I hate going way back in my memory trying to recall all the fun, frustrating, or otherwise memorable events from the last week, but this time I kept notes. Since it’s been challenging to find time to get them on the blog, I’ve just kept a little card in the kitchen and when something happens I want to remember, I scribble it on there. So, digging way back in time to last Sunday, August 23. . . .
We got home from my parents’ house and tried to leave enough time to get a few things accomplished before school started for Will on Monday. When we got home, we found an invitation to a neighborhood scavenger hunt to say good-bye to summer, and Will and I decided to go. Allen offered to take Jon to the grocery store to pick up a few things, and Ben and Will decided they were going to go, too. Maddie got upset until I told her I would paint her toes while the guys were gone – she got excited. Allen told Ben he could only go if he put on shoes, and that was too much trouble. The next thing I knew, Ben and Will decided to stay home, but I still had promised Maddie a pedicure (a challenge with boys around who don’t understand why they can’t have pink toenails.) When Allen and Jon got home, Maddie proudly showed off her freshly painted toes and fingers then came to me and sweetly said, “Mama, thank you for pinking my toes.”
Will and I went to the scavenger hunt and I had a blast. On the way, we passed a few kids cleaning up from a lemonade-seashell stand. Will asked me when he could have a lemonade stand, and I told him when he was a little older and could be by the street. We proceeded to have a conversation about how many years of school he had and he counted them off “Kindergarten, First grade, Second grade, Third. . . Eleventh grade, Twelfth grade, and then I go to college, right?” Right. “So, Mama, when I’m done with college, will you let me sell lemonade, then?”
There are few things as fun as running with a handful of kindergarteners and their moms all the way to the other end of the neighborhood to snap some photos of a blue crayon, a book with a bear on it, and a banana. Somehow, the kindergarten team got back first and won, so that made it even more fun for Will. While we were on vacation, Will started showering every night on his own. He’s had enough of little kid bath-time. On our way home that evening, we were talking about what time he would shower and be in bed. He told me, “Since I shower everyday by myself like you and Daddy, you need to get me shave cream and some ‘odorant.” (Sigh) I’m really not ready for him to grow up so quickly. I explained that I would get him a shaving kit when he had a mustache.
After dinner, books, and a shower, Allen and I tucked Will in to bed, but he got up many times. The last time I said, “Honey, I know you are excited about school, but you need sleep.” His response? “I’m not excited. I’m anxious.” 
We got home from my parents’ house and tried to leave enough time to get a few things accomplished before school started for Will on Monday. When we got home, we found an invitation to a neighborhood scavenger hunt to say good-bye to summer, and Will and I decided to go. Allen offered to take Jon to the grocery store to pick up a few things, and Ben and Will decided they were going to go, too. Maddie got upset until I told her I would paint her toes while the guys were gone – she got excited. Allen told Ben he could only go if he put on shoes, and that was too much trouble. The next thing I knew, Ben and Will decided to stay home, but I still had promised Maddie a pedicure (a challenge with boys around who don’t understand why they can’t have pink toenails.) When Allen and Jon got home, Maddie proudly showed off her freshly painted toes and fingers then came to me and sweetly said, “Mama, thank you for pinking my toes.”
Will and I went to the scavenger hunt and I had a blast. On the way, we passed a few kids cleaning up from a lemonade-seashell stand. Will asked me when he could have a lemonade stand, and I told him when he was a little older and could be by the street. We proceeded to have a conversation about how many years of school he had and he counted them off “Kindergarten, First grade, Second grade, Third. . . Eleventh grade, Twelfth grade, and then I go to college, right?” Right. “So, Mama, when I’m done with college, will you let me sell lemonade, then?”
There are few things as fun as running with a handful of kindergarteners and their moms all the way to the other end of the neighborhood to snap some photos of a blue crayon, a book with a bear on it, and a banana. Somehow, the kindergarten team got back first and won, so that made it even more fun for Will. While we were on vacation, Will started showering every night on his own. He’s had enough of little kid bath-time. On our way home that evening, we were talking about what time he would shower and be in bed. He told me, “Since I shower everyday by myself like you and Daddy, you need to get me shave cream and some ‘odorant.” (Sigh) I’m really not ready for him to grow up so quickly. I explained that I would get him a shaving kit when he had a mustache.
