1st Day of Preschool

Today was the first day of preschool for Jacob! He is in a two day preschool for two and a half hours each day. It is officially the first time someone other than mom and dad or grandma and grandpa have been in charge! I cannot believe we are already into the school years with this guy!
We enjoyed an early wake-up call of 6 a.m. (just when Jacob normally wakes up - we didn't have to be to school until 9!). I made some blueberry pancakes and cut them into a fire truck and train. And, of course, some chocolate milk :)Posing with his cool school bag. Every kid in the school has to have the same tote bag, so they recommend you decorating the bag. We bought some iron on letters and patches to decorate, but only the "J" and the "B" stuck, so we had to sew all of the letters on. Bob did almost all of the sewing while I cleaned and got everything else ready. We were up until 2 a.m. the night before his first day!

Walking into school. I had to take a quick picture because he decided this is the best way to carry his bag. He stuck his hand on his head and walked this way because the bag wouldn't slide down his shoulder.

He walked in and found his name all by himself and hung up his bag. I was so proud of him!

He started playing right away, and had a really good time. We had no tears, and a really great transition. Only half of the class was there today - they have the other half coming tomorrow. The real schedule begins next week. Jacob was exhausted from his school adventure today. They read a book and traced his hand today. Jacob told me a little boy took his green car and he tried to take it back but the boy was very strong, so Isabella took it back and gave it to him. Jacob also told us he cooked at the play kitchen, and that he didn't help clean up, haha. I'm sure he did help since he has always helped when we were at Gymboree and he helps at home when we ask him.

I'm really looking forward to Jacob's experiences this year, him gaining some independence, learning to make new friends and be confident in himself. I hope he has a wonderful first year of school and develops an early love of learning. His teachers are so nice, and I am pleased with our decision to go with this preschool.

Perfect Saturday

I love these pictures from Saturday morning - Jacob cheering for his brother and both boys getting some time with Daddy.

Saturday was such a perfect day - we were outside by 9 in the morning. I got out Jacob's "big boy" bike. Just Monday he started riding his little bike that has you pedaling more by pushing out. We bought Jacob's big boy bike at the beginning of the summer, but he wasn't interested yet. We bought him the Cars 2 bike from Wal-Mart with the matching helmet. So weird to have a bike with training wheels. Anyway, I put him on the bike to see if he could pedal this bike, and he took off! Once he realized how much faster you could go on that bike, there was no turning back. He rode ALL morning, and wore us all out!

We had a picnic lunch in the shade again. And then we played out front. Jacob and Joshua rolled the ball back and forth, Joshua enjoyed pulling at the grass, Jacob ran around like a crazy man, and we all just relaxed outside. Joshua loves watching his brother run towards him and screams with happiness when he gets close.

My mom came down in the afternoon and we went to the grocery store for a little while. My dad came down after work, and we ate dinner and showed off Jacob's new biking skills.

Picnic Friday

The boys and I have been spending so much time outside, and we ate outside for lunch again on Friday under the tree out front. Jacob enjoys his picnics, and it's nice to just spend hours outside in the morning without having to sweat to death! I am already looking forward to fall now, remembering all of my great times with Jacob the past few years, and getting to enjoy two boys for the first time this fall.

After naps, we headed to the grocery for a few things, and then enjoyed dinner together as a family - since Bob works so much, he is only home for dinner 3 nights a week. I love and treasure the nights we can all eat together.

Afterwards, we went on a long walk around the neighborhood. Jacob wanted to ride in the double stroller, which hasn't happened in a while, and it was nice to talk for a while with him about everything he saw in the neighborhood. He has been really interested at the hitch concept and how trucks and cars can pull things, so he pointed out all of those. Joshua took a much needed nap in the fresh air.

After the walk, Jacob and Daddy rode their bikes around the neighborhood a little while, and then both boys got a much needed bath and bed time! Fresh air knocks us out!

Finger Painting Fun

Thursday was more beautiful weather, and we have been so happy this week to have mild weather after such a horrible stretch of the 90 degree humid days! We have been outside so much!

Jacob and Joshua have woken up at 6:45 or 7 every day this week, which has been nice (and tiring) because we can really take advantage of the weather. We've rode our bike, played in the sandbox, ran around the backyard, taken walks.

Thursday, after naps, I set up Jacob to finger paint in the front yard. Our front yard is the only place we have shade, and I just set us up there so Joshua stays nice and cool whenever we aren't running around.

