Eat your veggies!

John does not like vegetables. During dinner, he has to try one bite of whatever vegetable I am serving. And every night, he chokes and gags it down. Dessert bribes do not work on him either. "John, if you eat all the carrots on your plate, I will give you 3 cookies." "No, thank you, Mama."  At least he's polite.

School is out!

John's last day of PreK-3 was last week.  It was a cold, rainy morning, but we still snapped a quick photo with our carpool buddy, Connor.  John liked his first year of preschool.  His favorite classmates were Evan and Julieanne.  His favorite job was door holder (such a southern gentleman).  At his conference, his teachers described him as bright, helpful, and eager to learn.  And then they asked us, "Do you know that he can read?"  Our little bookworm can't wait for Pre-K next year when he gets to "go to school every weekday like Henry!"

Henry's last day of kindergarten was yesterday.  He had a great year, and so you will have to excuse the boasting of this proud Mama.  He was screened to take some standardized tests, and he scored in the 99th percentile for mental ability, the 99th percentile for reading, and the 97th percentile for math.  Those scores were more than enough to put him in "Target," the school's gifted program.  School is a long road, but the first few steps have gone well.  He is thriving and enjoying school, and I am elated and thankful for that.

When the kids got off the bus, the parents cheered and, per neighborhood tradition, pulled out the water guns and silly string.  I tried my best to attack Henry, but the little bugger got away.  Poor Frances doesn't like the neighborhood tradition.  She started crying as soon as the cheering and shooting and spraying started.

Now it's time for summer at home with these four crazies!

A Virginia Wedding

Last weekend we traveled to Virginia for David and Lindsay's wedding. Frances came with us, and Mimi met us in Virginia to babysit all weekend. The boys stayed home with Nanna and Aunt Elaine. We took many photos of our travels because the boys were very excited that Frances was flying on an airplane for the first time. Before the wedding, Frances had a playdate with her NYC bestie, Livi. It was sweet to see these two girls together with their Dads.

The wedding was held at Pippin Hill Vineyards. It was a beautiful - the location, the food, the wine, the weather, the music, the dancing. And to top it off, we ended the night with s'mores over a bonfire and a doughnut truck. We had such a wonderful time celebrating Dave and Lindsay with our friends. And what a gift to not have to worry about any of our kids. Special thanks to Mimi, Nanna, and Aunt Elaine for all their hard work.

 

Frances is 7 months old!

Likes: Army crawling, planking, chewing on books (and eating the pages), tugging on my hair, sitting up, eating most veggie and fruit purees (my favorites are sweet potatoes, peas, and apples), being tickled under my neck, playing peek-a-boo, chewing on my sippy cup, playing with my baby friends at the gym, and gnawing on spoons with my first tooth (and my second one that is coming in right next to it).

Dislikes: Trying new foods (it takes me a few meals to like something new, which is challenging since Mama makes my baby food in bulk), waiting on my meals to be prepared, and having my face and body wiped after a meal (I am a messy eater).

Growth: I weigh 17lbs., 8 oz., and I am 28 and 1/4 inches tall. This puts me in the 50th percentile for weight and off the charts for height.  I have been in the same percentiles for months.  I like consistency.

Mother's Day

I had the sweetest Mother's Day. Gus's gift to me was a morning to sleep in, an afternoon of shopping, and no diapers to change all day. It was marvelous. The boys made me the sweetest cards and gifts at school. I am a "great feeder." And I watch TV all day (with lettuce, not bon-bons to snack on). It's true. Says so right here. I did finally get a photo with all of my kids, where no one is crying and I'm not in sweaty, gym clothes. But truth be told, it took a few shots to get everyone to cooperate. I could not be more thankful for this big, crazy family of mine. It is a dream come true to be a Mama to my four beautiful babies.

The Poetry Parade

At the end of the school year, the kindergarten classes perform a Poetry Parade. Each group of kids recites a poem. Henry was assigned the Earth Day poem. He likes poetry. He does not like performing. And he really does not like singing. But he did great. And he did not look like he was in too much pain while doing it.

Wake up call!

Frances is the last one to wake up in the mornings. Henry is already at school, but John and Peter eagerly wait to run into her room and jump in her crib. What a lucky girl to have such loving, doting brothers.

Mother Son Date Knight

Our local Chick-fil-a hosts an annual Mother Son Date Knight. It's a medieval themed dinner that requires reservations. Tablecloths, waiters, and decorations made for the fanciest Chick-fil-a meal that we have ever enjoyed. The boys did not appreciate the lettuce garnish underneath their nuggets though. The boys were great dates. They complimented my outfit and asked how my day was (thanks to Daddy for the date tips before we left). We ended our date with ice dream and some photo booth fun.