First day of Preschool

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own and you know what you know.

And you are the one who'll decide where you'll go."

Oh the places you'll go ~ Dr. Seuss

Today our baby girl started preschool!!!!

Before we woke her up this morning Jarrod and I discussed that it seems like she was just born yesterday! It really does go by SO fast.

She looked so grown up carrying her backpack! I have to admit it was strange preparing her lunch and leaving home so early! She was soooo proud and excited :)

We arrived approximately twenty minutes early. I can't promise it will happen ever again!

Here she is walking toward the building like the big girl she is....

She is happy to be a part of Ms. Susan's stars this year. Her name is even on the door:

She even has her own cubby space:

After spending a few minutes in her classroom I told Emma I was leaving. I had stationed Owen on a reading rug in the corner while I took pictures. She said "Okay, but don't forget to take Owen with you"! Upon picking her up she begged me to let her stay for nap time (some kids nap and stay later). The silly girl doesn't nap. I'm glad she had fun on her first day :)

I was truly amazed at how easy drop off was (on both of us). I guess I had spent the past few weeks processing it and she has been eagerly anticipating this day for awhile now :) I have really enjoyed staying home with her for the past 3 1/2 years but it was naturally time to add this structure to our routine. She loves being around her peers and being active. This is going to be a great first school year and we can't wait to hear about everything she does and learns!

Operation crib disassembly

Last week we discovered that our crib has an open recall. What a hassle! Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful that the company will replace it, but there are several hoops to jump through beforehand. Jarrod finally had a free moment to disassemble the crib....and of course it was a "group effort"! Owen loves tools....

What would we do without these two cute helpers?!

Jarrod kept having to look for special tools and Emma would say "Look daddy, THIS is the way you do it"! Yes, she has an answer for EVERYthing :)

Owen has been sleeping in the pack n play for the past week and has done much better than I initially anticipated. After we complete and mail in the necessary paperwork AND bits and pieces of the old crib we should receive a voucher to pick out another crib. It will be our first brand new crib as this one was a hand down!

Clobbered the Cadets!

Tonight we traveled to watch the Yoemen clobber the Connally Cadets! The final score was 52-7! What a great way to start the season :)

I FINALLY captured a couple of good photos of Owen by the 10 yard line (for being ten months old). I had tried for over a WEEK....at more than one field, with no luck! You have no idea how thrilled this camera happy mama was to snap these after the game (he looks pretty alert for 11pm, doesn't he?!)

My cousin Chassati and her precious daughter Anaiah were so sweet to join us for the game! Anaiah is now six weeks old and enjoyed her very first football game :) This is a goofy photo of Owen but I think its amazing to compare their sizes in the pouches!! When did Owen get so big?

Emma played with her good friend Tessa. They shared glow sticks, Skittles and Cheetos and danced the night away to the band :)

Owen enjoyed visiting with Grandpa Ed :)

Here's part of our crew after the game:

A helpful tip I have learned along the way is to change the kiddos into pjs for the ride home. This way it is much easier to get them to bed :)

We are so proud of the Yoemen! We will miss next week's game but will report again after this year's Battle of the Bell :)

Meet the Teacher

"The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." ~Denis Waitley

Tonight Emma and I went to "meet the teacher" at preschool. Her teacher's name is Mrs. Susan and seems wonderful! She was great with the kids tonight and appears to be very organized. I even signed up to make and send red play dough in December! I can also send cupcakes in celebration for Emma's 4th birthday!

The classroom is decorated with numbers, colors, letters and charts of all kinds. There are 3 boys and 9 girls in the class and out of 12 total there just happen to be two Emmas (I'm just hoping the other Emma doesn't have a purple Pottery Barn monogrammed backpack)! Our Emma knew one other little boy (our carpool buddy) prior to our arrival, but as I expected, she made new friends instantly! In fact, she didn't want to leave when it was time to go. I guess that's a good thing!?

I was so proud of myself for holding it together tonight. Mrs. Susan invited parents to stay as long as we wish on Tuesday but suggested that sometimes it works better with a quick hug/goodbye exchange. It makes me teary eyed just typing that, but I want to challenge myself to escape without water works!! Daddy already warned Emma that I may be sad but I want her to be excited about this new chapter :) Today I heard her ask Owen "Bubs, will you miss me when I'm at preschool?"....

