Give a hug ladybug

Ellery's teacher this year had a little poem they would say at the end of the day. It goes like this:

See you later alligator

Give a hug ladybug
Blow a kiss jellyfish
Out the door dinosaur
Farewell jinglebell
Take care teddy bear
Toodle-doo kangaroo
Bye-bye butterfly


This morning Ellery woke up to a little graduation gift. She had picked out this ladybug charm to go on her charm bracelet a long time ago, and I thought it would be the perfect day to surprise her with it. She loved it, and decided to wear it as a necklace on the last day of school.

The graduates (with cute little necklaces my friend Lyndsay made for everyone) walking out to "Pomp and Circumstance".

Claire, Ellery, and Walker
We sure will miss all of these sweet friends and their families.

They all said, "I did it!", as they let go of their balloons.

Talking to Mrs. Thigpen about the gifts they are about to give their teacher.

Handing Mrs. Wagner a rose

They all received The Jesus Storybook Bible as a gift from their teachers. (This is an awesome Bible,by the way, for little ones.)

What a great year this has been! I made it through the graduation ceremony and actually found myself laughing at the cuteness of it all. When I went to pick up Ellery at noon, I got out of my car and gave her teacher and the director hugs. It was then that I started to get a little sentimental. This school has meant so much to us and we will miss not being a part of it next year. I had visions of Ellery being at the school with Price and then Price and Street eventually attending together. As we all know, this is not the case, and I think this is the bulk of my sadness.

{I just keep telling myself, "It's all about Jesus, Kristen." And it is. Ellery's life, Street's life, our lives, Price's life. And it is because of this, I can say it's all good. This is another blog post for another day, though.}

On a funny note, I did tell the teachers today that they may want to retire after having Street in their class . He's a little more...um...let's say, energetic than his sister.

We were so proud of our first-born today {and everyday}, but today was definitely a special one!

Graduation day

Break out the cap and gown, cue the pomp and circumstance...this little lady is graduating from Preschool tomorrow.

I am...

I am dreaming of my boy walking and running and talking.

I am feeling such mixed emotions about E's Pre-K graduation Friday. I am sure I will cry.

I am so thankful for her four years at this sweet, sweet school.

I am wishing Price was at the same school.

I am so thankful for Price's school, though. I love his teachers dearly. Truly, they are heroes.

I am laughing about how I had to swipe a package of pacifiers from the baby aisle at HEB just so that I could make it through grocery shopping with Street today. (I did buy them.)

I am hurting for friends that are going through tough situations.

I am reading about 4 different books right now.

I am amazed at my inability to follow a recipe today.

I am wondering, though, can you really mess up chocolate sheet cake with all those good ingredients?

I am watching Street rock back and forth on all fours.

I am thinking that we are going to have to do some baby-proofing.

I am dreaming of my boy walking and running and talking. I am dreaming of his healing.

Birthday

inspecting the grass
after putting it in his mouth...hmmm interesting

Saturday was my birthday! I think it was one of my best ones yet. The best part about it was that there were no real big plans and instead it was just spontaneous fun. At the last minute, I decided to take a beginner photography class with my friend Tiffany. I have so many things I would love to do better. Photography, sewing, art, you name it. I am interested in all of them, but with our crazy life right now, I barely have time to even think about the hobbies that get me excited. I started a sewing class when Price was about 7 or 8 months, but that is when life with him started getting hard, scary, and time-consuming. I was a sewing class drop-out.

So back to the photography class. I learned a lot of really technical things that still have my mind spinning. I got out today in the backyard to practice some of the things we were taught and let's just say, I am less than impressed with myself. I am pretty sure my photos were just as good on the automatic setting as they are with the manual one I am using now. I have a long way to go. But it was fun, it was different, and it was treasured time with a good friend without any chaos.

Nathan surprised me with some new shoes. He bought two different sizes and two different colors just so that I was sure to have something that fit and that I liked. He even included a tiny pair of new balance shoes for Price, which just made my day. My day was made even more by the fact that they were too small for Price ,and that they will have to work for Street in the near future. (We have been a little concerned (or okay, I have) that Price's legs and feet have not grown much at all in the past year and a half. Turns out that we think it was because of his inability to bear weight. Our PT assures us that the legs/feet grow in direct proportion to the amount of weight they bear. So, now that Price is bearing weight, I have been really hoping that his legs and feet will catch up. Phew...that was a long explanation.)

Tiffany and Jason invited us out to their place for dinner. We picked up Lupe Tortillas and enjoyed a nice, relaxing (after the littlest one went to bed), and fun dinner on their beautiful new patio furniture. The weather was perfect. No humidity and even a tad bit cool. Tiffany and her girls made me a chocolate cake and Nathan brought the TCBY one he had picked out. Every time we go to TCBY I think I make a comment about the yogurt cakes and how much I want one. We rarely go there anymore, but it was sweet of him to think of it after all these years of me drooling over them.

On the way home we saw the biggest shooting star that just topped the day off. It was pretty amazing. Nathan is also taking me out to a nice dinner Monday night to celebrate even more. I feel so loved!

Ellerina

*somehow this post got deleted last night. I tried my best to duplicate it! Thanks for all your sweet comments.

...is what her daddy calls her. Ellerina Ballerina. She had her first dance recital (last year we were out of town) this past week. She takes dance at the sweetest little studio by our house with a few of her good friends. They did a tap dance to "Dance for You", and it was just darling.

her poppy (who has sat through more dance and cheerleading competitions/recitals with a smile on his face than any other man I know)
her lulu

and her bebe was present too, we just didn't get a picture...shoot

the tiny dancer

I have perfected the bun.

Ellery with two of her cute friends, Ella and Lillian

E loves to perform for us, but I thought she might get shy and clam up on stage...not a chance!

how cute is this?

Street is 7 months!

Is it 7 months already? At 7 months Street:

- is still bald

- is doing planks and scooting himself backwards

- is in constant motion

- slept the entire night for the first time as my Mother's Day gift but hasn't since

- is still swaddled at night and for naps (in his woombie)

- tries to take his diaper off while I am changing him

- likes to be anywhere the action is

- can walk around the kitchen island in his walker

- can pull the side mirrors off his jeep walker and enjoys banging them together

- has started really interacting with his bro-bro and loves to laugh at Ellery

- has no teeth but likes to chew on everything

- reaches for his mama

Noticing a trend here? Between Rager's constant motion and Price trying to navigate the stairs with his not-so-awesome balance, I am going to be one busy mama.

Pictures didn't go so well, but they capture month 7 pretty right-on.

Love my "little" mover and shaker.

{Oh, and at his 6 month appointment he was 21 pounds (93rd %), 29 inches (100th %), and his head was 95th %}

Made me a mother

{chubbyfoot.com}