After a few months of blissful rest and relaxation (mostly just from routine), 

the time has come to dive back in to the world of freshly sharpened pencils, 

unmarked and untouched reams of paper,

new books,

math manipulatives...

in short, 

School.

Monday is our big Back to School Day!

It's much earlier than when we began last year, but I also have to fit in the birth of a baby sometime in October and I have no intention of doing school in the middle of having contractions.

I say that now. I may actually very well end up "doing school" while having contractions.

There's no telling.

I can tell you that if that happens, school will quickly be concluded for the day.

And that week. And maybe, hopefully, the week after. We'll just see how I feel.

But that's the thing. I want a little flexibility. So I have to cut deeper into my month of August, and get things going now, rather than later.

And I'm not upset by this. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to seeing my kids get back into their school routines and their school-time enthusiasm. I love seeing them read to me and each other.

Get excited about something they suddenly understand that they didn't before.

Do an art project or watch a science DVD and laugh their heads off.

Learn new memory verses while we eat breakfast.

Develop their handwriting skills at their little vintage desks.

I really do enjoy home-schooling, and they seem to as well, so no one is dreading Monday.

Along those lines of getting ready for Monday, we're also really now in the mindset of 

"Get Ready for Baby."

I've begun kicking Aesop (the cat) out of the house for longer stretches of time, so that I can once and for all get rid of his litter box. I HATE litter boxes and I don't want around any longer than I have to. Especially when there's an infant around.

I ordered and received my Home Birth Kit. I have begun thinking about how many more cloth diapers I'm gonna need to add to my stash to be prepared for this little one. I'm starting to pay attention to whether the baby is head up or head down. Head up as of Thursday. Head down today. 

I'm almost 31 weeks and it's beginning to be more important that the little one settle into head down, so I'm also getting serious about doing the exercises prescribed by my midwife (cat/cow, figure 8's, squats, lunges) to limber up my joints and get baby in a good position. I'm planning last minute knitting projects (think baby hats and socks). I'm thinking more seriously about new crib bedding 

(even though we co-sleep with our babies). 

We're also really preparing our little ones for the birth of this baby.

Brooklyn will be present at the birth, and my midwife recommended this precious book called, "Hello, Baby." It's a beautifully illustrated story about a family with 3 children, welcoming the 4th baby into their family with a home birth.  It's gentle, but realistic and hopefully will help further prepare Brooklyn for what's coming and get August and Dorien excited about their roles as big brothers and our little helpers. 

Although I'm sad to see summer drawing to a close, there's nothing like having something exciting on the horizon - whether it's the start of 2nd and 1st grades or the arrival of a new baby, or all three!