** * Our Life with 13 Kids * **: More First Days of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for Abi and Lily. Lily doesn't have jazz band yet, so she got to ride with her friends in carpool -

And here's Abi when she left around 7 am yesterday morning, I know she was thinking "Yay, I love getting up this early..."

Daniel was super excited for his first day!

He made this "about me" paper, and I loved his "self" portrait and drawing of his family

At the bus stop with his friend Millie.

The other kids in our neighborhood drove to school, but these two both wanted to ride the bus. Sadly, it never came, so after waiting well past the appointed pick up time, we hurried to drive them over.

Our friends who were already over there had the group wait until they arrived. Class of 2035!

Made it! So the school year is officially underway for everyone now.

With all of the chrysalides we had, you can bet that we've had two crazy butterfly days, and I think we'll have another one tomorrow. Yesterday we had 4 emerge, all males. And two j-hooked and changed into their chrysalides, and I had 5 large caterpillars and lots of smaller ones. Yesterday one of them eclosed before the elementary kids left, so we got a few pictures ~

Daniel saw one eclose -

And I'll spare you all the other pictures I took, but you can see them here. And Owen with a caterpillar -

Peter wanted a turn - I didn't catch it on video, but I shall document that Peter calls caterpillars "pallicaters" which is the cutest thing ever.

So here's my current set up - in the laundry room.

I've been putting the chrysalides on the stick in the order of when they change to their chrysalis, but it is interesting that they have not been eclosing in order. So that was interesting to note. Today we had 7 emerge - 1 male and 6 female. Sophi and Natalie got a few pics before school again -

Sophi with an earring and a brooch -

Natalie with a hair bow and a ring!

We took them outside to play a bit more - Peter being brave and holding one!

We put all 5 on Natalie - it tickled her chin

5 butterflies - is that a record?

Earrings!

If it was a record, Melodie hurried and broke it - 7 butterflies!

A butterfly chandelier -

Letting them crawl on her shirt.

Melodie was out there for like 2 hours playing with them. I went in to get kids out the door, feed Katharine, and do other stuff, and I came back out, and she was still playing like she was Snow White -

I can't blame her. It is magical and fun.