In the beginning of August, AK and I opened our doors to my sweet nephew Aidyn. He has always been quite the taz-manian devil, loud, honary and well... boy. A complete opposite to Madelynne to say the least.
We spent the weeks leading up to Labor Day getting everyone ready for school. From picking out their tiny toddler backpacks (that mommy was persistent on picking out), letting them pick out their lunch box - Mady choose Fancy Nancy & Aidyn choose Lightening McQueen, no surprise there on either side! We shopped Target aisle's during tax-free weekend for school supply, which can make a healthy person's blood pressure sky-rocket at incredible speed over searching and throwing bows for a glue stick! Finally the night came where we could meet our teacher!!! Both kids were very excited, we started in the sanctuary then found our classroom's and Aidyn met his teacher, Ms. Matthew's and Mady met Ms. Crystal. They met a couple of their friends, mostly found new fun toys, mommy teared up when I saw their little names on the tiny desks and we went home. Of course, after dropping off our $150 worth of school stock room supplies.
The night before, I pulled together what I wanted both kids to wear on their first day. Laid everything out downstairs. Signed my wrist off of paperwork.. paperwork.. paperwork and then began to pack their lunch.
Here's the deal. Mady needs a morning snack and drink. Full lunch and drink. Aidyn needs the same in addition to an afternoon snack and drink.
Here is what I packed:
AM Snack (mind you, specifically label as such, with sharpie..)
Fruit cup /spoon
Fruitables drink
Lunch
Turkey, Ham and Cheese sandwich
Cheese stick
Apples
Cheese-Itz
Raisins
Sippy cup w/ whole organic milk
PM Snack
Veggie sticks
Apples
Peanut butter to dip
Capri-Sun
(I just know I am forgetting a couple more things... both kids came home with half their lunchbox still filled. I think I over did it. oops)
September 6, 2011 * First Day of School!!
Madelynne woke at 5:50am.
I asked her: Sweetheart, what are you doing awake so early?
Mady: Mommy! I going to school! We are going to school today!!!! YAYYYY!!!
Geez Louise, I couldn't believe she would really remember! Aidyn of course, slept in.
AK took the entire day off, he knew well enough that there was noway I would have the ability to compose myself to make it the day without having a full-blown meltdown and I would need his strength to make it to noon!
We got ourselves together and then I woke Aidyn up to come downstairs for breakfast. Daddy cooked scrambled eggs with cheese, ham and toast w/ apple butter! Mmmm! The kids played around, laughed entirely too much, drank their milk and then the moment I said "Ok, are you ready to get dressed for.... SCHOOL?!" They both threw their hands up and screeched "YEA!!!!!!!!"
We got dressed and then began a photoshoot in front of the fireplace, decked out in our new outfits, bookbags that met the back of their little noggins to their butt, and lunch boxes in hand. It was too freaking adorable. After entirely too long, we ventured to the door. Mommy holding her travel mug of coffee and daddy holding both a camera and video camera!
We arrived at West End Christian School a little later than planned, we got there around 7:50a (school begings at 8a, but the kiddo's will be dropped off at 7:30a each morning). The entire day rained like cats and dogs, it was beyond nasty and the rain never stopped.. fortunately though, it did let up a little for the couple trips to and from house-car-school-car etc.
Immediately walking into the school, Aidyn found the first room of toys and dropped all his things in the floor and ran! Thank goodness it WAS the room he was supossed to be in. It was his before-school care and where most all kids hang out and play before school begins. I signed him in and never saw Aidyn again, he was off, finding new friends and exploring every toy his little brain could scour!
Next it was time to drop Madelynne off at her classroom. She is too young to join the others in the before-school care, so she goes directly to class to begin her day. We walked down the hall and she skipped with anticipation to see her teacher!
The door was decorated so cute, it had tiny monkey's all over, each with their little names. The goal was to find Mady's Monkey on the door and pull it off. We then slide the monkey under the door so our teacher knows who to expect, and Ms. Crystal opens the door with wide arms to say Good Morning and let Mady inside her classroom.
