Not to be forgotten

Elizabeth Yvonne Jansen, my baby girl. She has been very patient as we (yes, mostly me) has focused all our attention on Trace and his big start. Well, today was her day and she started back at Mother's Morning Out. This year she is in the Turtles class and gets to eat lunch in the lunchroom which is fun. We went to her open house last week and breezed through drop off today. She was so ready to get back to school and was excited to tell me that she got to go to the playground, "Two times!"

So, here is to my other baby...and if you can't tell from the pictures, JP and I think we are going to have our hands full with this one!

...Enjoying open house in her new Turtles class...

 ...First day pose...

...In front of her cubbie with a little 3 1/2 year old attitude...

On today's menu...

Update on today's "big deal"...Trace loved buying his lunch at school. When I asked him what he got, here is the very enthusiastic response I got, "Momma, I picked homestyle chicken, corn kernels and two vegetables, celery and carrots, hmmm, oh, and chocolate milk!" I couldn't help but laugh, because who knew that you could make chicken nuggets and corn sound so fancy. I have been telling him what is on the lunch menu the next day and he is already looking forward to the cheese pizza tomorrow.

JP and I can remember our school lunch favorites, can you? JP liked pretty much all of it, but loved hamburger and chicken fried steak day. Mine on the other hand was the middle school burritos...mmm...sadly, I can actually still remember them just a bit.

The only other thing I don't want to forget years from now was Momsie (JP's mom) picked him up from school today. He really wanted to ride the bus, but we said we'd try the car line once. Well, the bus riders get to go first and Momsie was in line for almost 40 minutes. She said the first thing Trace said when he got in the car was, "I don't like riding, I want the bus. I had to wait forever!" He told me I made a bad choice with the car line, so I guess we're going to be full time bus riders.

"It was Awesome!"

Those were Trace's words when he got off the bus today. First day of kindergarten was an absolute success. I cried off and on for a while, but I don't think I was the only one. His favorite thing was riding the bus home. Tomorrow's "big deal" is buying his own lunch, so we'll see how that goes.

Here are pictures from his first day... I could just eat him up! I can't believe that God blessed me with this precious baby boy!

 Lookin' cool...

...a little sister support...

 ...that is one big school...Negley Elementary School...

...Mrs. Secrest's kinder"garden" classroom...

...he made home and was still smiling...momma's prayers were answered...

Two days and counting

My baby starts school in two days. We are all counting down the days. Trace is very excited and I just keep tearing up when I think of him being so big. Of course, I know we'll all survive, but I am known for not transitioning well, so here's to all the other mothers who are not dealing well with their babies going off to kindergarten. Surely, I am not the only one.

Trace did ask me if I was going to miss him when he is at school. I said yes, and that I might even cry a little bit. He just told me to look at his seat in my car with the stickers to think of him. I mean, come on! He is my baby and I am just a mess. He is so thoughtful and has such a good heart that I think he might actually be a little worried about me.

Thank God for family and friends who are loving me and allowing me to ramble endlessly about this whole thing. I am sure they'll be glad once it starts too...

Momma didn't die

Those were the words JP had my mom (Nanny) tell Trace on our way home from the eye doctor's office yesterday. I had LASIK and the day before the surgery I told Trace and Elizabeth that I was having eye surgery. Trace said, "Momma, just don't die." So, we said some prayers and the whole thing went great. I was a little apprehensive about it, but the valium they gave me helped, and I was a rockstar as far as I'm concerned.

On the way home, JP called Nanny and told her that everything went great. He told my mom to tell Trace that, "Momma didn't die." JP said he could hear mom tell Trace and then heard a loud, "Whhhewww!" from Trace. JP and I laughed so hard. I guess Trace was a little worried and so relieved that I dodged the bullet.

So, here's to the fact that I'm still alive and can see without glasses or contacts!

The American Crawl

Just a quick note that the kiddos started private swim lessons with PJ this week. They had class on Tuesday and Thursday and it was amazing how far they came in two 30 minute sessions. Trace was pretty apprehensive about it the Monday before the first class and asked, "Momma, why are you making me take swim lessons?" Want to know my response??? "Because I don't really know how to, so you are going to learn now while you are young." Now, don't get me wrong, I can stay afloat and get from one side of the pool to another, but it isn't proper technique (and sure isn't pretty).

So, I'm cheating a bit and trying to take notes in my head from their lessons to try for myself. Maybe we'll all end up little swimmers before the summer is over...both Trace and Elizabeth's favorite swim is the American Crawl with the flutter kick...and the favorite trick/game is diving for rings or sticks.

Dare devils

We had a great 4th of July. We are so lucky to join family friends at their amazing Lake Travis home complete with a pool, hot tub, and boat dock. The lake was down and dropping about a foot a week with the drought, but that didn't stop anyone from having fun. My two little ones actually took my breath (and almost my lunch) away.

The boat dock has a second story landing where you can jump about 15-18 feet down to the lake. I have even done this myself (once) since I am not really fond of heights or depths of water. So, sure enough we joked on the way down there about the kids doing that one day...some day...well, one day, some day was YESTERDAY. Elizabeth and Trace all decked out in their appropriately fitted life jackets, went up top to check it out with JP. Elizabeth is my crazy one and was so excited and said she wanted to do it. Trace was shaking his head and looking not so sure about it.

Well, after MUCH back and forth and debate, I watched from the house as my little girl jumped off all by herself. I wasn't in the water to see her reaction, but they all said she came up laughing. I can only pray for her safety and my sanity as we grow up with her.

Then there is Trace, my more reserved/shy child (if we can call it that), who is much slower to take risks, but is also highly competitive. I just knew he'd never take the plunge, but what do you think happened after he saw his younger sister jump??? He walked right up, shook his arms a couple times...and went flying. He didn't come up smiling, but he did do it a couple more times.

As I've told this story a couple times today, I've gotten some horrible looks, and I actually get nervous all over again. So, feel free to judge me and my mothering decision. I am still questioning myself now. Thank God they are both ok. I'll have to decide if I can watch it again next year.