Fancy Pictures

One of my best friends has been taking our family pictures for years and she FINALLY has decided that she wants to build her portfolio so she can officially start a photography business. I am so happy for her and truly hope she follows through because I know she would succeed - but in the mean time she has been using us to practice on! These are from several different times over the past two weeks.

Start of summer

Its only been officially summer for a week, but I think we are off to a great start. We do not have a lot planned for June, but once July hits we are nonstop with camps for James and Madeleine and lots of trips until school starts (as a matter of fact, James is missing his first day of school because we will be out of town!). So June we are taking it easy and just enjoying summer and our friends.

Now that James is out of school, he doesn't let Matthias out of his sight for very long. I think hes trying to make up for all the time he lost while he was at school.

Starting the Buckeye Love early!

Matthias hates tummy time - like seriously hates it. So we keep trying to trick him into it by starting on his back before rolling him to his tummy. He hasn't fallen for it yet but the kids like getting into his mat to play with him.

James is still very into dinosaurs - we made triceratops bones out of concrete and he is trying to draw and document them like a real paleontologist would do. And Madeleine is Princess Aurora watching him. I have several big dinosaur activities that I'm going to try and space out over the summer for him.

Matthias' first trip to the pool wasn't very exciting - he slept through it. But it was nice to snuggle with him while watching the other two swim.

Madeleine loves to help cook, whenever we are in the kitchen shes always checking to see if she can help and if she cant she always stays to watch. Its great to have her in the kitchen, James was always curious but he didn't really want to get involved like she does.

This summer there is a pick up soccer game on Saturday mornings at 8am. Since I'm up anyways, I walk James and Matthias down to let James play. Its only ever 5-8 kids but it is so much fun for him and a great way to kick off the weekend. By the time we walk home, Madeleine is up and helping John make breakfast!

Yesterday, our friend invited a few families over for a cookout - somehow there were 12 kids (we couldn't get all the kids in the picture) and only 5 adults, we were super out numbered but all the kids were amazing. Hopefully the rest of summer will be just as fun as the first week!

End of the school year

Two weeks ago, Madeleine finished up her last week of school. She has learned so much and is so sad that she wont see her friends for several months. It is hard at her age to understand the concept of summer break - especially since her brother still had two weeks of school left. She loved going to see her teachers and friends and couldn't wait to tell me what she learned. She has just amazed me this year with most random facts ("Mama, ladybugs eat aphids!"). This was the most perfect first year of "school" for our little girl. The picture on the left is her first day of preschool and the one on the right is her last.

Today James graduated from kindergarten. Everyone told me it would go by so fast, and of course they were right. He is so excited to go to first grade but it is taking everything in me not to yell at him to slow down. He bloomed into this amazing confident smart little man. When I was in kindergarten we colored and played with toy farm animals. We did not have homework, touch on foreign language, learn some of the nuances of math or get assigned a level based on reading ability. And somehow even with all that, he still loved going every day and was just so happy. All I want for James is to be happy, and he is. He is the sunniest, sweetest, happiest little boy. And he has the proudest mom. The picture on the left is his first day of kindergarten and the one on the right is his last.

Lazy days

As the school year is starting to come to a close and we are preparing for the crazy schedule of summer, we are enjoying our quiet time when we can find it. Madeleine is having a hard time with the concept of summer break and miss seeing her friends three days a week, hopefully we will be able to see some of her school friends over the summer to soften the blow. James on the other hand is very excited for the end of the school year because that means he will be in First Grade, which makes me cringe. How did he get that old?? However, he thinks that his teachers and classmates wont change next year and no matter what I say or how I try to explain it, he thinks I am wrong. So first day of school for him will be interesting!

Madeleine loves to read to Matthias, she makes up 99% of the words but its good for both of them and I hope this is something that continues.

Matthias is smiling up a storm now. Even though he is our third smiley baby, every smile feels like the first. And now there are 4 of us that crowd around him and oh and ah over it. He probably thinks we are all crazy.

Of course he doesn't smile all the time. He is a Siefert so he's got a good set of lungs on him.

Huntersville had a really fun Spring festival that had rides and music - but it also had a lot of fun science stuff this time!

James LOVES to hold Matthias, but he doesn't always want to be held.

Matthias is still at the age where he will fall asleep in any position whenever he is tired - all of a sudden I will look down and he is passed out!

Madeleine loves to brush and style my hair now - I need to find her a doll that she can use instead!

Brotherly love!

My mom and Uncle Ross came to visit and meet Matthias for the first time last week!

I cant believe the little man is already 3 months old, it has flown by.

Summer is finally here - and so is the hot hot weather! Good thing all the splash parks are now open.

James loves playing board game, Guess Who is one of his favorites at the moment!

All three kids!