this week.

I definitely miss all day trips to the pool and beach.  Driving kids around all day is already getting old and this is just the beginning of the next 16 plus years for me!  Elle is still being an angel despite being in the car all day.  The excitement of Kindergarten has worn off for Bentley.  He isn't being that great at school.  He told me his feet are too noisy and he didn't put the bikes away when they asked him to.  Poor kid had a rough week.  Gaige keeps telling me he wants to go to Bentley's school.  This week has been an adjustment for all of us.

This Saturday the boys had soccer games in Aliso Viejo at two different fields 3 hours apart.  So we made a day of it...in 100 degree heat.  Bentley's team struggled again.  The teams we are playing have played together for the past year and have practiced all summer.  Our little Black Ninjas are all out there running the entire time, no subs, though.  Gotta give them props for that!  Matt promised Gaige ice cream if he scored a goal.  He plowed through those kids like a bulldozer and scored his first goal.  He is easily motivated with treats, always has been.  Treats are the way to this boy's heart for sure!

Hopefully we can all get adjusted to our new schedule and find some time for the pool and beach despite all of the driving around and school these days!

sweet baby gaige.

Gaige has had a difficult time adjusting to the fact that Bentley goes to a different school.  Last year they always enjoyed seeing each other at school in chapel and through the window when each had their recess time on the playground.  Bentley would always run straight to Gaige's class to pick him up once I signed him out.  And Gaige always wanted to see what Bentley got to take home each day.  This year Gaige is so excited to be in Bentley's old class and have Bentley's old teacher as his teacher.  Now that Bentley goes to another school he wants to go to the same school.  Even at church the other day he said he didn't like his class and was ready to go to Bentley's class and have Bentley's teacher. He keeps asking when he gets to go to Bentley's school and Bentley's primary class.  It just might be a long year for him!

Today Bentley had early out at school so class started at 7:45.  Luckily, our neighbor Suzette and I are doing a carpool on Tuesdays since our kids have class at the same time.  Gaige was very disappointed that he didn't get to ride in Suzette's car this morning.  He came into my room and told me he didn't get to say goodbye to Bentley so I told him to run downstairs and say bye.  He came back up and told me that Bentley did not wave his hand at him.  And then he said the most precious thing, "I hope Bentley has a good day at school today."  My heart melted.  He truly loves his brother.

Before Matt came to pick Gaige up to take him to his soccer game he told me that he wanted to be on Bentley's team.  I am beginning to realize that Gaige's best friend is Bentley.  He rarely talks about other kids (who tell their parents he is their best friend), and always waits for Bentley to make a choice so he can make the same choice, unless it's eating a hot dog for lunch!  He doesn't ask to play with any friends, he just wants to play with his brother.

I am so glad that I get to spend some special time with him, something we have never had.  He is a sweet, sensitive boy and I hope we can make some memories between just the two of us this year before he is off to school every day too. 

Shayla, our new little neighbor that is 5 asked the boys yesterday if they were twins.  They told her no and then she asked why they looked the same.  Gaige said, "I have green eyes and Bentley has blue eyes."  I was impressed with his response.

soccer saturdays.

The boys started soccer today.  They are on different teams.  Bentley is on his friend Nate's team - The Black Ninjas.  And Gaige is on a team with his friends Kaleb, Gigi and Stephen from preschool.  Their team name is Battle Droids.  I went with Bentley to his game and Matt took Gaige to his game.  They were both in Aliso Viejo but at different fields at the same time.  Bentley got a chance to be the goalie, and he even kicked the ball a few times.  They played a very experienced team, but all the boys had a great time.  Matt said Gaige had the ball a lot, but his teammates kept taking it from him.  He almost scored a goal, had the ball at one time and completely stopped at one point to look at a helicopter flying over, and he accidentally hit another kid in the nose with his elbow.  Our Saturdays are going to be filled with soccer, but it is definitely entertaining and the boys enjoy it too!

 

firsts.

Elle rolled over from her belly to her back a few days ago.  Today she was rolling all over the place having a great time rolling from belly to back and then back over onto her belly.  As Matt disappointingly said tonight, "She is getting big too fast."

She also had her first food yesterday.  Yesterday morning I gave her some applesauce at breakfast time because she has been eyeing our food lately, especially Matt's cake.  She made a sour face but did a great job eating.  Bentley and I got her some baby food at the store and she had peas for dinner.  She didn't totally dig them, but she ate them.  This morning she had cinnamon oatmeal with pears and she started getting excited.  She grabs my hands and pushes the spoon towards her mouth and even jumps up and down a little bit.  She even got mad when I paused for a second and wanted me to keep shoveling it in! 

For Matt's 32nd birthday his sister babysat the boys and Matt, Elle and I went to dinner at Fisherman's in San Clemente.  Elle is such an angel she didn't make a peep the entire time, just hung out quietly and then fell asleep.  She is amazing.  It is such a blessing to have such a beauty in our family.

Gaige went to his first day of Preschool yesterday.  He is so excited to be in Ms. Cheryl's class finally.  It is apparent now that all last year he was reluctant to go to class because he just wanted to be in her class.  He had so much fun he asked if he gets to go everyday and stay longer than he did last year.  He almost cried when I picked him up from school because he wanted to stay. 

Today Bentley had his first day of Kindergarten.  It was only an hour and I went with him for orientation so I would say his first real day is tomorrow.  He and his classmates look so big!  He was really excited that his class had a globe. I am excited for him that he gets to go everyday.  He has been waiting forever to go to his new school everyday! Hopefully he will be ok with just going to soccer and church over the weekend.