Everything went great!! Expect the part where she never turned around to say bye-bye mommy, she simply ran straight into the class without missing a beat. Leaving me crouched down in the hallway with tear-filled eyes.
I drove home.. passing our road, AK reminded me I missed my turn. "No, I didn't miss anything. You're buying me a Boston Cream Donut from 7-11 so I can eat my emotions and somehow make it to 12pm!
Walking back into the house felt so weird. The house was messy.. breakfast was still all over the table.. toddler jammies were strung all over the living room.. Coffee pot was out.. but it was painfully quiet. I asked him what we should do, he quickly responded "SLEEP!" Excellent idea young man, brilliant!
Pointless it was.
He immediately laid down and began snoring. I laid in the bed staring at the ceiling. I ruined myself by memorizing their school day schedule. Therefore every 15m I stared at the clock, knowing they were moving on to another task.
9:15a - Aidyn's class is getting ready for their snack: I hope he likes his fruit cup.. please don't make a mess buddy. Be grateful when you are done and don't bug the teacher for another. Juice Box -- Do. Not. Squeeze! Hold it gently and don't play!
10:00a - Mady is in circle time: Does she remember her favorite green placemat that she is using to sit her cute little heiny on? Hold hands. Sing songs. Pay attention to the teacher and have fun sweetheart!! I hope she doesn't miss me :(
The morning literally filled my mind with ALL these thoughts. I couldn't rest, how could I?! My babies were at SCHOOL!! They were in a classroom, an unsupervised by me, playdate.
Gosh I hope I drilled manners in them well enough that they are being respectful, sweet, polite little children.
I hope they remember to tell the teacher when they have to potty. Don't be scared, be brave on your first day. Make friends. Be a good friend. Share your toys and take turns. Use manners. Be creative. Sing, play, smile, laugh, learn and have fun!
Finally, let me say it again FINALLY it was time to go pick Madelynne up from school! I woke AK up at 11:20 and begged to leave. The school is less than 10m away and we would have been entirely too early. I didn't care. I made a couple laps around the house pretending to pick-up and finally just couldn't take another moment, I said we were leaving and so we did. WHEW! Mama did it!
The hallway was filled with their tiny bookbags and art work they have been working on so far in the day. It was adorable. I was nearly skipping to see what they had accomplished!
We again, found Mady's name on her door and slid it under to let the teacher know we were there to pick her up. Mady greeted us at the door with the biggest smile I have seen. She was SO happy to see us and looked as if she geniunely had the BEST day she has had in a long time. :sigh.exhale: She gave her teacher a hug goodbye and we found her artwork together (I played dumb of course).
Madelynne was SO happy to show us the monkey she made in school. When we got in the car and asked what she learned, she told us she learned about monkey's and "Bal-kano's" ... what the heck? She continued to repeat what she was saying which sounded perfectly clear as "Volcano". I asked if that is what she was talking about and she exclaimed "YES MOMMY! BAL-KANO! Boooom! Lava make a mess!" Well darn, she learned about a volcano!!
Aidyn gets picked up in the afternoons, on normal days AK will be picking him up at 5:30p bc his school ends at 3p and I won't have time to have him picked up in time and make it to work. AK picked Aidyn up on his first day at 4p and he was estatic. Now, if you ask him what he learned, he says "Nothing." If you ask what he did all day, his response is: "Car - Truck - Car - Friends". OooooK! Gotcha :)
Both kids absolutely love their school. They are SO very happy there. I love the preschool enviornment, the fact that it is a Christian church and they do bible stories, they have morning worship, pray for each meal, teachers that give hugs and kiss boo-boo's and overall a very warm, nurturing enviornment that the kids feel safe in. I couldn't have found a better place for them both to be and cannot wait to see how much they learn and excel over the school year. Now, when they have to perform in a Christmas play this season... get the Kleenex ready!
