First Day of School! 4th and 1st!!

Summer flew by as it always does. I think this summer was unique because we were adjusting to Miss Evelyn. It was one our best summers yet. Thankfully, we had three weeks of home time after all our summer travel. This helped everyone get their heads wrapped around school starting. Savannah started a week and a half earlier than the twins. It helped ease us into the routine. We are not an early rising family and during the school year, the twins have to be out the door by 7:45 - one of my least favorite parts of the school year.

Here are some pictures from the first day back. Savannah started fourth grade this year. I am still recovering from this news. Seriously. . . 4th grade!!?? The twins started first grade. Notice they all have puffy, tired eyes in the pictures. Did I mention rising early is not our strength?

I bought myself five more years of having a little buddy at home with the birth of Evelyn.  I look forward to our days together.  She is such a sweet, smiley little girl.  We have lots of fun ahead of us!

Head shots

Every now and then I like to randomly take head shots of my girls.  I don't do their hair or change their clothes.  I like how it captures who they are in a particular moment.  It's quick and easy and sometimes some of my best shots.  Here they are at summer's end. . .

Food

I can't believe Evelyn is old enough to eat baby food.  The month prior to eating, she appeared quite ready.  She would reach for our plates, watch us take bites, and did all that she could to let us know that she was being left out.

I mixed up some rice cereal and she gobbled it up.  She was frantic for more bites.  It was like she had done the spoon thing before.  She opened and closed and kept it all in.  She loves her yogurt and veggies but does not really like the fruit.  I guess we will see what happens.  It would be very strange to have a veggie lover!!

 Her sisters were very eager to help feed her. 

Baby Faces in the Tub

I love little babies.  They change so quickly though which makes it hard to remember all the endearing things they do.  One noticeable change in Evelyn was her recent tub faces.  Her teeth must have been bothering her because she would suck in her bottom lip.  It was so funny.  Probably more funny to us than you but I need to document it.  The poor girl doesn't even have a baby book.   Here are the funny faces that came and went all too quickly. 

Those were the days.  When we could step away from the tub and not worry about her flinging herself out onto the ground.  Like I said, it all comes and goes too quickly. 

Birthday Party

Luckily, Adeline and Lila can easily agree how they want to spend their birthday.  I dread the day that this is no longer the case.  This year, they decided on a gymnastics party.  This thrilled all of us.  No work for me (well there was some running around which is less easy with E) and fun for the twins and their big sister.  Here are some shots of their big day.  I should note that I took them with me to order their cakes.  They told the baker what they wanted, down to the seaweed, number of ducks, and scuba masks.  There is no rhyme or reason for these cakes, just what they wanted.  I loved them because they really represented my girls.

The pre-party pictures. . .

They wanted a cereal bar instead of the traditional pizza.  It was a huge hit.  What kid doesn't want to fill their bowl with sugared up, junk-filled, cereal?

 They loved flying through the air.  The look on their faces was priceless. 

Goodbye 6, Hello 7!

The last of the six year old faces. . .

Hello seven. . .

 The girls woke up to presents.  This is the first time they have asked for dolls.  It is because they have an older sister who is very into American Girl Dolls.  The Target knock-offs were completely satisfactory for the twins.  They love their new dolls. 

After presents, we went bowling.  They both agreed that knockin' down pins was a great way to spend their day.  They were very cute!

 After bowling we went out to eat.  The waitstaff sang to them and loaded them up with birthday treats. 

 These girls are miracles.  They take my breath away when I think of the road they traveled to get to where they are today.  They will never fully understand the magnitude of their successful outcome but they are comprehending more each day.  For example, Lila thought it would be a good idea to wear their "baby shirts" on their birthday.  These shirts have their baby footprints and birth weights.  We wear them when we do the March of Dimes walk.  I thought Lila's idea was very fitting.  All day long I was reminded of how far they have come. 

 No birthday is complete without cake.  (Our camera was doing something weird with the candlelight.)

8 Inches

For all of Adeline's life, she has had long hair.  Her hair is fantastic.  Thick and wavy.  She couldn't care less.  She HATES having it combed, braided or put back in anything more than just one ponytail.  Each morning, she fights and complains when I comb her hair.  After seven years of long and beautiful hair, we chopped it. 

Eight inches later. . .