School Days

All summer I have been thinking how great it's going to be when school starts. I know this probably makes me a horrible person, but it's true. Usually, I love everything about the summer. I love the sun, pool, flip flops, bar-b-ques, having the kids around, sleeping in, picnics, watermelon, and of coarse the beach. I think I even like the mosquitoes because that means it is summer (ok maybe not the mosquitoes). Usually I'm sad when the kids go back to school but this year, it's time. Ben and Olivia have been fighting like crazy. They are both so competitive with each other that every thing is a competition.
I was reading one of my favorite magazines the other day (thanks Real Simple) and the editor's note for the month said something that struck me as so true. She said that 'living with kids is a long exercise in simultaneously wanting them to reach the next phase of development and wishing time would stop completely.' That is exactly how I had been feeling.
The night before school started Rick gave the kids blessings and I read 'The Kissing Hand' to Ben. I cried.
The first day of school started out with breakfast in bed. Ben can never actually wait in bed for breakfast to be ready so he gets back in bed to eat.




Surprisingly Olivia was very upset that "her best friend was leaving and she wasn't going to have anyone to play with".

Ben wasn't nervous at all for school to start. He was most looking forward to having lunch and recess at school for the first time.

Ben with his buddy Max

Ben and Mr. Cronin

I went to visit him at lunch and he was having so much fun. He was talking so fast (which is what he does when he is excited) and telling me what he had done that morning. Olivia, Will and I left and went home to have a picnic lunch and make cookies for when Ben got home. It was a great afternoon but it was quiet. No fighting. Is it time for him to be at school all day...yes but I miss him.

First day of school - Sniff Sniff

I've had plenty of time to get used to the idea of Ben being in school. His birthday is September 20th and missed the cutoff for kindergarten by 19 days last year. So there was no question, that he was ready this year. We had all been looking forward to it, me included. About a week before school started, I was reading about the schedule for the first day. His teacher had asked all parents to kiss the palms of their kindergartners hands before leaving them that morning. They would be reading a book talking about if you are missing your parents you could just hold your hand to your face and know that they are thinking of you. This just made me cry. Anyone that knows me, knows I 'm very easy to tears but it surprised me. I was genuinely sad that my little Ben was starting school. Over the next few days, I kept thinking "he will always be in school the rest of the time he lives with us"!!

The night before school started Rick gave him a very sweet blessing and then Olivia insisted that she get one too.

When I was growing up, my mom would always make a special breakfast for us on the first day of school (thanks mom). I had carried on that tradition and had asked Ben what he wanted for breakfast. He said cinnamon rolls in bed. I wasn't anticipating the 'in bed' part but I obliged.

That morning Ben was so excited about starting school, he woke up very early and then stayed in bed until I made the cinnamon rolls. I came upstairs with the tray and he yells "I'm just so excited!"

First day of school

The original plan was the kindergartners were to line up outside the school and when it was time the entire class would walk into the school together. Since it was raining, parents were just taking their kids into school individually. Rick and Olivia said their goodbyes in the car and I walked him in. It was short and sweet. I told him I loved him, kissed his hand and he ran into his class. Wisely I had listened to my friend with older kids, who had suggested I wear sunglasses for my walk back out of the school. I was glad I had them to cover the tears but it was pouring down rain so I felt a little foolish.

This is what I saw when I picked him up. A happy boy means a happy mama.

Since he has half-day kindergarten we went out for a special lunch too. Lucky kid. He picked McDonald's, not lucky mommy.