The McTaggarts Come to Town {part 1}

Aubyn and her family came for a visit this month!  My sister bucket had been on empty for far too long.  It was so great getting to spend time with the McT clan!  Bridgette and Maisy got to meet everyone for the first time.  Rooke, Evelynn, and Gretchen had a lot of fun playing together.  I just tried to soak up every minute of getting to be with family.  It could only have been made better if Konnor and Tana had been with us, too.  

The "big kid" cousins . . . . Rooke was smitten with little Maisy

Bridgette liked getting to know her Auntie Auby

My parents graciously shared their paralympic tickets and they watched the big kids for the day!  Scott, Aubyn, Ryan and I took the babies and spent the day walking around the Olympic park (which is huge!) and caught a game of USA vs. GB soccer.  

I was more interested in looking at these precious girls than the game - what cuties!

Gretchen visited Auntie Auby's beauty parlor.

"Don't smile until I say '3' . . . one, two . . ."

". . . .three!!!"

I'm already missing her so much.

The First Day of Reception

Rooke started school last week.  

Whoa.  

I'm still kinda freaked out about the whole thing. 

In England, school starts at age four.  The first year is called Reception.  It will be like a pre-school/kindergarten hybrid, with lots of playing and a strong emphasis on social and emotional development while they increasingly introduce more structured learning times for reading, math, and writing.  What to do about school for Rooke this year weighed heavy on me for a long time.  But I'm thankful that Ryan and I have settled on a decision that (we pray) will be good for Rooke and suit our family well.  

His official uniform shirts were late in arriving, so the "first day pictures" may need to be re-taken for the history books, but he looks so handsome and grown-up no matter what!   

The first day went well.  My brave boy encouraged me to keep myself together by fighting back his own tears as he gave me one last hug around my legs before I stepped out the door.  

I love this little guy so very much.    

Totally four.

He chose meat pie from our local butcher with mashed potatoes for his special dinner.  Goofy guys!  

This was taken on a different day . . . . we were walking home from school and he was collecting a bouquet.  We passed a little girl walking with her mom.  Rooke stopped and asked the little girl if she wanted one of his flowers.  Melt my heart!  I may or may not have teared up seeing that interaction.  I'm just so proud of him!  

Old Macdonald's Farm

Who knew that Old Macdonald had a farm here in London!  We spent the day enjoying the sunshine with KayeK and Big Daddy at this family-friendly farm.   

This might have been the highlight of the day for Rooke!

We made a good team.  My feet were long enough to reach the pedals and she could hold onto the steering wheel.  Driving a tractor can be hard work.  

Super Star Baby who barely made a peep all afternoon.  She gets the award for being the child with the best attitude all day!

Gretchen wasn't tall enough to ride the mini roller-coaster, but Rooke had a ball!

Surprise!

August Phone Dump - lots of firsts

As I looked back on these pictures captured on my phone in August, I realized there were several "first" moments for us . . 

first time to shop for school clothes - lookin' good!

first time to lay outside in a diaper (yay for warm weather!)

first backyard camping dinner

first tastes of rice cereal . . . 

He was very interested in the process of Bridgette getting to eat something other than milk and wanted to finish off the few bites she didn't eat.  Funny guy!

first roller coaster ride together

first hair cut from someone other than Mom or Dad (he didn't want me to take his picture after the haircut, but was willing to smile for a photo in the store if he could pose with a car!)

first tastes of banana

Some other fun moments from the month (not necessarily firsts) . . .

a walk to the park to feed the ducks with our friend, Patsy

summer spaghetti dinner outside, finished off with a family trampoline session

the clips are just as much function as they are fashion

a morning walk through the "wood" with friends

Story time for Puppy Dog and Blue Dog before naps 

The coordinated nap is a beautiful thing.

 

She makes me smile all day long.

 

I really like being a mom.