Tuesday, August 18, 2009

First day of school

Have I mentioned that I am a procrastinator extraordinaire? (Did you know that extraordinaire is one of the few English adjectives that follows it's subject? Did you just call me Cliffy?)

The girls started over a week ago. And a grand tradition for the first day of school was broken. See. My girls don't really have the girly. Fashion-y. Matching colors gene. It appears to have skipped a generation. Or perhaps there is a rogue influence from Michael's side of the family. But on this one day. I get to pick out their clothes. Because there are pictures involved. (Okay fine. There are other days. Like Christmas morning. Or when we have family pictures taken. But it is not often. At all. Unlike the good ol' days. Where I could even have them match. In Gymboree clothes.)

This year. They revolted. Protested. Stomped their angry feet. And I decided to let them win this battle. (Because they actually did a good job. And I managed to convince Madalyn that it was her idea to wear a plaid skirt instead of a shirt that makes her look like a bumblebee. Nope. Not my idea at all.)

They have changed so much. Katie is now in 6th grade. Middle school! And Madalyn is in 3rd grade. Halfway through elementary school! (Hmmm...I can tell that I got a digital camera when Madalyn was in pre-K and Katie in 2nd grade...)


Look at these girls now:


(I don't know how I get roped into buying so many backpacks. Madalyn manages to finagle a new one every year. Even though the old one is fine. And even though we homeschool Katie, she is all about getting a backpack, too. This year she decided to channel Lizzy. Actually. They both did. With their homage to plaid.


Oy Vey! The changes in Katie. She has grown over 4 inches since APRIL. And she had the nerve to lose 10 pounds from all her exercise being on swim team. (I want to grow four inches and lose 1o pounds. Anyone know where I can sign up to do that?).

Look at the difference - last year:


This year:


AND she is now taller than me.

(Why oh why didn't anyone tell me that my hair looked like that? Please pretend it has been combed. And that the humidity is not at 98%. And while we are at it...pretend I am thinner, too. And taller.)

And then I have this to contend with:I am not sure that I can handle the teen years...


So...what about you? Have your kids started back to school (or "school")? What was your favorite year of school? Do your kids let you pick out their clothes?

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27 comments:

sassy stephanie said...

Urgh! Crying crying crying over here! Like birthdays aren't bad enough, the first of school makes me SO sad. Every year. Mine start next Monday. My first baby will be a 3rd grader. Feels like she got out of diapers only last week. And, my baby boy is four now. I'm not even going there.

I love how you show the changes in your girls. Maybe in a few weeks I can go back and look at some of our pics. sniff sniff

Jill said...

OMGoodness... look how TALL Katie is... I'd give anything for a little extra height! And you better watch out with Madalyn - the pose says it all!

I do let my girls pick out their clothes - that is... from the 2 options I give them each morning. My little one still complains about what she's wearing, despite choosing her own outfit... and forget about the hair. That's a battle I lost last year and I'm not willing to try to win it back. If it's out of their faces I don't really care what it looks like... most of the time. :)

We did start school - thank goodness. Now if only the KG class would stop doing this transition to a full day thing. Last week they got out at 12... this week it's 2... and next week they start their full day... until 3:15.

BTW - the backpack just makes the whole outfit complete. At least this is what I"m told. :)

texcindy said...

WOW! They look so grown up and beautiful. does this mean Katie is taller than me? I can't imagine it! Caroline and Ashley start Monday. Yay!

Anonymous said...

It is so interesting to see the pictures from years ago with the ones from this year. Aren't they growing up?

They look lovely for their first day of school. Your daughter's red plaid bag is very cool!

Rhea said...

Your girls are ADORABLE! Look at those poses. And cute outfits!

My boys start back next week. Both in new schools due to our move. I'm nervous...

Is Katie in school this year or home school?

Elena said...

10 pounds!?! I didn't know kids lost weight during their growing years. And to grow so much too. Wow! She looks like a real live middle schooler. And cute little Madalyn..love that bottom shot. Your girls do not even look like siblings. Crazy how some families have a stamp and others don't even look related. They are both darling! Here's to a great year.

Wendy said...

Awww, and I thought I was getting sentimental over my son starting Taekwondo this week! Wowza!

How they do grow. My gosh.

We start our school year on September 8. If we started in August, I would probably go a little crazy (I only JUST wrote a broad outline of our curriculum last night).

I hope the girls have a wonderful school year. "Famous Men of the Middle Ages"... Ooooh.

Michelle said...

Oh they are so gorgeous. I love it! And the multitude of backpacks.

We start school Monday for Mister Man and the following Monday for Little Miss.

They get to dress themselves... until I see something that I don't want to deal with that day (e.g., icky t-shirt for church), at which point I'll make them change. Little Miss ususally has horribly not matching socks though, and I let her do that.

I can't believe summer is almost over. But I HATE school supply shopping now. *sigh*

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

My kids go back on Monday. We usually decide together on the first day outfits. I have mixed feelings about school starting back and I just can't believe how the time has flown!

Rebecca said...

Love the pics! They are getting so big!
We start school Sept 1.
#1 10th grade (YIKES!)
#2 8th grade
#3 Kindergarten
#4 Preschool (yes, preschooler and a high schooler!)

