Brenner Turns 4

Brenner turned 4 and his one request was to have a Star Wars party.  So that we did.  Star Wars cupcakes, blue and black streamers, and of course his very own slogan, Let the 4th be with you. 

August Already

It's true.  It's been far too long since I've last posted.  Insert about a hundred excuses here.

It's August already.  Kids have been back to school for about a week now.  Emberlyn is loving first grade.  She has a great teacher and one of her best kindergarten friends is in her class.  If you ask her what her favorite part of the day is, it would be recess.  Brenner started 4 year old preschool.  He goes twice a week.  And he's been enjoying it so far.  If you were to ask him what his favorite part of school is, he'd say, "All of it."  They have a pet frog, and he thought that was pretty exciting.  Especially when the teacher explained what they fed the frogs.  Just fascinating for an almost 4 year old boy.

Speaking of almost 4...  Guess who turns 4 at the end of the month?!  Brenner is very excited about having cupcakes.  He wants Star Wars chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  His current favorite thing to do is play with his Playmobil zoo.  It's a toy we got a couple Christmases ago.  And it has been made a daily staple item lately.  Every morning I have to play zookeeper and he plays a mischievous animal that escapes from his cage.  We've got an elephant, lion, giraffe and zebra exhibits.  And sometimes his Star Wars action figures make surprise appearances and they will ride on the animals.  The imagination he has...  If we're not playing zoo, we are playing action figures that is completely dialogued by him.  He tells you what to do, what to say...  He is quite a director.

Emberlyn will be 6 next month.  She has a few wiggly teeth that she is very excited about.  I don't know how much longer til she loses one, but it's on the horizon.  Better brush up on my tooth fairy knowledge.  She got glasses the last day of kindergarten.  So she's been wearing them for a couple months now, and she loves them.  She loves mermaids.  She loves playing Barbie mermaids and loves drawing them.  She is such a little artist.  She can color for hours.  But she especially loves it when I'll color with her.  I still can't believe I have a first grader.  She's growing up and growing fast.  She loves to read.  Her favorite book is really anything by Eric Carle.  They learned about him at school, so she can easily recognize his books while we're at the book store.  "Mom, this is by Eric Carle!!"  She also loves Dr. Seuss and Stellaluna.  And when we read to her, we have to make sure we read the title, author and illustrator.  If you don't, she'll ask.  And when she's reading to you, you have to pay attention and not talk.  Future teacher in the making...

My sister, Chelsea, is still here and has been a huge help.  I can't even explain how my daily life would be if she weren't here besides one hot mess.  The kids love having her here.  She helps with literally everything.  Running errands, taking the kids to and from school, cleaning, cooking, baths...  She's amazing.  And I don't know how to repay her for everything she has been doing.  Love you Chels.

I'm nearly 32 weeks pregnant and large.  I've been feeling really great.  Haven't been sleeping the best, but who does at this stage in the game.  I am so excited for next month and meeting this little one.  I still think it's a boy.  Emberlyn likes to go back and forth, but I think she's settled on a girl.  We've started making our bets for gender, weight, and birth date.  We're planning on a September 23rd c-section, unless baby has other plans.  Most of us think baby will have other plans, anywhere from 1-3 weeks before that.  So, it's time for me to get prepared.  Hospital bags should be packed and ready by September.

Chelsea and I have been working on the nursery all summer.  We got all the furniture off Craigslist and found a lady in Encinitas to redo and revamp.  All we have left are the curtains.  So after we get those hung, I will take pictures and post.  I cannot wait to meet our new house guest.