First Day of School

The first day of school for my little kindergartener and my not so little 3rd grader. The girls were SO excited to start school and to finally be together. They both got the teachers they wanted (and mom wanted) which made for a great, happy start to the school year. Hooray!

That's my little Emily heading to kindergarten. She was so excited to finally be at the big school with her sister and all her friends. I was a little worried about how she'd do since this summer she wouldn't go to church, birthday parties, or friends houses alone. But she skipped right into kindergarten grinning and never even looked back at me. That kid never fails to amaze me. Her teacher is super sweet and came highly recommended from Emily's best friend who had her last year which was a big bonus for Emily! She knew a few girls in the class already and she came home SO happy! She had 3 bits of news for me: she can almost do the monkey bars, there are no snacks in kindergarten, and you can only get drinks at recess. It was funny to hear what was noteworthy to my 5 year old. She was especially concerned about the drink rule and spent the rest of the day catching up on her water intake so she'd be ready for day 2. She is one funny girl.

Kelsie is off to Goodtown. Her teacher is the most requested teacher at the school (although they don't take requests--how does that work?) and now we know why. He is AMAZING. He made a personal visit to our house before school started to meet Kelsie and drop off papers. Kelsie came home bursting with excitement and couldn't stop talking about her teacher, Goodtown rules and jobs, the Goodtown puppets, the giant stoplight, etc... I have never seen her this excited or talkative about school and I'm so grateful she has such an amazing teacher this year.

Babies Don't Keep

I had to share this poem I recently heard and just love. It totally sums up how I feel right now (and yes, I totally cried when I read it). With this baby I'm not worried about spoiling him by holding him too much or any of the other nonsense I heard when I had Kelsie. I hold him every chance I get and I find myself just wanting to savor every little moment with him. I've never been so unproductive in my life and for once I don't feel guilty about it.

I read that this poem was written by a mother about her 5th child and I thought that made it even more meaningful.

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Babies Don’t Keep

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

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The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew

And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

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The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Newborn Photos

These pictures were taken when Matson was 8 days old. It was a little crazy trying to do pictures while he was so little and in the midst of Jaundice treatments, etc. But I'm so glad we did because I just love that these capture my little Matson while he was so new and tiny. He has been the best baby. He sleeps a ton and is so content. There is just something so sweet and angelic about him and we just love him to pieces.

I love this. He totally covers his face with his hands all the time--like he is trying to escape from all the chaos of our house--I really can't blame the boy.

This was the look I saw most during his first few days of life. Every time I tried to wake him to eat he looked so annoyed, almost like it was painful to open his eyes. :)

Love his little curled up legs and arms. He was so squishy. I wish they stayed that way longer!

My favorite. Totally captures my sweet boy.

Jaundice

In case you've always wondered what a billi-bed looks like---here it is. Matson was jaundice and spent 5 days in the billi-bed for light therapy and enjoyed daily trips to the hospital to have his heel pricked to check his billirubin levels. Poor kid.

There is something quite disturbing about walking into a room and seeing your newborn plugged into a wall all aglow. But the look on his little face made me more concerned. He would look at us as if to say, "I don't understand this world I've come to... What are THEY doing to me."

Coming Home

Matson wasn't too happy about leaving the hospital. I just love this pic because it was the first time we saw him really cry. He didn't make a peep in the hospital. He just wanted to be left alone to sleep and let out an occasional whimper if we really annoyed him. On the other hand, I was thrilled to get out of there and be able to get some sleep at home. Although I knew I'd miss the food (and I do). They had started doing room service for meals so you could call and order what you wanted. It was so yummy and I really enjoyed being waited on. :)

He left the hospital weighing 7 lbs 10 oz. He looked so tiny in his carseat.