Baseball!!!

This is our view when we pull out of the kids' preschool before we turn onto the main road.  Every time we have reached this point during the first 3 weeks of school, Jack has yelled "Baseball!!".  I kept looking around trying to figure out what he was talking about, but since I was paying more attention to the road, I wasn't figuring it out.  Well last week there was no one behind me one morning, so I sat there for a few extra seconds trying to figure out where Jack saw a baseball.  I finally noticed the water tower tucked back behind the trees and had my answer.  He must think the water tower looks just like his baseball on his tee at home!  Silly, but very observant, boy!!  Sorry, Mommy eventually figured out what you were talking about!:)

Behind the Scenes

Behind the scenes of our normally less-than-boring life has been the addition of house building!!  Ever since we broke ground on June 26th, Will and the kids and I have been in full house-building mode.  Every Tuesday afternoon throughout the summer, our fantastic babysitter, Katie, came over for the afternoon to allow me to meet with our builder's interior designer, the brick guy, the granite people, the plumbing supply salesperson, whomever I needed to meet with to plan this house.  Will and I have spent many night hovered around the kitchen table looking at plans and making different decisions.  I am so thankful that we think the same way and have the same taste.  It had made this process pretty easy and a whole lot of fun!

Will or I try to go by the house daily, but we at least make it by 5-6 times a week.  Lots of times, all four of us pile into the car and head over to the house.  The kids have loved watching all the changes and have had a blast in their new "playground".  Jack especially gets excited because that means we'll probably see some horses on the way over and maybe a tractor when he gets there.  The new house is only about 8-10 minutes from where we are now, so not too far.  Dwayne is telling us that we'll be in by Thanksgiving, so we'll see if he's right!  Here's a little progress in pictures...

June before the closing

After the trees came down--June 27th

We have a hole!

Basement walls

Roof going on

Brick going up

The house as of September 21st!

Random cuteness

Love this one!  Aunt Sarah got the cutest pic of my babies!!

Jack took over Daddy's office!

On the wagon ride at our church picnic at Tanglewood.

Jack was in heaven--we rode in a wagon being
pulled by a tractor and saw horses and a train!

The First UNC Game of the Season

Saturday was the day Will Hege had been waiting for for the last 8 months!!  We missed the first UNC home game over Labor Day weekend because of Jeff's wedding (thank goodness, because it would have been sweltering!) and the last two games were away.  Finally, we were on our way to a home game tailgate!  And luckily, the Tar Heels came away with the win against ECU!

Jack loves corn hole!

Yay Tar Heels!!
Anytime anyone clapped, Jack had to clap, too!

Still clapping!

Fun with Nannie and Pops

The kids loved the bubble machine while we waited for
the parking lot to clear after the game!

Charlie was in heaven!!

This is what we found when we drove into the garage that night--
two exhausted sleepyheads.

Anna's First Soccer Game

We missed the very first soccer game due to Anna's birthday party, so we were excited to make it for this one.  Her team ended up with the pink jerseys and she was ecstatic!!

Her team in their huddle before the game--so cute!

Anna in action with her friend Natalie.

I don't think she quite knew what to think of all the parents whooping and hollering and yelling.  She did like the fact that she could sit out with us and watch part of the game and "not have to run the whole time, like in practice". ;)  She was a little timid playing up front but could clear the ball like a champ on defense.  I guess she just takes after her parents.;)  Great job Anna!!

Anna's Obsessions

Anna is so funny these days--she'll discover something and then be absolutely obsessed with it for several days until the next thing comes along.  One of her birthday presents was an adorable castle book with stickers and markers so you could create your own story.  Anna was amazed!!  We spent two days talking about the stickers and the book and what kind of story she was going to write.  She is our child (i.e. mostly OCD) so I knew she would want it right the first time, so we counted out the number of pages and numbered a sheet of paper for our rough draft.  We wrote out her story and tweaked it a little bit and then finally wrote it in her book.  Then she was able to use the stickers and markers to illustrate it.  It is so cute!  Thanks, Madi, for a great birthday present!

