Since School has begun...

Some good things - about a week before school started, Gideon decided to start sleeping in his crib. He sleeps through the night now also. It's great. He usually goes down rocked and read to and soothed but awake for his naps. For bedtime, he prefers we put him to sleep and transfer him. (Last night he went down awake and went right to sleep.)

If he cries more than 30 seconds, we know he's not going to cooperate and we'd better go get him and try again. (He's stubborn if he's not ready. But when he's ready, he's good about going to sleep.) When he wakes up, he's usually chill and will sometimes lie there awake looking around or "reading" whatever book is in his crib.

The only not-so-good thing is that he frequently wakes up with a poopy diaper after naptime. Like his crib becomes his toilet. (At least it's contained in a diaper and he doesn't mess with it; my brother recently shared a rough nap/poop story with me about his little girl.)

Continue down for everyone else plus more cute pictures of my fast-growing boy who is independent, a little nervous about noisy things, quite talkative, a little jealous of anyone who wants my attention, and not at all nervous about climbing!

I don't know why I took this picture, but I love that Seth is still and everyone else is a blur. Fitting!

Look out - #1 has passed me!

Twins take turns who is taller; Natalie is winning this month.

My grandma gave me this hutch when she moved and downsized....so I updated it. I'm still organizing our "school wall".

Finally perfected our dessert pizza. Next it cobbler pizza....
(Pizza, sometimes "pizzi" is one of Gideon's new words this month.)

 

 My cousin got married this month - fun family time!

We made a trip to visit Rob's parents (still recovering from an auto accident last month), and the girls had some music fun.

Carolyn got braces.

Gideon likes outside (one of his favorite words "ou-side").
(I'm trying to sand this chair so I can stain it and then re-upholster it.)

Gideon and I go for a walk many mornings after school drop off.

Thanks to the hurricane weather, my kids have been out of school since Tuesday.

• Tuesday we got ready for my parents coming (evacuating the beach).
• Wednesday we went supply shopping (water, batteries, 2-burner stove)...some things we have but wanted more of or things we don't have and have been thinking of investing it to prepare for power outages. (We also did piano lessons.)
• Thursday we got some things done around the house and took a quick trip to the park. (Hot and Humid!)
• Friday we gave the kids a day and went to the museum. (We have a membership and my parents got in free because they were from mandatory evacuation counties.) 
• Today we did Saturday chores and are just enjoying some free time as we watch the sky rain all day.

I tried to go back Friday for produce we'd run out of ... but that wasn't too successful. (Mom had better luck at Kroger.)

He loves to open everything - dump it out or climb in or climb up or put something inside...such an explorer these days.

Saturday morning chocolate chip pancakes...We've got chocolate for breakfast and cheese dip for supper. It's a hurricane party? ;)
(On a serious note, the hurricane has been diminishing as the weekend approached, although it has been awful for some along the NC coast, we are still waiting to see if it causes flooding or something bad for us.)

Alee being hairdresser.

 Big Screen movie time (with a few dramatic posing girls)

We've basically had time for games, music, movies, shopping, sleeping, a little of everything as the state closes down in preparation for bad weather. Now just the waiting and praying.  We feel prepared. I think.

Some videos if you like:
Kaitlyn and Alee Piano Duet (Punch Line)
Jealous Much?
Rollin' Around
I can get out!
Lickin' the Plate Clean