First Day of School

I can't believe it, but the time has come.

The First Day of School.

It's so strange to have him not around me all day, every day. Of course him and I have been without one another for a few hours here and there while I've had to go to class, or for a night or two when he's had a sleep over at Mema and Pepa's house without us, but this is totally different. It's completely terrifying and liberating at the same time. I know that it's a good thing for him because he needs to spend some time with other kids his age, learn to share, work together, etc. Plus, while there, he follows a set structure there doing curriculum as opposed to casually playing blocks, running to the grocery store, or watching the Backyardigans with me. I was beginning to feel a little guilty with him at home with me because sometimes it would be too easy to get distracted by doing the dishes or laundry rather than playing with my boy. On the other hand  I can't stand not being there with him for every moment. I want to witness the first time he says a new word or does something different or funny. I suppose it's time for me to let go a bit and let him begin to live his own life without me there for everything! I will say, it's been nice for me to get to live my own life a bit too. I can now get things done around the house, do school work uninterrupted, go to the gym and shop without worrying about any toddler melt downs.

The first week was hard because he would cry every time we would drop him off at school and when we would come to pick him up. He's now doing great. He wakes up in the morning, eats his breakfast, gets dressed, and happily gets into he car to go to school. He was even invited to a birthday party for one of his classmates! Before I know it, I'll be going through the motions as he heads off to college...God help me!

Manipulation

Struggling every night before bedtime with jack. Just when I can't take it anymore he puckers up for a kiss, grabs my face with both hands and gives me a huge wet one.

Mini manipulator..

"Hi!" Overload

Jack has been saying "hi" for quite some time now, but it seems like just recently it became his favorite thing to say. He is a broken record saying "hi" "hi" "hi" over and over and over again...while also expecting the person he says it to, to respond back with the same "hi". As annoying as it should be, he makes me smile ear to ear and laugh whenever he says it in his high pitched little boy voice. I love it.

Tis' the Season

 

 Visits with Santa, gingerbread house contest, Snowfall at Celebration, non-stop Christmas music, Osbourne Lights at Hollywood Studios, endless Lifetime and Hallmark Christmas movies, Santa Train ride to the North Pole, driving around to see neighborhood Christmas lights, Ice slide and rides at Light up UCF, trip down South to visit the family, nightly cups of hot cocoa, Christmas shopping, present wrapping, and unwrapping....oh what fun!

Christmas has always been the best time of the year, but having a kid just makes it a million times better!

TWO

Halloween

Stylin'

Lego box hat and an X-large hand me down Reeces shirt. I miss being a kid...

Epcot Food & Wine Fest.

As happy as we may look here, the Food & Wine Festival was a bust! Do not attend if you have a cranky, independent toddler who refuses to sit in his stroller. It was impossible for us to enjoy our $8 bite size filet minion! Overall, it was a very cool experience, that definitely made Epcot look the best it ever has, but we had our hands full with Jack and it really took away from the experience. Maybe we can try again in a few years as a Mommy/Daddy date night...

Fall Festival

It may have been close to 90 degrees outside, but at least we had pumpkins, hay rides, pony rides, games, good photo-ops, and hot dogs!

Autumn in the Mitten

I absolutely LOVE fall. However, it's sometimes difficult to enjoy the season for what it is when you are located in Florida. It doesn't get "brown" here until January, once Christmas is over with. Anyways, I have been DYING to meet my new little baby niece Adara, visit with the rest of my family, and utilize Jack's whole "fly for free" thing while we still can. It was quite an adventure flying up there and back by myself and not having Kyle's assistance. We managed to get through it with the help of my trusty iPhone, books, snacks, crayons, and any other random objects that could distract him. I'm just thankful it was only a few hours long. 

Once we arrived, the weather was unbelievably perfect and the trees were all beginning to show their wonderful colors. Jack dived right into the trip by running around, playing ball, and helping me collect leaves. We spent our time with our family, had dinner at the VFW for a traditional fish fry, got some "baby snuggling" time in, and went to the BEST cider mill where we ran through a corn maze, raced manual go-karts, played on a wooden train playground, ate the most deliciously warm homemade donuts, and went on a good ol' hay ride out to a pumpkin patch.

It was a fantastic trip, that of course flew by too fast. I will be sure to keep reminding Jack of this trip so he can remember it for years to come....or at least until we go back and do it again :)

GatorLand

Passed Out

That looks MUCH more comfortable than his own bed...