We love Kindergarten

Well, the first week of kindergarten is behind us. And it was a huge success! C absolutely loves school. Let me break down our week for you.

The first day was quite emotional for me. We had everything laid out the night before. When I woke C up, I started tearing up just looking at him asleep in his bed, realizing that his whole world was about to change. At breakfast, I could not stop looking at and kissing on my big boy! He put his tennis shoes on (can you believe that for the first day, he was scheduled for P.E., so he had to wear tennis shoes!! A great first day outfit and he couldn't wear the cool flip flops), tied them up, took some pics and hopped in the car. We walked him in and he sat right down at his table and was ready to go. I had to keep going over to him and asking Do you remember where your snack is? I put your nap mat in your cubbie. Do you know how much I love you? He was excited and ready to get this school thing started, so I kissed him and walked out the door. P was a rock during all of this. Nostalgic, but holding strong. I seemed to hold it together pretty well until I went to a First Morning Coffee at church and our children's minister prayed for our kindergarteners. He asked that the Lord would walk with our children and keep them close to Him. That did me in. I just thought of our Almighty Lord holding my C in the palm of His hand, loving and protecting him on this first day of school and knowing that the all-powerful King of Kings loves my child like He does touched me to the core.

I picked C up, waiting in the school patiently for the bell to ring, and he had had a great day, although he looked so tired to me. What a long day. He had friends to eat lunch with and play with at recess. The rest of the week was great as well. He loves his teacher, loves his time on the computers, loves recess, library, music (shout out to Alana and Kindermusik), and art. Every day when I picked him up from school, he was happy and had stories to tell. R and I had a great week together, although he so missed his brother! When we picked him up from school, R would jump into a monologue describing everything we did that day. He was always excited to pick C up from school - Me can't wait to see C!

C had to take a family picture in to school on Wednesday. I asked him after school what they had to do with the pictures.

C: We had to talk into a microphone.
Me: How cool is that? What did you say?
C: I told them that daddy was a baseball coach. And that he is a professional baseball player.
P: Wow!
Me: What did you tell them about me?
C: I told them that you don't have any work and that you used to work in a bank. And guess what? That makes 5 mommies - 4 plus you is 5 that work in a bank!

This made us laugh so hard. The week before, we went to the bank and he deposited his piggy bank money into his own savings account. We were looking at the vault and I was explaining what it was. I told him that I had been in a vault, that when I was an auditor, in my early staff days, I had some banks as clients and I had to go into the vault and count some of the money. I've never actually worked at a bank.

Speaking of not having any work, my teaching aerobics at the university went great. I lectured this week and we'll start working out in another week. The girls in my classes seem great - very excited and fun. Turns out I like to lecture. Who knew? Maybe I won't be out of work for long.

Ready to Go

This is it. We are ready. Kindergarten, here we come. We have all our supplies, and I have labeled each crayon, marker, glue stick, etc with C's name as instructed. We have our school clothes, we have a new backpack and lunch bag with C's name embroidered on. We know our teacher is Mrs. Wood. C can read and tie his shoes. He can count to 100 by ones, twos, fives, or tens. P shared a special day of fishing with C yesterday. They discussed character, making good choices and being a leader. A real man-to-man talk. School starts on Monday and we are ready to go.

Except maybe I'm not. I am trying to be ready. I know he will absolutely love kindergarten. But, I will miss him. I have spent more time with C during the last 5 1/2 years than anyone else. And I like to be with him.

We went to open house tonight. Our prayers have been answered. C's teacher seems wonderful. I loved her classroom. C is at a table with another boy and two girls. He already knows three children in his class. His teacher welcomes parents helping in the class, which I have always looked forward to. After the open house, we walked to the playground for a few minutes. Kid were calling his name right and left. Kids from baseball camp, basketball camp, preschool.

When we got in the car to go home, C stated I want kindergarten to start right now.

He's ready.

Possible Friends

Ok. Ever since my friend, Alana introduced me to Big Mama, her postings have become some of my daily readings. I have to admit, it was easy to get hooked. I wouldn't say that I consider her a celebrity or anything, and I do not feel I am star struck, but Big Mama is funny. And relevant. And I have felt that on more than one occasion, I can relate.

Well, I do not want to be a stalker, but I am feeling like the more I get to know Big Mama (well, the persona she provides on her blog), the more I feel like we could be friends. We have a lot in common. For instance,

1. Her husband is named "P". So is mine.
2. Her childhood home is very similar to mine. Including pretty much the same floorplan.
3. We both saw our ob/gyn on the same day for our annual exams.
4. She was reluctant to tell acquaintances she sees on a regular basis about her blog. I have to admit, I felt the same hesitancy.
5. She cried after leaving the hospital after having her baby. Janelle can vouch for me on this. I drove by the hospital en route to the pediatrician for R's 2 day check up and started to feel sad looking at the window of the room that was R's first home. I still remember which windows were my rooms for both boys and the room numbers.
6. Her husband loves shark week. P LOVES shark week. It is always a big deal in our house. Now, since C is the future biologist and knows all the animals, he gets right in on it. This boy knows his sharks. In fact, at the lakehouse, that was one of the games the boys and I played:

Me: Oh no - here comes a shark!

C: What kind is it, Mommy?

Me: Um. A hammerhead.

C: No. You already said that one. It is a thresher or zambizi shark (as the boys all run to shore).

I hate to spark your interest in Big Mama in case upon reading her blog, you realize how little entertainment value my blog holds. But, I am confident that my readers are here because they love and miss me and want to stay updated on our lives.