August 2017

Can't stop, won't stop! August was another huge month, especially for the kiddos. Cade is off to college! I can hardly believe it. We had a great day of moving him in, and he seems to be adjusting well. Of course that's not a surprise. And Olivia has started kindergarten! That transition was hard on this mama heart. But after 2 full days, she is ready to go back and wishes she didn't have a 4 day weekend! Fall is upon us. The weather seems to have changed with the start of school with cooler days and that fresh crispness in the air. Of course we managed to pack in some more grand summer adventures before the school year!...

playing with Clara at the library

another scavenger hunt adventure to Fort William Henry

crab hunting

annual back to school trip to the salon

The stylist asked if Livi would like to have curls like Moana. You could tell that Olivia was a little nervous, but said she did. I didn't realize until later in the day that she thought the curls would last forever, which is why she wasn't sure. Then she found out that they would wash out and she was so sad! 

of course we followed up the salon with a giant piece of cake :)

A Kindergarten countdown chain. I think we started with more than 30 links, she was so excited! 

A Pinterest find for keeping stuffies! 

We did some rearranging and also used Pinterest to figure out how to re-hang her canopy! 

adorable braid crown

We went to a boat show that was so cool. We got to tour all kinds of boats, and Livi and I are ready for our yacht now! 

this one was our fave. I think Olivia really thinks she's going to get one one day.

oh you know, just hanging out the onions to dry

garden progress: sunflowers! 

can yo spot the pumpkins?

kayaking adventure! 

Kindergarten open house! 

special mommy-daughter back to school day. first stop, Panera for breakfast. Then Target for school outfit and supplies, then to open house! 

just chatting with a new friend/neighbor who will be on the same bus

checking out the bust

fancying up her name tag by putting it on a necklace

Olivia's questions for her teacher at the open house: 1. Do you have themes? 2. Do all kindergarteners have recess together? 3. Do we have our own lunch table? 4. What specials (do we have?) 

Another scavenger hunt adventure to some amazing rock waterfall slides!

followed by the biggest Shirley Temple in the history of the world

Making our cereal box eclipse viewer

enjoying our last couple of days with Cade before we dropped him off at college

can you spot Livi? She swam to that island from the boat by herself! 

Livi's first time tubing alone. It was adorable! She just toodled along at a slow speed and could have gone all day!

Look who's driving!

Old Orchard Beach

off to USM

Cade did some orienting while we checked out a cool park and wading pool in Portland

totally soaked. good thing I brought a full set of extra clothes! 

We've chatted with Cade a couple of times since we dropped him off. As I write this he's been there for two weekends. He seems to be doing well with friends and classes! We're so proud of him!

Cade's room has been modified into a playroom (and it's clean!) for now. We put up the teepee and doll house. It's lovely :) Maybe he'll want to play in the teepee when he comes back home?? ;)

Just a small portion of our tomato harvest! We've made tomato sauce and salsa, tomato salad and had tons of tomatoes on our sandwiches! 

driving the boat out from New Meadows to the ocean!

Look at this house. Doesn't it look like the left side of the top got sliced right off? 

playground picnic!

Kindergarten ready! 

bus stop friends Ava and Aralynn

Isn't she the best? I want to eat her right up.

she made it school on the bus! for my own sanity I met her there so I could see her face as she went into the building. She wanted to go in by herself so of course I snuck in after her to peek at her in her classroom.

first day done! 

celebrate! 

Olivia Layne - Kindergarten!

Sweet Olivia,

As I'm writing this you've been in kindergarten for 5 hours already! Your longest day of school ever! I've been thinking about you all day, wondering what exactly you're doing, how you're feeling, if you're having fun, feeling lonely, tired, sad, confused, happy, excited, smart, making friends, playing a lot, enjoying lunch, liking your teacher, feeling big, feeling small. Let me tell you, it's HARD for a mama to not know the details of your day. To not see emotions passing over your face, to not get to ask how you're doing or offer help, or watch you learn and grow.

You've been looking forward to this day for a long time. Whenever we ask, you say your are excited about full days, riding the bus, eating in the cafeteria and getting more recesses :) Oh how I hope the day is all you wanted it to be.

You are the most wonderful girl. Five and a half years old, and so smart, curious, funny, creative, imaginative and sassy. You still, as always, love to play play play. Especially with Daddy, who is still, as always, the best player of all time. Your taste in activities is wide and varied. You enjoy barbies, legos, swimming, tackling, playing ball, playing college, and lately a little more pretending with dolls and stuffed animals. You passed level 3 in swimming this summer. You love hiking, exploring and adventuring. You are great at pretending to read to Georgie or your toys, and it is precious to hear you make up stories. You are also already reading for real! Dick and Jane books are your books of choice and you do a fantastic job of sounding out words. It's amazing, but not really surprising. You love to learn things and then tell us about them, and you prefer it if we don't already know what you're telling us ;) You like to know lots of things. Your favorite shows are Shimmer and Shine, Barbie movies, Wild Kratts, Elena of Avalor. Your favorite food is mac n cheese from KFC.

You rode the bus to school today. While you've been looking forward to it, this morning you were feeling a little nervous. Luckily we'd met Aralynn, another girl on our street who rides the bus, so we were able to hang out with her and ease some nerves while we waited for the bus. Oh the tears I shed when you walked up those steps! I met you at the school for my own sanity this morning. You were a little worried that I would be the only mommy at the bus stop or at the school, but of course I wasn't. You gave me a big smile when you came off the bus, and I hugged and kissed you, but you wanted to go into the school alone. Always wanting to be a big girl. So of course I snuck in after you to take a peek at  you sitting in your chair.

One day you'll understand the struggle of wanting your baby to grow up, be independent, learn knew things, make knew friends, find her way, and yet wanting to hold on tightly, not let her out of sight, protect her from any possible hurts. You are a kind friend who usually lets others choose what to play, letting them borrow your toys, goggles, showing them how to do something they don't yet know, offering words of encouragement to calm jitters. You often encourage me when I'm nervous about something (like jumping off a rock or sliding down a water slide) by saying enthusiastically "you can do it mama! you've got this!" I love seeing you act the same way toward peers. You seem to be a follower, and there is nothing wrong with that. You can grow up into a woman who supports those around her, not letting them fall, while listening to words of wisdom and taking them to heart. My hope is that we can help you find the right people to follow. And also to give you confidence to lead at times, too, especially in situations where standing up for yourself or someone else is important. You seem to be a people pleaser, too, both with friends and people in authority. You like to follow rules given by teachers, doctors, life guards, etc, and don't ever want to feel as if anyone in those positions is mad at your, or like you've done something wrong. I'm proud of you for wanting to do what's right, and I hope you will have a strong internal indicator guiding you to know what rules are really important and what leaders are worthy of following, not just doing so because you want to fit in.

Oh there is so much to you, my little yet big baby girl. And there is so much for you in this big world. This day is a big first step into becoming YOU. continuing to become a kind, compassionate, generous, funny, smart, creative, friendly, empathetic, curious YOU. I am so excited about all you will do and learn this year. I pray you will know I'm here for you and with you. No matter what, when, why. I am your mama and together we'll roar! I love you fiercely and beyond description my love. Happy Kindergarten year!

PS, I'm happy to report you had a great first two days! You like your teacher, have a new friend who sits at your table, get to play with your best friend from PreK at recess, like eating in the cafeteria and even wish you didn't have a 4 day weekend so you could go back sooner!