Updates

I haven't posted in a few weeks - just been busy with everything and getting back in the swing of things... Rachel starting kindergarten and having homework each week, Jackson being back in school, Michael started his new job at the beginning of the month - just a lot has been going on. 

 

I'll start with Rachel.  She is loving kindergarten so far.  She likes her teacher, is making new friends, likes riding the bus, loves the days that she gets to buy her lunch in the cafeteria, etc... But she deals with seperation anxiety - always has.  So, she's had a hard time leaving in the mornings when the bus comes.  It's not that she doesn't like riding the bus, she just doesn't like leaving us.  Once she calms down, she's fine for the day.   Just last week, we started doing a reward chart with her - she gets a sticker for each morning she doesn't cry...the stickers lead to coupons and the coupons lead to other rewards.  We'll see if it continues to work.  Here is a picture of Rachel with her first coupon. 

 

 

One of her first homework assignments was to do an All About Me paper doll... Looks pretty good, don't you think???  Michael and I may have helped her a little bit on that...

 

Remember when Rachel lost her first tooth a few weeks ago and I said the one beside it was loose too?  Well, it came out last week.  She was eating dinner at home with Michael Thursday night and it just came out on its own.  Lucky girl! 

 

She has also started taking gymnastics.  It's once a week for 45 minutes and it's literally two minutes from our house - very convenient!  She's in the 4-5 year old class and she's the tallest girl in there.  She's loving it so far and even learned how to do a proper somersault on the first night. 

Mama's little girl!

The kids were able to get out and play for a little while last weekend...it wasn't too hot out and Michael was cutting the grass.  It's just been so hot this summer that it's hard to spend a lot of time outside...

 

Rachel loves to be silly and make faces...

Here's our little man!

Jackson turned two last month and we had his 2 year checkup on August 1st.  He is 29 pounds and 34" long.  He's in the 50th percentile for both height and weight!  He's really getting taller and not bigger - only gaining one pound since last time.  So he has thinned out a lot.  He still loves to climb on any and everything.  He's not scared of anything.  And he's go, go, go ALL the time... He is continuing to learn new things and tries to repeat basically everything he hears.  He's in a new class at school now and that will only help to increase his vocabulary and skills. They don't use sippy cups there anymore so he can drink out of a regular cup...which we need to be doing more at home. 

We had a little accident this past Friday night at home.  Michael was at a meeting and I was home with the kids.  Jackson was playing in the living room and tripped and fell and hit his face on the corner of a plastic bin.  I knew he was hurt and grabbed him up immediately and already saw blood on his face.  I thought he had a nose bleed but soon discovered that he sliced the edge of his nostril and it was pouring blood.  The bleeding eventually stopped and it stayed together so we didn't have to go get stitches or anything like that - thank goodness.  These pictures were taken that night before bed and you can see that he scraped the bridge of his nose between his eyes as well... It's looking a lot better today but still not great.  I'm very thankful that it wasn't any worse and for everyone that helped in the situation! 

Also this weekend we had Michael's side of the family over for both Barbara & Dawson's birthdays this week.  This was Chloe's first visit to our house.  Jackson was much more interested in her this time than he was the last time - maybe because there wasn't a puppy dog around!  I thought this picture was sweet...I'm holding Chloe and both kids are each holding one of her feet...

Hopefully that should catch us up on everything...If not, I'll be back!