I was definitely "that mom"! I had lots of questions since we have not been down this road before! I needed to know when potty breaks were offered, how discipline is handled and whether I just drop the kiddos off or walk them to the classroom. I am so thankful that FUMC takes extra steps in safety measures. We must present our ID when picking kiddos up, doors are all locked from the outside and through traffic is prohibited on the grounds.

Ready or not, next week will be an adjustment period. I am so happy that Emma is getting this experience. She will regularly interact with her peers, learn an abundance of important life skills and begin a school routine....and the BEST part is that it takes place in a Christian environment. They even go to chapel and pray! What a blessing.

My dear friend Kristie lives in NC. I was beyond blessed to meet her 3 years ago this month. We met through Stroller Strides and were also involved in the same Waco playgroup. We exchange e mails often and have agreed to swap prayers during this adjustment time. Her daughter, Samantha, also starts preschool next week! Kristie reminded me of that "Parenting is a journey in which we enjoy our children and love them, but also equip them and prepare them for the world. God designed this process so that we would raise up our children in a Godly way to the best of our abilities."

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone

The wait

Most Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays the kids and I wait outside on the front porch for Daddy's return home for the evening! By this time (between 7-8p) dinner is ready and the kiddos are antsy for bath and bedtime. It was extra nice this evening because the sun wasn't blazing hot! Tonight Emma was in her purple tutu, crown and couldn't go outside without her 'magic wand'. Owen was in a diaper and was already messy from eating a teething biscuit. He was begging to get out of my arms so I decided to put him on the walk way. He started climbing around playing in the dirt and trying to put everything in his mouth! I figured we were minutes from bath time so I just let him be a BOY!!

Emma and her camera skills:

There's no stopping him now...

My favorite princess ballerina....


Daddy FINALLY made it home......our favorite part of the day :)


And we will do it all again soon.....

Lately

In a nutshell, here is what we have been up to lately....

Emma starts preschool a week from tomorrow. This is VERY bittersweet for me but I know that she will love it. If I can get past the first week I think it will be okay. Thankfully she is a social butterfly and enjoys meeting new little people. She is going to First United Methodist Church in Temple on Tues & Thurs mornings from 9-12. That's right, just six total hours per week yet I feel like my heart is being yanked out! It will be an adjustment to our routine for sure. Fortunately we are able to carpool with another Cameron family which should work out really well. We have "meet the teacher" this Thurs evening and I hope I can hold it together there. We ordered a purple matching back pack and lunchbox from Pottery Barn. She was soooo excited when they came in the mail:

Jarrod started back to school today. He has a new classroom this year but unfortunately the A/C is broken so he is in an alternate location today :( He has jury duty this afternoon ~ don't they know this isn't a good time of year to add that to his plate?!? He has a full schedule this year and is teaching world geography and history research methods.

With two successful scrimmages behind them the Yoemen eagerly anticipate their first "real" game this week! They play the Connally Cadets on Friday and it couldn't get here soon enough for Coach Smith :) The Padilla poll was recently released and ranks Cameron #2 in the state for 2A! We are looking forward to an exciting (long) season!

Yoe field has a brand new scoreboard and the new concession stand/restrooms should be complete by the first home game next week!

I can't believe Emma made it to age 3 1/2 without any dress up clothes!! After a trip to the Disney outlet store we solved that problem :) She went to see the musical 'Beauty and the Beast' last month and looks forward to 'Disney Princesses on Ice' in late November. Here she is dressed as "Belle"....

She has also named this doll "Isabella".....which is the name of one of the characters on her favorite TV show, 'Phineas and Ferb'. Isabella takes naps, changes clothes at least once a day and plays with her toys.

Ten months

Wow, 10 months! I can't believe Owen is in double digits! He is now pulling up and starting to cruise on anything and everything. It happened almost overnight. Over he past few weeks he has become so mobile that he even promoted classes in the church nursery! It still surprises me each time I enter his room and find him standing in his crib grinnng from ear to ear :)

One of his newest skills is waving! He is waving hello in the photo below :)

Here is our month ten photo with sweet Roxie:

It is oh so true...boys and girls are opposites!! Not only do boys talk later and poop more, but they are quite mischievous! Owen loves to climb. He is very squirmy and wiggly and rarely ever sits still! He must be watched very closely and gets into everything he shouldn't! He scoots away very quickly and can be found digging in the trash or bending blinds! Emma never cared much about outlets, but from the photo below you can see that someone else is very curious....

He likes to chew on flip flops and computer wires :( He is slowly learning the meaning of the word 'NO'! He especially enjoys playing with cell phones, remote controls and anything with buttons!

