No Hands!

Cece is now sitting up, unassisted.

For a few minutes at a time, anyway. 

Ben's First School Library Books

I think his dad will approve!

And then...

As if the events of this week weren't enough to make me an emotional wreck, Cece decides that she is big enough to sit in the grocery cart without an infant seat. 

It must be said that Cece loved the view.  I loved that the opportunity to sit next to Cece kept Maggie in the cart for the duration of our visit.

Maggie, however, did not love that everyone in Hy-Vee asked about her baby brother.  ("She not a boy!  Her name is Cecilia Ann!") 

I guess Mom should dress Cece in some more gender appropriate clothing when in public...

Mom's 1st Day of School

And Monday was also my first day back in the classroom as well.

No one was crying when I left for school, which was a good thing.

Maggie's First Day of Preschool

To say that Maggie was excited for her first day of preschool was an understatement.

She was wearing her backpack by 7:30 in the morning, an hour before we were due to leave.

Per the school's instructions, I packed an extra set of clothes in her backpack only to find (hours later) that the clothes had been substituted for a Barbie cell phone, small bottle of Bath and Body Works lotion, and a pretend plastic milk carton. 

Maggie walked into preschool as if she'd been doing it every day of her life.  And, in reality, she has. 

I think we were barely out of the hospital 24 hours when she made her first appearance at Preucil. 

Over the past three years she was along for the ride as we dropped off Cate, then Ben.  On Monday it was her turn and she did not look back.

Literally. 

As I was trying to get her attention to tell her good-bye one last time, she didn't look back.

I cried.

But, at least, not until I hit the parking lot.

Before school (Cece was asleep)

Deciding what to wear was a big dilemma.  Ordinarily I would have sprung for a new back-to-school outfit but knowing what kind of paints are used at Preucil (stainable ones!) we opted for an outfit that neither of us cared if it came home splattered in paint.

Outside the school

With her buddies Mari and Natalie

Finally a cubbie of her very own!

Washing hands

And clearly ready for preschool if she can write her name

Post-preschool:  Covered in paint from head to toe.

Definitely sign of a good first day

 

A Visit with Great-Grandma J

I'm also gearing up for another school year. 

Last week I had a meeting at the business school and we were lucky enough to have Grandpa Doug and Great-Grandma J come to watch Cece and Mags while I was away.

After a full day of watching the little girls Great-Grandma J still had enough energy to pitch to Ben and be a customer in Cate's after-school restaurant. 

I was ready for a nap...

'Twas the Night Before Preschool...

Me:  Oh Maggie, I'm going to miss you so much tomorrow!

Maggie (shrugs):  Hopefully I will come back.

First Day of School - 2013



The first day of school...was definitely filled with mixed emotions.  I was simultaneously excited for them to begin new adventures but incredibly saddened by how each school year marks the passage of time.  How is it possible that Cate and Ben are in 2nd grade and Kindergarten?

 

 

Cate was initially excited but very apprehensive the closer we got to her classroom door.  Transitions are hard for her (and for me!) but I was relieved that she was all smiles at the end of the day.

 

 

Ben, on the other hand, approached Kindergarten like he does everything in life--at full speed and without a backwards glance.  He literally sprinted to the playground on the first day, barely pausing to drop his backpack by the classroom door.

 

 

It was only Day 2 when Ben told me, "Mom, you don't have to walk me into school anymore."

 

 Cate, ready to tackle 2nd grade

 

 Ben, pencil in hand, outside the school

 

Ben and his buddy, E, before school

My crew before school

 

(Note Maggie's "Pretty Tough" t-shirt:  She was crying hysterically as we left school after drop-off.  A few moms in the parking lot said, "Oh that's so sweet!"  She's crying because she wants to stay at school too!"  To which I replied, "No, she's actually crying because she only got one piece of candy in the office, not two."  What am I going to do with this kid?)

Maggie, messing around while the big kids are at school

Cate and her buddy, G, monkey around after school

The Beginning of the End

Summer is officially over at our house.  Cate and Ben start school tomorrow and Maggie begins preschool in a week.

We've had a great summer with lots of pool time, play time, trips to the beach, ice cream and playing with friends in the neighborhood.  Oh yeah, and we went to Italy too.

The kids have only done a few camps and with a napping baby in the house we've spent far more time at home than in previous summers.  And I think this is a good thing.  Although they sometimes complain of being bored, I think the act of being bored and trying to figure out what to do (that doesn't involve tv or the Wii) is good for them and has forced them to not only be creative but to work together. 

Last week Cece and I were inside and realized we hadn't seen or heard from the other three in a while.  We headed outside and found them gathered around the tree in the front yard, hard at work. 

"What are you doing?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know but knowing that I was responsible for telling them to "find something to do."

"Building a climbing wall and a zip line," was the response. 

And they continued to work on their project for the next hour without fighting (a small miracle..).

Chicago!

Chris had a meeting in Chicago and we decided to tag along.

