August 24th was Autumn's birthday, of course, but it was also Dalton's first ever day of school!
He's showing me that he's 3:
That morning, the whole family packed up, waking the poor birthday girl. We drove Easton to school first and Jason got to walk him in. Then we booked it over to Dalton's school (arriving a few minutes late, grrr). Dalton was so excited. I took this picture after I asked him if he was going to learn how to pour:
Probably no one remembers, but this particular school does quite the "phase in" routine for these new-to-schoolers. On the first day, only half the class comes at a time. Half at 8:00 and the other half at 9:30. It's only for an hour. And it's with one parent per kid.
For this kid, Jason got to be the parent:
With Easton, Jason took him for his class visit and I took him on his accompanied first day. It was the opposite with Dalton.
Autumn and I hung out in the car. We chatted in the parking lot with another mom we knew and she nursed in the front seat while we waited for Jason and Dalton to finish their hour.
Here they come!
Getting his backpack:
He chose a cute little Toy Story one earlier in the year. Around Saint Patrick's Day, I think.
Jason said Dalton did really well with listening and taking turns and all that stuff. There is a female "Eastan" in his class. And some other kids. But he had our old pal Holton (Tabor's little brother) in the class with him. 
Our neighbor Emery and our other pal Sam (Jacob's little brother) are in the second half of the phase-in class.
The kids went over a few of the basics (circle time, snack, how to walk through the halls in a line...) and the expectation that on the next day, it would still be that same half of the class, still for just an hour...but NO parents. (Which we've already done and Dalton did fabulously...none of the kids cried, I hear). Hooray!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Dalton's 1st Day of Preschool!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Someone's Got Big Brothers...
They don't leave you alone during photo sessions:
They let you be Princess Leia in Star Wars:
They put plastic rocks down your shirt and say, "Look! Autumn's got nipples!"
They help you open your birthday presents when you don't know how to do it by yourself yet:
They share their snacks if you beg like a dog:
They put lizards on your head:
They have cool beds to climb:
(I was hanging clothes in the boys' closet and turned around to find Miss Miss on the ladder! She then climbed up several times...with a spotter, though! She's more like Easton than we thought!)
Here are two more videos for your viewing pleasure:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Well-Baby
Autumn had her well-visit with Dr. Groovy this morning. She's perfect, developing appropriately, no real concerns....in fact, there was so little to talk about that Dr. Groovy played tic tac toe with Dalton. Well, he tried. Dalton doesn't know how to play at all. He didn't even know if he was making X's or O's. Easton found this hilarious as he's a tic tac toe pro.
Autumn let Dr. Groovy hold her lots and even snuggled him which is really saying something as she's got some major stranger anxiety going on lately. Then again, we've seen Dr. Groovy 3 times in the last few weeks (for Easton twice) so he's not that much of a stranger right now. :)
Here's her stats:
Height: 28 1/4 inches (25th percentile)
Weight: 19 pounds, 2.5 ounces (8th percentile)
Head: 18 3/8" inches (90th percentile)
Probably no one remembers, but early on till about 6 months she was 75th percentile for weight. Last time (9 months) she began her downward trend to 50th percentile. Now at 12 months she's 8th. :) If both her brothers didn't do the exact same thing then maybe we'd worry...instead we've been expecting it. Her cheeks, belly and thighs don't look 8th percentile to me but at the same time, we weren't a bit surprised. It's what the S kids do.
She got two shots. She didn't cry for the first and only cried really quickly for the second one. Easton had been begging for a shot the past couple of days as well. They didn't have flu shots yet so he was out of luck. Crazy child.
They collected a bagged urine sample today as well which was new for us. The boys never had that done as healthy children and she hadn't till now. But it was fine too.
We go back at 15 months.
And here are a few more previews from the Target portrait session yesterday. We did not order any of these, that's why I can show them here before the grandparents get their copies. :)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Autumn is 1 Year Old Today!!!
But you already knew that...that's just what I say each time I post her monthly pictures, right?
She was a tough customer...kept walking away. Our living room is filled with new toys and she was wanting to play, not pose. I whipped out the DustBuster to entertain her at one point. Seriously. I forget how I got this smile. But there ya go...
She had a great day. More on her celebrations (and Dalton's first day of preschool) some other time.
Happy 1st Birthday, Autumn!!!