She fell in love with this book and started carrying it everywhere we went and reading it over and over again (she can read it all by herself!).  One day, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, I wish I could be in this story!!"  Well, there just happened to be a window at the top of this book and Mommy had an idea.  We dressed her up in a princess dress (she picked Sleeping Beauty), took a picture, and put her in the story!!  How exciting!?

Upon writing this post, her new obsession is cars.  One day she asked what the symbol on the back of all the cars meant, so I explained to her how it told what kind of car it was and/or which company made it.  She now knows a slew of car symbols and yells them out as we drive past them.  Crazy girl!!

The Day All of Us Knew Was Coming

A week or so prior to this big day, Jack had figured out his "bipper" (zipper) enough to be able to take off his sleep sack.  For a couple of days it was really cute because he would say "Jack bipper" when I would let him undo it in the mornings and after nap time.  He would say "Mommy bipper" when I would zip him in it.  Then he got so good at it that I would find him out of it in the mornings and after nap time.  Then he got to the point where he wouldn't go to sleep because he was too busy playing with his "bipper".  So we lost the sleep sack.  I was so sad because that is just such a HUGE milestone.  He has been sleeping in his sleep stack since he was just a few months old.  And just like that, he's done.  He had been sleeping in two piece PJs for the summer since he had the sleep sack to cover his legs and feet, so my only saving grace was the fact that we had to go back to footed PJs--they are so stinkin' cute!
Then, on September 17th, 2012, the inevitable happened.  I opened the door to his room that morning and he was standing there to greet me.  Not in his crib.  Standing at his door.  Out of his crib.  I stood there in complete disbelief as he grinned at me and yelled "Mommy" as if to say--"look at me!"  He was so proud of himself!
Well, needless to say, we needed a plan.  Will and I had talked about possibly needing new bedroom furniture for one of the kids when we moved-- most likely giving Anna's furniture to Jack and getting new for Anna--but not now. After having a pow-wow over the phone with Mimi, we decided that since we are moving in approximately two months, it would be better to try to maintain the status quo.  Jack didn't know that he wasn't supposed to climb out of his crib--he just knew that now he could.  So for the next couple of days, I watched the video monitor like a hawk and would race upstairs if I saw that leg over the side of the rail.  I told him to stay in his crib and call for Mommy when he wanted to get out.  It took a few days, but he finally got it.  And since then he's gotten out only once more.  Here's to hoping we can make it until moving time!!

Anna's 5th Birthday Party

We had a huge FIVE years to celebrate, so we splurged on a "destination party" (i.e. not in my house). We had the party at Bounce U and Anna was super excited to bounce with all of her friends and family.  We had a great time and it was so nice to be able to show up and have fun without worrying about the details!!

Of course we sent out Pinkalicious invitations!

The kids had to watch a safety video before the fun began.

Ellie and Jack were watching closely.

Let the fun begin!!!

Even Mimi and Jack got in on the fun!

The balls proved to be more Jack and Caroline's speed.

Aunt Sarah with all the girls: Caroline, Madi, Anna, and Mia 

Lining up for the next room

Daddy and Anna on the big slide together

Daddy and daughter

How did you get in there?

Aunt E helped Caroline slide down.

Thanks Aunt E!!

Miss Julie couldn't stand being left out!!

Ellen and Mia

Getting instructions to go to the birthday room!

Of course the cake had to be pink!!

Pizza, goldfish, and fruit for lunch--the kids were starving!!

Blowing out her #5!!

Our big girl

Cinderella Tag Reader book

Nannie's cupcake card

A Tinkerbell music box!

Goldilicious, the book

Hot pink glitter curtains for her new room

Thanks for the muscles, Ethan!

This cake is good!!

A fun day with our big girl!!

The kids were exhausted when we left and everyone came home and crashed for naps.  

What a fun party!!!