After dinner, books, and a shower, Allen and I tucked Will in to bed, but he got up many times. The last time I said, “Honey, I know you are excited about school, but you need sleep.” His response? “I’m not excited. I’m anxious.” Last week, the first week of school, was different for us. The first few mornings, Ben, Maddie, and Jon were upset that Will was going to school. Jon had several pouting tantrums demanding, “Jon wants school now, too!” The little ones enjoyed waving good-bye from the porch as Allen drove Will to school. I am pretty sure Will is enjoying school, but he doesn’t like to talk about it. Our few glimpses of what his day is like have happened in the evenings when he lines the little ones up on the couch or floor and pretends he is the teacher or coach. We can tell from the things he says and does as the “teacher” what is going on at school, and he seems to like it a lot. The afternoons have been challenging because I’ve had to wake the little ones up to go pick Will up. They have been confused as to where Daddy was. They saw him take Will to school and can’t understand why we aren’t picking him up from school, too. Everyday last week, Will came home and had one long tantrum. Screaming, kicking, wailing, hitting, whatever. The things that set him off? EVERYTHING, but the two I remember most, “WAHHHH!! Ben is breathing too loud!!!” and “YOU JUST DON”T ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE WHEN YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!!” I think he is still adjusting from Allen and me being away, he is adjusting to a new schedule, and he keeps his act together at school so long, that when he gets to the comfortable zone (home) he loses control. It’s a lot for a little guy to deal with and I have bit my tongue and maintained a cool temper, but it has been a challenge. Hopefully, with time, things will calm down.
On Thursday, there was a kindergarten parent-teacher meeting. Not the one-on-one kind, but the type of meeting where the teachers go over what they plan to do with the kids and lessons and what they need from parents. His teacher also went over the list of sight words the kids are supposed to learn this year, with 10-15 words per six-week period. Allen and I gulped audibly when we saw the lists "a, an, the, . . . first, second, third." Afterward we waited and talked to her about the list and explained that Will is now reading levels-1, 2, and 3 chapter books to himself before bed each night, and we were concerned he would be bored with the sight words. When I was reading a Magic Treehouse book the other night and couldn't stop coughing, I handed the book to Will and he kept reading, not even slowing down to sound out words anymore. She was excited to learn about his reading and promised to work with us to keep him challenged with different word lists. I left the meeting confident that she would do her best to make sure he enjoyed learning.
Here we are at Tuesday of week two, and yesterday afternoon was less stressful for all of us. The little ones and I are finding a groove, of sorts. When Daddy and Will leave in the morning, we all stand on the porch waving and shouting "good-bye" loud enough to wake any neighbors that haven't already risen. We go back inside to finish breakfast and get dressed then we play school at the table -- reading, coloring, playing with toys. When I say we are "playing school" they are so excited to do what Will is doing that I don't think they notice it is what we always did. This week the weather has been beautiful, and they've spent the last two mornings outside until lunchtime. I've worked on things in the kitchen, keeping an eye on them while I fold laundry, do dishes, work on dinner, or tag things for the consignment sale this month. We've moved lunch from noon to 11:30 so they can eat and get a full nap in before it is time to go get Will. Now that we have a smooth running operation, tomorrow we throw in the first change -- MOPS ever other Wednesday and lunch with Daddy. Thursday, we start the mother's day out program for two kids each week. This week Ben will spend the day with me while Maddie and Jon get to go to "school." In a few weeks, we will add Tuesday morning Bible study to the schedule and see how that goes.
On Thursday, there was a kindergarten parent-teacher meeting. Not the one-on-one kind, but the type of meeting where the teachers go over what they plan to do with the kids and lessons and what they need from parents. His teacher also went over the list of sight words the kids are supposed to learn this year, with 10-15 words per six-week period. Allen and I gulped audibly when we saw the lists "a, an, the, . . . first, second, third." Afterward we waited and talked to her about the list and explained that Will is now reading levels-1, 2, and 3 chapter books to himself before bed each night, and we were concerned he would be bored with the sight words. When I was reading a Magic Treehouse book the other night and couldn't stop coughing, I handed the book to Will and he kept reading, not even slowing down to sound out words anymore. She was excited to learn about his reading and promised to work with us to keep him challenged with different word lists. I left the meeting confident that she would do her best to make sure he enjoyed learning.
Here we are at Tuesday of week two, and yesterday afternoon was less stressful for all of us. The little ones and I are finding a groove, of sorts. When Daddy and Will leave in the morning, we all stand on the porch waving and shouting "good-bye" loud enough to wake any neighbors that haven't already risen. We go back inside to finish breakfast and get dressed then we play school at the table -- reading, coloring, playing with toys. When I say we are "playing school" they are so excited to do what Will is doing that I don't think they notice it is what we always did. This week the weather has been beautiful, and they've spent the last two mornings outside until lunchtime. I've worked on things in the kitchen, keeping an eye on them while I fold laundry, do dishes, work on dinner, or tag things for the consignment sale this month. We've moved lunch from noon to 11:30 so they can eat and get a full nap in before it is time to go get Will. Now that we have a smooth running operation, tomorrow we throw in the first change -- MOPS ever other Wednesday and lunch with Daddy. Thursday, we start the mother's day out program for two kids each week. This week Ben will spend the day with me while Maddie and Jon get to go to "school." In a few weeks, we will add Tuesday morning Bible study to the schedule and see how that goes.
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