Joshua got to roll around and play while Jacob painted.

Jacob enjoyed his "finger markers" as he called them. He instantly wanted purple finger paint, so we learned about mixing colors together to make the colors he wanted. It's so fun to see him understand older concepts. He created three works of art for Daddy to bring to work.


Daddy got home soon after the painting and reminded us that Rally's opened. They have been building a Rally's in front of Meijer for a long time, and Jacob has been watching it closely and wanting to go there and eat. I had never been to a Rally's, but we promised him as soon as it opened we would take him there.

Jacob was excited to eat at "that white building" and we ordered ice cream, fries and enjoyed eating outside. Jacob was thrilled that Rally's has chocolate ice cream. McDonald's only had a vanilla cone, and Jacob always tells me to find him a place that sells chocolate. The other day, he told me, "see mommy, you looked and looked and found me a place that sells chocolate." He is so sweet.

After our Rally's fun, we headed home and got ready for our very first ever parent meeting for Jacob's preschool. Jacob and Joshua played with my parents while we were gone. Joshua decided to take a few further moves towards crawling while we were gone, too!

We are thrilled with our preschool teachers. We bought Jacob's tote bag, and he was so excited when we brought it home.

That night, I explained to Jacob that some kids might cry when their parents leave them at school, and that he doesn't need to worry and the kids just might not know how fun school is and that their mommys are coming right back. So, now Jacob tells us that "those silly kids just don't know school is fun!" I'm hoping this attitude stays on the first day when we drop him off.

Preschool Meet and Greet

Jacob had his preschool meet and greet on Wednesday. My mom took the day off and we headed to the zoo in the morning. It was great weather and we had a blast having Grandma with us for the day.

The meet and greet was at 2 in the afternoon, which isn't ideal for a toddler, so we had to skip a nap. Jacob was exhausted that night, but he held up alright and had a great time. Here is my handsome man before we left for school.

We had to change his plaid shorts because they are way too big now that he has ditched his diaper. He had a great time and really enjoyed playing with all the kids. We realized that out of the 16 kids in his class, only 4 are girls. Looks like it's going to be a very active preschool class. The boys enjoyed playing cars, dinosaurs, and sticking monster trucks in the play washer and dryer. Jacob made some friends, and had a blast. He's been talking about school a lot now, and is very excited to get started.

I can't believe he is old enough to go to preschool!

It's Too Hot!

I cannot believe this weather! It is just so hot, and it's sad that I think it's a good time to play outside when it's "only 90." We live in Indiana, not Texas! Poor Jacob has been stuck inside so much because of this heat - it's even too hot to let him play in the water, especially with Joshua not being able to stand the heat as much as his older brother.

This morning I was woken up with little Jacob running into our room, holding his stuffed Lightning McQueen. He jumped into bed with me and slept there for another hour. Then we had some breakfast and went grocery shopping.

Bob had to work tonight, so I was on my own with the kids for the evening. I love seeing the boys get to the stage where they start interacting. Joshua is 7 months old, and has now started saying his version of Jacob. It's more a specific noise he makes for his brother, but it's just so darn cute! They sat and played cars together, and I loved being able to play with both boys at once and have us all interacting together.

Dinner was some shake n bake chicken, and Joshua was an angry baby right before dinner so I had to hold him through the meal. He was blowing raspberries like crazy, and got Jacob laughing so hard he was drooling juice and he peed his pants a little bit. It was so funny to see them laughing back and forth at each other. Joshua was kicking his feet like a crazy man with excitement when he was watching Jacob. After dinner, I took the boys to get some ice cream (sorry, Joshua, you just get to watch for now!) and then we walked around the neighborhood a little bit before Bob got home for his dinner break around 7:30. Baths and bed time!

Love these boys more and more each day!

jacob - 3 years old

tonight, jacob told us on the car ride home:
"when i get oder (older), i will take my purple car and drive joshua to mickey donalds for an ice cream cone that doesn't drip."
bob asked him where he was going to get his money.
"from mickey donalds. they will give me money."

jacob has been in a big joke phase. tonight - "why did the chicken cross the road? to get a pop and a map."

he loves his brother, loves to make you laugh, loves that he is smart (he always tells us he knows his letters and numbers) and that he is going to start school soon.

just wanted to write these few things down before going to bed tonight and forgetting how funny jacob was tonight!