Too Early?

Lance said the kids were a little hesitant when they arrived at school this morning, so the newness and excitement may be wearing off a little, but yesterday when I picked them up they both complained that I was too early!  That is somewhat of a first, especially for Katie.  When she saw me walk in the first day she was playing and didn't run to me as usual, but yesterday she finally came to me and the first thing she said was "why are you here right now."  When I asked what she meant, she said I wasn't supposed to be there yet and Tyler asked, too, why I picked them up at the wrong time.  It was actually 30 minutes later than usual, since I have to drive to get them instead of putting them in the car with me when I get off work - but they were having fun and obviously weren't ready to leave!  The new school is much smaller, and seems to be less structured and I think they are having fun with the new toys, but also that it seems less like a school environment and more like playtime.  I am good with that - I firmly believe they learn a lot from playing and they will have plenty of "school" in their future, and it is nice that they seem to enjoy being there, for now.

The teachers are still singing their praises, and telling us how sweet (ha) they both are.  Tyler did have an incident yesterday (related to me by Katie who is loving being in class with Tyler now so she can spy on him).  He apparently started crying on the playground because he wasn't allowed to go into the "big kid" area.  He said that he IS a big kid and really wanted to play over there.  Katie looked at him and said very sincerely, "Ty, you are a big little kid and only big big kids can go over there."  He got over it, I think, but he was still distraught enough about it that when I asked him if he had a fun day he said "yes, but I didn't get to go on the right playground."  He is Mr. Independent nowadays and I am really trying to let him reach this milestone without too much interference.  He wants to do literally everything himself, and will keep working on it for well longer than it should take just so he can get that sense of accomplishment.  Opening straws on Capri-Suns, opening the tricky applesauce cup, climbing up on the bed, getting dressed and undressed, opening doors, buckling carseats - you name it, he wants to do it himself and gets very frustrated if you try to step in.  At dinner last night when he was struggling mightily with the applesauce (and after he had broken his banana trying to un-peel it, which really upset him) I did tell him that sometimes it is OK to ask for help and that Mommies and Daddies and Teachers and Grandparents like to help sometimes too.  So, he did finally ask me to help him get the top off and maybe he learned that there is a balance between doing everything on your own and realizing when a helping hand is good (wishful thinking probably).

It is supposed to be really, really hot tomorrow through the weekend so I don't know what we have planned.  The kids want to go to the waterpark as a reward for being good at school, and Tyler wants to go to breakfast at Pancake Pantry - so those will probably be on the agenda since neither should be too hot!  Saturday, a friend of ours is celebrating his birthday and I suggested to Lance that we try to get a sitter, but since he hasn't called his friend that knows of a girl who babysits yet, I am assuming that he is still resistant to anyone watching them who isn't family.  Other than that, Lance still has to work Saturday and Sunday and the only thing I have planned is to get a haircut and finally cover all these grays that insist on popping up more and more daily - but I am sure we will sneak in a few pictures of whatever we do with the kids to liven up these posts!

So Far So Good

Drop-off this morning was not as bad as I anticipated.  There were NO tears, or whining - of course that may be because I promised a special treat at the end of the day, but I'll take it - and Tyler was talking up a storm with another little boy before I even left and had no time to tell me bye!  That's a good thing - I want them to be comfortable there and make new friends.  Katie was being a little shy and started telling us she didn't want to go as we were walking in, but she did so well not having a breakdown and visibly trying to be such a big girl.  She was letting Tyler be the leader today while she got used to it all and that is bound to be good for him too since they haven't been in the same class for a while and Katie will certainly try to be the boss as time goes on.  Tyler has a tendency to be a loner and kind of stand-offish so it was really great to see him immediately take to the teacher that is there in the mornings, and already checking out the fish with some of the other kids in the class.


The Director called me late morning to give me an update on how they were settling in and was all praise.  She said they were doing fantastic, being very friendly and acting like they owned the place.  She said the teachers asked where she found them and if she could enroll more like them, and even joked that they wanted to clone them.  That might be because Tyler is apparently being a bit conniving - a teacher asked him if he wanted to play with something that he was eyeing and he told her that yes, he did but he had to put away what he was playing with first.  They thought that was great - and I sure would too if he would do that at home!  When at our house he always tells me that he is not done playing with whatever it is and that he needs what he is getting out to go with whatever is already out.  I am anxious to pick them up this afternoon and see what they think - I know it won't continue to be this easy since the novelty is sure to wear off and when I talked to her they hadn't yet come to nap time which is always a challenge - but I already miss knowing what they are up to all day!   


