom help me make this place a little more like home for the next two years.  You definitely need some helping hands when you move with three little kids and I am so thankful that she came to help us!

We also LOVED having another special visitors, Courtney and her crew came through for a day on their way south to visit her in-laws!  We loved showing them our new house and just having a few moments to play with our besties, and of course I loved having some catch-up time with Courtney!

 

To wrap up the month, we headed south for our last beach trip of the summer to Emerald Isle, NC!  We enjoyed three full days at the beach with Grandma Snow White, my mom, and Jill, Tom and Jack.  We all had a blast--Aiden loves the water, Andrew loves the sand, and Abby loved digging through the sand.  

As you can see August was a FULL month of fun, sun, and friends!  I will share some more pictures of our lazier August days soon, but today I am savoring our first quiet weekend in possibly six months.  Chris watched the entire Hawkeyes game, the boys have been playing (and destroying) in the house, Abby is contently crawling around, and I am playing major catch-up on my life to-dos:  laundry, blogging, preparing school bags for next week, organizing, etc.  

Happy September!

Happy Five Months Abby!

Someone is already five months (almost 5 1/2 months).  Honestly, I feel like little Abby was just born, but I am realizing that she is approaching her 6 month birthday soon.  Really time does fly...

Abby continues to be a sweet, sweet little girl!  She just goes with the flow, as I imagine most third children do, flexible with schedules/errands/sleeping/and more.  

At five months, Abby is starting to be a mover.  She rolls and rolls and rolls...and at five months, she is approaching the near steps of moving around.  The boys better realize that their time is limited with their toys being safe on the floor.  Abby also loves to play in her exersaucer and our "new" walker (thanks to a great friend).  

I also splurged and bought her a little doorway jumper so she can keep herself entertained while I am cooking in the kitchen.  So far she hasn't figured out how to jump, but she likes to stand and watch all the chaos going on around her.

Abby has started to get her first real taste of food with a little baby oatmeal.  She wasn't quite sure about the whole food thing, but I'm sure once we really get into it she is going to love food as much as the rest of her family does!  Abby continues to nurse every 3-4 hours, but thankfully (unlike her brothers) she will take a bottle which is great when we are out and about!

Sadly, Abby has started getting up here and there in the night.  It's inconsistent, but several nights a week, I am up sometime nursing the sweet girl.  I also think that you are practicing your new skills of rolling over and moving around, I have a feeling that you are going to be a mover and shaker just like your brothers are.  She is usually quick to go back to sleep after a short feed and it doesn't really bother me so I'm okay with all, as long as I have a little morning coffee!

You are at the beginning stages of being able to sit up all on your own, as long as someone is behind you to catch you when you topple!  It won't be long before you are sitting and playing all day!

You are seriously the sweetest, happiest baby!  We love you so much Abby Lou:)