The girls

Laney and I had a trip to the salon on Thursday, and ended up only cutting a couple of inches. I really would like to see her in a bob, with that round face it would be adorable. But I really love her long hair. She looks so pretty. 

At the salon, she almost fell asleep. Alicia did a great job with the "magic wand" at the sink that never got water in her eyes or ears. We went after school, so she was super tired.

Caroline's hair has gotten pretty long, too. I can french braid it now. She loves to dress up in Laney's last year's recital outfit and have "Elsa hair" and take pictures. It's her new thing. Meredith plays along with her tutu. I can put meredith's curls in a couple of pig tails in the back. Super cutie.


She's showing the camera her smile.


Painting with water, working on letters.


'sup


Laney sees this picture and tells me "This is when Caroline and I were best friends."




Please excuse the dress code, but this is one of my favorites.


They are playing "Sleeping Beauty"


Caroline figured out the clocks are radios the other day and was jamming to some tunes.


Meredith loves shoes. She can put any pair on and take them off all by herself. They don't have to be hers. These happen to be Laney's school gym shoes.


Laney and Caroline went bowling for the first time at a birthday party of one of Laney's friends from school. They loved it. Laney was most popular that day - she celebrated with everyone who knocked down any pins. Every single time. It was awesome.

James 6 months

James is finally on the weight chart, at 20th percentile (he's been lower than the chart since he was born). He weighed 16 lbs a few days ago at his visit, and is 26" long. He can sit up unassisted for a few seconds, and has no problem being on his belly. He sleeps on his belly, in fact, and that helps keep his head round(ish). 

He laughs and says dada and coos and squeals. He loves the girls and has started playing with toys they put in front of him. He still has glitter in his hair most days, and, as you can see, is surrounded by pink.

Headed out the door to pre-school. James doesn't stay, but enjoys the ride.


Caroline - so dramatic.


Fro-yo with Nana and Papaw and Baby Lincoln.

Laney starts Kindergarten

Breakfast on the first day, she wanted juice and chocolate milk, and an english muffin - one side with peanut butter, one side with butter. She picked out the color shirt and skirt to wear, and was super excited. Everyday she asked if it was fall yet so she could "go to Kindergarten at Gaston Day School." Finally, it was time! 

I took this picture because she just looks so big. Her long legs and sweet little uniform, hair braided. It rained on the way to school, but it was clear when we walked her inside. Yes, all of us walked her in. She introduced us one by one to her teacher and then gave us all hugs and kisses and waved goodbye and walked in her class. She is so so brave.


She wanted to be silly for her "First Day" shot, and I let her. Meredith was "whooshing and zooming" right along with her. She has had an amazing time the first two weeks. It's like she was born for Kindergarten. She comes home everyday excited to tell us about Monty the Monkey, her room's mascot, or being a Bucket Filler, or how she saw her friends Kylie and Caroline at recess. Her teacher talks about how sympathetic she is towards other children and how helpful she is in general. Time at home has taken some adjustment, and I miss her a lot, but I have gotten a lot more intentional about the quality time I'm getting with the other three.

James 5 months

Meredith 2

Meredith is super awesome these days. She has a really large vocabulary, can count, knows the sounds all the letters make, and loves to color. She calls herself "meener" and Caroline is "Caka" She loves baby dolls still, and puzzles. She's getting into doll houses and has started playing with Laney and Caroline when they play barbies or princesses, and becoming a character.

She is pretty much potty trained - she did most of it by herself. We still use pull ups for public and night time, but during the day and naps she stays dry, for the most part. If I can remember to take her every 30 minutes, she will tell me if she needs to go in between.

That curly hair is still going strong, and she is full throttle every waking moment. She's still a cuddler, and asks to "hold you" like our parents told us we used to do.

James 4 months

James sleeps through the night, 10-12 hours. He eats rice cereal and I plan on starting sweet potatoes in a week or two. He sits up really well in the bumbo. I put him in his swing (turned off) for naps to buckle him in and make sure his head doesn't go flat. He's not quite 11 lbs, but already in 6-9 mo. clothes. I do a combination of bottles, milk and formula, and nursing. 

Here is his second day of cereal, by Cassie's request. He's an old pro now.

Dancing to Rosie Thomas after church

James 3 mo and Laney 5 whole years

Lots of fun things this month...

The girls loves to be James' mommy. They hold him and kiss him and talk to him constantly. He smiles bigger for them than he does for me.

Laney had a party at school, and was super proud to be 5 years old. She tells everyone she is going to kindergarten in the fall, and that she's going to Gaston Day School. She has been to the campus several times for a Princess Summer Camp and for a couple of ballet dances. 

Laney woke me up the other day, and said, "Mom, is it still summer?" (yes, sweet Laney) "Ok, Mom, fall comes after summer and that's when I go to kindergarten. Then winter comes after fall, and that's when it snows. Do you know what happens when it snows? (whispered excitement) It's Chrismaaas!"

James sleeps really well, only waking once a night now. He goes down around 8 and then wakes around 1am or 4am (not both anymore), then again at 7:30am. Laney comes downstairs and lets me know when he's awake in the morning. Isn't that nice of her? ;)

We listen to music a lot of times during lunch. Meredith always has a new dance for us. This is one of her more subdued sways. You can tell it's summer, no shirts! we had just come in from playing in the water, I think.

Laney didn't have to invite any friends to her at home party - she has enough people in her family to fill the whole place! Nana and Papaw took the girls on an adventure to walmart and got some pools for the party.

Cassie came over with Jack and Lucie. We love cousin time!

Wow - these videos are really out of order. This is one of Laney and Caroline playing train in James' room. They just had a bath and Meredith was already asleep in her room. I was feeding James and they just pulled out some bins and decided they were trains. These girls are so silly.

Back to Laney's party. Meredith got sick and was freezing the whole time, but cried a lot when we took her out of the water. We caved and let her have fun.

Thank you, Deedee, for the dresses! You are a magical seamstress.

Watching cartoons on Saturday morning with Baby James.

Laney asked me the other day if I remembered when we "got" Baby James at the hospital. Then she asked James if he remembered when we called him "Baby Jake." It was super cute.