PREGNANT!

My goodness, people!  If I ever want to subliminally announce a pregnancy via multiple blog posts, I'll be sure not to!  Oh, and truthfully, I'm not pregnant.  Not even close!  I just decided to title this post pregnant because that's what you were all expecting.  You do all realize that I have a six month old, right?  If you assumed that I'd be ready for another one already (let alone already being far enough to announce it)  you're as crazy as I am for having four kids in five years! I was going to go the full week, but I got an email from my dear friend, Mary, very concerned that I was actually suffering from a life threatening illness and getting ready to announce it over the internet.  Again, no.  The truth is, you guys have built this up so much that I'm sure this post is going to be a huge letdown to everyone who reads it! (Well, everyone but me....who STILL gets teary-eyed thinking about the subject).

My sister-in-law, Jessica, sent me an IM asking if she could take a stab at the post I was avoiding.  She was the only person who was right.  This whole flashback thing was just for me to take a few days to remember all of the wonderful things Madelyn and Jude have done together over the past four and a half years. Because the two were so close in age, they basically have done everything together and have become best friends.

In a few weeks Maddie goes off to first grade, and leaves Jude behind.  His preschool recently moved, and I'm still not sure what (if anything) I'm going to do for him.  Last year when he had preschool two days a week and Maddie was at Kindergarten, he was constantly asking when Maddie was coming home.  He'd make something for his "best friend" every single day.  So now he'll be home all day every day, and Maddie will be gone most of every day.  As much as I'm going to miss Madelyn, I almost wish the two of them were in the same grade, or at least closer together.  Jude has the late birthday, and Maddie has the early one, so they'll be two years apart in school.   I guess I'm just feeling sentimental over what seems to be the end of an era.  I just hope the two of them continue to be as close as they have always been, and that the time apart will make them enjoy their time together more.

For my OWN sake, I hope to heck that Jude and Ella learn how to get along.  So far Jude has had Maddie as his distraction, and Ella has had Claire - but I'm afraid after Maddie leaves, those two are going to fight to the death.  It IS possible.

So, that's it.  I was just taking a few days to remind myself about the great years they have had together. If you haven't experienced this yet, I'm sure you will....and for those of you that have experienced it, I know what you're thinking. "Saying goodbye on the first day is hard - but the second day is AWESOME!!"

Now, for one more tearjerking (on my end) post - here are the last of the pics I was going to post about my two little best buddies.  

Remember the time I heard Maddie yelling to Jude that they were late for their wedding - but upon seeing her I realized she was more like six months late? 

Trick or Treating in style

Enjoying the snow

Being the world's cutest flower girl and ring bearer

Learning to ski together

Friends

I'm so proud of these two and the friendship they have developed.  It has been such a blessing to our family that these kids get along as well as they do.  Love you, Maddie and Jude!

And seriously....I'm really NOT pregnant.