First Day of School!

 

As much as I prefer to have my kids home with me, and these days of letting them go little by little to Pre-school, then Kindergarten, then first grade...tugs so much at my heart.  I do love the excitement of first day of school.  I am not putting off this post and am writing it as the day goes on so that I will remember all the details.  Especially since we have a Kindergartener this year!

Kaitlin literally bounced into my room this morning as I was getting ready in the bathroom.  Bounce, bounce, bounce, in the door ~ SO excited.  Which makes the day so much easier and fun.

As I was getting Kaitlin ready she started to say that she felt nervous and shy and I said, "Kitti, there is a little girl in your class that loves Princesses and Unicorns and you are going to have so much fun with her."  (Isn't there one in every Kindergarten class?) She said, "What's her name?"  I said, "I don't know, you'll have to tell me when you get home."

Dan went to work late so that he could be part of the morning.  He also surprised the kids with making a doughnut run for breakfast.   (You're welcome, teachers.)  The kids were SO excited.

 

The kids got ready and we did our traditional first day of school photos on the front porch, and they were really cooperative!











We headed to school where lots of families were gathering.  We did our first day of school photo with the Fox....

 

Fox Rocks!

And then walked Kitti inside.

 

The boys said goodbyes (you can see them to the left in the photo ~ they had already made it down the hall) and were off to the playground to meet their friends.

It was fun to run into Ben and Ella and give them first day hugs and best wishes.  They are small group friends who just were moved to our school.  Ben is in class with Andrew and was looking way cool in his hat.



The Kindergarteners went to the Library to hear a story and learn what they do on the first day of school.  And look who ended up sitting next to Kailtin?



A princess backpack girl!  :)

After stories the kids went outside to learn where to line up before school and the parents were allowed to go to the classroom and wait for the children.  Kaitlin got in line next to the spanish girl that volunteered with her mom when Andrew was in kindergarten (Kaitlin called her, her "Spanish Best Friend".  She speaks very little English, if at all.  Kaitlin walked up and said, "Hola!"  And then proceeded to chat away telling her, "You're going to learn a lot of English this year.  English is a language....."  While the little girl just looked around the room.  :)

 

The kids made the "Fox" sign as they were walking out into the hall.  They do this in Kindergarten (I'm guessing to keep their hands occupied) and it's a sign for them to walk quietly.  Kitti has watched Andrew do this and so she was all ready to go with her little Fox hands.



On a side note, Kaitlin recently grew a lot ~ look how tall she is next to her peers!

When they returned and were lined up outside the room I heard the teacher said, "That was a really good job walking quietly.  Wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a big hug!"

I love Kindergarten.

We waited in the room, and the Bug returned, all smiles.



We helped them hang up their backpacks, get their planners (Kitti was not happy that it looked like a boy planner, "I don't like it.") and found their seats. (I noticed the princess backpack girl, who was also wearing a bow headband and a dress with a tulle underskirt came to check the seat next to kitti hoping she was seated there.  I think a friendship has already begun).  

Mrs. Sawyer seated the Spanish girl next to Kaitlin to help with her transition and it was so funny when she sat down, Kitti immediately started in again.  "Hi, Spanish Best Friend (yes, she really said that) Are you riding the bus home?  Because if you are, you can sit next to me on the bus...."  The poor thing doesn't need to learn English as Kitti will talk enough for the both of them!



It was time to go, so I said goodbye....

 

And took one last photo.

 

Kaitlin looked at me at one point and said, "Mama, are you crying?"  I think my eyes were glistening all morning as it's just a really big milestone.  And as I sit here and record these sweet memories, my heart aches and the house is so quiet.  The kids have fantastic teachers, they are at an excellent school, I am so thankful for all of it.  I just know there's no going back...that precious time in our life is over.  I loved it so much and can't help to be sad to see it end.  We will have a great year.  I will embrace this next stage and I'm sure I will love it (I already do) ~ but this morning, just for today, while Kaitlin is at Kindergarten, I'm having my "Mom" moment. But when the kids arrive home, they will be greeted with big hugs, a happy smile and apple cupcakes, ready to celebrate! 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was happy when Kitti's bus pulled up.  (It stops right in front of our house.  Talk about convenient!) The doors opened and we met her new bus driver who was really nice.    I was grateful she made sure that each of the children had parents waiting for them before they let them off.

 

Kitti came happily bounding off the bus.

I gave her probably 10 hugs as I made lunch.

She had a great day and was really happy.

And the princess unicorn girl I told her about?

It turns out, her name is Sydney.

She was the princess backpack girl and sat next to Kitti on the bus on the way home.

We had an afternoon snuggle on the sofa and very soon it was time to get the boys.  They are "Walkers" this year.  After begging to walk home, I finally agreed.  However, when 3:30 rolls around, my plan is to start walking up toward the school myself and meet them half way.  So Kaitlin and I set out.  There was a lot of happy skipping.

 

 The boys appeared and were surprised to see us.  Not in the "Yay!  Mama is here!" kind of way that used to happen.  But more in the, "we were doing this really cool thing and now it's not so cool anymore because you showed up" sort of way.

Sigh.

