two BIG firsts

It was kind of a big week for these two kids.  Madison started Kindergarten and Colton turned one!  I can't believe my kids are getting so big!  I think it would make me sad except that I'm so glad to see both Madison and Colton growing and flourishing AND I know I'm not done having kids!

Madison was SO excited to start Kindergarten.  She has come home happy and excited every day and she is telling me all about the fun things she has been doing.  I know a lot of kids are tired and grumpy after school, but Madison is actually the opposite, she's a lot happier because she has had constant entertainment and socialization all day, and that is what she requires: uninterrupted, unending, continuous interation! Here she is on her very first day of Kindergarten:

We take a picture in front of the door every year so we can see how she grows.  Here's last year:

And here is preschool when she was 3.  This picture kind of makes me teary eyed.  (Also I think it's super cute that her head is only up to the door knob :)

And this picture just cracks me up.  Her backpack is twice the size she is!  Also, notice that she is wearing her Twinkle Toes.  She didn't really need any school clothes, but she got to get new tennis shoes for PE, because up until now I don't really think she has ever owned tennis shoes.  She was SO excited to get these in the mail!

Last night we had a family swim party for Colton at Grandma and Grandpa Wise's house!  Happy birthday to my sweet little guy!   I obviously didn't spend a lot of time on the cake, but by complete coincidence the M&M's I put on the cake coordinated with the dots on his #1 onsie I made him.  I'll pretend like I did it on purpose.

#1!

I love this picture of all the kids in the hammock.  Colton looks scared, but he was having fun!  I'm so glad that my 3 kids are close enough in age to play together!

The family

Colton loved cake smashing this time just as much as he did last time!  We're mean and we kept asking him "where's your head,"  hence the frosting in his hair!  Clean-up was easy, though, we just threw him in the pool!

And not to be left out of this post, here's Jax.  What a guy!  I'm REALLY enjoying having time with him.  He's a completely different guy when Madi isn't around to compete/fight/argue with!

And he has FINALLY started swimming on his own.  I guess I shouldn't say finally, since he just turned 3, but Madison was jumping off the diving board when she was 3, so it seems like it took him forever.  Really I'm just relieved because I didn't get to work with him this summer like I wanted to and I'm glad he finally got brave enough to just go for it!  He's even pulling his head up to take a breath!