My Babies: Big & Little

Pretty much directly on the heels of crawling Grey started pulling up. Around July 1st was when I noticed that he could pull up really well and of course I wanted to document it as best as I could. 

 I heart baby thighs. Don't you?

 Look what I can do Mom!

 My big baby is such an excellent big sister - she is always willing to lend a helping hand. On this particular occasion - this was all her doing while I was busy with laundry. This is our Graco baby stroller for their stuffed babies. Apparently the toy baby stroller works for real babies too! 

 He's happy as a lark.

 I guess my photographing Grey in the toy stroller and laughing hysterically while I did so gave big sister license to continue the theme and therefore on my next load of laundry she took it upon herself to try him out in the toy pack-n-play. I would like to state that I'm happy I didn't witness her lowering him down into this pack-n-play. Ignorance is bliss. Clearly, however she got him in the pack-n-play, he wasn't upset about it. 

 I had the conversation with Kennedy that the baby toy items were not for brother, but seriously:how funny is this?!?!? He doesn't even care to be scrunched up in there. 

 At the end of July a BIG thing happened with my big baby - she entered the elementary school world. Even though we are several weeks in, typing that leaves me a little short of breath. I mean, where did the time go. I remember thinking when she was a baby that this day was LONG off in the future and now we're there people. This picture was taken before our meet the teacher/open house night at her new school Union Academy. 

A couple of days after her open house, she had her first day at her new school.

They brought kids in on a staggered start so on her first day not only was it a half day, but it was only half her class (the other half started the day prior) and then on the following day the entire class of 20 was there together. 

 I had such butterflies taking Kennedy into school, but I was trusting the Lord to go with her and before her. Kennedy and I had been praying for her teacher for months and for him specifically once we received his name and knowing we were "prayed up" gave me great peace about the whole situation. 

 Thankfully, Nana was with us on Kennedy's first day which allowed Tim and I to go together to take her and walk her in to her classroom. 

 Unlike her mother, Kennedy was as cool as a cucumber. She walked in and found her cubby and followed her teachers instructions about hanging it and getting her name tag to put on. 

 Thankfully, because we were one of the first ones there - we were able to get a picture of she and her teacher Mr. McAuley. Look how brave she was! Big girl.

 Mr. M showed Kennedy some stations he had set up for free play until the other students arrived and she was basically like "see y'all later". As sad as it was that she wasn't all "I'm going to miss you, when will you be back, blah, blah, blah, I was genuinely relieved that it was such a smooth and peaceful separation (thank you Lord). 

I was honestly counting the hours until I could go back and get Kennedy on her first day. Once I arrived and figured carpool out and she got in my car I just squeezed her and kissed her and loved all over her and then started in on my barrage of questions about her day. Since day 1, I have learned that it's best to let the details unfold as they may because she needs some "down time" after school. It is REALLY hard for me not to pepper her with questions, but I'm getting better at it :).  She loves school, has made some good friends and seems to genuinely enjoy going every day. Most of Kennedy's school days have been good thus far, though we've had a few "hard days" mostly due to her just being tired (that's a lot for a 5 year old every day!). I'm eager to see what she learns this year and to hear all about it through her eyes. We've already had some fun little projects/homework and I look forward to working with her on things like that for years to come (y'all remind me of that when I'm complaining in 6 months ;).