September Catch-Up

September. It seems so far away already, but we are just now a full week into October, so I'm still safe to post a recap post of the month, right?

When the month started, our calendar was basically empty. I honestly thought that it might be a laid back, easy month. But by the 2nd or 3rd day of the month, I had decided the laid back life definitely isn't for us. One day I hope Eric and I can sit back and watch the sun set every evening drinking a glass of wine from our back patio, but we are so far from that being our reality, and I am totally ok with that.

I've found that I love having a plan (and honestly I already knew that. I'm not much of the spontaneous type). Seeing the calendar full is a little overwhelming at first, but as the month gets rolling, I realize how much I love the busyness that currently engulfs our lives. 

Labor Day weekend is a big one for Palestine (the town I work in). I made plans with some of our friends who live there to go to the rodeo that Sunday evening with them. 

Eric and I had been to the rodeo years and years ago (pre-kids with lots of drinks in a certain tent behind the grandstands), so I didn't really know what all actually happened at a rodeo. But I thought the kids would be the perfect age to come see all the animals. 

And I was right! Brayden and Ashley really loved the rodeo. Brayden's favorite part was probably the popcorn (which is honestly his favorite part of any activity lately), and Ashley really loved the rodeo clown. She was always asking where he was and if he was ok when he wasn't out in the arena. Katie was interested in the activities very briefly, but much more enjoyed walking back and forth behind the grandstands. I'm calling it a win and looking forward to bringing them back next year for even more fun! 

The next weekend was Fall Festival, and I knew we would be all about the parade. Brayden left no candy behind, Ashley loved seeing all the different groups walking by, and Katie loved when a band played as they walked by us. We are still eating parade candy almost a month later.

That night I decided we should test out the new camper in the back yard! We enjoyed smore's by the fire and riding our bikes till it was too dark to see. I think Brayden and Ashley really loved having one whole side to themselves. Katie slept in her pack and play, but Eric ended up going inside with her about half way through the night. We didn't turn the heat on that night and I think it just got a little cold for her, no matter how much we thought we layered her up. Oh well, it was a fun night and the kids loved being able to sleep in the camper!

The next Friday night was a home football game. We were a HOT MESS. Water bottles were rolling under the seats in front of us, popcorn was eaten off the floor (like a lot of popcorn- I don't even think it was all ours), and Katie refused to sit still and we ended up in the second or third row of the grandstands so she had more room to walk. Like I said, a hot mess. But I chalk these up to learning experiences and exposing the kids to all things fun that they can do one day. 

The 17th was a girls day with my besties. We missed Kendra, but I'm so thankful that I was able to get together with Ashley and Kaci for brunch, piercings (not me!), and wine. It's time to get another date in the books!

The 22nd was another home football game where my children redeemed themselves from our previous disaster. All the popcorn for the win!

  

It was probably that Friday night that I had talked to Eric about taking the kids to the zoo that weekend. I had talked all summer about wanting to go with them this year still, but we never made it happen. I basically didn't take no for an answer this time, and that Sunday morning we loaded up the van for a fun day at the zoo!

On the way there, we talked about what animals we might see there, and Ashley decided that we should go see the snakes first. Whose child is this!? Penguins and cheetahs were also high on the list for them. But snakes were first, and Ashley really wanted to get a picture with all of them. 

We loved the monkeys, dinosaurs, hippo, and bears, and the kids asked when we would get to see the penguins and cheetahs the entire time we were there. 

Brady was our keeper of the map. He is always so fascinated with maps and loves to have them open and look at where we are going. He told us his favorite animals were the penguins and the dinosaurs (though he refused to take a picture by one of them). I honestly think the dinosaurs scared him just a little bit since they moved and you can get really close to them. He talked all about seeing penguins and the cheetahs (we didn't tell him that we never actually saw the cheetahs, they weren't out when we went past their enclosure), but those didn't make his top animals list.

Ashley was definitely all about the experience and wanted pictures with everything. She told us her favorite was the dinosaurs, but she also asked the entire time we were at the zoo for the penguins and the cheetahs. 

Katie enjoyed seeing all the different animals. She would point at different ones she could see, and really liked the snakes and the small monkey enclosures since they were animals that were easier to see. But her favorite was most definitely the penguins! She clapped and pointed the entire time we were in there.

We ended our month with some time in the combine with my dad. Katie was less than enthused, and spent the majority of the ride with her head on my shoulder. Brayden and Ashley loved every minute of it. They thought it was so cool how the corn went into the head and then came out the back as corn, and loved it even more when dad would dump the corn into the wagons once he was full. 

After the second dump, my allergies were in full swing, so I happily exited the combine to the comfort of my Kleenex box. Katie and Brayden opted to come out with me, but Ashley wanted to stay in and ride longer with grandpa. When I finally made her get out so we could run a few errands in Effingham, she was all smiles about her time in the combine with grandpa. Can't beat those memories!

And of course sprinkled throughout the month were random moments of cuteness from these three. 

They sure keep me on my toes. And while it may get the best of me every now and then, I prayed so hard for so long for days just like these. I'm trying to remember to soak it all in, because I know that one day I'll be looking at these pictures and then at my kids and wondering when the heck they got so big. It's a busy season that we are living in, but I'm here for the ride. 

Slow Down Summer

With August coming to a close, that Thomas Rhett song keeps ringing in my head. "Slow down summer, just wait a minute, we weren't finished." 

I feel like every year summers go by quicker and quicker, and as August has ended and I'm back to work after my maternity leave, those lyrics will continue to play in my head. I wish these late summer nights, playing outside, and relaxed days weren't over. Thankfully with the end of a season there's always the joy and excitement of a new one to come, but let's look back at our last month of summer.

