Sydney's Birthday and a New School Year (4.75 years and 3 years old)

Sydney wanted a Dora party for her birthday.  She loves Dora the Explorer.  I found some invitations that I liked online.  Brian told me that he could make a cute one for her and, sure enough, he did.  We used our movie screen and had her running across it so he could cut her out and place her in the background.  Sydney loved being dressed up as Dora.

We thought the best place for her party would be at the Little Gym.  They do a great job with parties.  It was challenging this year because she was in between rooms at school.  We had to invite two classrooms.  It's difficult that her birthday is right at the beginning of the school year too.  All the transitions happened after her party but before her birthday.  I feel bad that she has an August birthday.  We are going to have a tough decision on when to start her in school too!

Sydney loved her birthday party at the Little Gym.  We paid extra to have it Dora themed for her too.  She enjoyed it.  Her friends had fun too.  Sydney could remember Austin's party.  She could not wait for the party to be all about her for once.  She doesn't remember her second birthday.  Hopefully she will remember this one.

She got a lot of cool toys too.  Several princess pajamas, princess shoes, and dress up accessories.  Sydney wore kids high heels around the house all night.  She got the game candyland. Sydney and Austin love playing it!  She got some crafts and play-doh too.  I am always amazed at what cool gifts the kids get for their birthdays.  She really had a fabulous day!

On her birthday, it was unseasonably cool.  It was rainy and cool.  I took them to the Science Center in the morning to play.  They really liked it!  They watched a bubble show and learned all about bubbles.  Then we came home and took a nap.

After nap, my parents came over for a little party for her.  I made dinner and they had an ice cream cake.  She got her first cabbage patch doll.  I loved my cabbage patch dolls growing up.  Those were my favorite toys.  We got her a Dora doctor kit and a my little pony.  She likes her pony and brushing her hair.

The day after her birthday the kids started the school year.  They go all year around, but right now they are moving up into new classes and starting the school year.  Sydney is officially in preschool now and Austin is in pre-kindergarten.  It's hard for me to believe that next year Austin will be in kindergarten.  I am really sad about that.

Every morning I work, Brian takes the kids to school while I go to work early.  Then I pick them up.  Often on Fridays we both pick them up.  Brian or I will get the kids up initially and situated downstairs.  They usually get a bowl of cereal on the couch and will want to watch their Kindle.  I leave for work around the time they are getting up.  I will often get them dressed.  From there, Brian will get them breakfast.  He showers and eats breakfast too while the kids are eating.  Then he tells them its time to go brush their teeth (and they usually ask for more food to try to buy more time).  Sometimes he'll make them frozen pancakes or cream of wheat too upon request.  After they brush their teeth, they race outside to play.  Both kids jump on their bikes and pedal up and down the driveway a few times.  Brian loads the car and then they ride their bikes in to the garage and get in.  All summer, Sydney has been riding a big girl bike just like Austin with training wheels.  She's very good at it.  She's never fallen off yet, although she's had to catch herself a few times.

Once at school, Brian unbuckles the kids and gets them out.  They each carry their own backpack and lunch and walk in the school.  Brian takes Sydney to her room first.  She gets her heatable (the part of her lunch that needs warmed up) and puts it in the bin.  Then Sydney gives daddy and Austin a hug.  Sometimes Sydney will run to hug Brian and want to knock him over in the process.  He plays along and will fall to the ground.  Sydney and Austin sometimes play and chase each other a little, but eventually give each other big hugs.  Sometimes Austin will pick Sydney up as he hugs her.  She seems to like it.

Once Sydney is dropped off, Brian takes Austin to his room.  Again they get their heatable and put their things in their cubby.  Then Austin gives Brian a hug.  For a long time, Austin would demand a super huggy.  Sometimes Sydney would too.  This is where Brian sits on the floor with the kids in his lap.  They put their knees to their chest with their arms around them (canon ball style).  Then he wraps his arms around them and hugs them while he shakes them back and forth and yells "Super Huggy!".  They laugh and want him to do it again.  All summer, the kids asked Brian to do this.  After Austin's super huggy, he always opens the door for Brian and tells him which way to go.  He's either told to go left or right (the direct or indirect way back to the front of the school).  Austin often says "And don't forget to pick me up" too.  It's a fun ritual and Brian typed most of this.  It changes over time.  It wasn't long ago that the kids were helping Brian load Sydney's milk in the fridge in the baby room before school.  Now their getting so big and independent and often even are greeted by friends who already want to talk and play with them!