I can't wait for them all to go! YAHOO!!!!

Unknown said...

Cute first day pictures :) I can't believe they have started already. We still have one and half weeks to go. I'm lucky that at 7 and only second grade I still get to rule over the wardrobe but it could also be because he's a boy. Yesterdays outfit which I let him choose - yeah, I'll be picking his clothes thanks!
The little one has gone into I'm a princess and I'll act like it thanks! mode at 3! Suddenly a dress is a reason to have a meltdown. And since today is her doctors checkup and I can't FIND any other clothes, it's dress time. Let me say she's loving it (not).

Sigh, happy start of school :)

Anonymous said...

I think it's great that you take first day pics even though you homeschool -- at least one of your girls.

My daughter went back to school yesterday. I was able to snap one picture before she told me I couldn't bring my camera to school to get her lining up for her first day of 3rd grade...:(

Unknown said...

#1 - It did NOT escape my notice that there was a PLETHORA of plaid in this years pictures, and I am MORE than proud of BOTH your girls for that fact.

#2 - You need to get Katie's hair re-blued, cause it kinda looks like she's going grey REALLY early :)

#3 - If I take pictures of the girls say.. um.. tomorrow morning.. can I PRETEND it was the first day of school... since we had like... 6 potential first days???

#4 - Did you know that you rock? Cause you do.

Brandy said...

Oh vey! is right. When you find out that secret please let me know! You can see a HUGE difference between last year & this year...they really do grow up in front of your eyes. ~sigh~
(Oh & I can see her blue faded like my pink & I'm left with the bleached part as well. I was fretting over it this morning trying to decide what to do next.)

Me thinks you will have your hands full with Madalyn...there's something brewing in those eyes of hers!

Samantha said...

Hi, Kat! Your daughters are so pretty! My daughter is taller than me too now. I, like you, wish I was taller and thinner. I am feeling shorter and dumpier all of the time.....sigh. My days of picking out my daughter's clothes are long gone now that she is in seventh grade. I have even stopped making snarky comments about micro-mini shorts - she does have great swimmer's legs anyway! She usually makes good clothing choices, though. My boys let me pick their clothes but only because they simply don't care. If I didn't pick their clothes they would just go naked. Thanks for the peek at your pretty girls.
Samantha

Kara said...

Your girls are beautiful! I have a 6th grader and 3rd grader this year too (plus a preschooler & baby). Moving out of the elementary years is going to be interesting!

Denise Grover Swank said...

Your girls are beautiful! And so are you! Humidity does wicked, wicked things to hair.

And the backpack thing. You have no idea how many backpacks we have laying around our house!

Jen said...

no school for us yet. We start after labor day. Love all the photos!

Darcy @ m3b said...

Oh my! they have grown so so so much!

I can't believe that's the same girl I photoshopped to look like the HSM kids. No way. Don't believe it. Swimming suits her!

And little miss? Keep that girl away from my boys (for exactly 12-15 years!). She is going to make some little boy see stars.

Susie said...

They are so cute!! My youngest doesn't start for another week and a half and my older daughter ships off to Spain on Tuesday!!!

Britt said...

Your girls are, as always, adorable.

I'm not even thinking about school over here .. well, we do educational things .. not schooly, but learny (can't you tell by my amazing and totally not made-up vocabulary? ;-)

I am, however, dreading the teen years. And mine are only 2 and 3. But I can see the future. And it is not all pretty. Oh, the joys of little girls.... =-)

Becky said...

Didn't you know this is the year of the plaid? Did you notice Cassidy's shoes last night in church? Yep, they are plaid. She has THREE pairs of plaid shoes this year...and a plaid backpack.

I rejoice loudly on the first day of school every year. I'm a creature of habit and need the routine a school year brings. LOL Pictures are on my FB if you haven't seen them yet.

Gotta look out for that Madalyn. YIKES She's got attitude written all over her face. And I hadn't seen Katie all summer and was blown away when I saw her last night.

Teri said...

I can't believe this girls are already this big. Geez. I remember when Katie was a little one in brand new walking shoes. Ack.

If I was to even attempt to pick out my teens' clothes these days, I am positive there would be a major revolt. And Matt is only 2 inches from being my height. He is only 13!!!

Lula! said...

UM...why do they both look as if they've aged 4 years overnight? Especially Katie! Hi...you have a pre-teen on your hands. ENJOY!!!

Tracy said...

Wow, beautiful girls!

Angie's Spot said...

I cannot BELIEVE how much older Katie looks since that last time I saw her. Geesh! Quite a young lady there!

And your Madalyn with my Ailey = trouble. What is it with these 2nd girls that just have mischief written all over their precious little smirky faces?

Ashlyn started back 2 weeks ago and Ailey finally started this past Friday, but we're in phase in, so she's not on her regular schedule until week after next. Sigh.

I never really cared for school, so it would probably be my senior year of high school, but there was a whole set of problems that year too.

And yes, Ashlyn has become very independent about choosing her own clothes. So has Ailey for that matter, but she usually lets me get away with "helping" her more than her older sister. :-)

Unknown said...

Your babies are BEAUTIFUL.... I can't stand how fast the years are FLYING by... pretty pretty little ladies!