the big, sad for ethan, first day

wasn't i just barely posting about the last day of school? wasn't i just posting about last year's first day of school for that matter? i can't believe how fast summer has gone, really, where did it go, it just blew past us and i'm still in a little bit of denial as i sit here this weekend, that they're really going to have to go back again on tuesday.

after lunches were packed and hair looked just right (and i'm not just talking about the girl in my house either, the boys were just as bad!), i took the jr. highers over to lauri's for our traditional first day of school photos. i'm not sure how this tradition started. taylor and james only went to kindergarten together and after that we changed elementary schools, we have the cute kindergarten photo of the two of them, and i think when they made it to jr. high and started attending school together we started taking a photo of them on the first day to compare to the kindergarten photo. i'm so glad we have done this too, they have changed so much in the last three years...allie and lauren have never been in school together until this year and were super excited to join in the tradition. jr. high better watch out for these two! i knew it was time to be done shooting when all four kids started freaking out about being to school on time. the rest of the year they'll ride the bus but today i dropped them off. i also didn't even think about taking a photo of them walking in to the building, doh! what a cute memory that would've been. next year i guess.

i got back home just in time to see spencer and his posse out the door, i love that they wanted ethan in all the photos, ethan loved it too. we're so lucky that spencer's friends are all the babies of their families and don't mind too much that ethan tags along with them wherever they go.everyone was smiling until it was time for them to go. ethan stood there and watched them walk down the side walk with the saddest look when he realized they weren't coming back. poor guy. would you agree that it's time for our dad to cave and agree to getting a puppy for this sad toddler? to top things off, rich came out the door just then with hugs to leave for work.as we waved good bye to rich and watched him pull out the driveway, ethan looked at me and said with a cracking voice, "papa? allie? tee-bo? bob-bo? (spencer). it was hard to explain that they would be back later. it was a lonely day for the both of us, the house just isn't the same without all the kids around making it a happy place.