the bAAAAby.

Poor Evie Sue. Poor thing. I have totally missed out on some serious posts about this child. And, I've missed out on taking some really sweet pictures of her. Not knowing where the camera was, not knowing whether I was coming or going. Allowing myself to get completely overwhelmed with the business of moving, I'm afraid that I haven't given her the consideration on this thing that she deserves. I guess I've got no choice but to start now.

She's a sweet, sweet thing. One of the sweetest. She's a happy baby. She loves all of us. Her daddy. Her sister. Her brother. Her mama. And, we all love her back.

She loves to eat, as evidenced by the chunky size of her short little legs.

She loves to speak, as evidenced by the cute way she repeats the sounds back to us that we say over and over and OVER again.

She loves her play gym, and she rolled over for the first time on that thing on September 17...despite what her daddy says (assisting the roll doesn't count). She loves kicking and batting her little toys and staring at them with these huge, imploring eyes.

She loves to snuggle. So much.

She is so patient with us. She hardly cries, as if she understands that sometimes life is really busy for everyone and she doesn't want to create more drama (wish her sister could take a hint...:)).

And, she loves to smile...these gigantic, open-mouthed, toothless smiles that make her big baby blues sparkle and shine.

Mostly, she loves to love. She's such a love.
 

First Day of School!

Ella and Summit started their first day of school in August. (I'm clearly trying to catch up here.) They were so cute in their matching outfits and with their hair looking cleaner and prettier and more handsome than it's bound to look for the rest of the year.

Here's to kindergarten and third grade! Goodbye to late mornings and homework-free afternoons. I'll miss you lazy days of summer, but I'm so thankful for the opportunities that my kids have to learn in such a wonderful school.

Where did you come from, Kindergarten?

Well, last week really happened. Really. I've been dreading the moment since summer began, but dreading  it did me no favors. Neither did the crying or the fretting or the hemming and hawing. None of it. None of it prepared me for one of the hardest days my life has ever seen.

Taking my little fella down the hall and into that kindergarten classroom was rough. Even though I know he's in good hands. It was rough. We're peas and carrots, me and my Summit. Peas and carrots. He's been right there with me for 5 years. Right there. He loves me the most. He gets me, and I get him. I get his sense of humor and his sweet little ways. I know what he needs; that he's kind of sensitive and sometimes shy; that he's anxious about certain bugs; that he says he doesn't like math, but he really does; that when he gets scared, he really needs someone to hold his hand a little tighter. And he needs me the most.

And, I need him, too. I like having him around. He's funny. Really funny. And, he's sweet. Really sweet. He likes to be silly and laugh and make other people laugh. And, when I'm having a bad day, he tries to make it better, because he likes people to be happy the way he is always happy. I think it's awesome to watch him play with his toys (right now his favorite ones are the cheap little guys that come out of the gumball machine at San Jose); his imagination is so huge, and it makes me want to be fun and carefree and creative. I love his questions and his easy conversations. He keeps me grounded and young at heart (...clearly not on my face). Ha!

Still, it had to happen. Kindergarten had to happen. I had to let him go, and in doing so, know that this was the first of many times that I'll have to let him go a little farther from me. That morning was hard. Super hard. But, we did it. He was nervous, and he held my hand tighter than he's ever held it before. And, even though he wanted to cry, even though he didn't want to do it, he did it. He was brave and strong and ready. He stood there, contemplating his cubby, contemplating his new classroom, and he said his goodbyes and gave us his biggest hugs. And, he let us go. I think it was proof that we had done all we could to prepare him for moments like this. We're doing something right. Thank goodness.

And me? I bawled my eyes out, wondering where this kindergarten business came from.

Dusting Off the Keyboard

After quite a hiatus, I figured I best get to dusting off the old keyboard and direct some of my focus back on the business of blogging for my family. Part of it wasn't my fault, my neglect of cataloguing our family affairs; the insanely busy moving process has kept me and my computer hostage for more than a month.

And, what a crazy month it's been. Following 3 plus years of having our little old house on the market, we FINALLY received an offer on the damn thing. Could it have happened before the baby was born? Before she was 2 months old and needy as all get out? Before Summit started kindergarten? Before the start of the school year? Before I went back to work? Before summer was over? Apparently not. No. It had to happen RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of it all. Right in the middle. So, was it wild? Hell yes it was!

Mortgage borrowing ain't a pretty thing to deal with. Not at all. It's like being forced to stand on a stage naked, without having shaved ANYTHING for months or being able to work out for years, in front of everyone in the world. It's ugly. And stressful. And unpredictable. And can get you in a bit of trouble when your significant other sees that credit report with some of those shopping cards on that piece of paper, and all you can do is avoid looking anyone in the eye and whistle. And no matter how much you want everyone to stop looking at you, they look at you more. And, then they want more stuff...letters about how you had your first born and how you pay for toilet paper and how much it costs you to drive to the moon. (To be clear, we aren't deadbeats. We have very good credit.)

Also not pretty is dealing with nit picky psychos who want to buy your house. Or, rather, who want to buy your house for their kid and who don't have anything else to do except put everything you have put your heart and soul into for several years under a magnifying glass and pick it apart. How emotional. How exhausting.

But at least we sold the flipping thing. And, at least we found a great new place to live. It's beautiful and quiet and peaceful and perfect for our little family. And, we are so thankful to finally be here.  And, I'm so happy to be back to the blog. Please forgive my neglect, my loves.

Here's our new abode.

Here's my new favorite plant. This bush is covered with butterflies in the warmer months.