So after the open house on Thursday we jumped in the car for a quick trip to Chicago. 

We acted like the tourists we were---ice cream at Ghirardelli's, a horse drawn carriage ride down Michigan Avenue, rides at Navy Pier and the Chicago Children's Museum. 

And, of course, no trip to Chicago is complete without a stop at the American Girl Doll Store and the Lego Store, conveniently located next door to each other.

We headed back to Iowa City on Friday evening at bedtime, thoroughly exhausted.

Ben, usually a pretty tough critic, gave the trip "twenty thumb's up."  Cate said, "I want to live in Chicago with two kids and a hamster."  Maggie said, "I want to live in Seattle, like McKenna."

Cece at the tinkering exhibit, Chicago Children's Museum.  "She looks like a minion," said the kids.

Maggie tackles the fireman's pole at the Chicago Children's Museum

"Why am I awake when it's dark outside?!?!?" wondered Cecilia.

 

 The kids loooved the horse drawn carriage ride.  We got a lot of stares and waves from people walking by.  We kept waiting for someone to ask us, "Are these ALL your children?"

 



Cate with Saige at the American Girl Doll store

Ben and Daddy

At Navy Pier

The rides at Navy Pier

Maggie's "creation" at the Chicago Children's Museum

Building at the Lego store

 Sweet Cece McGee

Open House

Cate and Ben had their school open house today.  They dropped off their school supplies and met their teachers.

I think both Cate and I felt completely overwhelmed at her kindergarten open house.  Cate's sweet little hand wrapped in my own.  All the kids and parents crowding the hallways.  The realization that my baby was going to be sharing those halls with 5th and 6th graders, who seemed to tower over her.  I remember blinking back tears.

And what a difference to be entering kindergarten as a second child!  Ben has been to the school virtually every day for the past two years.  He knows where to find the cafeteria, the library, the bathrooms and he even knows a lot of the teachers. 

He is clearly ready for kindergarten but, as with Cate, I'm not sure that I'm ready for him to go.  And even though I am excited for him to take this next step I can pretty much guarantee that I will be blinking back tears on Monday morning when he walks into his classroom without so much as a backwards glance.

In the classroom, sporting his back-to-school mohawk

Ben with Mrs. Rushton

Cate, looking very grown-up, in her 2nd grade classroom with Miss Nelson

Cecilia: Five Months

I keep waiting for the novelty to wear off. 

Every time Cate, Ben and Maggie see Cecilia--whether it's been 5 minutes or 5 hours--they shower her with kisses, hugs, and songs. 

Whenever my brother comes over and asks, "What's new?" Maggie is quick to respond with, "We have a new baby!"

What Cecilia lacks in solo pictures and a meticulously completed babybook, her siblings have made up for in love and attention.

It's hard to believe my baby is already 5-months old and I hope the novelty of having a baby sister never wears off at this house.

 

Likes: her toes, rolling in all directions, drooling, holding books, chewing on books, being read to, baby faces, playing peek-a-boo, having her tummy tickled, being outside, sitting up (with help), sleeping on her tummy, sitting at the counter (in her high chair) with her brother and sisters, Chicago

 

 

Dislikes: loud noises

 



Okay, this picture is sideways and I can't figure out how to fix it but I offer it as proof that Cece does, occasionally cry.  But I will admit it does not happen often and typically only if she has a reason to cry (e.g., hungry, tired).

The Many Faces of Maggie

Before we left for Italy my brother commented that he was most concerned about the baby.  I told him the baby would be a piece of cake but that Maggie would give him a run for his money.

 

And she did.

 

I should know since she gives me a run for my money on a regular basis.

 

I'm constantly amazed at her fierce stubbornness and her ability to go from disaster to delightful in 30 seconds.

 

She is desperate to be big like Cate and Ben.  Not only did we leave Target last week with a backpack of school supplies for Maggie (and she needs nothing to start preschool!) but with blue (plastic) reading glasses and a chapter book. 

 

I think her exact quote was, "MOM.  Picture books are for babies and I NOT a baby!"

 

When she doesn't like my suggestions she will say, "MOM.  That NOT a compromise!"

 

She's a little too smart for her own good.  We were at a family wedding this weekend and one highlight for her was that she had access to as much lemonade as her little tummy could hold.  After our seventh trip to the bathroom I said, "You know, maybe you should lay off the lemonade for a while."

 

She looked up at me, batted her big blue eyes and said, "MOM.  I just a kid!  I don't know any better!"

 

She is sassy and smart.  She is stubborn.  She is bossy.  She is also delightfully funny and silly.  

 

She is many, many things but she is definitely not boring. 

 

Wedding

While the boys were in Idaho (pictures to come...) the girls spent the weekend with my mom's family and attended my cousin Rachael's wedding. 

 

It was a beautiful wedding and we had a great time.  Cecilia was thrilled to meet my grandma and lots of aunts and uncles.  Cate and Maggie danced like crazy all night long.

 

With my glam girls after the ceremony

Lucas, Rachael and Maggie