First Day of School....

was weeks ago. I mean, progress reports came home yesterday. It's safe to say I am a little behind blogily.

Anyway, here are all my school children with their teachers on the first day:

Ah, Elizabeth. I can't believe I ever thought she wasn't ready for school. Her teacher adores her and says she is so very polite and very empathetic to the other children. One of her classmates has bad eczema and was crying because it hurt so bad and my sweet baby got up, sat beside her, put her arm around her and told her how sorry she was she felt bad. Of course, she also thinks she runs the place since Mommy works there, but so far so good.

Interesting fact. Years ago when I had only one child and my husband came home before the 10 pm newscast, I went to a monthly stamping class for about a year. Elizabeth's teacher was in that class too. Who'd a thunk eight years later I'd be working right next door to her and the daughter I didn't have then would adore her so much? Okay. So I thought it was kinda neat.



OMG. I still cannot believe Adam is in kindergarten. Sometimes when he comes home with papers that are less than stellar I imagine pulling him out and sending him back to preschool and it makes me just a wee bit happy. I know! What kind of mother wishes for her child to fail? He has a permanent tooth and goes to kindergarten and I swear he could still fit in the Baby Bjorn.

I would've posted a better picture because I am sure his teacher would like that if she ever googles and finds herself here, but this is all I have. It looked good that morning probably because I thought it was supposed to look that way through my tear-clouded eyes. Yes. I cried. A lot. Not just tears either. It was ugly and it was probably a lot of the reason Adam cried the rest of the week and into the next week. He's doing better now, but I have more to write about that. Let's just say for now, he didn't ease into school as well as I always anticipated and he doesn't just "get" the school work the way his brother does. What? No. I'm not thinking how nice it will be for him to go back to preschool.

Another interesting fact. Adam's teacher lives down the street from us. We used to see her and her children at the pool. Okay. It was neat to me.



And Jacob. Oh Jacob. Sometimes I want to change the name of this blog to The Bully Blog and document every. single. thing that poor child goes through every. single. day. He misses Mrs. Kilian. I miss Mrs. Kilian, but his new teacher is a good fit for him. She is the one Mrs. Kilian requested he have and she promised she was very much like her and I already see it. There have been two physical incidents that she took care of before I could even call her about it. She's talked to parents and administration and recess teachers and lunch ladies. She likes him. She cares for him. I trust her with him. So far. One day I may start my bully blog but until then just know it's still there but we're working on it. We're always working on it.



Three little school children.

I can't believe they're that big.

I miss my lazy baby days.

Pictures

My Once a Month Post

Which is what it's really turning out to be. How sad.

I could still write three times a week, Lord knows we have plenty going on to talk about, there's just no time and, I swear to all that's holy, I am not giving up any of my precious sleep to indulge my own narcissism thinking people are actually reading our life anymore anyway.

So....where were we?

Oh. The haircut.

I never did do anything about it. I was too afraid of taking her somewhere, asking them to fix it, and then bringing home a child with a shaved head. I also didn't feel comfortable shaping it up myself so it is what it is. An interesting conversation piece. She's still pleased as pie with it so that's the end of that.

Jacob.

I never did do the gluten-free diet with him because my mom showed up one afternoon and took him home with her. For, like, two weeks. Until he drove her absolutely crazy and she brought him back home. By then school was starting and I just didn't feel like going there. I took his nightly melatonin away and after a few days he had no problems whatsoever sleeping in his bed, in his room, in the dark. Oh, he still prefers to sleep downstairs with us, but at least he's not clawing his eyes out and screaming when we refuse that request.

School.

Adam started kindergarten, oh, four weeks ago. I still have a hard time comprehending that he is no longer a non-verbal toddler. I mean, it just seems like yesterday I took Jacob to kindergarten while toting Adam along in the sling. He is my sweet baby. How can he be old enough for school?

So far, he's not real crazy about it. The first week there were many tears and one full tantrum meltdown. He's doing better, but if given a choice, he'd stay home with Elizabeth and me he says but I always tell him, he can't stay home with us because we aren't here while he's in school.

Elizabeth and I aren't home while Adam is in school because when he is at school, Mommy is at work.

Yes. I got a job.

I really did. Stop laughing.

Remember when I mentioned in passing that I'd put my application in at Adam's preschool and then pulled it?

Well. I got a call in late July from the preschool director wondering if I'd be interested in working there this fall. Seems two of the teachers and most of the aides moved on to bigger and better things over the summer and she had a lot of spots to fill and she'd really, really like it if I'd take one of the three year old teacher positions. Or an aide position. Whatever. So I thought about it a couple of days and although I really wasn't ready to go back to work and still feel a fair amount of guilt over putting Elizabeth in preschool so early, I jumped feet first and went straight for the teacher job. I didn't even have to interview for it because I am so full of the awesome. The pay isn't great but the hours are and I get free childcare in the form of free preschool tuition for Elizabeth. $1810 worth of free tuition. Ka-ching. I figured since I'd be sending her to Pre-K there next year anyway I might as well join the team now because who knows if there'd be any openings next year and that free tuition looked really wonderful to me. I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8-12:15 with a once-a-month staff meeting where Adam and Elizabeth are welcome. The ladies I work with are friendly and my boss is really awesome. The first week was rough with lots of criers and many bitchy parents, but we're getting in the groove and it's getting better so I hope we have a good year ahead. At least I get home in time to see the end of All My Children.

There is much more to post but no time. It's Sunday and my husband is home and is stomping around bitching about how lazy I am and just dropped a full basket of laundry at my feet. Maybe I'll have a free afternoon this week to tell you about Jacob's new teacher or Adam's hesitation with school or how my husband mysteriously acts like Satan every Sunday morning after church, you know, when I'm not on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors the way G*d intended all wives.

I'm going to shoot for another post in September at least.