Let the birthday celebrations begin!

Popa and Abu were not going to be in town for Claire's birthday so we started the celebrations a week early.  They came over for dinner and brought Claire some nice gifts.  She got a nightgown (that glows in the dark), a new dress, and a necklace with a cupcake and "8" charms.

I also had planned to give her a special gift from her Grandma Kathy.  When Claire was born, Aunt Mary Lynn and Aunt Ann gave me "Molly" an American doll that Kathy had saved and asked to be given to the first granddaughter.  I have been saving it for 8 years for the right time to give it to her and I thought this year's birthday would be perfect.  I explained to Claire that even though Grandma Kathy never met her, she would have loved her very much and wanted her to have this doll. Claire was very excited and has been telling me she always wanted an American Girl (though this is the first I've heard of it!)
So far, Molly has been very loved in our house!

We had fun celebrating Claire's birthday with Popa and Abu!

 Here she is in her new dress from them.

1st days of school

Time for school again!  It feels like I just took the "last day of school" photos on the front porch, like, yesterday.
Claire was excited but also seemed a little nervous about 2nd grade.  But she always has such a good attitude about school and was anxious to meet all the new friends in her class.  I was a little sad that day to not be there to put her on the bus (this was jut a staged photo since I have to leave earlier than Daddy takes her to "before school.")  I couldn't wait to get home and hear all about it.  She did end up having a pretty great day.
The next week was Fielder's "first day" which to him was exactly like all his other days except he now is in the Shark class.  He's doing so much better with school in general, but in typical Fielder style, he can be very challenging for his teachers.  I'm hopeful that this year of preschool will bring him some maturity and social skills.  (Some listening skills would be great too.)