First smiles...

Rob laughed and Bennett smiled. This was the first time he had smiled at Daddy. So Daddy kept laughing, and Bennett kept smiling. Forgive the histerical giggling. Parents will do anything to make their very serious 2.5 month old grin.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Etsy

I just opened an Etsy store. Check it out at www.abstractinfusion.etsy.com

Update

Wow, have we been busy! I almost forgot about the blog. Well, here is what has been going on with us:
I had a couple of parent orientations to go to for the girls.
Zoe is doing great in kindergarten, she really loves it. She doesn't even mind the homework (more on that later), hope that attitude lasts her entire educational career.
Sydney started pre-preK at First United Methodist Preschool. The class is called "Rainbows" so if I start talking about rainbows you know I'm not totally crazy. She didn't really act like she wanted to go at first but she was very brave and went without so much as a fuss. I hope this also continues, since Sydney is known for being stubborn, if she doesn't want to do something it can be quite a struggle to change her mind.
Since they are both in school at the same time I have had to start a carpool with another mom who has kids in the same classes as mine (so furtunate that that happened or I would have had real trouble). I pick up Zoe on Mondays and Fridays because only she has school on those days, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays she rides with her friends mom and I pick up Sydney and her friend Maya. It should work out well.
As for kindergarten homework - if you were wondering what that could possibly be- they have reading to do. The teacher send home poems and basically a lesson plan for it and we do that together. She is suppose to do 100 minutes of reading a week. I have to sign off on a sheet of paper how many minutes she does a day and if she does all her minutes she gets a prize the following Monday. Practicing sight words, writing her name, and reading other books can also count towawrd her minutes. I don't forsee us having much trouble with this because Zoe loves to read and practice writing. Rob started her on sight words earlier in the year so she already knows about 50-60 (way ahead of the 4 her teacher wants them to know).
Bennett had his 2 month well check and is growing well. He weighs 12lbs now and is 23.5 inches long (almost 2 feet already!!!). He had a bunch of vaccines and was not a very happy camper that day or the next. The doctor said he has a slight heart murmur, much like what Sydney has, and she wants to keep an eye (ear) on it. He is also still a bit colicky, but with the help of "Gripe Water" has been sleeping pretty well. Of course I say that and then he decides to have a growth spurt the last couplke of days and wants to eat constantly. Oh well, as long as he is thriving.
The girls also started swimming lessons. This is Zoe's third session (she is now an eel) and Sydney's first session (she is a pike). They both really enjoy it. Zoe is actually a pretty good little swimmer - confident in the water and seems to be pretty strong. The first day of eels she didn't wear a float belt like the other kids and managed to keep up swimming the width of the pool several times. She feels more comfortable with the belt though and opted for wearing it again the second day of class. Sydney of course is just getting use to the whole idea but is very proud to get to do this big girl activity.
On top of all of this stuff, Zoe brought home a cold from school so she has been coughing a bunch and gave it to Sydney who has just a little cough and to Daddy who is sicker than anyone. So far Bennett and I are hanging in there without being ill - knock on a bunch of wood, I can't afford to get sick! Hopefully this long weekend will afford everyone the rest they need to get feeling better.

Priceless Moment

Tonight the girls and I finished reading Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth. Which led to a discussion about what we want to be when we grow up. Zoe wants to to a cowgirl, a painter, and work at Build-a-bear. Sydney wants to be a big purple butterfly.

Father and son

I dressed Bennett and a few minutes later Rob

came out of the bedroom wearing the same outfit. Too Cute!

Kindergarten

"Back to school, back to school, to prove to my dad that I am not a fool..." - Billy Madison

Today I woke to a thunderstorm at 6:30am. Great. Rain. It's Zoe's first day of kindergarten and then Rob and Shar are going to pack her things into the moving truck. Great. Rain. At least it will hide my tears should I not be able to hold them back. Zoe gets up and comes out to find me in the living room bringing out Bennett. She is already excited about school. We go and dress her in her new dress from Nanny. Next is breakfast for her (Waffle, eggs, banana, vitamin, milk) and Bennett (breastmilk). Hands washed, teeth brushed, hair combed, and everyone else is still asleep. I wake Sydney up. She gets dressed and eats, etc. then Daddy and Auntie emerge. We are all ready to go before we think we need to be, but we leave at 8:30 just the same. The line of cars was tremendous. It's still raining. Rob drops Zoe and Shar and I at the entrance and stays in the car with the kids. We walk back to the cafeteria and there are people everywhere. Signs with teachers names and lines of kids all in various states of anxiety, excitement, and anticipation. We find Zoes line and she sits down and waits patiently. I ask if she is nervous or scared. She shakes her head "no." Do you want me to stay? Nod. So we stay. The girl in front of her in line has both parents there. She isn't crying but is clearly nervous. I ask her name and introduce Zoe to her. Her parents take a picture and Zoe smiles at the camera. Cheese! Then its time to follow Ms. Bigelow to the classroom and Mommy and Auntie have to go. She just walked right off - no problems- she doesn't even look back. Shar gives me a squeeze. I know she is emotional about it too. We head out. Stopping to talk to a mom-friend briefly, we make our way to the door. Where is Rob? Did he park? Hmm. I don't see him. Is that him up there with the lights on and one blinker blinking? If not it's some daddy with a kid on his lap. We walk there. It was some other daddy with a kid on his lap. Ha! Tromping through rain and puddles we find the car and head home. Such was the start of the first day of kindergarten. Mommy has more trouble than the kiddo - big surprise there. When I picked her up she hopped right in. Said her day was good - no details. When I ask questions she "can't remember." Oh well, I am sure I will find out eventually. Tomorrow is another day and a new routine is taking shape. Sydney starts school September 3rd. Another big day for mommy I guess.