Aurora started 3rd grade this year. She is enjoying her new teacher, Mrs. Cipolla. Having had the same teacher for 2 years in a row, getting a new teacher required some changes and she's doing great. This year asks more of her in the area of organization and homework, both of which she does NOT enjoy, but she's working at it and we're holding her accountable for it. I can't control what her desk looks like, but her teacher is very patient with her.
Ryan started Kindergarten in August. His teacher is a very patient woman! His first couple weeks were rough. He didn't want to follow the rules. Ryan has no volume control--something we struggle with here at home now that we have a baby--and he was constantly going in time-out because he wouldn't be quiet when asked. Rob got the brilliant idea that he should bribe Ryan. If he got a "Green Light" each day of the week, Rob would take him to the comic book store and buy him an age-appropriate superhero comic. He now has about 6 comic books and last week he earned a Hulk action figure! We have a parent/teacher conference next week and I'm hoping to hear good things. Cross your fingers!
Ellie is a completely different baby from the last update on here. She started rolling everywhere at 8 months old. Not too long after that, she started getting up on her hands and knees and now she is crawling everywhere! She's started pulling up onto her knees and pulling up to a standing position is the next step. It won't be long and she'll be running everywhere! Ellie can now say "Mama", "Dada", "Rora", "Bubba", "nana" and her own version of "Sassy" (which actually sounds like "chi-chi"). She loves blowing kisses and giving smiles to anyone who looks at her. She really is a happy baby and the older 2 just adore her! Ellie started sleeping through the night, finally, just a few weeks ago. We're starting to transition from breastmilk to a cup. She absolutely loves chocolate milk--the sugar free Nesquik kind, of course.
Here in a few days, we're going to dress up for Halloween. Last year, Aurora got to go Trick-or-Treating for the first time. Ryan was sick and I was very pregnant, so we didn't get to go with her and Daddy. She would like to do it again this year and hopes Ryan will get to come with her. As you can see in the picture below, the kids already have their costumes.
Aurora wanted to be a witch this year, but since we go to our church's Fall Festival, we thought maybe we should go with a less controversial costume. So, she found a really cute black cat costume and it suits her perfectly! The mask outlines her eyes and it's so pretty on her!
Ryan is the black Spiderman--when he was being taken over by the symbiote, "Venom" from Spiderman 3. We thought he wanted to be Captain America, and then we saw a Thor costume, but when he saw the Spiderman costume, it was all over. We had to buy him some new shoes (his feet are growing so fast right now--they're already bigger than his sister's feet) and he even wanted the black Spiderman shoes. So, he's set from head to toe for Halloween.
Ellie gets to be a really cute ladybug this year. A friend of ours had a daughter a few years before Ellie was born and we are the very fortunate recipients of this well-dressed little girl's clothes. When I saw the ladybug costume, I fell in love! She's so adorable in it!
Halloween usually marks the end of Daddy's free time. From the beginning of November until the middle of January, he's so busy with Christmas shopping and returns, etc. Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here and then Christmas--and then Ryan's 6th birthday and Ellie's 1st birthday! We can hardly wait! Ryan is already planning his party. I better catch up!
