An Apology

I'm just going to go ahead and apologize to JP's future wife. I thought having 3 big sisters would make him more understanding of women but alas I fear it is only going to make him spoiled rotten. So when he can't pick out his own clothes, get off the couch and get something across the room, or feed himself this video right here is why.

Some Snuggle Time

Just FYI the spot on my shirt is where Roo dribbled Benadryl...

Ruthie goes 90 miles an hour most of the time. She doesn't spend much time snuggling in my lap. I will say that I have very much enjoyed having more time with her since the big girls are back in school. Her temperament has been SO different. I think we've been going at Ruthie pace instead of Emmie and Ellie pace, not to mention I have less people to split my attention between. Last night she woke up around 10:30 itchy and while Paul was getting her medicine I spent some time snuggling with her on the couch. It's possible I held on to her for quite awhile. I love this teeny tiny girly!

Paul and Franklin got some snuggle time in too ;)

First Day of School

Today we headed back to school! Emmie is in 1st grade this year and Ellie is in kindergarten.

They have been SO excited about school. Emmie started saying about halfway through the year last year that she wanted Mrs. Estes for first grade. Thank goodness her wish came true! She is SO excited to have the teacher that she wanted so badly!

Ellie of course wanted the same teacher that Emmie had last year but thashe got someone different. She was okay though because when she went to kindercamp she was in Mrs. Boswell's class and that's who she ended up getting for a teacher. She just loved her at camp and has been really excited about being in her class.

I wish I could have recorded Ellie walking down the hall today to class. She was behind me but I heard someone make a comment about someone being really excited and I turned around and Ellie was clutching her lunchbox with both hands with a grin from ear to ear and  had quite the bounce to her step. She was the epitome of "bubbling with excitement"!

We dropped Emmie off first and it was quick and easy. She had some good friends from last year in her class including her buddy Evelyn so she was really excited about that.

Evelyn and Emmie at Meet the Teacher for kindergarten (above) and for 1st grade (below). They have grown up SO much!


We next took Ellie to her class. I was waiting to say hi to the teacher and Ellie just walked over to the cubbies and started putting her stuff up...she's got this kindergarten thing all figured out already!

Ruthie was a bit sad that she didn't get to go to school. She did get to take her backpack with her this morning because we were going to the Y so I could swim. She was a bit put out that she didn't get to take lunch with her. However, I fixed her lunch in a lunchbox so that she wouldn't feel too left out!


When we picked the girls up they talked all the way home about what a great day they'd had! Emmie's told me all about "first grade procedures" and apparently they played some fun games but I didn't hear a word about that (found out from Evelyn's mom)...my poor Type A child.

Ellie told me her favorite part of the day was singing. Apparently they sang lots of songs in their classroom including one that she knew from preschool.

Ruthie's favorite part of the day was not having to share toys! When we got home from the Y she very quickly disappeared upstairs to play with all the toys all by herself!

JP was pretty happy to get an earlier than normal nap today AND he only had one extra mama most of the day!
My favorite thing was only having to pick up and drop off at one school! It made the morning SO much less hectic!

We had a great first day of school and looking forward to a wonderful year! Tomorrow morning I will drop them off at the front of the school. I cried the first time I did this with Emmie because she looked so little and lost! Tomorrow should be much better...Emmie knows where she's going and Ellie's classroom is on the way to Emmie's class so I know Emmie will make sure Ellie gets to class.

Greenville Trip

Last Sunday the kiddos and I (and little puppy) headed to Greenville to visit with my parents for a few days. We had a great time. We went to the Children's Museum, the pool with some friends, I got to catch up with my sweet friend Carissa who is having her 4th baby any day now, we made homemade ice cream, all got haircuts, got new sneakers for the girls, the kiddos rode their bikes a lot and JP loved it so much he wanted to be awake ALL the time (especially at night...the joys of teething). We had a great time and I'm so glad we were able to fit in a trip to finish off our summer!


Hanging out in the kitchen. They LOVE the doctor's kit! Ruthie likes to give shots but she wants you to "cry" when she does it. Lol!

So much fun at the Children's Museum! The last time we went Ellie was a baby. The girls had a lot of fun (and JP did too!) and I was really impressed by all the fun exhibits they had!


Ruthie loved this exhibit..none of the other girls were too thrilled about it...especially Emmie.


JP LOVED the water! He was soaked by the time he finished but he was happy!



The shopping exhibit is a favorite in Columbia and the girls were excited that there was a similar one in Greenville.


Emmie was a hoot trying to do this! She would say the wrong thing and immediately realize it and laugh and laugh.

Ellie looks like a natural! (She does want to be a Mommy when she grows up.)




JP helping Grandaddy with the ice cream!

Apparently it required some deep discussions.



Last time Ruthie was a bit hesitant about getting her hair cut but this time she was READY!

The girls love getting their hair braided when they get haircuts at Jellybeans.

We went to the mall for lunch and to get shoes from Stride Rite so we stopped and let them play on the playground for a few minutes.

10 months

I am 10 months old!

• I weigh 19lb 11oz.
• I wear a size 3 diaper and size 9-12mo clothes.
• I take a 4-6oz bottle at 8am, 12pm, and 4pm and an 8oz bottle at 8pm. I had FINALLY started sleeping through the night this month but then got an ear infection and so I went back to getting up and getting a bottle 1-2 times a night. Right now I'm back to just once a night. Usually about 2:30am. I also eat 3 meals a day.
• Some of my favorite foods are cheese, eggs, watermelon, strawberries and any kind of meat. I was introduced to sausage this month (the kind of sausage in low country boil)...delish!

• I now have 4 teeth. Two on the bottom and two on the top!
• I am quite the talker. I make lots of noises like da-da, ma-ma, ba-ba. I wave "hi" and "bye" (and say bye).
• I adore my sisters and pretty much want to do anything they do. They go upstairs? I'm right behind them crawling up the stairs. They jump on the little trampoline? I climb up there, pull myself to standing on the bar, and try to jump like them!
• I crawl everywhere, pull up on everything, have started cruising this month, and can crawl up stairs VERY quickly.
• My favorite room is the bathroom. I love to try to stick my hands in the toilet, unroll the toilet paper, and throw all the bathtub toys out of their basket and into the tub (they make a fabulous loud noise!).

• While I'm still a bit unsure of the hair dryer it no longer makes me shake and scream...making progress!
• I spend much of my day trying to get into Franklin's food and water.
• This month I went to Kiawah for a week. I was really excited about the ocean but the waves scared me the first few days. After a few days I got used to them and LOVED the water. I also loved the sand. After eating a ton of sand the first day I decided perhaps it wasn't really that great and I was really good about not eating it the rest of the week.

• I don't particularly love loud noises unless I'm the one making them...I love when I can throw a toy and it makes a loud noise.
• This month I went on my first airplane ride! I went to Boston for Uncle Ben and Aunt Ruth's wedding. (Also, my first wedding.) I did GREAT on the plane and with all the traveling. Everyone commented on what a great baby I was...it's' pretty much true...I'm awesome.

• I love the pool.

Emmie at 10mo.

Ellie at 10mo.

Ruthie at 10mo.