First Day of School.

 Before I had kids I taught Jr. High school. Each first day of school I never thought about how those early morning jitters and nerves affected  my students, I was too nervous myself to think about what the parents and their kids were going through those moments before the bell rang. As of yesterday I am fully aware of the emotional cliffs a parent has to talk their young child out of jumping off in order to function enough to walk out of the comfort a home provides and into the unknowns of her classroom. It was hard for me too, I struggle with not knowing what my child is up to while away from me, if she is using her manners and if she is happy. She is so little, is someone watching her? My fears and nerves were eased the moment we walked into the classroom and Mrs. Reeves welcomed Savannah with a big hug. There is no place more homey than her care.

 Ivy waiting at the bus stop.

The moment she stepped off the bus she said, "I don't want school to be over!"

 This is a happy kid.

Ouch.

On Sunday The Little Girls went to The Ranch while I went looking for a "unicorn" dress to wear to a wedding event, a near impossible mission based on this post-pregnancy canvas. While I was out, Deeds sent me a text about Ivy hitting her head on a rock and how she needed her blanket which she forgot at home. I called right away to find out that this owie was substantial and Dee Dee feared a concussion. When I got home and saw Ivy, I cried. Cried for how badly it looked and cried that I wasn't there to comfort her and kiss her tears away. 

The vomiting started around 1:30 in the morning. We immediately grabbed kids and left for the hospital to see a doctor. After more vomiting, spending the rest of the night/morning in the emergency room, waffling back and forth about getting a CT scan, getting said CT scan and pediatrician visit later, a concussion was confirmed and anything more serious ruled out. Today is our first day with out tummy-aches and vomiting, her headache is gone and I believe she is on the mend with a gnarly goose egg and greenish-purple bruising. Having a injured/sick child is surely a special sort of hell that I hope to have very limited experience in.

 Did you know that a CT scan's radiation output is the equivalent of being exposed to 100 x-rays? Yikes! This scary fact is why we waffled as we did.

 

4.

The last few days have been a rough start to Ivy's fourth year (a future post).
That being said, this is how we spent her big day.

 The Birthday Hat. I LOVE the Birthday Hat. Ivy does not. I laid a heavy guilt trip on her to wear it for a photo. I'm not sure The Birthday Hat will be worn by Ivy in the future.

 All she wanted for her birthday was a Pillow Pet. She has waited for her "Dolphint" since Christmas. Yes, she cried happy tears.

 We drove to Jackson for an impromptu picnic at Detert Park.

 Then stopped in Sutter Creek for Ice Cream.
 The owner plays the raddest tunes on his old piano. The music transports you to the Wild West and you have to watch the door for you feel like Billy the Kid is about to make a grand entrance.

 

Back at home we ate lemon yogurt cake and celebrated with Grandpa Dan and Grandma Sylvia.

Goodbye 3.

♥

 Tomorrow is Ivy's fourth birthday!

Have I mentioned how much I love the age of 3? I do. I really, really do. And so does Ivy. She has been saying, "I'm really going to miss being three..." since April when she realized that her birthday would change her age forever. Up until that point she had decided she was going to stay three forever and break all rules of numerical aging and it's symbiosis with a birth day. I was all for that. But alas...today I am celebrating her last few precious hours of being three. Ivy, my complexly emotional little girl. Three has been so very good to her and for us a magical year of her life.

 

oh...have you ever seen this?

A gift from Sharon The Great shortly after Ivy was born.

It is the "thing" I'd wish to run back into a burning house in order to save. 

♥ 

Four Weeks.

Grady is 4 weeks old today. Where have the days gone? We are most definitely experiencing time-warp acceleration. The Gobbly-Goo is chubbing up, getting those precious rolls under his neck, arms and knees. Something endearing about G: he laughs in his sleep. Tim has yet to witness this, but today alone he has done this twice. And I'm not exaggerating what would be a gassy smile, no...this is a giggle-laugh that ends in his mouth saying (I kid you not)..."goo". I can't imagine what his little brain is dreaming, what could be funny to him at this emotionless (well, except for the crying for bare necessities) age? His sisters? My lack of sleep or showering (Gross. On both accounts.)? The mind reels.
Both of The Little Girls fake cried in their sleep at this age, 

Grady laughs. Search me. 

Great Lengths.

 

 Savannah's Ballet School doesn't do recitals. When I first asked Teacher Pam if she held recitals she rolled her eyes, cringed and mumbled in her posh British accent, "ugh...recitals are so tacky." Instead she directs two performances a year (The Nutcracker and a summer show), all students are encouraged to participate. These  productions are exquisite, I dare say worth the $20 per ticket. The costumes are handmade by a Mom whose daughter is a Company Girl, the details of these costumes and the stage props are magical. The talent as far as the school goes is top notch and never disappoints. Last night we saw Coppelia. It was fantastic. Savannah wasn't in the performance, she wanted desperately to be dancing with her classmates but it was poor timing considering the practices were held the weeks of and after Grady's birth. Now that I see how serious she is about dance, I am starting to get nervous about the future investment impact (time/financial commitment) this ballet school may have on our family. Before last night's final curtain Savannah asked me when The Nutcracker was and to which part will she dance. Oh Boy...let the time commitment begin.

 Ballet School.

Cabin Fever?

Whenever Eva and David invite us to their family cabin, we throw Botting clothes/swim suits in our ridiculously huge L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bag (the best bag for a family of 5 ever!) jump in the car and head to Lake Tahoe. We got lucky this last weekend when they made a spontaneous trip and daring phone call to invite a family with a newborn. 

 Always a treat...David's BBQ.

 Checking out the cabin's yard.

 Playing at the Beach.

 The lovely Eva.

Photography was limited since my hands were full of The Gobbly-Goo, but Robbie and The Little Girls had fun together playing t-ball in the yard and making sand castles on Tallac Beach.
 Thank you Nybo's for a weekend away. Last year's trip here.