Various things have been going on, including Kindergarten for L. September/October was a busy month, what with L’s b-day and Halloween. Here are some pics from the  happenings.

First, we went to an RSL game on the 1st:

L’s b-day party was the 5th:

Some post-party portraits:

Samosa was disappointed that he couldn’t go:

Moustaches were given as party favors:

…it’s possible this is why Samosa was so sad…

The school book fair happened, and the kids pored over their new acquisitions:

…and then of course, there was Halloween:

and a class trip to the pumpkin patch (both G and L’s classes went on the same day):

…and of course, the best part — trick-or-treating:

Then, today, the kids decided to take some pictures of their own with their kid digital cameras. Some of their shots were pretty cute:

Now you’re all caught up.

The kids are back in school. This year is Lilah’s first for Kindergarten. They are both so excited for the new school year!

Someone else had a first day of school this week, too…

Today is Gavin’s first day of 1st grade!

Today is Gavin’s first day of Kindergarten.

We got pictures taken of G for school last week after we got back from California…

photography by Blackburn Studio

The photographer is actually an OC parent and his son will be in G’s class so he offered to do the shoot for free.

today was gavin’s graduation from preschool!  we thought we’d take this opportunity to let gavin know just how happy we are:

gavin–

we are so very proud of all you’ve done this year in your very first year in school.  we were nervous; we didn’t know what to expect or how good (or bad) your teachers would be, how well you’d do being away from home without mommy or daddy around for the first time.  but you took everything in stride.  you were so excited your first day, and throughout the year you showed us how eager you were to learn.  and you did!  you learned so much, and would come home singing the songs and rhymes you learned in school.  we had the chance mid-year to transfer you into a different — and better — school and, even though if was at a rough time, smack in the middle of the day, you showed us every day that it was the right decision.  you made some good friends.  you liked your teachers. (your teachers adored you!)  you even went to a couple birthday parties.  it was a good year.  we’re so happy for you and can’t wait to see you tackle the challenges of kindergarten in another new school.  we know you can do it!

we love you very much!

~mommy & daddy (and lilah, too!)

more graduation pics here

gavin doesn’t look nearly as nervous as we are!

Gavin starts school next week!!  He is so excited!  We got to meet his very nice teacher and see his classroom and we got to take a trip to find him a backpack.  Wow!  I know he is going to love it!  He’s got quite a good start on ABC’s and 123’s already but he didn’t want to show off for his teacher when we met her.

Lilah is talking a lot!  And she loves to sing too.  She makes a pretty good attempt at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Happy Birthday to You.   She says “Hi, Ga..in” every time she gets up from a nap.  And thanks to Gavin, she also loves flying airplanes with sound effects (whoooosh!) and building anything with legos.

Gavin’s favorite thing at bedtime is reading Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever which coming from him sounds like “Best Work Book Eber”.