Newness

We have had a lot of new things happening over the last week! We were excited to meet our newest baby friend, Braden Joseph Bartels! He was born at 2:01 a.m. on August 19 at a healthy 6 pounds, 11 oz. He is perfection! Mommy and Daddy looked incredible considering Braden was 14 hours old when we met him! 

Sweet Baby Braden

Daddies and college buddies

Dani is such a beautiful mother!

 

 

We met with Grandpa and Libby today who are both recovering really well from recent hospital stays. They showed us their new rollercoaster ride to get down the stairs--it is literally a chair that moves around the bend and down the stairs. I wish I had snapped a picture of it!

Grandpa Bill just turned 90 in July!

Jackson helped me move into my new classroom today. I volunteered to move and the teacher I am flip-flopping with is so happy to be closer to her grade level. That made me happy, too. It was weird seeing my room empty but it will be nice to have a fresh start in another building with different teaching colleagues. I was so impressed with Jackson's behavior because we had already had a busy day and then moving was near nap time...but he rocked it!

Jackson calls my school "Dolphin School" (our mascot)

What do you mean we need to still move your office?!

Empty!

Tomorrow will be Jackson's preview day at his new means of daytime entertainment... pre-school. My baby is a big boy! Oh, boy...don't call him a baby! He acts like it's a personal attack or something: "I'm NOT a baby!!!" Today we shared with Ms. Sue, his day care provider since Jackson was 6 months old, that he wouldn't be returning. Tears. But in the end, we feel that moving him to pre-school is the right decision for our family:

• It is totally different than day care in that it is like a mini school--labeled centers and everything! The classrooms look better than some elementary rooms I've seen. 
• His classroom is made up of all 2 year old Big Kids. 
• Pre-school is literally down the hill from us--a three minute drive. 
• It's open later JIC we need it. 
• He will be loved wherever he goes. 
• He is SO excited to go! He didn't want to leave Miss Sierra's room (his teacher) when we toured a couple weeks ago. 

Of course I had to get Jackson new gear for school! Can't wait until they arrive! Thanks, Pottery Barn Kids!

 Here I am at almost 16 weeks. I still can wear my jeans without unbuttoning and I even wear a size smaller than I did before I was prego with Jackson. I am finally not feeling sick (except for a sinus infection) and my energy has returned! Woo hoo!

Did I tell you something else that is new? 
We are not finding out the gender until baby's birthday! A fun surprise!