A Can someone please explain to me HOW IN THE WORLD THIS IS THE LAST WEEKEND IN AUGUST? How? How did that happen so fast? Absolutely nuts, I tell ya. The good news about that, though? My beloved Pumpkin Spice Lattes are on the horizon (when Starbucks?! Whennnnnn?). So. Onward and upward we go! Here's what we've been saying CHEERS to the last week or so:
Bus rides. I swear, Raleigh has been counting down the MINUTES 'til she got to ride the school bus to school. And that day finally came when she returned to kindergarten on Wednesday. What's funny is, back when Banks started kindergarten, I never intended my kiddos to ride the bus. I planned to always drive them. But he begged. So, I quickly obliged. And it has been awesome! We have so many kiddos in our neighborhood that there are like 3 or 4 (5? I don't even know. But a lot) buses just for our 'hood. This means that the bus Banks and Raleigh ride is chock full of their friends. And I'm not going to lie - it is really nice to walk across the street to our neighbor's driveway (aka our bus stop) to drop them off and pick them up. :) So, Rals has ridden the bus since Wednesday and has loved it!
Meet the Teacher events. Finally, it was my sweet Harrison's turn to meet his teachers for the 2017-18 school year. His preschool doesn't start back until after Labor Day, but it was so nice for him to finally have some school attention :). We met both of his sweet teachers earlier this week, became familiar with his new classroom, and saw some of his favorite buddies. Now, we wait for his first official day of the 3s class!
Awesome pediatricians. At the start of the week, I was able to take Bella to an appointment I have been anxiously awaiting: her first visit with our pediatrician. There are still so many unknowns and question marks about our sweet girl; so, I could not WAIT to sit down with him and go over everything. He had reviewed what medical records we do have ahead of time, which we discussed. I also shared some observations her daddy and I have made since we first met our little lady. Blood was drawn (poor girl. But hemoglobin and lead levels were normal - praise!) and her height and weight were determined. I am overjoyed to report that Bella grew half an inch and gained over a pound in the 18 days between her China medical appointment and her appointment this week. Go, Bella, go! Together, our pediatrician and I came up with a thorough plan for the medical evaluations and tests that will be completed over the next few months, as well as the therapies we will begin now. We are so thankful for our pediatrician and feel confident our girl is in the best of hands. Regardless, we sincerely covet your prayers over the next couple of months for all that is to come. We are anxious but ready and know that God is with us every step of the way. <3
Good news. While I don't share all of what's happening behind the scenes, I am so happy to report that our family received some very encouraging medical news earlier this week for someone we love dearly. We have been holding our breath for the last couple months and were finally able to exhale for the moment. Praise be to God!
The Great American Eclipse. Like the rest of the US, we were SO excited for the big solar eclipse on Monday. There was a half day at school because of it, so as soon as Banks got off the bus (Raleigh hadn't returned to kindergarten yet), we ate a quick lunch, decorated our solar viewing masks, and headed out to our Greenway, where a big viewing party was underway. There were food trucks (we grabbed some snow cones to combat the heat - yummy!), a dj, and hundreds of locals ready for the big event. We set up our towel next to some friends and watched the magic begin. It was so cool to see (yes, through our NASA-approved viewers) the changing of the sun, the crescents on the ground, the street lamps coming on; hear the cicadas come out, feel the temperature drop, and watch so many from our sweet community take it all in.
The Great American Eclipse. Like the rest of the US, we were SO excited for the big solar eclipse on Monday. There was a half day at school because of it, so as soon as Banks got off the bus (Raleigh hadn't returned to kindergarten yet), we ate a quick lunch, decorated our solar viewing masks, and headed out to our Greenway, where a big viewing party was underway. There were food trucks (we grabbed some snow cones to combat the heat - yummy!), a dj, and hundreds of locals ready for the big event. We set up our towel next to some friends and watched the magic begin. It was so cool to see (yes, through our NASA-approved viewers) the changing of the sun, the crescents on the ground, the street lamps coming on; hear the cicadas come out, feel the temperature drop, and watch so many from our sweet community take it all in.
Doc Momma Bakes, in print. ;) I have the most incredibly talented neighbor, who co-owns the nationally renowned party printables business called Anders Ruff (they are also opening home decor workshops EVERYWHERE, and they are SO FUN! Check their website to see if there is one near you - awesome for a girl's night out!). Anywho. For the last five years, her company has had a spread in Better Homes and Garden's Halloween edition. Actually, last year, Raleigh was one of the little models in the spread. This year, some of my cookies were on display as part of their beautiful article. It was an honor to be asked to participate and so fun to see the beautiful ideas they came up with for this year's magazine. Make sure you grab your copy (on stands now!) and check it all out. :)
Fall sports. As of this week, Fall sports are underway. Raleigh started back up with dance, per her request after a year of gymnastics. She is doing a tap/ballet combo class and loves it! And Banks had his flag football evaluation/draft earlier this week, which means practices will be starting up in the next few days. While Harrison isn't participating in any Fall sports this year, he is PUMPED to give teeball a try in the Spring. And Bella, well, she's just along for the ride at this point - the sweetest little cheering section, for sure. :)
Etc. Let's see. What else happened this week? A little birthday party planning for my soon-to-be 8-year-old; Some fun sister/niece/nephew time at the pool yesterday morning; and then a date night last night! It was our first date night since becoming parents to four kiddos. :) Because we will continue to be Bella's only caretakers for the next few months, until she feels comfortable and is well-adjusted to others, we put her to bed before heading out for a quick bite to eat. It was a great way to head into the weekend. And as always, the big three were SO excited when they learned they would have a babysitter for the evening - ha!
And now, we welcome the weekend with open arms. We have a couple special visitors heading our way tomorrow, a little birthday party action for a neighborhood buddy, some pool time, and hopefully, a little relaxation and some snuggles before the next week begins! TGIF, all! Have a fantastic weekend!
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