South Padre

In between Maddie's birthday and the start of school, my wonderful aunt and uncle invited us on a beach getaway vacation to South Padre. It was a long road trip for us, but the girls did great. And they had a ton of fun during our stay, as did we. Maddie was back to absolutely adoring the beach (and not minding sand) and Avery was content to sit under the umbrella with us and chill!

Maddie loved running into and away from the waves

Avery talked and talked and enjoyed the beach wind

Aunt Christine was wonderful enough to get us sand castle building lessons and it was super fun-- we really did learn a lot. Not as easy as you think! 

Maddie was definitely dedicated

mostly finished castle

We also went on a Pirate Ship Cruise...

Maddie got to sword fight with pirates, ARGH!!!!

All that swashbuckling really wears a little girl out!

We're so glad we were able to meet Rob and Christine before the school year started again. What a treat!

Both in School

This past week, my little Maddie started her first week of big girl school. She is an official Pre-K student.

It's very surreal. How are both of my girls old enough to be in full time school?? Avery started the week before at her same school, but in a brand new classroom. It's a very different setting for her.... more like a typical class. She has her own desk and everything!

I couldn't get her to look at the camera, of course, but here you can see her sitting at a desk. She was "talking" up a storm on that first morning. She's been doing a great job at transitioning to this new environment, considering that any kind of change has always been hard on Avery. It's definitely going to challenge her a lot, but we think she is up to it :).

Maddie, on the other hand, was really not nervous at all about her new class. She gives us the funniest reports about her day, most of which I have no idea if it's accurate or not. She did just turn four.

When asked what she enjoyed after the first day, she responded, "we have REST time!" Rest time?? Really? Like you ever want to rest or nap at home?? Silly girl. Of course, she loves lunch and playground time the best as well.  

I thought I was a bonafide rock star for not crying at all while dropping her off, or any other time that day. The tears did eventually come... about mid-week when I walked into the grocery store all by myself and it all of the sudden just hit-- my sidekick was not with me. I intensely, physically missed her presence beside me. ACK! This is hard.

I am still getting used to drop off and pick ups too. They go to school about an hour apart, so that's not terrible, although always pretty crazy in the morning. It's the pick ups that I am having the hardest time with. Only 30 minutes apart, and I have to maneuver through a bunch of school zones and buses stopping FOREVER and traffic and then the car pool line! I am basically a stress ball throughout, so I really hope that improves.

Meanwhile, I did have actual day time to get some things done! And visit people! I spent most of Wednesday like this:

That's sweet Cora who is only 6 weeks old, HEAVEN!!

Meanwhile, I have about a thousand other things running through my mind right now. And sleep... I have not felt this wiped out for a long time. I think I might actually have to start going to bed earlier! UGH. That would be a huge change. I might be growing up.

August is INsane

Poor, sad, ignored blog!! Ever since we returned from our Mexico trip, it has been non-stop crazy. I always know in the back of my mind that August is going to be insanely busy, but I am still never fully prepared for the onslaught. 

The day after our vacation ended was Avery's last day of school before her second summer break. Since she is moving to a new classroom at the start of the school year, it was time to say goodbye to a very special group of teachers who have taken amazing care of my darling girl. It was emotional, to say the least. The day was also full of random crises that totally knocked the wind out of me. It was definitely a rough way to return to real life!

Happily, my birthday was on the 3rd, and Bub the hub did a very nice job of spoiling me. Ditto my momma and my sweet children. 

Before our bday dinner date!

As soon as my birthday was over, it was two solid weeks of being home with girls while I prepared for Maddie's fourth birthday party on the 15th. In between, there were lots of doctor appointments, therapies, play dates and a million different errands. And dance camp!! Maddie had a whole week of princess themed dance camp that culminated in an adorable "recital."

Maddie and cousin Molly being silly at dance camp

I would say that for the most part, Avery did really well being home with me. Unlike some past breaks where she just spent the whole time being cranky and high strung, presumably because she'd rather be in school! Her moods seemed more stable and we are also seeing much fewer seizures since we've seemingly hit her appropriate levels of fats vs. carbs on the modified Atkins diet.

It was incredible how fast August 15th came up on us, but Maddie's My Little Pony party was a big success, and the birthday girl really seemed in heaven. FOUR YEARS OLD, I really can't believe it. Another year gone by in a flash. But that is a whole 'nother post. I will give you the party princess on her horse, though.

We left  almost immediately after birthday festivities to meet Uncle Rob and Aunt Christine in South Padre for a beach getaway that was super family fun! Four days later we are home again and tomorrow Avery returns to school and starts in her new classroom. It will be a big day and I can just barely keep my eyes open right now. I still need to do a post on Maddie's birthday and the beach, but that will have to wait.  And I can't even get started on the fact that my baby bub starts Pre-K next week, going full-time to school--- which makes me tear up just to write it! That will have to wait to so this mommy can get some sleep.