And with our angels...: The 8th Grade Promotion and the last day of her 3rd year

Today was a busy day.... We had to get up early to go to the elementary school to pick up Isabelle's classroom belongings. It didn't hit me until we got in the parking lot how sad it was to be back there. The Principal and teachers were lined up (6 feet apart) in masks handing over the bagged items of our children's stuff. Not how we expected the last day of school to be.

We continued on with our days... mom worked and had 1,000 interruptions, and swim was a part of it...

The kids are getting bored after being at home for so long. Today they couldn't think of anything else to do so they decided to have a "sit as long as you can competition". Twenty seconds into it Michael announced, "I can already tell this is not going to have a good ending for me." It was about 20 seconds after that he got up and walked away saying... well that wasn't very much fun.

This little guy is adjusting his naps now down to only 2 a day. He was taking upwards of 4 shorter ones but now he takes one long one (hopefully at least 1 hour) and then a shorter one at the end of the day. He has to be exhausted and you think that would mean he would sleep all night... nope he still likes to snuggle with me 3 or 4 times a night. BTW... have you seen the bags under my eyes?

By mid-afternoon, Madelyn was "exhausted" from her busy day of indoor playing and Isabelle decided to teach Jennings some new yoga moves.

Daddy took a break to come down for more coffee and his mini-me insisted on getting daddy time. Isabelle jumped in on the opportunity too.

Jarrett ran tonight to pick up our grocery order and Jennings was NOT happy daddy was leaving again. Here is is crying as dad drove down the street, and then we went back inside... it was so nice out today, definitely need to get out more tomorrow.

This afternoon we had Gabe's 8th grade promotion ceremony and I don't truly think it's hit me yet that he will be starting high school in a few months. Seriously how can this be.

Their promotion ceremony was virtual and it made me sad to think he didn't get to see his classmates in person to say goodbye or the promotion dance he dreamed about us getting a limo for him and his buddies to go in (we weren't going to do it but we let him dream about it). All those fun things to celebrate, like his 8th grade year season of baseball... all of it vanished. He didn't seem to moved by it, I think he's adjusted to life at home and as long as he can play video games, he doesn't seem much bothered.

The other big thing today was that it was Madelyn's last day of her 3rd year. I can't believe tomorrow when I wake up she will be 4. I'm actually having a harder time with that I think than the fact Gabe will be in high school. I still remember 4 years ago tonight being in labor and so so so excited to welcome a healthy baby girl. It seems like so much has happened in these last 4 years and yet it seems like that night couldn't have been 4 years ago.

Madelyn has grown so much this year, probably no longer being the baby in the house, she is so smart, funny, loving and just wonderful. I love everything about her, even when she screams my name to help her "wipe". She told me a few days ago, "Mom, when I turn 4 years old and I am big you won't have to help me wipe my butt." I keep telling her each day... the countdown is now at 5 days and she just smiles and says, "Yep, I"m going to be big then."

I will try to write more about her tomorrow but tonight after Madelyn went to bed, Isabelle came back downstairs (they share a room and get tucked in at the same time, and helped me decorate the house and wrap her presents. It was wonderful to get to spend some one on one time with Isabelle and to watch her excitement in preparing a special day for Madelyn. She probably said 15 times, I"m so excited for Maddie tomorrow. As much as the girls fight, and they definitely do, these two are very close and great playmates. Madelyn looks up to Isabelle and Isabelle loves to tell Madelyn what to do. Now turning 4 Madelyn has realized she doesn't have to agree with everything Isabelle says and that's usually what leads to the fights.

a sample of what our days are like

In other news Jennings continues to have more and more teeth coming in and he uses my arm like a dog chews on a raw hide bone. Needless to say we are working on getting him to understand that "NO" mean's NO. I'm not making too much progress as my arms is bruised from my shoulder to down below my elbow. We still love him to pieces, he's kind of like the little baby I think on the Incredibles... he has more strength than he knows.

He has learned how to dance...

He is ever so happy to play with his siblings..

and he's getting more comfortable trying to take a few steps of his own...

Finally he's starting to tell us how he feels about certain things....

As we near the hour of midnight yet again, I am going to try to turn in earlier than the last few nights... I want to be able to enjoy the day when Madelyn wakes up... she's asked for Pancakes and cheeseburgers, so we will start the day with Pancakes and end with cheeseburgers which means she will only eat the cheese part.

Congratulations to Gabe on completing his middle school years. Those were some of the hardest year's of my youth as I think it is a time one starts to try to figure out their own identity and the pressure of one's peers is super hard. I'm proud of you Gabe for working hard, for trying your best and not being too upset when your mom pushes you a lot more, demands you work harder and makes you do things you don't want. You know I love you and only do it because I want the best for you.

And to Madelyn Happy early birthday baby. Four years ago tonight, Mom was in A LOT of pain but I'd go through it over and over and over and over because you are worth it a million times over.