Since we knew we were moving in to the new house this month, we really focused on trying to get Brayden and Ashley potty trained. We did the naked method, and didn't really care if they pee-ed on the floor because we were tearing the house down anyway. Ashley caught on really nicely, and after two days we were able to put underwear on her and only had a limited number of accidents. Brayden on the other hand just wasn't getting it. He would sit on the potty, then get up and go pee on the floor. I think after day two of trying with him I decided he wasn't ready yet and we went back to diapers. It was the best decision for us, because I truly think he just needs a little more time, and we were able to give Ashley the attention she needed to really get her potty trained. It took a while for her to go poop on the potty, and here at the end of the month I've still thrown some underwear away after she's pooped in them, but she's been doing so much better, and is waking up from naps and even overnight with a dry pull-up. She still needs reminded to go potty some times, especially after meals (that has been when we've noticed accidents happening), but it has been SO nice to have one less child in diapers. And in a few months we will hopefully have Brayden potty trained as well. 

The 17th was our last night in the old house, which meant the last night in cribs for Ashley and Brayden and the bassinet for Katie. 

The twins graduated to twin beds and Katie graduated to one of their old cribs. You really underestimate how nice a crib is once you no longer have them. I didn't realize how much Brayden and Ashley would just get up and move around once they were put to bed. That first night at the new house Ashley did really well, but Brayden came out of the room crying after about a half hour. I can't blame him, it was a lot of new all at once- new house, new room, new bed. I had to stay in their room for quite a while that night before they finally settled down to sleep. After that night, Brayden has done really well, and Ashley is usually the one to get up out of bed and come out of her room. Thankfully now after being in the house for a few weeks we don't get that anymore and they both stay in their room (for the most part) until morning. We've also realized our time of ever sleeping in is pretty much over, because once the kids are up, out of their room they come. Maybe one day we'll get to enjoy that little luxury again!

The 19th was Eric and I's summer Friday day date. We golfed, ate at Heron Cove, and enjoyed some wine at Cameo. It's one of my favorite days of the year, and much needed time together. 

That weekend Eric and I (along with help from some nice friends and family) finished moving everything over to the new house, and Nichole and Connor took the twins to the park and The Freeze for a few hours so we could get things done. From the looks of the pictures, I think they had a great time with their cousins! 

On the 21st we celebrated the baptisms of our nephews Austin and Jack. (Katie gets baptized in a few weeks.) Eric is Jack's godfather, but I failed to take any of my own pictures at the baptism (probably because I was overwhelmed with the twins who were being less than cooperative and Katie who pooped up her back right as church was starting.) I was thankful we decided not to get Katie baptized that day and to hold off a little longer. We did manage to get a family photo after church was over, don't mind Brayden's lack of enthusiasm. If I can track down a photo of Eric with his godson Jack I'll be sure to update this post with it.

The 29th was back to work for me, which meant Katie's first week at daycare. I was thankful I had a special education coordinator meeting in Ste. Marie that day and didn't have to be so rushed that morning. I would have been about 10 minutes late to work that morning if I had to get all the way to Palestine. It was a good test run, and I was on time for work the rest of the week!

Dropping Katie off at daycare was way less emotional for me than it was when I dropped the twins off for their first day of daycare. Maybe it was because I was home with the twins for 6 months, or because they were my first kids to drop off at daycare, or because I didn't really know Amanda well yet, but I was a wreck the night before dropping them off. But Brayden and Ashley both love Amanda and going to daycare, and I know all the kids there and their families now and I know that Katie will love it there too, so I had no hard feelings about sending her that day. From the looks of the pictures from her week, it looked like she had a great time at Amanda's!

We had a a pretty low key Labor Day weekend that started with our first Eagles football game of the season (with a big W), and ended with us enjoying the new house, playing outside, and getting some much needed family time in. 

We also said our official "goodbye" to the old house- it should be coming down very soon! Don't worry, there will be a blog post to come on that one. 

Katie celebrated turning three months old this month, and has really turned into such a smiley, happy girl. If you want to read more about her month, you can check out my blog post here.

August did well for Brayden. His vocabulary has soared this month, and you can really understand so much more of what he is saying, and he's saying a lot of things. He's been copying about everything Ashley does (which has its perks and disadvantages), but I do think that has helped his speech come a long way. He is a lover of all things animal, tractors, and monsters. I think we've watched Monster's Inc. and Monster's University so many times I have them memorized. And I know we've watched them enough for Brayden to have them memorized, because he loves to act out certain scenes in the movies- my favorite being when he does the scarer line up in Monster's Inc. before they all get ready to go through their doors to scare the kids. He has that thing down pat. He loves ice in his cup, his pillow, the Diggersaur book (seriously, I'm buying another one of those if it every gets ruined), and the color blue. He is also a fan of sleeping in Ashley's bed instead of his own. 

Ashley loves being her own independent person. She always has to try something by herself first, but does eventually want you to do it if she can't (which can be very annoying when you tried to do it for her in the first place but "no, me do it!"). She loves helping out with Katie, having ice in her water cup, and being tucked in for bed. She also loves for you to give her "one more hug kiss". She is more often than not the instigator of everything, but she will be the first to come crying to you saying Brayden did it. I hope I can always hear the sound of her saying, "K, Brady?" when she is convincing him to follow her to do something. She is also a fan of the monster movies, and prefers "monsters on the school bus", or Monster's University.

I'm loving the bond that all three of them share. Brayden and Ashley adore Katie, and love loving up on her. Katie sometimes gets overwhelmed by their love, but she'll get used to it ha! Brayden and Ashley also love each other so much. They play very well together, and while they have their fights, they have many more moments of love. 

August was definitely a great way to end the summer. And now that it's September, it's on to all things fall. Bring on the pumpkins, cooler weather, and changing leaves. This Schackmann family is ready!