I was greeted with..."I thought we were walking."

"You are walking...I'm just walking with you part of the way."

Andrew happily held my hand and we chatted about their days as we walked home.  We're still not exactly sure how Andrew's day went.  Other than he liked his teacher.  I'm not entirely sure he made good choices as his response varied from "yes" to "I don't know, you'll have to ask my teacher."  Oh well.  Matthew had a great day and reported that his teacher is funny.  Which means Matthew will love her.




See?  No running to hug Mama.

That's ok.  I can take it.

This is exactly why it's hard to see Kaitlin go off to school...I know what happens next.



We made it home and even though I wasn't cool for walking up to meet them.  I did make them happy with our 1st day of school apple cupcakes. 







Kitti finished off her first day of school with her first day of soccer practice which she was equally excited about!



Especially since she's playing with her BFF.

 

I think it's going to be a good year.  We have great teachers.  And I have to say, it was really nice just having one calendar of the same school events for all the kids.  I've made it through the pile of "First Day Folder' paper work.  Filled out forms, written checks, and they are tucked back in backpacks.  Lunches are packed and we're ready for round two.  And so it begins....

Run For the Arts

One of the many areas that school funding has been cut during the recession has been the art program.  One of the ways that our school earns money to provide art programs for the children is to have a "Run for the Arts" each year.  The kids get pledges for each lap that they run (in a 30 minute time frame) and it funds an "Artist in Residence" program that the PTA heads up.  They bring in artists that do different things with the kids (One of the programs this year was the "Tears of Joy" puppet theater where the kids made puppets and did puppet shows with Native American themes.  It was great!)

My boys aren't that into sports, but they love to run!  So they were both excited about this and I have to say, after years of watching them play in the dirt at Little League and daydream and hang from the goal post in soccer, it was fun to see some drive and determination in them!

 

First grade was up first.  Here they are lined u and ready to go!



And they're off!!



I look at this picture and just think, "I love my boy."



The kids have numbers pinned to their back and as they complete a lap the parent volunteers tally the laps on their back.

 



There was a refreshment station set up where the kids could stop and get drinks during/after running.  Kaitlin LOVED helping the mommies fill it up.  When we arrived there wasn't enough help so we jumped in and got to work and ended up coming back to help later.  Kitti did great!



Andrew was so determined and wouldn't stop for a drink.  I snapped this as he ran by "4 laps!"  (3 laps to a mile on this track).



Andrew ran so hard the whole time.  He did great!



Here are a couple of Andrew's friends...John saying he ran 2 laps and Aiden getting refreshment.



Andrew did great, running seven laps!  One of the highest for his grade!

 

This cutie was up later in the day.

 

He too, ran really hard refusing to stop for a drink.  I was very proud of his determination.  He ran 11 laps!  Also one of the best for his grade.



Bridger is one of Matthew's best friends.  His Mom Jina, was marking tags with me.



The kids got Popsicle as a treat when they were done running.  The 3 boys to the right of Matthew are William, Stephen and Edoardo.  Good friends of Matthew's.



Matthew was playing with Kitti when he was done and I snapped this photo. 

I just love it.

Baseball

We wrapped up baseball in June.

What a season.

I was not a good Little League mom.  We had 2 kids in Little League and I have to say it was two too much.  Or at least one to much.  Little League is my least favorite sport.  Game nights are LONG.  From when we leave the house until we get home it's usually around 3 hours.  And we had 27 of them between the two boys.  Not including practices.  Then there's the rainy pacific NW weather to be had....I think if my boys were really passionate about the sport and really engaged, I would have a different attitude about it.  But to make that kind of commitment for them to play in the dirt....



(Which was what my boys did most of the time).

Um, I don't think so.

Thankfully, Andrew has decided this sport is not for him.  I agree.  The pace is way too slow.  So we'll just have Matthew continuing on.  And yes, he wants to continue on.  Not for the love of the game.  Nope.  For the love of his friends....



He has been playing with the same kids for years now, and has a lot of fun with them.



He has very little interest in practicing outside of the actual practice time.  And spends a lot of his time at practice socializing.  Which is the real reason he plays.



Dan and I think it's good for the kids to participate in team sports and Matthew has very little interest in most of them, so we'll continue to do Little League as long as he's interested.  The part I DO like about baseball is getting to sit and chat with friends.  That's the fun part!



Dan filled in for the coach on Andrew's team one evening.  Here he is with Andrew at bat.



The kids all rotate through the positions.  Andrew took his turn at pitcher this particular night.


Pitching takes a lot of coordination and his little body just isn't there yet.



Which is quite all right.  He has so many other gifts, pitching needn't be one of them.

He's really looking forward to soccer in the fall and I think that will be great. 

I can't seem to find the photos from andrew getting his trophy.  Like much of that month it was a crazy day that included a birthday party, Matthew's end of the year baseball BBQ/swim party, a baseball game and another end of the season party.  The times all overlapped and we were running around like loons. 

Above all, I have to say that despite my less than desirable attitude,  I really did appreciate the great coaches that we had this season.  Little League is no small commitment and I'm grateful that there are people willing to step up, invest the time and help the kids.