Kindergarten Kennedy and the unhappy crew!

Today was a bittersweet day for us as Kennedy started Kindergarten today. Just like Ava did on her first day she put on a butterfly shirt and headed off to take her place in the world. There is nothing like the first day of Kindergarten. Kennedy did awesome and looked so cute in her outfit. I think she was worried I would be sad but I think I'm in shock or just sleep deprived because I did well at dropping her off. The pictures were taken by Shane and as you can tell Nova and Riot were pretty pissed at him for taking them. Hopefully one day we'll get a good kid shot were no one is crying. Anyway I can't wait to her how her day went. Hopefully as well as Ava's has been. We'll see.

New School, New Grade, Great Friend!

This is a big year for Ava. She started the 4th grade yesterday which she has been looking forward to for a while. She also started a new school this year and has been very brave about it. I'm probably more nervous for her than she has been, she is a real trooper. Thankfully she has a good friend, Allyson, who attends the new school. It's been comforting knowing that she will have at least one friendly face she recognizes. (Kennedy will as well as Ally's brother Sam will be starting kindergarten at the same school on Friday) I shouldn't have been as nervous about Ava though because she came home yesterday and told me she already had a BFF in her class. I'm looking forward to meeting these new friends and getting adjusted to the new year. Tomorrow will be Kennedy's big day:) Then a peaceful weekend I hope!

The Big Sister

I want to take a moment to share a sweet picture of Nova. I feel like Shane captured her essence in this photo. Nova is all about being a princess, about dressing up, and flashing her charming smile while tilting her cherub head. Riot's birth had the most affect on her vs the other girls because it took away her position as the baby and made her a big sister. She has fit herself into the role but it took a little bit of time. She loves him or (her) as she says. Nova will always get to be the baby girl and I think will eventually love the role of big sis. Now if I can just keep her from changing clothes every few hours all will be wonderful.

Riot and I

A quick post for Riot's 3 week anniversary. He is doing well and getting a little chubby in the face. I think he looks adorable in brown and blues. He gave himself a little arm hickey when I didn't get his bottle fast enough. He laughs in his sleeps and loves to be held. He has three older sister's who fight for his attention. He is a little man and we are so thankful he is ours. Thanks for sharing!!!

Riot Mark Shannon Rowe

He's here! Riot Mark Shannon Rowe came into the world on July 14th at 4:30 am. He is a small little guy who weighed 7lb 5 oz at birth. (nursery says 2 oz) He was 19 1/2 inches long. He's keeping me busy which is why I can only write this small paragraph about him and haven't been able to post before this or even get newer pictures up but eventually that will change. Here is the first birth picture of him and one from his first bath. Thanks to everyone for thinking of us and looking forward to introducing him to you.

Twelve years later...

Today is Shane's and my 12 year anniversary. With luck we'll be able to have an actual date on Sunday if the babysitting goes through. It's hard to find a babysitter anymore. The more kids you add it seems to get harder. Lol This year finds us packing and pregnant. The apt is starting to look bare but not as bare as I would like. The girls are pretty much packed and the linen closet and pantry are done with the exception of the food for the next two weeks or so. The living room almost done aside from the art and pictures and the kitchen is nowhere near done. Still I'm ahead and for being 8 months or so I think doing pretty well. I can't wait to be unpacked and organized and with luck have a week or two to enjoy the new place, especially the backyard, before Riot is born and the breastfeeding and diaper changing begin. It's hard to believe that 12 years ago Shane and I were spending the day getting small things done for our tiny backyard wedding/elopement. That included meeting with the ordained minister and stealing some flowers from UNM for my and Kari's bouquet. ( I was at the duckpond this past weekend and they smelled wonderful!) Shane put the finishing touches on our vows and I think we both had a little big of cold feet. At that time I was only thinking about the day and Shane, I don't think it ever crossed my mind then about the life we were beginning. Not that it has all been easy, (8 years ago we had a week that I thought was going to kill me) but for the most part it's been filled with a lot of love, happiness, and laughter. (mostly from me as I am hysterical and he is almost as funny but not really. Then again he can fix my computer so I better give him credit for that) It's been full of girls and in the good way! Our daughters have been the greatest sources of joy and parental pride. This year we'll add our son and I look forward to seeing that change in our family dynamic. I've seen Shane be a dad to girls and it's going to be wonderful see him be a father to a son. So here's looking forward to a wonderful new year with Shane and our family. Now I guess I have to go and explain the birds and the bees to Kennedy as she was asking me earlier about her arrival into this world. Ava has her convince she was an egg and I think she might believe she came from a chicken. Lol Life!

Nova and the scissor fiasco

Well she did it. She cut her hair. Yesterday during another full day of packing I found a pair of small school scissors under a bin of clothes in the corner of the girls closet. I had already packed away the art supplies so I put the scissors in a box of misc. stuff I had going with the intentions of packing it full and taping it up. Of course something distracted me and I walked away never to return. (I got sidetracked and packed my sewing cabinet contents.) I had forgotten about the open box until Kennedy came out of their room last night before bed with a handful of Nova's hair to which she said "Mamma Nova cut her hair!" I sent Ava to get them as I was having some hard braxton hicks and she came out with the scissors, Nova, and some hair. Nova looked incredibly proud of herself. Shane was surprisingly calm but I was horrified. Right away I saw the cut. Side of the head and short. I had one of two options. Either cut it all the same length in a bob or give her a mullet. Somehow the idea of business in the front and party in the back didn't seem to be Nova's thing so I sadly decided we had to cut it. This is the part that I partly blame Shane for. I got up and said. "Nova lets go take a bath and cut your hair." Shane had to have heard that and he should have firmly said "No Natalie you take her tomorrow to an ACTUAL hairstylist." He didn't and he knows that I envision myself as a home stylist. I'm not suppose to cut their hair, at all. It doesn't stop me but he should have. So instead he let us go and off we went to the bathroom for a little hair cut. The problem with cutting Nova's hair is that she moves, A LOT. I'm looking at her hair now and it's horribly uneven. It's going to need to be straighten but I'll wait. If I take her in now it will be even shorter and I don't think I could handle that. I do think she looks cute but still I'm sad. Also I should mention that April spent the night last night due to some work issues and it was a little hectic getting her and the girls settled. Maybe that's why I didn't remember the open box. Yes it is. I blame my sister.