All She Wants for Christmas...

On Monday, Cate's second top front tooth came out, so she is officially without her two front teeth! Just in time, too, as the first one is already starting to grow in!

Anna's First Day of School

Today was Anna's first day of school! Unlike last year, she knew what she was going into and was genuinely excited, in her quiet Anna kind of way. She is going to the same classroom and has the same teachers as last year, so I think that helps, especially with with her personality.

She also was much more cooperative with the 1st day of school photo shoot before we left this morning. She had picked out her outfit and was more than ready to say "cheese" for the camera. (Although, last year's non-cooperation did yield some pretty awesome photos of her cute and sometimes funny little face!)

She was cuddly during drop-off, but had no problem when we left. Our little girl is growing up!

When Nate went to take the picture of Anna and me together, Anna was so cute and told him to make sure to get baby brother in the picture too. What a sweetie.

First Haircut and First Grade!

Last week Anna had her FIRST HAIRCUT! Yes, she's almost 4 and it's the first time scissors have touched her hair. Since she's so old, it was painless and easy. She was such a good girl! The lock I kept for her {sorely neglected} baby book has a tinge of green from a summer of swimming!

Cate got a haircut too. She's an old pro. This time we put some long layers in and her hair is as gorgeous as ever!

Yesterday Cate started FIRST GRADE. I can't believe we have a first grader. It blows me away. Her first grade teacher seems wonderful. She loves frogs and has them all over the classroom, and she reminds us of Ms. Glass from the Fancy Nancy books.

She may be a big first grader, but her book bag reminds us how small she still is.

Cate has her very own desk for the first time ever. She gets to go to recess three times a day. And she's uber excited about a family reading party that their class will be having at some point. She separately gave Nate and I the rundown on that event in great detail. I am just so excited for her to learn how to read on her own. I think she's going to love it. It's going to be a good year!

Walking to school on the big day.

Cate sitting at her new desk, back center. First grade parents weren't allowed to go in the classroom, so I had to snap a shot from the door. And I had no idea that kid in orange blocked the shot...stinker.

Anna and the baby

Ever since I've gotten pregnant, Anna always talks about the baby "popping" out. A few weeks ago, I was spying on her and discovered she literally believes that he will pop out. She had a baby doll, which she put under her shirt. She then pulled it out and said with a cute, enthusiastic little voice, "Pop!"The only thing I could think was, if only it were that easy!

Just now she was feeling my belly, trying to feel the baby move. It was really sweet. She leaned her head on my belly and said, "I can even hear his dreams." I thought maybe I misunderstood her, so I said, "You can hear the baby dreaming?" "Yeah," she replied. So, of course I had to ask what he was dreaming about. "He's dreaming about us." Does it get any sweeter than that?

Cate's First Trip to an Art Museum

Yesterday Cate and I had a morning all to ourselves. She LOVES art - creating it, looking at it, talking about it, creating it, creating it, creating it... I decided it was time we check out the Cantor Museum at Stanford. She was super excited beforehand and equally as excited when we were all done. I mean, we did tour the museum at warp speed, but she definitely enjoyed looking at everything and when I asked her about it this morning, she was still practically overjoyed when she talked about our trip to the museum.

While we were in the contemporary wing, if there was a "strange" piece of art, I would ask Cate what she thought of it. She almost always responded, "It's funny." At one point there was a tall, red lacquer box - I noticed a plaque nearby, so I said, "Cate, that red box is art." She looked at it, laughed and said, "That's not art!" Classic.

The other funny moment was when we noticed a strange guy standing in the contemporary gallery. He was leaning with his hand against one of the walls and was quite underdressed for the museum. I kind of wanted to look at him longer to see what his deal was, but I didn't want to be rude, so I kept walking. A few minutes later Cate points in that direction and says, "Mom, that guy is standing really still." Again, I didn't want to stare so I didn't look and just said, "Yeah, Cate, you're right...look over here." When we circled the gallery and came to where this guy was hanging out, I looked up, and noticed that he was.........a work of art! He hadn't moved since we got there because he wasn't a real person. Cate and I laughed and she said, "That artist really knows how to make things look real!" She was right!

The First and Last Days of School

The 2010/2011 school year is officially over! Today is our first day of summer and girls slept in until 9:00. Okay, they were up pretty late watching a movie, but it was still heavenly not having to wake everyone up and rush to get ready for school.

Here are the girls on their first and last days of school. The biggest change? I think that would have to be Cate's pearly whites, or lack thereof! The thing that changed least? Anna's willingness to smile for the camera.

Recent Happenings

It's been a while, of course I have tons to post, but I'm just going to post a few fun recent pictures and maybe catch up on the rest later (yeah right!).

First and foremost, Cate lost one of her top front teeth! This is her third tooth to lose. We are loving the giant gap and the development of a slight lisp. It's the best.






In other "growing up too fast" news, we finally put up the girls' bunkbed! This bed was a labor of love on Nate's part. We bought it probably 18 months ago for $50 and it needed paint desperately. After storing it in our friends the Garff's attic for a year, we stored it here for a while, and then FINALLY painted it. THEN it sat a little longer in the garage until I got some mattresses purchased, which finally happened last weekend! Needless to say the night we got it all together the girls were ecstatic. They've slept well, including more naps than usual, have played lots of fun games like "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!", and, of course, they've built forts.

While it's super easy to make a fort with the bottom bunk, the top is another story. Nate wins Dad of the Year for drilling hooks into the ceiling and then stringing rope so Cate can have a fort on the top bunk. Here are Cate and Anna enjoying the magic of a fort and flashlights.


Anna's school year officially ended on Thursday. On Tuesday they had a Luau, which was LOADS of fun.

Here she is with her two best buds from school.

And here's she is looking cute.


And here she is thinking about having some fun...


And here she is having fun!

Cate's last day of school is this coming week, but we had her class end-of-the-year party this past Thursday. It was pajama day and the parents were invited to join the class for breakfast in the morning...in their pajamas as well! The class sang a song for each month of the school year. It was really really cute. And, yes, there's video. And, yes, maybe I'll get it posted eventually. Until then a few pictures.

Cate singing...

Cate yawning...

Cate with her family...


Cate with Mrs. C...the best Kindergarten teacher EVER. Seriously, she has been amazing. We knew she would be from Day 1 and she definitely exceeded expectations. Cate absolutely ADORED her teacher and school the entire year. The only time she had bad days was when there was a sub. Very reminiscent of Ramona Quimby, actually. :) (P.S. Cate and I just finished all 8 Ramona books!)

It's a BOY!

That's right, the scales are tipping a bit in the Maynard household and Nate won't be as outnumbered anymore! We're super excited to have a little boy - Cate was right all along! :)

Happy Everything!

Click the link below to see our belated holiday card (and to discover a fun little announcement)!

The Maynard Family Happy Everything Card

Much love to all!

Cute stuff they say

This morning Anna, our supper cuddler, was snuggling with me in bed. She popped her thumb out of her mouth and said, "Oh, mama. I always want to be with you." What a way to start the day.

Cate just told me how at school she used a yellow Kleenex. A few minutes later she said, "Mom, have you ever heard of a yellow Kleenex?" I told her I wasn't sure, to which she replied, "Well, now you have." I love that she thinks she discovered colored Kleenexes...and that a yellow Kleenex is a discovery to begin with.