I am happy to report that Owen is FINALLY sleeping through most nights!! What a blessing!
Very early each morning he bangs his empty bottle on the crib slats to let me know he needs a refill :) Nap time is a challenge now that he can stand and scream. When we are home I can usually still trick him into three naps per day (2 short cat naps and 1 long nap after lunch).

Look how fast our little guy is becoming a toddler!! He has gotten sooo long and is quickly outgrowing his infant carrier. He has an early birthday gift on its way (a big boy car seat ~ thanks Big Daddy & Lita)!

The last week of July he finally got his first two bottom teeth. He has tried lots of new foods but is not a fan of green veggies. As messy as he is at meal time, I don't force them either :) He even enjoyed an oatmeal cream pie at the city pool last week...yum! His daddy fed him pieces of a hot dog this week (which he called "real man food"). We have introduced the sippy cup but will go full force with that upon our return from Cali.

This next month Owen is looking forward to his first trip out of state (and plane ride), first full season of Yoemen football and he will start to have mommy all to himself two mornings a week!

Survival kit for new mothers

Here is a fun treat for new mothers! I borrowed some of these and created some of my own :) Feel free to use!! I sent one out to a few different friends who had babies over the past several weeks :)

Hershy's Kisses/Hugs for you & the baby because you both deserve them!

A penny for your thoughts.

A journal to write down your thoughts and to remember those amazing moments!

A calendar to remind you that the days will pass by too quickly, enjoy every moment.

A rubber band to remind you that flexibiltiy is key!

Tissue, to dry those tears, the baby's and yours!

A toothpick to pick out the good in all situations.

A lollipop to lick all your problems!

An eraser to remind you that EVERY new mom makes mistakes!

Starburst for much needed energy!

Take 5 because every mama needs a break :)

Lemonade....because you know what they say, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" (and there will be those days!)

Snickers/Laffy Taffy to remind you to always keep a sense of humor!

Random thoughts from a football widow....

I'm not going to sugar coat it. Being a football coach's wife this time of year is quite challenging. Fortunately I have many fellow "football widows" along for the ride and for that I am so thankful! I have a new appreciation for single parents. I savored each and every fleeting Summer day as I knew what was to come :) In our house, football season lasts from mid July through at least Nov (and possibly beyond)!

America loves football. It brings communities together. With it comes so much tradition and rich pride. Everyone follows a team. Typically games are entertaining and filled with friendly rivalries. For others of us, our livelihood is potentially dependent on a win/loss ratio. It's not just a game! Lots of fans show up under the Friday night lights and cheer proudly. Very few realize exactly what goes on behind the scenes.

It is a joy for me to watch Jarrod do what he loves. It makes me happy. He molds boys into men, strategically plots against opponents and does what it takes to make his team successful. He also drives a bus, washes jerseys, paints the field, gives players rides when needed and much more. Coaching is seven days a week during the Fall. Often we aren't able to enjoy dinner as a family. Usually, Jarrod spends more hours with the players than his old children. You see, my husband is a father figure to more than just two :)

I am now beginning my fifth season as a coach's wife. I have learned to just NOT watch the clock during the evenings and to not stress (too much) over when daddy will return home. My favorite part of the week is meeting Jarrod down on the field on Friday nights after each game! Whether his team wins or loses I am his biggest fan :)

Are you ready for some football?!?

The seasons have officially changed in the Smith household! The lazy days of Summer are long gone and football season is here to stay for awhile. Coach Smith has been looking forward to football season for as long as I can remember and is anticipating great things! This year he is offensive coordinator and has more responsibility. I am so proud of him :) The Yoemen had two-a-days this past week and had a squad scrimmage last night. Here are some photos of Coach Smith in action:

Saturday morning was annual picture day and here is one family pose. It will be so neat to look back later in life at the photos from each year. This year Jarrod is able to hold Owen with one arm but I'm sure it won't be long before he will be towering over us wearing his high school team jersey *tear*!

Check out Owen's "jersey":

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that." ~Bill Shankly

Up to stay!

This morning I put Owen down for a nap and less than a minute later found him just like this:

I should have known since he has become quite the busy little guy and won't sit still for a minute! This past week he has really been working on going from a crawling position to sitting.

I went ahead and put his crib side on the highest level which is where it will stay. It won't be long before we will be pulling the toddler bed out of storage :(

He was so very proud of himself!