If you choose to watch this montage, here is your "graphic content" disclaimer. It starts with her birth which was surgical.
Viewer discretion is advised. :)
However, you can close your eyes and merely listen to the happy delivery sounds then open them for the non-bloody stuff when you hear the music start, if you wish. Enjoy!
We're busy with Dalton's very first day of preschool today as well as Autumn's big day but I will take her 12 month picture later. For now, here's the rest of the year...
At 12 months old Autumn still has just two teeth, she still nurses 4-5 times/24 hours, takes a couple steps to get around but isn't brave enough to go much further just yet, she says a few 'words'... all done, num-num, nuh-uh (it's more a sound she makes when you tell her "no no") and Mama. Until yesterday, she hadn't convinced me she knew what she was saying when she'd say it...but she does! She got stuck once and called for "Mama" and got hurt another time and cried for "Mama". Yay!!! Well, not yay that she got hurt, of course, yay that she calls me Mama. Separation anxiety has kicked in and she hates for me to leave her with anyone but Daddy. Her favorite toy is her brothers' old ride-on Thomas and the karaoke machine (just messing with it). She loves anything sweet to eat. She's started taking her bows out of her hair. We've lost two of them. She's still in Size 4 diapers and starting to wear some 12 month clothes.
Official stats to come later this week...
Saturday, August 21, 2010
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes...
No matter how your heart is grieving...
If you keep on believing...
The dream that you wish...
...will come true!
Growing up I always wanted to have three kids...and I am so thankful that God has blessed our lives with those three amazing children.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
I have faith that I will one day be reunited with the child I "knew" just 12 days. But thank You, Lord for Your perfect plan...Your plan for sweet Autumn to join this earthly family nearly one year ago instead...my heart's desire, indeed!
We're off celebrating our sweet little cupcake this weekend before her birthday on Tuesday!!! Stay tuned...
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Easton's First Day of School!
Sorry for the delay in getting this up. It's a busy time of year with Autumn's birthday and party coming up as well. But I definitely wanted to get this up for all you sweet folks who've been asking...
It went great!
But let's back-up for a second here, awhile ago Easton asked me what he could put on his teacher's desk on the first day of school. I'm pretty sure he got the idea from a TV show. I leaned towards something clever...like an apple shaped timer and a note reading, "It's 'time' for a great year!" or something equally cheesy. Easton wanted to go for just a plain ol' apple. But when I said I thought maybe something that she could keep on her desk all year we opted for a plant. And he wanted to write a wordy note saying, "I am excited for kindergarten, Mrs. T. I want to learn a lot of math". So we went to pick out a plant and stumbled on something called a "lucky bamboo" which E liked...and I still got to have him be cheesy in his note:
He worked really hard on his writing. It's not something he particularly likes to do.
Ta Da!
He was skipping around singing an excited song last night. I got some of it on video. I love how happy he is!
Then last night as a "Happy 1st Day of School Eve" present, Jason and I gave the boys some new jammies which we knew they'd love:
(Actually Dalton and I picked out the p.j.'s a few days ago and I used the occasion as an excuse to give them their 'gifts'.)
I got everyone to bed and it wasn't long before it was time to wake up the gang this morning! I sang a "Happy first day of school" song to Easton and plopped Autumn up on his top bunk with him and he woke up bursting with excitement:
Yesterday I asked Easton what he'd want for breakfast on his first day of school...I'd have given him pretty much anything he wanted. He wanted leftover doughnuts...that was easy!
Then it was time to get dressed, put on his empty Clone Wars backpack and pose with his chalkboard sign (totally stolen from Jennifer).
All five of us hopped in the car to take E to his first day of kindergarten. It was still a little early:
But he was still thrilled to be heading to school:
I got a little teary on and off in the car (and throughout the morning) but Easton's excitement and Jason being there kept me in check, I think. I had the potential to really lose it, I'm sure. Plus the first day crowds and confusion really helped keep my emotions from getting the best of me.
Jason stayed in the car with the little two and Easton and I made our way...
(Do you like how I completely smudged out the other group of posing kids just now?)
We went inside and back outside. The kids all line up in the back of the school (everyone goes in the front). We were told to look for his teacher and so we did. Easton was just taking it all in.
