A New School Year - 2017 - 2018 at Mount Juliet Montessori Academy!

Hey Babies!

You both started another year at MJMA.

Maxon is in his last year of Toddler and his teachers this year are Ms. Desi and Ms. Mayra!

Mollie is in her 3rd Year (final) of Primary or Kindergarten, and her teachers this year are Ms. Debi, Ms. Heather, Ms. Melissa, and Ms. Doris.

A few pics of the two of you together.  Mollie is wearing Aunt Jenny's Kindergarten dress that Olivia and Lily also wore on their first day of Kindergarten, so that was pretty cool.  However, you asked to change clothes before you went to school because you needed to run, jump, play, and roll around on the ground, so there are pics of the costume change as well! 

Cheese... Literally and Figuratively 

We have like 1,000 pics of this exact picture.  Mollie looks like she's choking Maxon (trying to get him to look at the camera), and Maxon screaming and pulling away.  

Mom and Dad were a little emotional at our growing babies!

Love, Mommy

Entering a Whole New World

Mollie,

You are a little girl now... and it is amazing to watch you growing and changing. You have a lot to say, you are going through a lot, you get scared a little more easily, you always and only want to sleep with us and you don't understand why we resist sometimes.  You are imaginative and right now you would like to start your own YouTube channel, so we are working on that.  You love to play games like Clue and Yahtzee.  You are an incredible, patient, kind, and loving big sister, and it blows me away how you have handled Maxon's changes with such grace and dignity.

You get frustrated a lot.  Like daily, with me mostly, because I put a lot of restrictions on you, I discipline you when you are out of line, I limit TV time (especially during the school week), and we are probably a bit too busy for your taste.  You want to do what you want to do, and it is hard for you to process the alternatives.  You have a REALLY hard time going to sleep and you won't fall asleep without us there, so that process takes like 2 1/2 hours and wears us out.

We try really hard to give you all that you need.  We play, we have family time, we pick you up on time every day from school, we usually go to the park, the library, or come home and swim.  We do bath, teeth, snack, water, you read a book to me, I read a book to you, we sing songs, I rub your back, we talk about our days, we snuggle, and then still your body and mind is afraid or anxious and you can't settle yourself enough to go to sleep.  We have kind of tried everything. You have spent four weeks sleeping with us with family coming in and out of town, daddy's treatment (I'll sleep with you in the guest room so he can get extra rest), and trying to go back to a normal routine where you sleep on your own or fall asleep on your own has been hard.

You argue and push back on a lot, but you are agreeable to a lot as well.  I actually love watching this part of you grow.  I get tired sometimes, but mostly I am fascinated and amazed by you.  I love to hear you tell me in detail about your day (you've never done that before).  I love that you share all the secrets.  "It's a secret, but I'll tell you" - thank goodness for that.  I love that you are honest and have a heart of gold.  We have the absolute BEST time together every single day, but when it is time to say goodnight or stop playing or hanging out - that is when most of the issues begin.

We have had to say goodbye to Karate, Piano, and Dance due to money and due to interest level.  You are still in gymnastics, and I think that is our chosen route for the time being.  You are doing really well in school already with entering into the stamp game, the chains, you are reading, and you got your VERY FIRST LOOSE TOOTH last night, August 29, 2017.  I got video if you ever want to see it.

When you explain stuff you point with your middle finger, you make wide ranging motions in the air as you try to figure out what you are trying to say and your facial expressions are epic.  You are so dramatic in the best possible use of the word.  Daddy says you are wonderfully dramatic... I like that.
At Maxon's 2nd birthday party, you wanted to open all of his presents for him.  It was hard for you to be able to let him do it... it was REALLY hard this year for you to let him be the center of attention.  You are entering into a new milestone and mental leap right now... your sense of justice is coming into crisp focus, and that has been a real adjustment.  You deal with disappointment well, but your concern with how much of our time we devote to Maxon versus you is genuine and real.  You also cannot handle when we show interest in something Maxon is doing well.  It seems unfair to you that we are paying him so much attention and it was worst during his birthday, because not only was he the focus of the part and the celebration, but he got viral pneumonia and became the center of my attention for days (due to seizure fears, etc.).  We have talked a lot about it, and I think you understand, as it has subsided since then.  It is so interesting.  You were also EXTREMELY loving and uplifting and encouraging and proud of your brother during that time, so you always have a balance... also amazing.

Here are some pictures of the last couple of months.  I love you my beautiful, loving, smart, fierce, independent, justice-driven, darling daughter...

Love, Mommy

Easter Trip to OK

Hey Babies,

So... we decided in April of this year (2017) to take a quick trip to OK.  In hind sight... it wasn't the best choice, but honestly - we wouldn't have been able to do it again another time this year, and I don't know how much time my Grandmother Kehl... your only remaining Great Grandmother will be with us.  So... we went.  It was right after your daddy's very first chemo treatment, and he felt awful.  So... he slept in the hotel the entire time, and it was me and you guys.  However... we had some very special times, and I'm super glad we did it!

Right before we left... we got mommy/daughter bobs!

Loving our twinning, Mollie-girl!

you wanted to try on a poppy helmut and ride around Wal-Mart.

In the car and driving to OK!

Right after the Easter Egg hunt we did at Grandma Kehl's House... it was so fun.  By far... one of my favorite things that weekend! Daddy couldn't join us!

Maxon was not having it.  Mollie was trying to talk him into doing the pic and "sitting up for just a second and then I'll give you fruit chews!" Ha!

I LOVE this photo!

We were able to get together with Uncle Luke, Aunt Kristy, Chris and his girlfriend, Spencer, Abe, Val, A-Aron, Jenny, Olivia, Lily, Jimmy, Henry, Ellie, Mollie, and Maxon!  It was awesome!

Daddy was out of it, so mommy did Easter baskets in the hotel for you guys, and Uncle A-Aron bunny surprised all the kids with presents outside the hotel doors!

A stop at IKEA in Memphis and cuddles in a hammock!

It was a rough trip for all, but this little gem of a stop made everything ok.  We went exploring a rest stop with lots of woods and a meadow.  We picked flowers, I laid them at the foot of the queen, I did a lot of bowing, and you had me gather flowers and lay them around the royal rock you were standing on.  You don't care about being a princess... you like the power being royal gives you ;-)  Maxon dug in the dirt and picked flowers and we ran and laughed and played ball.  This... was a glorious and fun stop!

I love you both so much - Mommy