Long Weekend & Back to School

There really is something climatic about Labor Day weekend. Whether it is due to school starting the day after Labor Day, the end of the Minnesota State Fair (which is the highlight on all the news stations daily), or the shift in the weather that seems to happen the last week of August and first week of September, there is just something about that shift from summer fun to the back-at-it fall that occurs over Labor Day weekend.

Regardless, we decided to get as much enjoyment out of the long weekend as possible. Friday night was a lay-low night with munchkins in bed early. Carter was so tired from outside time and lack of naps on Thursday and Friday that he fell asleep Friday night at 6:30! I was in the process of heating up some soup for him to eat and we were going to give him a quick scrub in the tub but he conked out in Jake's arms and slept until 7:30 the next morning!

Saturday was a beautiful day. The weather was cooler but still enjoyable. We went to the gym in the morning (gotta have my hour of Zumba - best workout ever!) and took naps in the afternoon. Papa came over that evening to watch college football with Daddy. We grilled hot dogs and played baseball in the back yard.

Hannah decided that baseball was a little advanced for her and spent her time licking her ball. Love the look of bliss on her face as she licks away!

The twins had fun trying to hit the ball though!

HIT!

Papa got tired of tossing balls so he told the twinks to toss to each other. This quickly turned....

into this! It was a playful wrestling match but hilarious nonetheless!

Sunday night we went to Joy and Tony's to hang out. We grilled brats and played baseball and Wii.

Monday was a rest up day because....

Today was the first day of school!

Ava, Hannah, and I walked Ellie down to the bus stop. Carter was too busy watching Mickey Mouse to join us. She was excited and nervous and for some reason, I had the same emotions! I was excited because I remember the excitement of the first day of school but I understood her nerves. Due to a $15 million budget deficit in Lakeville schools, the decision was made to close an elementary school. Of course, it was decided to close Crystal Lake, the school that is just a hop, skip and jump away from our house. The students were split between 3 area schools based on where they live. Ellie is now attending Christina Huddleston. I imagine a large part of her nerves was due to the new school and not being sure where she was going!

After Ellie left, the remaining crew and I made a quick trip to Target. When we got home, the beautiful fall weather beckoned and we decided to have a picnic lunch in the driveway. Chicken nuggets and baked beans are so much better al fresco!

Carrots and Apple Strawberry Banana are delicious eaten outside as well. Someone has figured out the camera! What a ham!

The little lady turned 7 months old on Monday! Can you believe it?! She's such a happy little girl.

At her 6 month check-up, Hannah clocked in at 18 lbs 4 oz (85%ile) and 27.5 inches long (93%ile). This baby is doing well. We made the switch to the convertible car seat as she was just too heavy to lug around in her infant seat!

Hannah is good at backwards scooting and is working on getting her knees underneath her. I've also caught her doing a little bit of a butt scoot to get to toys. It won't be long and she will be everywhere!

Carter is fasinated with dinosaurs and was so excited to find a dinosaur book in the dollar section. We all have a dinosaur counterpart. Carter is the velociraptor because he is fast.

The beautiful and pretty Ava. Those are the adjectives in our house that can only describe her. The rest of us can be cute, gorgeous, fabulous, or handsome. But only Ava is be-yootiful and pwetty.

I'm busy enjoying my last full week home with the kiddos. I start my part-time job next week. Yes, you read that right. After 4 years as the guardian of all things home, I am heading back out into the real world. The job is nothing fancy but it's something new on the resume, something that actually pays me versus this do-the-work-of-5-different-occupations-for-no-pay-at-all role I've had, and gets me out of the house. I'll be working with Lakeville school as an ECFE assistant. It's a pretty easy role of playing with kids during ECFE classes and supervising while their parents are in the parent discussion part of class.

Alex so thoughtfully asked if I don't get enough playing with kids at home but as my current role doesn't pay at all and I'll be getting a break from my own troops, I am very excited to have something different on the horizon. Of course, if you know me at all, you know I am spending the week hurriedly doing everything I've been wanting to get done for several months. We have a laid out plan for the week and should get most everything accomplished!

We are excited fall is here and for all the changes happening in our household! We obviously like a little chaos since we do have four children!

It's a Rough Life

It's not easy being a baby.

Sometimes you just crash in your mama's arms and even drool on her shirt a little.
Other times, you get so tired that you just fall asleep in the jumperoo.

Who ever said being a baby is easy?

Grammy & Grampy and Alex too!

Sorry we've been MIA for a while. We were busy getting ready for Grammy, Grampy, and Alex to come visit August 19th - 23rd and have since been busy recovering and getting back into our routine.

The kids were super excited to see everyone. They spent weeks planning out the sleeping arrangements. Ellie was to sleep with Grammy, Carter with Grampy, and Ava with Alex. Of course, it really went: Grammy with Ellie and Ava, Carter with Jake and I, Grampy in Carter's bed, and Alex on our couch! But the kids are all old enough that not seeing everyone for a few months doesn't seem to phaze them or have them make strange anymore.

