The end of summer is drawing near...

It's official...we have a pre-schooler on our hands!!! Brooks started school on the 22nd of August at All Saints Pre-School. He is in the Older 2's classroom on Monday and Wednesday mornings. He has two super sweet teachers, Miss McKinley and Miss Brittany and a lot of new little friends. It's so cute to hear him talk about everyone in his class...I have to drag it out of him most of the time but it's fun when little bits and pieces come out every once in a while. Today he started singing "Little Bunny Foo-Foo" out of the clear blue...it was cute until he got to the part about "picking up the field mice and bopping them on the head" and he took it one step further and started bopping Campbell on the head!!!!

The first few days of school were a little rough for our little guy. He was very apprehensive about going to school and staying there while I left. He was VERY worried that I wouldn't know when it was time to come and get him. He kept asking how I would know...he's so adorable! The teacher told me that last week he refused to go outside to play on the playground because he was afraid that I was going to come and pick him up and that I wouldn't know where he was!!!! So the teacher convinced him to go play by writing a note to tape on the classroom door, telling me where he was!!! So cute!!! This week, drop off in the mornings have been a lot better! No tears and lots of smiles at pick up time!!! 

The first day of pre-school!

All ready to go! Loving his shark backpack and lunchbox!

He cried the entire way to school...lots of tears walking in too

August was full of company and parties at the Batia house! Brooks loved it when Uncle Richard came down to play! Brooks loves his Uncle Dick! :)  We celebrated my mom's birthday, Pops came down for a visit, Julie Ann came down too to hang with the boys before she started college, Becky came over to go to Disney, a very special trip to Perry for my nephew Reece's wedding, and a fun visit from the Smiths! Phew!!! I'm tired just typing it all out! So here we go with the month of August in pictures!

The pirate and clown are having a duel! 

I think the clown is winning!

An impromptu backyard photo shoot

A happy boy playing in the grass...

I think B is trying to hug C...it just looks more like a head lock here! 

Lots of love here!

Silly boys!

Love this one...arrrr pirates!

Happy birthday PG!

B is always so helpful when it comes to blowing out candles!

Camp hanging out with Pops

Pops and his boys

Julie Ann's visit wouldn't have been complete without a trip to Sea World!

B was so excited to give Shamu a hug!

I was surprised that he wasn't freaked out!!! :)

Seriously intent on watching the Dolphin show!

On the Monorail, heading into the Magic Kingdom

Bec and B enjoying the Happiest Place on Earth

Killing time at Pirates...it was raining cats and dogs!!! Yeah mon!

Aunt Bec and her favorite baby!

After braving the storm....Camp is the only one who come out dry!

So here are the final pictures of Brooks's big boy room that we redid this summer. Random I know....

It's a hunting/fishing camp theme...Brooks loves it! 

Mark came up with a ton of the ideas (like the gates above the bed) and Audrey took care of the rest! Love that girl1

This is my newest niece Kristy...she married my nephew Reece and they are a super cute couple!

Caroline and Campbell enjoying the wedding reception!

PG and PopPop....love these two!

Uncle Chad and Brooks...B looked do dapper in his tie!

The bride and groom

Cute cousins...such handsome boys!

I think B had too much cake by this point!!!

Love it when we are all dressed for a new family photo

The family!

Cutting a rug with Julie and Cole

My big bro

Uncle Chet and Aunt Winnie...love this picture

The next day was water balloon day! Brooks was in heaven!

Loving it!

It was boys against the girls again...girls won of course! :)

Cole cheated by throwing buckets of water!!!

Camp and PG took in all the action and stayed nice and dry on the front porch! 

Afterwards it was popsicle time! 

Camp had to have one too!

Tanner and Brooks hanging out

Brooks getting a peeing lesson from Uncle Dick...in the front yard no less!!!

Misson accomplished!

Meet Grayson Smith...what a cutie-pa-tootie! We had a such a great visit with the Smiths...Cooper and Brooks had a blast together!

Running around the splash pad!

Camp and Caroline hanging out

Cooper's first visit to Disney World!!! Dumbo is always a kid favorite!

Cooper and Mike...waiting for Small World

Gray and Caroline

The big boys

Happy Birthday Cooper...so much fun getting to help Coop celebrate turning 2!

World's Best Brother...it was a duel to be the best! 

Cooper's train cake...so much fun to make and SO much fun to eat!!! I think there was more candy than cake!

Yum!

Look at these two superheroes! Out to save the world no less!

Taking in the Science Center with the Smiths

All about fixing things!

Watch out!!!! T-Rex is about to get Camp!!!

My boys are attacking me!!! :)

Mamas and their baby boys...matching baby boys!

So that was August in pictures...now on to September! We started off the month with one final trip to the beach...Gulf Shores Alabama. My mom and I drove the boys over to meet up with Heather, Lilly and Sandra and Kyla, Owen, and Julie...it was a moms, daughters and kids trip! We had a great and crazy time together...as usual! 

Brooks and Lilly checking out the giant jellyfish! They were everywhere!

Can you believe that every kid was actually look at the camera??? You can only imagine what we were doing...dancing, waving, yelling, singing...you name it we were doing it!

The kids loved the tidal pools...they were perfect for our little ones!

The crew!

My little beach bunnies!

Moms and their little ones...even baby Olivia in Ky's belly!

I couldn't separate these two! Lilly was all about Baby Campbell!

I just love this picture...I feel like Camp is "praising the Lord" for his time at the beach! Amen! 

We took the kids out crab hunting one night...they LOVED it!!! Brooks was fearless when it came to crabbing up those fiddler crabs! 

The crab hunting crew!

Now these are some cute kids...if I do say so myself! 

At some point during our hunting expedition, Brooks took a tumble and ate sand, literally!

We even got to sing happy birthday to the almost 3 year old...it was the first time he was able to celebrate with Own and Lilly! 

Cute family picutre

All dressed up and ready to go to dinner...a fine looking bunch!

We had a great time visiting with everyone...such fun memories in such a pretty setting! Gotta love the beach! 

It was a fun summer and we are sad to see it go BUT we are so looking forward to the coming of Fall. Let's face it, it really won't be cooling off any time soon here in Florida but one can wish right? I've already decorated the house for fall and Brooks keeps asking when we get to pick out our pumpkin...soon I tell him! So for now we will have to make due with pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks! Bring on Fall...we are soooo ready!!!