August (not including the big events)

As witnessed by my calendar, August was an extremely busy month!  I remember writing all of these things (just some of the events and appointments...) and feeling like if I made it through the month in one piece it would be a miracle.  On top of all of these calendaring appointments, I had preschool preparations for the upcoming school year, maternity leave preparations, had to get all of Sydney's uniforms and school supplies, plan the primary program, volunteer 20+ hours a week for APA (200+ hours for the summer) and teach two weeks of school... plus pretty much ALL of my preparing for the baby!  It was pretty crazy!  We managed to fit quite a lot in... including HAVING A BABY on the last day of the month... a post in and of itself, obviously.

Cowabunga Bay with friends is one of our favorites!

My parents and Brett brought the kids these Yankee Monkeys from New York!  They really wanted to take a picture because they were so excited... not that you can tell by their fake smiles... haha!

Sydney is constantly writing on any paper she can find... and I just love it!

We take our swimming pretty seriously in the summer, and try to swim as much as possible... Sydney LOVES the slides!

The kids loved coming to all of my doctor appointments with me.  Dr. Terry was so fun with them.  He'd let them help measure me and help push all the right buttons to hear the baby's heart beat.  Sydney loved to bring her own babies along...

We set an induction date, at 36 weeks, for September 4th!  (Only three weeks left!)

After setting an induction date, I thought it was high time I actually bought something for the baby... a diaper bag (on sale) that I splurged on, since I didn't really have to buy very many baby items.

Kelsey's wedding reception was just beautiful!  We had a fun time hanging out with family, in the indoor, which seemed outdoor reception.  It was totally the best of both worlds.  The beautiful, real trees and smells were so nice, with the controlled weather environment of indoor!

More notes from Sydney... love that she's thinking of baby sister more and more...

2 weeks until induction date... and FINALLY starting to go through my baby bins... nothing like procrastinating (or just being plain old too busy to do it)! It was so fun to see all of Sydney's cute baby clothes again!

in love with these tiny baby diapers... you really forget how tiny they are!

Still fitting in some Cowabunga Bay... for all of our sanity!

We needed a break from inside, after hours of sorting through baby stuff, and spent a nice rainy day at the park!  Luckily we had other friends who were desperate enough for some outside time to sit with umbrellas and watch our kids play in the rain... The kids all came up with this cute idea...

I drove Alex's car, and had flashbacks to my previous pregnancies when my stomach touched the steering wheel... So glad my van has pedals that move toward me for my short legs!

Sydney got her ears pierced just before school started.  She was SO excited, and didn't even flinch!

I couldn't resist taking pictures of this moment before church one Sunday...

One of our summer favorites... "Firecamps" with s'mores!

After losing my mucus plug, something that did not happen with my previous pregnancies, I kind of freaked out.  It made me realize that the baby really could come any minute and I wasn't even close to ready!  I posted this after a hysterical crying fit to Matt.  Good thing Matt, my friends, and family made me feel a lot better! (August 28th)

Sydney started school, which in turn had me getting up at 6:30, to have her up at 6:45, to be out the door by 7:20.  Since the kids share a room, Cooper doesn't stay asleep during this whole process.  By 9:00 he told me he was going to go take a nap and did!  If you know Cooper, this is crazy because he just doesn't nap/sleep!  He always has energy! We aren't really morning people, and the early school thing has been quite an adjustment... just hoping we get used to it at some point!

We all had to adjust to having Sydney in school.  I kept giggling to myself listening to him sing, "you're gonna miss me when I'm gone" because he was missing Sydney!

After a lot of work, one room in my house was clean and ready for baby sister! (with a few finishing touches left) Although I still had to tackle the rest of the house.  My need for organization and cleanliness can be a little stressful.... but I was at least feeling a little more prepared, and happy to have a clean space to put my clean little bundle from Heaven.  Good thing too, since she came just a couple days later.  (just in the nick of time!)