This morning I did one of the most stupid things ever!  I will not be taking them to school most days (Lance will drop them off and I will pick them up), but I was trying to map out the best route from there to work for when I do need to take them, and ended up cutting over to get on the interstate.  Well, I got on going West instead of East (moronic since I have gone both directions there millions of times and should know the difference).  The worst of it, though, is that I drove THREE exits before I realized that I was going the wrong way (and only then did I realize it because it went from three lanes to two and I knew that the interstate didn't do that on my way to work).  I guess I had a lot on my mind - had some questions about things at school that came up at drop-off that I was going to call about once I got in the office - and just wondering how they were settling in and if they would notice that their day is going to be longer (since they have to be there by 8:30 and I can't pick them up until after 5:00).  So, needless to say my distracted driving meant I was late to work and still don't know what kind of time it adds to go that way instead of the most direct way from our house!  I will get a better idea this afternoon when I pick them up - when I actually do need to go West :).  

Back to "Normal"

The kids are home and they seem to have had a great time with family in Florida.  I was definitely ready for them to get back, but I think they would have preferred us to just come there!  There certainly isn't as much activity around here as they enjoyed the last couple of weeks.  They visited my aunt, my dad, my mom and my sister (who brought them back last week and stayed with them while we await school to start tomorrow).  They spent the bulk of the time in Florida (although Tyler did remind me that they got to go to Alabama too and see "Nitha," as he calls her and Bill).  Their "vacation" meant lots of playing outside, in pools and the beach and new parks - and they loved it.  Since they have been back we have been really talking up the new school and enjoying hearing all of the things they got to do (seeing the dolphin on the boat is a highlight) although we are kind of bad parents since they stayed with Ray-Ray last night (THANK YOU) even though they have been gone so much recently.  We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to the Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw concert!  It was soooo much fun, too!  I don't think reality has really set-in for them yet since their cousins have been in town until yesterday and they have been go, go, go - not realizing that soon they will have to go to school and we have to go to work and look forward to our next vacation instead of getting to spend our days focused all on fun!

Here is the boat they were on when they spotted the dolphin they keep telling me about!

And in contrast this is them today, but we did spend the morning at the pool :)!

 

I am getting nervous about tomorrow (the kids start school).  There is no turning back now and I truly think it will be great for the kids - but the extra expense is so daunting!  Not to mention I just sold my minivan, and we are buying So-So's car.  Yep, that's right - no longer a mini-van driver :)!  I know I will miss the convenience, but so far I am loving scooting around in a smaller car - and even better that it is one that doesn't rattle or sputter or feel and sound like it is going to leave us all stranded on the side of the road!  I am taking them tomorrow and it feels like their first day of daycare all over again since it will be the first time in a while that I have had to leave them!  I just today thought to read the handbook and didn't even think about things I would need that have been provided at their new school like a sleeping mat, fitted sheets, some supplies, etc. so now I am even more nervous feeling like I am unprepared :).  I hope they aren't as worried as me - although I fully anticipate that tomorrow morning will not go well.  Will keep you posted!

Fun with Family

I just got back from my annual trip (15th year) to the beach with a group of girls from college.  It rained the entire time, but we still managed to have lots of fun!  The kids, I think, are having even more fun though!  They stayed with my dad while I was on my trip and had tons of fun playing with his girls, sleeping in a tent in the playroom, playing dress-up, and so much more.  My sister and I went to pick them up and we all stayed with her and her three kids one night and then I took her two oldest and my two to visit the Gulfarium.  They were all so well-behaved, and it was so much fun highlighted by a dolphin show where they all got splashed and giggled when the trainers made the dolphins "dance."  They love spending time with their cousins and it was a special treat for all of them!  

They are now with my mom and B-Bob and have spent the days swimming, visiting the boat, and having picnics.  When we skyped with them last night they loved being able to see us (and Marley) on the computer, but didn't seem to be too distraught about us not being there.  I love that they are getting this special time with my family and building stronger relationships with their cousins, and grandparents.  Living so far away means that nobody gets to see each other as much as we would like, which makes these trips extra special.  

They are done at the school where I work, and although they were sad and gave hugs to everyone on their last day - I don't think they quite understand that they won't be back.  They start the new school on June 25th, so they have a little more time to play and have a true summer vacation before they get to make new friends, and hopefully settle in to a new school routine.  We are nervous nellies for sure (as evidenced by this picture of them on the boat with B-Bob being forced to wear floaties when the boat isn't moving and they are wearing "real" clothes) and miss them a lot, but we are having fun going to some places that we have been wanting to try that aren't exactly kid friendly, and they are having a spectacular experience made even better that it is giving them a break in between starting the new school!