Margaret Gray's 1st Day of Dance

Our sweet Margaret Gray started her dance class early September. 

She was super excited to go sign up and pick out her leotards, tights, slippers, and dance skirt.

Watching her get ready for her 1st class was priceless.

My favorite. :)

All ready!

I promise she was excited.

I told her to blink...

... and this is what I got. Ha.

The night before, she dropped a pretty good sized rock on her big toe...  its still bruised.

Surprised me that it bothered her, since she is usually my "trooper"... but she did not want to participate.

Although it broke my heart, she thought it made perfect sense that she sat out to to "rest her bloody toe".

At one point, she did join the group...

... but decided to stay in one spot.

The GREAT thing is that the next week, and every week since, she bee-boops in and hangs onto every word/move her teacher makes. 

Its warms my heart to see her shine. 

Henry's 1st Day of Kindergarten

We couldn't be more thankful for the school God placed Henry in for Kindergarten!

It's been a sweet school and we really like his teacher!

 He's really doing well (although is learning when is/ is not a good time to be silly) and has made lots of friends.

The night before I got his lunch ready to go... I was nervous about getting to school on time!

Wanted to get to bed early, but our plumbing in the basement had another agenda... 

Midnight- what a mess that was.

My sweet big boy... with visions of scissors and glue dancing in his head.

Not sure what he had for breakfast that day??? But boy howdy, that boy can eat some breakfast.

I did think about getting his teacher a 1st day gift... 

She got a message on a sticky note, instead. ;)

Glad we had time to get some 1st day pics

'cause these are fantastic, I tell you.

I do love how you can tell who is a Kindergartner at his school, and which class they are in, by the bags they carry. 

There's our big Kindergartner!!

Margaret Gray did miss her favorite playmate.

Simon kept asking "Hennie?"

He had a great 1st day... got in the car that afternoon saying "I can't wait to go back tomorrow!"

He continues to really enjoy school.

It does make him exhausted. There have been many unnecessary tears after school, but I feel like he's finally getting used to the schedule. 

I do miss him. :(

And it does blow my mind to think- as he gets older, the less and less we'll see him. 

.... then I start considering Home Schooling. ha. crazy!

Am thankful for the relationship these 2 have formed. 

It was a bit rocky at 1st, but they have figured each other out and have become good little playmates.

(wouldn't it be nice if I had a picture of them playing sweetly, instead of watching a show on the IPad!)

Not putting MG in a preschool was a very good decision..

Random July

Here are some random pictures from our 1st month here in Birmingham.

I suffer from taking pictures with my phone, not with my big camera, and haven't uploaded those onto my computer... so these are mostly hanging around the house pictures. 

This was my worst pregnancy month.... and unfortunately, it was very long and very slow.

God did bless us with some amazing cool summer weather... although very rainy.

My Papaw gave H this horse hat... it's pretty awesome... too bad I cut it off in the picture.

Kids have loved our staircase to the basement.

It's pretty steep... with concrete flooring at the bottom.

So far, we haven't had any major accidents.

MG was SOOOO excited to unpack her gloves. She had been worried that they hadn't made it from Texas.

Enjoying our backyard.

I'm glad our neighbors have a pretty picket fence... looks good in pictures. :)

We have a pretty incredible hydrangea bush on the side of our house.

Just nursing Big Baby.

When we 1st moved in, all 3 kids slept in "Simon's Room" (which really is Simon and Henry's room, but Henry sleeps in "Margaret's Room"... that will be the Baby's Room, when all the others move back into this room once Baby comes. ha) 

We didn't get beds in there for quite some time, so Henry and Margaret just slept on their mattresses on the floor.... they loved this. 

Our street signs are pretty wonderful. 

I would say that I feel like this city (Homewood) has several missing signs and bad parking... kinda annoying... then I look at the beautiful trees and get over it.

Playing in the street... we do this often since our street is a dead end (only 8 houses) and pretty quiet.... and by quiet, I mean not a lot of cars. We bring the crazy to our street.

There is an ally-like drive that runs between our house and our neighbor.

Our "driveway" is off it, as well as 2 houses that are behind us (even though they face another street).

It kinda makes me nervous... don't feel like I can throw the kids outside as easily as I did on Briarwood.

July was also a hard month for this little guy.

He was sick.

Didn't sleep that well.

And fits were at an all time high. I feel like he screamed every time we got in or out of the car... another thing I'm sure our neighbors welcomed. 

Things are much better :)

Boxes proved to be very entertaining.

We had our first friends, the Watsons, over for dinner.

Blake is a fellow fellow (ha) with Tom.

Renna and little sis, Bryce, are so sweet and we are so thankful for them!

FaceTiming- so appropriate to do with a kid in the bath.

I think with the Walter Louises.

Margaret Gray gets hooked on "uniforms"... this dress became one in the month of July.

Fourth of July

That morning we went to a giant rummage sale/ festival at a local church... in the rain.

Then that evening, we drove to the top of Tom's parking garage for a good view of "Thunder on the Mountain".

Simon did not like the fireworks.

We got a special visit from the Burkharts, who were moving back to San Antonio from Indianapolis.

So thrilled they came our way!!

Bride Bekah really was happy to be here!
Our kids just loved playing with these wonderful friends and it was so good to be with Zack and Jenny.

Margaret's bed. Wanted to make a slip cover for the headboard, but we all know that's not going to happen.

Finally got in to see a doctor at 11 weeks.

So thankful to see a healthy little baby! 

Made the sickness a little better.

I think that's all for July.