The preschool years have been so much fun!  I'm so lucky I can be home with them several days a week.  It's difficult at times, but so worth it.  However I do believe by next year, Austin is going to be ready for kindergarten.  He has grown so much socially that it will probably be really good for him to start school.

Brian has been working on installing a tankless water heater.  It's not been a simple task.  He has run so many different pipes (new PVC venting, new water lines, new gas lines).  It has been so time consuming for him.  Hopefully just a few more weeks and it will be done.

As fall is approaching, Brian pressure washed the swing set so I can stain it again.  It's been 2 years since we stained it.  The kids love the swing set and we want it to last so we have to do it even though we really don't have time for it.  I am hoping it won't be too bad but I am sure it could be.  My dad said he'll help me which is nice.  I just need the weather to cooperate so we can get it done!

End of Summer Fun

On on our favorite things to do in the summer is Wildwater Kingdom.  We think it's great for the kids and they love it.  Sydney loves going down the blue slide.  Austin is big enough this year to go down the bigger water slides on the play area.  He usually goes down first and waits at the bottom for Brian or I.  Sydney tried the bigger orange slide in the back.  She was scared at first but now she loves it.  Sydney likes to say she doesn't like something but in reality so doesn't know because she hasn't tried it.

I took the kids 2.5 times by myself for the first time this year.  They did great.  Austin fully understands we have to stay together and he always lets me know what they want to do next.  Brian met me one day there so I only had them less than an hour by myself.  It's a great family activity that we all like to do.

Brian photographed his first wedding this month.  He put a lot of work into it.  The pictures turned out great.  It's so nice what he can do with the camera.  We have great kids pictures because of him.
The day of the wedding, Austin had a friends birthday party so I took him to that.  Then we came home and the kids took a nap.  After nap, I decided to let the kids have a picnic in the park.  We got McDonald's and went to the park and had dinner together.  Then they played on the playground.  We went swimming at Katilyn's.  We ended the night at fireworks.  The kids love fireworks.  I really didn't want to go alone with the kids but they wanted to go.  I let Austin pick where we sat and he was so happy with that.  I really enjoyed my time with them that night.

We are getting ready for the start of the school year.  This is the last year they are not officially in school.  Austin will start the Pre-K room and Sydney will start the preschool room.  I do enjoy all the deals on art supplies during this time of year.  My parents took them shopping and got them backpacks, lunch boxes, and lots of art supplies.  They had fun with that.

I am loving the preschool years.  I really don't want Austin to start Kindergarden next year.  I can't imagine him not home with Sydney and I.  It will be an adjustment.  We are going to enjoy this year while we can.

The Cavs had an ice cream social for season ticket holders.  We took the kids and they loved it.  We went at 5pm so they didn't have dinner before we went.  Basically that night their dinner was ice cream and chips.  We get parent of the year award for that.  Usually I make them eat a well balanced diet but it was a special night and they enjoyed it.

We've had outdoor movie nights several times this summer.  We even invited the kids friends from school one night.  We didn't have a lot of people but it was still fun.  The kids love it.  The neighbors come to a lot of our movie nights.  That works too but Austin and Sydney would rather play with them than watch a movie.  They still have never watched an entire movie in one sitting before.  Some nights we let them watch their TV shows outside on the movie screen.  They like to watch Umizoomi, Fireman Sam, and Dora.

Sydney likes to call herself Sydney Broccoli.  She really loves broccoli and at times I think she thinks that is her real name.  It makes Austin mad when she says that but she does all the time.

We went to the Botanical Gardens so the kids could see and play in the tree houses.  The weather was great the day we went.  They kids had fun running all over and playing in the tree houses.  Brian got some cute pictures of the kids there too.

During dinner every night, we try and talk about our day.  What we liked, etc  Dinners are getting better.  The other night even Sydney started our by asking what we liked best at the Botanical Gardens.  They do fairly well if we keep talking but once they get off track, it goes crazy.  I really want to enjoy family dinners but I find it the most difficult time of the day.  They like getting out of their seats, stand on chairs, and yell.  I have found eating more around 6pm helps because they are hungrier and actually eat dinner instead of playing.  I usually don't give them an after nap snack either.

Austin has outgrown one of his favorite shirts.  It's a yellow cookie shirt with a small pocket on it.  He loves that shirt.  He likes the little pocket and will sometimes put snacks in it like goldfish crackers.  I'm sad for him that he doesn't fit into it.

Sydney loves wearing her high socks (that go up to her thighs!).  Ever since she got lime green bowling socks at home days in Solon, she loves wearing high socks.  They are so cute on her.  They are so Sydney!  It's great that she has her own sense of style.