Back to School!

After a fun week in Texas, we came home ready to completely switch gears and get ready for school to start!

Cal is back at his same school as last year, going three days a week, and Andy will be going to the preschool at our church, two days a week.  Cal's school doesn't offer a 2 year old class- only a 2.5 year class, which Andy missed by a month. 

We came home Monday, Cal had a "float through" day Tuesday morning where he met his teachers and his classmates and then Wednesday was Cal's first day! It was also Andy's walk through day at his school.  It will be a miracle if  can keep it all straight this year! ha!

Here is the picture from the orientation day...

And, the picture from last year's orientation day:

The first day of school for Cal was on Wednesday.  Everyone is still screwed up from travel so the whole family slept in until about 8... we ran around to get lunch packed and pictures taken...

My sweet little TURTLE!

Andy only had a walk through day, but he insisted on wearing a backpack like Cal and taking pictures with Cal.  Every time I took Cal's picture, Andy would say "and me too??"

He was so so SO excited to get to go to school....

Hank was worried.  We had to take pictures with him too.  

Andy and I headed to the gym...

And then headed to his preschool! The split up the walk through day into two groups so there wouldn't be all the kids there at once.

This kid was incredibly proud and beyond excited!

Walk through went great and Andy had a ton of fun playing in his new room.  We grabbed lunch and then it was time to pick up CalBoy!

Cal was less than chatty on the way home, which I know it typical of a boy (sigh).  Our conversation on the way home went like this:

me: how was it, Cal??
Cal: okay. Ava's not in my class.
me: I know, but that's okay! Who did you play with?
Cal: well, I couldn't play with Ava. But I saw her on the playground.
me: who did you play with in your class?
Cal: just Ava
me: did you play with anyone else?
Cal: no.  just ava.

sooooo.... there will be a bit of an adjustment getting used to not having Ava in is class!

He asked me to sit with him during quiet time that afternoon.  He snuggled up on me and said, "mommy, I really did miss you today." Annnnnndddd my heart melted.  I love this kid.  (pardon my appearance...)

Andy's first day was Friday-- he went until 11 (normally it is 12).  Before we left for school, we had to take some pictures...

BRING IT, PRESCHOOL:

We did front porch pics again...check out the window...

Hank didn't know what to think about his boys leaving him!

We were taking pictures in the driveway before leaving for school...

They said a sweet goodbye to each other (Eddie took Cal)...

And then they started jumping up and down and dancing.  Long story short, Andy fell down and took out his knees.  They both were bleeding and he was screaming.  I grabbed a bandaid and cleaned it up a bit and we headed to school.  He cried the entire way to school saying his boooboos hurt him. 

I was not feeling too great about his first day.  I could just feel a meltdown coming.  

We parked and when I got him out of the car, he said, "I see my teacher today?" I told him we would and he said "I show her my booboo, hmkay?" And I said he could.

We walked into the building and he was ALL smiles!

We walked into the classroom and he let go of my hand immediately and walked right up to his teacher and said "I gotta booboo!" and then he walked on in the room and didn't look back! I put his bag in his cubby and leaned in to say bye to him and he goes "BYE, MOMMA!" and that was that.  No tears.  No clingy-ness. Nothing! I was so grateful that he was so happy there!!!

When I picked him up, he was ALL smiles and his teachers were very sweet- they said he had a great day, was a good listener and sat still during snack-- and really, what else is there? haha!

I asked him about his day, like I did with Cal...

me: how was your day?
Andy: eees GOOD!
me: who did you play with today?
Andy: mah teeeechahs!
me: that's great! what was your favorite part of the day?
Andy: ummm, mah teeeeechahs!

hahaha- he had a great day and talked non-stop about his teachers the rest of the day.

All in all, it was a successful first few days at school! They both seem happy, and that's all that matters to me!

 

Texas

When we saw that the TCU Horned Frogs were scheduled to play LSU in Cowboys stadium for the season opener on Labor Day weekend, we all decided we had to go to it!

Eddie sister Carrie flew in from DC, and his sister and her husband flew in from LA-- and we flew in from NC!

Needless to say, we were all super excited for the trip.  I created a little count down to help us remember how many sleeps were left until we got to see everyone:

After the pool party Tuesday night, I worked like crazy getting everything packed and ready:

The boys are getting to be good little travelers.  We have a system down now-- get to our gate, daddy gets a bagel from Bruegers for everyone and we eat before we board the plane...

Andy did fairly well traveling this time-- thank you, iPad! About half way through the flight, he decided he wanted to sit with Daddy, who was thankfully sitting right behind us.  Cal, you seriously do not talk to until it's time to put away the iPads.  He could go on a 16 hour flight I think, and be totally content.

For whatever reason, our flight was 50 minutes early-- seriously!!! We couldn't believe it either! We took off a few minutes early and then made good time...or whatever.  When we landed, the gate wasn't ready for us, so the boys snuggled for a bit-- they LOVE to snuggle on each other!

I took more pictures with my good camera, but I haven't downloaded those yet-- that will be a later post, I guess!

We went to the park on our first full day there-- the boys had a blast playing! It was HOT though!

Tricia and Tommy got in that afternoon and the boys were super excited to see them.  Tricia is the only one who will get into Moose's crate with them!

That afternoon, Patty took the boys and Tricia to TCU's practice.  The boys loved running on the field like the big kids.

That night, Eddie took Tommy to the Cowboys game-- we teased them that they had to send us a selfie...so they did....hahahahaha

Speaking of Tommy, he is seriously the best uncle.  He is SO sweet to the boys. I looked in the family room and he was reading a book to Andy while Cal was tackling him from behind-- and he didn't miss a page- haha!

The next morning, we all headed to the train... we do this every time we go to Fort Worth and I love it every time we do! It is a long ride-- close to 45 minutes, but there is a little stop with pop corn (and a DC for momma) and it is just a fun little ride!

We typically did something outside every morning and then got in their pool until lunch and naps and then ate dinner.  Having a pool in the back yard was awesome and the boys loved swimming.  Andy, shockingly, was fearless with the pool.  He would jump in, fully submerge himself and then start doing something that appeared to be synchronized swimming.   It was hilarious...

We went to Uncle Julios for dinner one night, which was a lot of fun.  Andy was being a character in the parking lot after dinner...

Cal found Mimi's glasses and wore them around... "I can't see anything, Mimi!"

Before we knew it, it was GAME TIME! We left while Andy was sleeping-- the same sitter we used for the wedding came again for him and Cal got to go to the game.  It was an 8:00 kick, Texas time, so 9:00 at home-- wayyyy late....

The first game day pic of 2013

Heading to the stadium to get on the bus!

Cowboys stadium

"but, CB, where are the frogs??"

Since LSU is purple too, there was a WHOLE lot of purple in that place!

Cal made it until the middle of the 4th quarter and this his little eyes just couldn't stay open any more.  He crashed on my shoulder and didn't wake up until the next morning!

The game was awesome and TCU really put up a great fight.  We were excited to be there and we all lost our voices at the game.

The next morning it was my birthday! Eddie bought me some coors light-- haha, classy!

The boys were ready to help me blow out some candles!

We headed home the next morning.  These boys about melted my heart walking through the airport together!

It was a great trip and we had a blast!