Five, Three and One

People, lemme tell ya....I'm really digging having three little kids right now.  It's not always easy, but I'm starting to see glimpses of our future and I like where this is going.  I'm starting to see these three as a unit, a body of work, a collection of small people that I get to mold and shape and nurture for a little while.  Sylvia is getting so independent and so incredibly helpful.  Margot is smart and sassy and amazingly funny.  Albert is....adorable.  And fast.  He's becoming a handful, but that's a good thing, I guess!  Anyway, here's a ridiculously long update on the last couple months:

We went to a splash park ON A SCHOOL NIGHT in August because darn it, the weather was just begging for it. 

 Sylvia carried her class flag at our first Bee Assembly!  You have no idea what that is and I'm not going to explain it right now, just know that she and her buddy Jack carried these flags in front of the whole school!  I was super excited for her.

My dear friend, Megan, had her baby.  That sounds so normal, but listen....this baby and his family are so special that I can hardly look at this picture without bursting into tears.  Megan and Andrew are so awesome.  They made a baby who will, no doubt, fill the world with more awesomeness than anyone could ever imagine.  The day I met Samuel was a beautiful day.

 It was also the day that Sylvain and I went to this season's first UK Football game!!!  I didn't have to bring my pump.  I drank beer.  The Cats won.  We woke up the next morning in our own house WITHOUT OUR CHILDREN!  It was amazing.

 Here's where Sylvia spends at least one hour every afternoon while the babies nap.  The girl is obsessed with Legos.

 Sometimes we play "salon" and I blow their hair dry and paint their nails.  One year ago, I couldn't even put Margot's hair in a pony tail! 

 Sigh.......My Little Middle started preschool.  I can't handle how adorable she is or how quickly she is growing up.  As for preschool, she acts like she owns the place.  There were no tears on day one, mainly because she had been WAITING for a million years for that day and she was so excited that she barely remembered to say goodbye to Daddy when she got out of the car. 

I was on my way to bed one night when I noticed Batman standing guard at Cinderella's castle.  I didn't even know we had a Batman, but I'm glad he's taking charge.  

Sylvain and I took Margot on a date because she NEVER gets to spend time alone with either one of us.  We had so much fun....Olive Garden (she ate 400 bread sticks), carousel, and photo booth.  Every girl's wildest dream, am I right?

 There *may* have been some nonsense on the carousel. 

I got really, really, crazy sick a few weeks ago.  I'm still fighting off the infection, but after almost a week in bed trying not to die, I finally went outside on the deck with Albert and took this picture because I have never appreciated sunshine or tea or a garden or an adorable baby so much.

Sylvain revisited The Royal Tennenbaums and asked that we start introducing Margot as "our biological daughter."  I had no objections.

We went to Coney Island.  Sylvia was big enough for the BIG drop thing ride.  I was certain she would die, but she didn't.

The girls rode the little drop thing ride and I was less afraid.  Margot had the time of her life.

 They took Albert on "the baby rides," but they had fun, too.

 There was a live show dance party and we loved every second of it!

 Then.....ANNA SANG TO US AND WE ALL CRIED REAL TEARS OF JOY!!!  Sylvia turned around at one point and said, "SEE, MOMMY!  I TOLD YOU ANNA EXISTS!!!"  I couldn't argue.  That girl was SO good!!!

 They all rode the Ferris Wheel.  I wanted to puke just watching them.  They survived.

 The girls caught a spider.  Sylvia had big plans for her spider, but Margot let it go and stomped on it.  I was secretly relieved.

The Dude empties every drawer in the house on the daily.  I see it as wholesome entertainment and something that keeps him busy.  Sylvain would rather I not encourage this behavior.  

 We took a picture full of "S" words for Sylvia's sound museum assignment: sisters, soccer, sunflowers, sunshine, silly.

 Sylvia's new BFF, Maddie.  The girl is precious.

 Sylvia received her Summer Reading Certificate at the first PTA meeting from our principal, Mrs. Wartman. 

 Sylvia's sound museum (full of "s" words) was on display at the first PTA meeting.

 The girl loves soccer.  She is not my child.

 Poppie put a bunch of kids on a tractor trailer and drove them around all evening!

 We went for a walk, which is not a big deal except I DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH OR PULL ANYTHING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! I walked behind these beautiful children and enjoyed the evening.  I'm not lying.  I didn't know what to do with myself.

We got a new cat!  His name is Willoughby and we are all madly in love with him, except for Brown Audrey, the cat we already have.  She is less enthused with the new kitten, but she'll get used to him, I'm sure.  Look how happy he makes us!!!

I went to the Toby Kieth concert with Ann because Andy couldn't go.  I wasn't sure how to feel about the whole thing, but in the end it was a night out with my best friend, so we had a really good time!

I took the girls to a Reds game and we got to sit in the suites!  We loved the bus ride to the stadium, the junk food, running the bases, and visiting with Daddy while we pretended to care about the game!  (The Reds are totally stinking right now and the season's almost over.  I would care more if it mattered but it doesn't, so we just played at the ball park and had tons of fun!)