Our Baby Steps: Fall Fun

We had a crazy busy Fall and Winter. I'm super behind but don't want to miss these memorable moments over the past 8 months (mommy guilt sinking in).

Jack and Sophia started a new school in August, Ortega Playschool. They absolutely love it! We did two camps over the summer there to prepare for the transition. I volunteered with Jack's class so I could get to know some of the kids and make it easier for Jack.

Meet the teacher day! I swear Jack had a good day.

There is the happy Jack!

This year, Jack has Ms. Casey and Ms.Kristy for VPK. Sophia has Ms. Joan and Ms. Kelly. We really lucked out this year. Both kids love their teachers.

Sophia on her first day of school. She brought her ladybug baby, which was mine as a child. Sophia got a frozen lunch bag because she ADORES Elsa and Anna.

Tug and Poppy on the first day of school. Tug and Jack went to St.Mark's together and moved over and were in the same class this year. Jack was so excited, Sophia and Poppy have become best friends.

Jack at 4 and Sophia at 2

Sophia and Jack have made a lot of new friends this year. In Sophia's class, there are five little girls. Sophia loves playing with these girls and they have a special "girl" lunch table.

Some of Jack's closest friends, Ella, Tug and Allen also made the transition and went to OPS this year too, which made the transition so much easier. It really is a "play" school and the kids have a new appreciation for learning.

Jack was still really into super heroes at the beginning of the year. Jack chose a superman lunch box for the start of the year. The kids had never eaten lunch at school before but they loved it. Jack also made some new friends this year.

I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday this year with my little munchkins this year!

It is our tradition that I take the kids to the farm and corn maze for halloween. With Jack being in VPK this year, I only took Sophia. We had a wonderful girl day. We brought a lunch and had a picnic with our friends.

Sophia loved all of the animals especially the mommy and baby animals together

Sophia wears a purse everywhere she goes. If you look closely, she has a baby in it:) She is such a little mommy. She rocks her baby and bounces them which I never taught her. I think she sees all of our mommy friends and their babies and she follows suit.

Sophia happily plays a lot by herself. She will just sit in the playroom for hours playing with her babies.

Sophia picked out the perfect pumpkin!

And another one!

All the kids played in the corn box. Sophia was shy to get in at first but then decided to give it a try. She loved it and had a blast. It was hard to get her out of there.

Sophia is definitely my more adventurous child. She is hesitant at first but much more willing to join the crowd than Jack. My little guy is always thinking about how things work, the consequences and cautiously making decisions.

The following week I took both kids to another halloween pumpkin patch. I actually like this one better because it is smaller and more contained. It is also better for kids that are Jack and Sophia's age.

Big slide with Tug. Jack has surfer arms!

Sophia found the play kitchen and had a blast with Poppy

The twins, Chris and Sam, are enjoying the slide

My happy girls. Sophia and Poppy love each other so much and were inseparable all Fall. You could tell how the children grew by their names for each other. At the beginning of school, Poppy was calling Sophia "OWF" and by the end of the Fall she was "O-FIA"

Sophia always accessorizing. These girls always have so much fun together.

Taking a hayride on the tractor was so exciting for everyone

Jack on the big swing

A handsome bunch!

Jack and the pumpkin! He was really into halloween this year.

Jack chose to be an astronaut for Halloween. Jack said that orange suits were way cooler than white suits.

Jack and Sophia getting ready for school.

We did our MOPS Halloween party this year. Now that the kids are older and have been in MOPS for three years, they know the kids and were so excited to see what everyone dressed up as.

The Applegates

Allen the Shark and Sophia as Rapunzel

Sophia had multiple costumes for Halloween this year. She was Rapunzel, Elsa and Sophia the First.

Sophia felt like such a little princess with her baby!

Beautiful Batgirl! The Nixons were all super heroes.

Having a blast!!!

My little guys. They are growing so fast! It is so cool to see them getting into the holidays, planning for trick or treating and enjoying all these parties with their friends.

Marly and Sophia so cute together

I am so glad to have this time with my little ones. Working through the school year has really made me appreciate my time with them. I chose to plan my work schedule on the days that they went to school which allowed me to still have Mondays and Fridays with them. When I did get home from work on these long days, I was greeted with the biggest hugs and smiles. It felt nice to be missed.

Amy and Isabella

Our neighborhood is great for a lot things but not Halloween:( Thank goodness we got a wonderful invitation to the Nixons to celebrate Halloween. We had a great time trick or treating. Sophia ran all the way up to the front and said "trick or treat." Jack got a ton of candy but decided 2/3 of the way that he had gotten enough candy and that too much candy would be bad for him so he stopped. That's my super rational child:)