He never looked nervous. His eyes watered at one point and alarmed I asked, "Are you okay????" because he'd been smiling non-stop but the sun was so bright and he was wanting to look around that his eyes watered from the brightness. Poor guy!
We found his teacher who acted very pleased with her new plant:
She said she'd put it on her desk for the year. :) Just what Easton was hoping for! What a sweetie-poo, huh? Love him!
We said hello to his old classmate Chase (the non-blurred kid up there). Chase rode the bus in. On his first day of kindergarten. And rode it home too. With one other kid. I was sad for him. Although I know I took the bus on my first day of kindergarten (and my mom followed the bus to school). I just can't imagine missing such a big moment. Is it just me?
Oh, I got off track. Okay, so Easton lined up amongst his fellow a.m. kindergartners:
Eventually we were just standing there and I was like, "Do you want me to leave?" and he nodded.
It made me nervous because he totally could've walked off (if he was that kind of chap). Or had someone steal him with all the commmotion and probably no one would notice. But I did it. I left. I kept myself somewhat together for my walk by some of the staff (I didn't see anyone else crying--parent or kid). It was just an exciting day!
They had a "Boo-Hoo Brunch" going on in the cafeteria for the kindergarten parents that might be having a tougher time but because Jason was waiting in the car I didn't go. We drove home Easton-less. Jason went to work. Autumn went to bed. Dalton and I watched TV on the couch. Then we did a puzzle. And then it was time to get TumTums up and go get Easton. We could've walked in to get him but we opted for the car lane. We were third in line. Autumn was strangely fussy so Dalton got out of his seat to play with her while we waited. Which was a good 15 minutes. I saw the class come walking out and Mrs. T recognized me, pointed me and my car out to Easton to double check, and then opened the back door for him to hop in. We drove by a very long line of cars on our way out. I explained to Easton that I was early today but sometimes I might be stuck in the back of the line but not to worry and that I wouldn't forget him. On the days Dalton has school I'm gonna have to be sure to be there in the line before anyone else because school ends for Dalton shortly after it ends for Easton and if I was stuck in that long line I think I might be late to get Diddles!
Anyway, I picked Easton up and he told me that "after we were all lined up we went inside and I found my desk and I hung my backpack on my chair and then we colored...I'm five so I got five colors and I drew our family but forgot Daddy...then we did math but it wasn't really math it was just counting...to 18...and then I left."
He added some details here and there later like the first time they sat on the rug he picked purple but the next time he picked orange because someone was already on the purple. And the light in the bathroom goes on all by itself, you don't have to flip on the switch. And there was a kid who kept interrupting the teacher so she put him in a chair and he kept falling out of it and his name was Brycen but not Brycen from his class last year...a different Brycen...who didn't want to be in the chair. They didn't play on the playground but next time they will. And the whole class earned a star for the day.
He's excited to go back tomorrow! I think we're off to a great start!!! He has been wanting to ride the bus which I wasn't going to have him do and then we learned there's a $100 fee (soooo unfair!) for riding the bus this year so Jason told E that was the reason. Today he let me know that when he's 9 he'll use his $100 so he can ride the bus. What a sweetheart. Thinking he'll use his own money to take the stupid bus. Gosh I love that kid. See why I'm gonna miss him?!?!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
'Twas the Last Day of Summer...
...and all on the couch:
'kay, I'm soooo not feeling clever enough to come up with a whole rhyming story right now. Sorry.
So, yeah, it's the last day before school starts. Well, for Easton: he starts kindergarten tomorrow! Oh how we're going to miss him! Last week we did a trial run to see how long it might take us to get to the school. 
We saw the building through the window and Dalton asked, "Are you crying, Mom?" and I said, "I'm not right now but I might that first day...(which made me think about it) oh, yeah, I'm crying a little now." Dalton said, "I'mna cry too cuz I'm gonna miss Eassin." :( Easton said, "You'll be at your school, silly" but D's school is only two days a week...and it doesn't start till next week.
To commemorate the end of these 3 months of hanging with all three kids we took that above picture. I put my camera on timer and that was our one and only picture...not bad, eh?
As the last days of summer break have wound down...we finished up swimming lessons:
Each boy passed on to the next level with flying...
...colors!
