First Day of School 2012- Kindergarten and Second Grade!

Well, the first day of school is here!  It is a big day for the Peck fam since we are sending our “baby boy” Coleman to kindergarten!

We spent the weekend rearranging rooms at our house, and the excitement of that (I think) caused bedtime to be very long and drawn out.  I laid the kids down all ready for bed and said prayers at 8:30 as planned.  At 10:00 they were both still getting up.  I think Coleman fell asleep shortly after 10, and Shelby was still up, claiming that she couldn’t sleep and that her loose tooth hurt.  Finally I laid down with her in her “new” bottom bunk and felt the heavy breathing begin as I rubbed her head just before 11:00!  Even so, both kids woke up well and with smiles before 7:00.

Coleman has not been excited about Kindergarten.  He didn’t want to talk about it and claimed to not want to go.  However, Friday night I had an epiphany after something else he said that made me realize that it’s just not his personality to like to make a big deal out of things, or to want to be the center of attention.  So at that point we decided to stop talking about it and “building it up”…we knew he would be fine once he got there, if we didn’t psych him out beforehand by making too big of a deal out of it!  So, this morning, it was just a normal, “Get dressed, eat breakfast…” except I had to take pictures, of course!  When I called them outside to take pictures, at first he acted like this:

But we let him sit aside and I took some of smiley sissy without bothering him,

and soon enough he ran up on his own ready to smile!  I was so relieved.

Silly man was shaking off his first day jitters just fine…

Off we go!

(Just kidding.  They did not ride in the back of the truck to school.)

We parked at the park to walk to the school together

I had planned to take Shelby to her class first so Coleman could “see” her being dropped off, but he wanted to go first. 

We were the first ones in there with one other boy and his parents.  I think we were supposed to go to the gym instead, because almost 10 minutes later Mrs. ONeal returned to the room with all the other kids and parents.  Oops.  But Coleman and the new little buddy Elijah got to meet each other before everyone else came so maybe we have a friendship budding!  They were sitting together on the carpet as we said goodbye.

Sister, of course, walked right into her class and they were already starting with a worksheet, so she’s in great hands too!  (Already in second grade, I felt too intrusive running in there with my camera, so here’s the picture we got of her!)

I have a feeling that this is going to be a fantastic school year.  We have a couple of wonderful teachers and great kids. 

August

August is halfway over and it has FLOWN by!

Shelby went to play with a friend one day and her parents gave Jeff their SWEET season tickets to a Rangers game for the next day.
Cole daddy went with us, along with uncle TyTy.  Being so close, Coleman was very into the game and watched the whole thing.  The only thing he asked for was cotton candy.   He was very serious throughout the game and I think I annoyed the crap out of him by trying to talk to him.  Next time, I’m taking a girlfriend to talk to!!

This was our view, behind the Rangers dugout.  We were in the shade from the start.  Nice!

Since I’ve been working from home, the kids and I have been able to do some fun things in the afternoons.  We FINALLY went to see Brave and Aunt Anna joined us.  We had the whole theater to ourselves besides 2 other women, so Buddy chose to sit on the back row by himself.

Another evening, we went to the dollar theater to see Chimpanzee movie with Daddy! On one of my last Fridays off, we went to NRH2O with Kelly, Chris, Reagan & Rylee.  We had a blast!  (no pictures.)

The kids also went to gymnastics camp for a few days at the end of July.  It was fun, but wasn’t really gymnastics.  They alternated between swinging into the foam pit, playing games on the floor, climbing on the big play gym they had, and jumping on the trampoline.

Shelby went to art class again.  This was her masterpiece collage.  Her teacher was very impressed with her, saying that she required no help at all.

We got all registered for school last week!  We can’t wait to meet our teachers next Thursday night.  Praying for the perfect fit for Shelbs and especially Coleman!

On Friday, Tia and Tio Millie and Luke arrived from Spain!  Luke’s work needed him here for a week so we get to reap the benefits of seeing them!  On Friday night we all met up and dined at Boomer Jack’s while watching the Rangers game.  That place is loud and perfect for kids.

We snapped a picture of the seesters

and this one of the guys is funny.  They all have toothpicks and are watching the game.  And see Sissy there on the edge.  She’s a bright spot

Sunday Jeff smoked a bird for us to all feast on.

Last week, we got a new couch, and yesterday the storage ottoman arrived!  We are ready to watch some movies on this baby!

This week, we went to visit baby sister’s future BFF Emery. 

Thanks to Christal for letting us have a trial run!  I don’t think our kids have ever been around a newborn (Emery is 7 weeks and almost 10 lbs now) so it was nice for them to see how little she is, and how at first, they just lay and sleep and cry   They loved holding her and came back several times for more turns.  Coleman took her socks off every time because he liked her wittle feet and toes!

And finally, baby sister’s crib bedding arrived from “the box store” aka the ups man aka the internet.  We LOVE IT and have to again thank Nonnie and Poppy for baby girl’s early Christmas present!!  This is the quilt.  It is very nice, heavy fabrics with different textures.  I can’t wait to deck out her room and make it ready for her!!

Coming up for the Peck fam in the coming weeks and months:
A HUGE to-do list of things to get our house and rooms ready for our new arrival.
Meet-the-teacher night next week.
School starts the following week.
Shelby is playing soccer with the team that her school friends are on (different team from last year.)
Shelby is enrolled in tennis camp for the fall.
Coleman will play basketball this winter, and wants to take karate in the meantime.  We are waiting for Spring to start another T-ball league.

