Back to School Time

Well, we're getting better - about 3 weeks between posts instead of a full month! We're heading into back to school season and although our kids are little, it's that time of year for all of us.

• Erin is graduating to the next room at her daycare/preschool. We're really pleased because if the basis was made on age alone, she'd be staying in the same room she's been in. She's been able to keep up with many of the bigger kids (2.5-3 years old) - so a Ladybug she'll be.
• Sarah & Sloane are graduating to the Waddler room. Unlike the waddler room at the daycare we were previously at (known from this point forward as evil dc), this room still has pack and plays for safety during naps, high chairs and toys that are age appropriate. In addition, it shares a half door with their infant room so they'll continue to see any infant room friends that aren't moving up with them.
• Matt has been accepted into and enrolled in a graduate program for Information Systems - he starts early September. I'm really proud of him taking the initiative!
• And then there is me - I still haven't closed on a thesis topic. My goal is to decide between a few that I have brewing and submit my proposal over the next month or two. I'd like to enroll again in the spring to complete my thesis and complete my graduate degree over the Spring/Summer.

We spent a great weekend up north this past weekend - take note of Erin's outfit, including the fall rain boots. It's great to be 2.

Summertime

July was a busy but fun month for our clan. Not only did we have Sarah and Sloane’s birthday but we also had a family reunion.

We went to Bethany Beach, DE for a week and spent it with Matt’s aunts and uncles who traveled from Missouri, Georgia, Massachusetts and Michigan to join the festivities. After about a day of warming up, Erin became absolutely enamored with her cousins and we spent the remainder of the vacation hearing “I want to see my cousssssssinnnnns” whenever they were out of sight. Erin was the youngest by 6 or 7 years and it worked out well. All of her cousins were “big kids” to her and she thought they were the bee’s knees. It was a week of many firsts:

Erin slept outside of a crib/pack and play. She slept on a cot her Granny purchased and loved it! We’re now contemplating the move to a big girl bed at home.

Sarah and Sloane experienced the beach. I think they weighed about a pound more at the end of the week as a result of all of the sand ingested.

Matt and Karen learned that should we ever have to downsize to a one bedroom condo, it is possible to fit two pack and plays, a cot and a bed in one room. We rented a three bedroom condo on the beach and found out quickly that our girls were interested only in one room for sleeping – ours. We decided to go with the flow rather than fight it and everyone slept in the master bedroom. Luckily for us it was a good size. The other two bedrooms made great dressing rooms.

We actually spent the twins first birthday in Delaware. We took them out for a celebratory hamburger (hey, it’s tough to find restaurant food that doesn’t have milk or soy in it) and then their Aunts, Uncles and Cousins surprised them (and us) with presents and a card. The girls (and their parents) had a great time and are looking forward to the next one.

The 4 hour drive back was a breeze compared to the 7 hour trip down. Thank goodness because the barbeque that we had planned for 30+ people the next day quickly became an indoor party once the monsoon hit. Instead of ordering pizza, the guys all stepped in and made it a smashing success. Ed was able to provide a tent that he had in the back of his car – he and Matt set it up, getting soaked in the process. Mark and Pat (better known as Granddaddy and Pop Pop) barbequed in the torrential rain! The girls enjoyed a vegan cake Fed-Ex’d in from a Manhattan vegan bakery (yes, we did just say we had a cake fedex’d- I ask you – could you make a cake with no egg, soy or milk?!). The rest of us enjoyed a good old commercial ice cream cake.

We had a wonderful time with our friends and family all month and hopefully will have a lot more fun events coming up. More soon…

Happy Birthday Babies!

Happy birthday my beautiful girls! You and your sister are the lights of our lives!