Meet the Teachers!

Ms. Jennifer - Zach's preschool teacher

Ms. Miller - Nate's kindergarten teacher

Today and yesterday have been such fun days for the boys! They both met their teachers for the upcoming school year. Zach will be in the 3 year old class at Meadowland preschool at Colonial Baptist Church. He is super excited to finally be going to preschool! All last year when I dropped Nate off at school Zach would say, "I go preschool. I go preschool, too Mommy. Like Bubba." His wish is finally coming true and it is in a classroom full of boys! 9 boys and 4 girls! Yowzers! Nate is also excited to start in Ms. Miller's classroom tomorrow. We enjoyed meeting her today and Nate seemed to hit it off with a couple of boys. It was so sweet to watch them interact! And for a special treat after "Meet the Teacher" today, I took Nate for a Mommy and me date to none other than:

KRISPY KREME!!!

Sweet boy, how in the world are you 5 already???

Nate's 1st Day of Kindergarten!!!

Nate and his cool camo backpack & lunchbox!

Big smile!

Daddy and his boys!

Mommy and Daddy with our big kindergartener!

Nate outside Washington Gifted & Talented Magnet Elementary School (Wow! That's a mouthful!)

Big Brother & Little Brother! While waiting to pick up Nate today, a Mom asked me what grade Zachary was in! You should have seen her face when I told her Zach was only 3! Too funny!

Nate anxiously awaiting the school bell and the start of his day!

Zach anxiously awaiting the school bell!

Daddy and Nate in his classroom!

Well, I guess we officially have a kindergartener on our hands! He has been so ready and so exited to start for several weeks now. He went for his kindergarten assessment day today and seemed to really enjoy himself. No tears, just lots of big and bright smiles! Today was just a half day and gave the kiddos a chance to get adjusted to kindergarten and also gave the teachers a chance to see where all the kids were academically. Nate said they asked him to write his numbers, letters and shapes and asked him to read a book to them if he could. He must have read the first book well because they gave him a second book to read, too. Way to go Einstein!!! They also did some coloring, had circle time and ate lunch. I was surprised when I checked his lunchbox to see that he had eaten his entire lunch... I was afraid he would be too busy talking to eat. After school, we met Daddy at McDonald's for a chocolate milkshake for Nate and lunch for the rest of us. It was too cute listening to him tell about his day! We go next Wednesday to meet his teacher and he starts school "fulltime" next Thursday. I can't wait to see how much he learns and grows this year. It's going to be so much fun! Someone please remind me of that next Thursday morning after we drop him off and I most likely burst into tears...

Out Like a Light!!!

We're not sure what's gotten into Nate lately, but he has been sleeping in the craziest positions! How in the world is he asleep like this???

Bowling with Buddies!!!

Christy and I took Nate, Zach, Emily and Kate to Sparians at North Hills for a fun morning of bowling. Thursday mornings at 9:00 am Sparians has a free game of bowling for kiddos age 6 and under. It was sooo much fun!!!

Zach's Birthday!

So I know we've had several birthday posts for Zachary... we just couldn't stop celebrating our big boy!!! These pics are from his actual birthday, August 8th! He started the day with a lovely rendition of "Happy Birthday" from his mama (Nate normally joins in, but was still asleep) and requested his birthday dinner take place at Barnes & Noble. After explaining a blondie brownie with M&Ms doesn't count as dinner, he chose McDonald's. He opened new super heros from Nate, Flash and Hawkman (the only two left he didn't have), but had to wait for Daddy to get home to open the rest. Let's just say he was anxiously awaiting his Daddy's arrival!!! After a lovely dinner at McD's we came home for presents and cake. He ripped into his presents and was excited to find a new red dragon and his much awaited Dinosaur Train! He was soooooo excited and has really enjoyed his new toys!!! He blew out his candles and then promptly requested fruit snacks in lieu of cake and ice cream... That's our boy!!! Happy 3rd Birthday Zachy Bear!!!

It's a Pirate Parrrr-ty!!!

The setup!
Zach's "Etsy Inspired" homemade birthday banner! Worthy of losing partial feeling in my right ring finger from all the required cutting? I think so!!!

Daddy and the birthday boy!

Zach splashing in the pool with his buddy Wyatt.

Nate and Emily... a future Mr. & Mrs.??? Zachy Bear and his Pops (my dad)... this might be one of my all time favorite pics!!!

Zach's new pirate towel!

Explanation necessary???

The kids hard at work on their masks!

A motley crew of pirates!

Present time!

Zach's favorite new dragon! Thanks Nana and Pops!!!

Pirate ship pinata!

Nate giving the pinata all he's got!

A treasure hunt!

Pirate hats & eyepatches!

Our family with the birthday boy!!!Pirate ship cake! Loved it! Thanks for all your help Lynn!!!

Zach blowing out his cannons, I mean candles!

Zach's party was soooo much fun! There were so many fun activities to work into the party... Coloring masks, a pinata, and treasure hunt... not to mention the swimming! What a blast for our boy! Nate even added that Zach's party was more fun than putt-putt! For those of you who know Nate well, that's a HUGE compliment!!! Thanks to all our buddies that came and made Zach's day so special!!!

Happy Birthday Zach! Love, Your Cousins

A couple of weeks ago the boys' cousins, Sydney, Joshua and Emma, meet us at the Mellow Mushroom in downtown to jump start Zachary's 3rd birthday celebration!
Aunt Lizzy and the kiddos surprised Zach with a box of yummy cupcakes and of course he picked vanilla with sprinkles! Even Superman and Krypto the Superdog joined in on the festivities!

How many cousins does it take to open a present??? Too cute!!!

The surprise inside??? Zach's very on Magna Doodle! Thanks guys, he loves it!!! After dinner, Nana and Pops took Sydney to the American Idol concert and they then spent the night with us. The boys were so excited to wake up and find Sydney in Nate's bed!!!

I love the boys' relationship with their sweet cousins! Even though there's quite an age difference, the boys just can't spend enough time with them!!! The older cousins are real troopers because our boys are basically obsessed with them!!!