P3: 20 weeks

HALFWAY!!

Picture taken at 19 weeks 5 days!  We went to grab some dinner one night and the kids decided (all on their own) to put on their matching Big Sister(again) / Big Brother shirts so we just had to take a picture.

Like in the picture, Coleman has been very lovey will my belly, always touching it and hugging it and kissing it.  However, last night (after we had our big sonogram) he refused to kiss “baby sister” goodnight. 

Which brings me to our big news that we all know by now--- P3 is a baby SISTER!

We had our sonogram yesterday and brought along Shelby, Coleman, Gram, and of course Daddy.  I was worried Daddy wasn’t going to make it since, first time ever, they called me in 10 minutes early and he was still 10 minutes away!  But luckily the technician just took all her measurements first, and waited to look for the fun stuff when he arrived.

This sonogram showed the least views and pictures of baby and body parts of any that I’ve ever had.  We got no profile shots or view of little hands and feet.  At one point she zoomed in on her little nose and lips (which were open) but even that was very hard to decipher.  She said that baby was on her side or had her back to us for the entire show, so that is why there was not much cool stuff to see.  This was just a little disappointing because I’m pretty sure Shelby and Coleman had no idea what was on that screen the entire time.  They got pretty bored by the end.  (They did love hearing the heart beat.)  On the plus side, she was not able to get all her views of the heart that she wanted, so we get to take another look at a sonogram in 3 weeks.  Doctor said that nothing is wrong at all, they just weren’t able to get the look/check that they need.  Little girl had her legs together most of the time too.  The tech kept going down and checking, but wasn’t able to get a shot to determine the gender until I turned onto my right side.  Then she was able to see enough, and get plenty of views to say that she was “Very sure” that it was a girl.  Of course they’ll check again in 3 weeks but she said she would be “very surprised” if she was wrong.  Oh, but apparently the tech used these terms instead of being “IT’S A GIRL FOR SURE” and now Coleman refuses to acknowledge that it’s a girl.  Every time we say something about her or “baby sister,” he clarifies, “She said she THINKS it’s a girl…not that it is one.”  Poor little Buddy in denial!  In the room when she announced the gender, Shelby and Coleman didn’t have much of a reaction.  Shelby smiled and I am told that Coleman just looked at her (Shelby) and glared.

This baby girl, just like every other time I’ve been to the doctor, was moving non-stop in my belly.  I felt her the entire sonogram and have actually been feeling her ALL THE TIME now, but especially when I lay down and be still, she is always moving.  I thought 3rd babies were supposed to be laid back?  From what we’ve seen so far, I think this one is ready to come out and keep up with big sister and brother!  Yesterday she was laying with her feet down in the lower left of my belly, her booty on the bottom right, and her head up closer to my right ribs.  She’s sittin’ up!

Next up: Operation Decide on a Perfect Name.

 

how big is baby?: from Babycenter: Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of her head to her bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.)

weight gained so far?: 12 lbs.  I was very happy that I only gained 2 lbs between the 16 wk appt and this one, since I gained 5 the 4 wks before that.  Doctor says that the weight gain is “great.”

sleep?: Sleep is fine.  Turning over from side to side at night is already getting old, but I know it will only get more difficult.  One of my favorite parts of the day, though, is finally hitting that bed and lying still to feel her move.  I can feel her the most when I’m laying on my left side, which we now know is where her legs/feet are kicking at me.

best moment of the week?: The sonogram, of course!  Getting to say “SHE” instead of “it!”

Miss Anything? I miss cool weather, but that doesn’t have much to do with being pregnant.  Though I think I may be sweating more than the non-pregnant version of myself.  So I miss coming in from outside with DRY clothes on.

Movement:  Yep, plenty of little kicks.  I have seen slight movement while staring at the belly…can’t wait til others can see and feel her too

food cravings?: Apples.  Nothing really.  I’m still mainly eating just to eat. 

Gender: Sweet Little Miss Baby Sis!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy/excited with major sudden bad moods thrown in just to even things out.

looking forward to?: Setting up house to be a family of 5!  Shopping for pink frilly lacy ruffledly soft polka dotty sweet stuff!  Also this week Aunt Millie and Uncle Luke are in for a week from Spain so we are excited about their surprise/sudden visit!

Trying to Sell?

In the past week we put our house on the market and then took it off.  Call me crazy pregnant lady.  After getting our house all pretty and ready, and even GETTING AN OFFER on it, it just didn't feel right and we decided to stay put for a while.  In the process of making it pretty to show, we fell in love with our house all over again, and really could not stand thinking about someone else living in it.  Of course we prayed about it and after the offer came in and we looked at other houses, we just couldn't pull the trigger and go for it.  I AM SO RELIEVED!

So that is the back story to this funny by Coleman.  For one week, we kept our house picked up, the beds made, and everything looking great and de-cluttered.  We are not big bed-makers.  And maybe neither is Nonnie.  This morning at Nonnie's house, Coleman climbed up on her neatly-made bed with all the pretty pillow shams, leaned back on them and said, "So, why's your bed like this?  You lookin' to sell?"

Because apparently, this family only makes our beds if we are trying to sell our house!