We also wrapped up the soccer season:
Easton scored a goal at the very end of his very last game! At the time it went in, I thought E just had the assist, then I saw the way he looked over at me, the other coach (with a baby on his back) giving him a high five, and people cheering "Good one, Easton!". Good thing I can re-watch it on this video whenever I want!
Someone else is changing with the seasons...little Autumn has taken her first steps!
The very first two happened in the church lobby on 8/8/10! She was being too loud to sit in the service so Jason and I had her out in the lobby and trying to still listen to the sermon. I was holding her hands while letting her step around and when I let go she took a few steps towards me. I was blocking Jason so he didn't exactly see...but he was there. :)
She's not real brave still, even 9 days later, and I think her max amount of steps before falling or giving up is 4. But she's getting there! Here's a couple steps if you wanted to see her go:
Now we're just about ready for school to start. Easton got his first pair of shoes with laces and learned how to tie them immediately!
Each boy got an end-of-summer hair cut and on Monday they each got to meet their teachers and see their classrooms.
Dalton (and A, E, and I!) went for his class visit at 9 a.m. Sure he's known Mrs. M in passing the last two years...but this was his first time to really get to talk to her much and check out the classroom. She brings the three year olds in to show them around as it's a tough transition. She shows them some of the class pets, shows him the potty and explains he can go whenever he needs to, he doesn't have to ask. They practice hand-washing. Then she shows each kid a few lessons. That's how Montessori is...the kids will come in and choose some work that they've had a lesson on. Dalton was very chatty and talked about random things, "You know what? I have a McQueen water and an Ariel one." "One time Daddy put a balloon in my pants and I tooted." Yeah, seriously. Jason and I were saying that we were glad he was on the comfortable end of the spectrum...even if he needs a little fine tuning. :)
I haven't a clue how D will do in school. I think he'll separate okay...he does fine at church and he's got several good pals in the class already. Mrs. L (the helper) has been in our house and he's watched Easton going the last two years. It's the other stuff I'm not so sure about. Will he be quiet when he's supposed to be? Will he beat anyone up if they make him mad? Will he actually remember to go to the potty when he needs to? Will he close the door? Will he sit in there and call for someone to come wipe his bottom? Will he remember to push in his chair and put away his work? There's so much to remember! I think he'll do alright...eventually. He's a super sweet little guy, even if he's a bit rascally at times. We don't work with him much on academic stuff because he's not into it like Easton was. But he did make his very first letter...a "D"...at dinner the other night!
Unfortunately, when he sees a D somewhere he says, "Hey! That's my number!" School will be good for him. :)
Last night it was Easton's turn to check out his classroom and meet his teacher. I dropped the littlest two off at Miss Tracy's and Jason met E and I at the school. We found his name on the list of 3 different kindergarten classes and headed to his new room. His teacher is young and adorable and seems sweet. She's pregnant. And apparently her husband and I have three Facebook friends in common. :S (She does not know this...Miss Tracy told us.) Late last night Easton mentioned how excited he was and how he thought Mrs. T was "so pretty".
We didn't spend a ton of time in his classroom but we looked around a bit and filled out some forms and such. We introduced Easton to the other kids that would be sitting at his table: Connor, Paige and Jayley. The parents weren't being particularly social nor encouraging their children to be that way. Weirdos. Interestingly, I read the name of one of Easton's classmates from last year on the roster: Chase! I was so excited! They weren't exactly close pals but they get along fine and I'm just glad there will be a familiar face for Easton tomorrow. We didn't seem him at Back to School Night, though. I got a little teary eyed as we were in the building and checking stuff out and when I asked Jason, "Gosh, what will we do on Back to School Night when we have 3 students here?" I could hardly get all the words out. Definitely tough to think about having a 4th grader, 2nd grader, and Kindergartener one day. Ack!
Easton doesn't seem nervous at all. He seems excited even. Dalton too. I think the fact that they're handling it so well helps me handle it better. It was so so tough sending a miserable Easton to preschool in those early early days. Poor guy. It was good for him. We really think that. One of our big goals was to make separation easier once Kindergarten rolled around...and here we are. He told me, "I might be a little shy at first but I won't cry like I did for preschool." Well, there ya go. I can put a little completed "check" next to that there goal.
My big guys. This summer with them has been a blast. I love these kids. All three of 'em!
*deep breath*
We're ready for this next chapter to begin!
That's all, folks!
