School!

School is back, my friends!  I was extra excited for school this year because Cal would be starting preschool! I consider the place he went last year more of a mother's morning out.  That is where Andy will be going this year.

When I was teaching at DA, I brought my advisory to the new preschool to do community service on the playground and I just fell in love with the school.  The director was wonderful, the staff seemed outstanding, and the school is just precious.  It sounds so dorky, I know, but as a teacher, I just got this reallllly good feeling about the place.  I knew I wanted my kids to go there, so I applied and when we got in, I was thrilled.  It sounds so ridiculous, I know, but I really wanted Cal to have a great experience, and I felt confident in this school. 

The "school" where Cal went and Andy is going to is great, but I really feel like it's more of a mother's morning out than a school.  It's great when they are younger-- they believe in play-based learning-- but I wanted a bit more structure for the boys as they got older.  The little school is a great place too and I am really excited for Andy to get to go and socialize and be around other adults and kids.  I have nothing but positive things to say about this place and I know Andy will have a fabulous time there, just like his big brother!

Cal got in Tuesday/Thursday, so I tried to get Andy in the same days... could you imagine having both kids in school on the same days?!?! I wouldn't even know what to do with myself (besides errands, cleaning the house without "help", tennis lessons, cooking, cleaning (again), etc, etc, etc.....).  Anyway, that plan was shot, because Andy got in Monday, Friday.  At first I was disappointed in this arrangement, but after thinking about it more, I am really looking forward to having one-on-one time with each kid.  It is much easier to run errands with just one in tow, and it is fun to get some solo time!

Thanks to pinterest, I got it in my head that I wanted to have Cal hold a sign on the first day of school from now until forever...okay, maybe that's a stretch, but I thought it would be a cute way to document this stuff.  Cal didn't fully understand my concept though- ha! Here he is on the first day of school, trying hard to figure out this stupid sign. 

 I asked him to hold it under his chin:

It seemed like such a great idea....

"First Day of 2-Day Preschool! Mrs. Knight and Mrs. Alderman. Westminster School for Young Children, When I Grow Up I want to be a racecar driver"

 

 

 

 

 

So, we dropped the sign and Cal put on his backpack, which he looooooves.  This school requires all the kids to carry their own backpack-- no bags, like he had at his last school.  I ordered this one from Lands End because I was afraid to get him one that he would outgrow in a few months, such as Cars or Spiderman.  Hopefully he will be carrying this one for a while!

my big boy!

Cal was thrilled to be going to school, but honestly, Hank was sulking.  I posted a picture to facebook from my phone of Cal and Hank both looking depressed.  Poor guys were sad to be leaving each other, I think.  I had to get some of them together...I love this dog....and the kid....so so much. 

I had to take another one of the Welcome Children sign.  I love how little he looks standing in front of it.  So little, but so confident-- like he's ready to walk on in there without looking back at me.

We were walking down this big hall way and Cal was just trotting along, carrying his lunch box.  I tried to zoom out to get the full shot, but my hands were full with Andy, who also thought he should be walking down the hall like a big boy! All these moms were walking behind Cal smiling at him and he was just obliviously walking along...

 The first day was great.  They got off to a rough start.... one little boy in the class was showing some aggression (I could write a whole post on this, but I don't want to seem negative... I will just say the aggressive kid doesn't speak much English and he's apparently been taking karate because the roundhouse kick he threw to Cal was impressive......).  The teachers impressed me beyond words with how they handled the situation.  Due to some of the chaos going on at drop off, I wasn't able to get a picture of Cal with his teachers.  I took a quick one after school at pick up out on the playground.  Cal had just fallen and was crying, Andy was about 30 minutes late for his nap and he was MAD about it and decided to make a run for the parking lot, and Cal was a sweaty mess.... but other than that, here is his lead teacher, Mrs. Knight!

 I know Cal had a great day and he's looking forward to going back on Tuesday!

Andy had his first day on Friday! I was a LOT more anxious for him to go to school.  A million thoughts were running through my mind: will he like it? will he miss me? what will I fix him for lunch? is he too young? will his teachers be able to understand what he is "saying"? etc etc etc.... seriously, I was over thinking everything.

One of Andy's best buddies is going on Monday/Wednesday, so after his first day, his mom called me and went on and on about the teacher and what a great day he had and how well he did.  She also mentioned how crazily anxious she was about sending him...phew! That made me feel loads better...

I tried to take the first day pics like I did for Cal's first day at Triangle, but Andy wasn't cooperating.

Andy 9/7/12

Cal 9/5/11

 I told Andy we were going to school...he walked over to Hank and started waving bye to him- haha! I don't know if he saw Cal saying bye to Hank the previous day or what, but it was so funny!

 I was squatted down for the above pic, and Andy thinks that's his cue to charge into me... here he comes at me in the bottom picture- hahahaha

Then he went back to give Hank a kiss.  Cracking me up!

 I still was trying to get a good picture of the mover, but he was running everywhere.  He started to climb on the coffee table (shocking, I know), so I let him get up there with hopes that he would hold still for me to get a picture... it worked!

First Day of 2-day "preschool" at Triangle!

Then I wanted to get a picture of Andy holding his lunchbox, similar to the one I have of Cal holding his lunchbox.  I handed the bag to him and he started moving around, of course, and then I pulled away from the camera and noticed the milk I had packed was leaking.....EVERYWHERE. It was SUCH a mess. 

I had already put the lunch box into his school bag, which had a change of clothes in it... the milk leaked all through the bag, all through the clothes.  And I glanced at the clock and it was 5 minutes till....sheesh! I grabbed some wet paper towels to wipe down the floor.  As I mentioned above, Andy loves to charge at me when I am squatted down.  He came running at me while I was wiping up the floor and slipped and banged his head-- poor nugget.  

So, feeling beyond flustered, I packed the boys in the car and headed to school... I think it was God's way of keeping my mind preoccupied so I wasn't worried about leaving him. 

Andy had a wonderful first day,  His teacher really is great and I am so thankful for him to have this experience.  When I walked into pick him up, he was dressed in a sheriff's vest.  All of the kids in the class had on a different costume-- it was hysterical! The teacher is sending me the picture so I will post it here when she does.  She also said he pooped twice (!!!!), so he must be, um, comfortable (??)) there...hahahaha

As much as I missed Andy to pieces, I have to say, Cal and I had a great time together.  We kept calling it a date :) We left Andy at school and walked out holding hands and Cal looked up at me and said "just me and you, momma?" and I said "yup, just me and you, buddy." He had this big smile on his face and we started running together-- something he always wants me to do with him, but I can't do usually because I am holding Andy.  We ran errands and had lunch at a little pizza place.  It is going to be crazy going to two different schools 4 days a week, but just having Cal look up at me that way makes it alllll worth it.  I am looking forward to Cal's next day of school so I can have a special date with Andy too!