You can decide who I look more like. I think I am a mutt but lean towards my Dad. However, my parents picked Ellie up at a birthday party and the mom said she could tell that my mom was my mother as we look similar. All I know is I got all the looks and Alex got the leftovers!!
Alex pile-up

Wrestling with Grampy

Attacking Grampy's hair

I gave my mom the idea to turn her wedding dress into purses for all the girls to have to use for their weddings. When they moved, she left the dress at my grandma's house. She brought it back so she could ship it to herself. I made her try it on and took this picture! The zipper got stuck halfway up over her ribcage, but not bad 26 years later! Except for the style of course. The dress is pretty but what was going on with the sleeves?! Crazy stuff going on in the 80's for sure!

We also had the Majeski reunion that Sunday. The kids had a blast running around and Ellie even went camping Saturday night.

Some of the great-grandchildren.

There are 17 total!

Some of the grandchildren.

With Joel's stepchildren, there are now 24 with a 25th due in the spring! Yikes!

What are we all laughing at you might wonder?

This guy, who took his role of making silly faces at us seriously!

We had a great visit and can't wait until Grammy, Grampy, and even Alex return for another visit!

Morning Glory

These two are early birds, up by 7 most mornings.

These two are not. Ellie will get up by 8 am but Ava will sleep until 9 if permitted.

The early bird gets to watch Mickey Mouse and Jake and the Neverland Pirates.
The late sleeper usually gets to finish waking up while we run errands or go to the gym.

Snippets

• Hannah can roll back to tummy now.


• Hannah is working on getting her knees under her body so she can crawl. She also does the turtle, which is what we call it when she lays on her tummy and continuously swipes her right arm across the floor. Once she can put it all together, she will be off.


• I picked an eyelash off of Ava's cheek the other day and told her to make a wish and blow it off. She wished for "flowers and princesses"!


• Carter woke me up around 3 am last night to ask me if he could have a real puppy.


• Carter is very big into dreams. His catch phrase when he comes downstairs at night when he is supposed to be in bed is "I had a bad dream." Apparently that gives him permission to be out of bed!


• Ellie and I had an interesting discussion about viruses and bacteria the other day. She got a little lost when I said that the rash Ava had could also just be a heat rash and not a virus but it amazes me how much she understands now! We've also discussed time zones and what happens when a plane flies across several time zones.

Biking Pros

The twinks are biking pros!

Ava likes to go all the way down to the mailbox and back. Carter is a little hesitant. A car might come by, which causes a panic attack for him and usually results in an abandoned bike on the side of the street and a squealing little boy in someone else's driveway.

What, you don't bike in your jersey or ballerina dress?

6 Months Already?

Hannah is 6 months old today! Where has the time gone? Next thing I know, it will be time to plan her first birthday party. She's getting to be so big and can sit up with no support at all. I don't always stick pillows behind her anymore as she seldom tips back.

If you look close enough in the first picture, you might see a little white in her mouth. Yes, this little lady has two teeth already! The first popped through July 22 and the second on August 1. No real fussiness, no warning, nothing. I was sitting on the couch with her on the 22nd and noticed something glistening on her gums. Lo and behold, it was a tooth, completely through! Little scamp!

In other news, Hannah has now been invited to join her siblings in play. She has been typecast as the baby in all their games but at least they try to include her!

Carter has even gone so far as to allow Hannah to wear his wolf hat. This is one of his exclusive items and he holds its possession dearly and tightly, so a huge honor to let the baby wear it.

Hannah had her first grass experience, which she loved! In sharp contrast to Carter, who screamed the very first time he touched grass A memory burned in my mind and my eardrums! (Ava didn't mind the feel of grass when she was a baby and Ellie is a May baby so too little to lay/sit in the grass her first summer of life and walking the next summer)

The baby gets to sit up in the tub now too! Which makes bathtime even more fun for a girl who already loved her bath.

She's also learning to become an expert cooking utensil holder. It's her favorite thing to play with while she helps me make dinner.

Here's the little man pretending to have his baby in a sling/baby bjorn. It's actually a part of the doll swing but this works as well! Also, do you love his vibrant yellow outfit? Papa bought it for him. Ironically, or maybe not ;), Papa has a similar outfit!

Grammy sent another care package. This one included terrycloth dresses for the older girls and their dolls and more pirate gear for Carter. He now has a bonavide treasure chest for his gold doubloons, a hat, and a map! The kids have been going on lots of adventures now that there is map in the house.

Halloween costumes are potentially settled on now. Ellie- still deciding, Ava- says she'll be Wendy, Carter- either Peter Pan or Captain Hook, Hannah- Tinkerbell. Booya! How's that for a cool idea?! Dang, I'm good. I'd like to make Carter be Peter Pan to flow more with the girls but I showed him a photo of me and Alex as Pan and Hook when we were younger and he loves Alex's outfit. So we'll see which he'll go with as the time comes near.