Since school started in August, our family's chaos has been pretty minimal, which is saying a lot since there are six of us. I wouldn't change our big, goofy family for anything. Most days... ;)
McLain is in 7th grade and is doing really well. He is completely independent with his school and homework, and I love that he is responsible and mature enough to be. Middle school made me super nervous when he started, but this year was such a smooth transition. Love it! McLain is in his second year of orchestra and still enjoys playing the cello. He made first chair again last week, which is very exciting and important in the orchestra world. :) Now that he's taller and 12 1/2, he sits up front with me while I drive if Clay isn't in the car. I love how he talks my ear off and will belt out songs with me. Last week, our version of "We Are the Champions" would put Queen to shame. I'm eating these moments up, because I know the I'm-a-teen-and-I-despise-my-parents phase is just around the corner.
Keaton is in first grade now and has such an eagerness to learn. His teacher totally gets his big personallity, and I'm so thankful she does! Keaton has really taken off in his reading, and I am so excited that he is a true reader now. Being a school teacher, I don't take that for granted at all. His favorite books are Pete the Cat and Go, Dogs. Go!, which he now reads to Collin. Keaton is still obsessed with Duck Dynasty and will use any excuse on the planet to get me to watch an episode with him. On Tuesday he said, "Mom since baby Sissy got a new tooth this week, don't you think we should have a Duck Dynasty date to celebrate?" Such a silly boy! Keaton has always been my monkey, but now his climbing knows no bounds. Anytime of the day, I can find him on top of the doorframe or walking the edge of some piece of furniture. Perhaps, the circus is in his future.
Collin is a TALKER. He talks all the time. About everything. I love it! He actually has a really amazing vocabulary, and his articulation is very clear, which I am SO grateful for. He is also pretty darn bossy and sounds like me more often that I would care to admit. This week, when Amelia-Grace was knocking pictures off the end table, he fussed, "No, Sissy! You want pop?" Too funny.Yesterday, we read a children's version of A Christmas Story for the first time. After we were finished, he flipped back to a picture of pregnant Mary and Joseph and said, "Dat's Mommy and dat's Daddy. It's baby Jesus in belly. He night night." Such a little smarty pants! Collin started two year preschool in August, and on his first day his teacher told my brother how impressed they were that he knows almost all his letters. Yay for a toddler who loves to learn like his big brothers!
Miss Amelia-Grace has had a big fall. She has cut her two upper teeth just these past two weeks, which brings her total up to four chompers. We suspect two more will be here any day now. She has been cruising along furniture quite confidently for weeks now. McLain alleges that she took three steps toward him oin Wednesday, but there were no witnesses, so I don't think I'll count it, especially since she is completely uninterested in repeating this alleged event. During my fall break, Miss Sassy Pants swallowed a coin in Cold Water Creek's dressing room, which earned her her first trip to the ER. Thankfully, she passed her naughtiness six days later when we learned she was worth ten cents. Amelia-Grace loves to make a big mess, especially when Collin can help her. One evening when I was cooking a cobbler and working in the kitchen, I discovered that the two of them had decorated my living room floor with an entire bag of Doritos. Naughty babies!!!
I'm looking forward to this fall and spending it with my munchkins. Hopefully it will be a season with no huge messes of ER trips. :)
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| Love my youngest and oldest |
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| Keaton and his tiny tin town |
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| My Colly and his Boppy (AKA his fav person on the planet) |
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| My crazy, loud, messy herd that I just love. |
