Updates and Long Over-due Pics...

Week 2 of Kindergarten is going much smoother than week 1... however, Sam is still exhausted and a bit of a handful in the evenings!!!!!

On Monday, Sam's teacher emailed me (love her for that) and said that he was a little sad, but seemed to be doing better.  And each day has gotten better and better. He seems like he may be a bit lonely at school... he had so many great friends at pre-school, and I think he's a little sad he doesn't have a buddy in his class. Jake and I went to school and surprised him at lunch on Wednesday (I happen to go up there to ask about a shirt, and the lady asked if I was here for lunch.  I said, "No, but can I be?" Apparently you can go eat lunch with them anytime!!! REALLY???? Why didn't I know that last week! Or at the beginning of this week when he was so sad????  Well... it was probably a God thing since he seemed to miss his mommy so much!? Jake and I went and got Happy Meals and went back to meet Sam.  As I signed us in, someone says... "You can't take fast food into the caffeteria!" I pulled the 'I'm a mom with a Kindergartener, and I didn't know' card, so they gave me brown bags to dump the food into..... geez......) Sam was much more informative at lunch than all of his afternoons after school (and our games of 20,000 questions) combined!  And I got a name for a 'friend.' NOW.... to find out his mom's # so I can arrange for a playdate!!! Hahahaha!!!!!

Sam thinks that P.E. is going to be his favorite class (he missed P.E. his first week because he was sick) even though he hasn't been yet... but it's kinda like him loving basketball (!?)... he just knows it's his favorite!?!?

Tonight, I am going to his class for Curriculum Night... I guess we shall see if I can stalk said 'friend's' parents........ OH! And I guess I'll find out what they are teaching my child!!!!!! Sam kept thinking that I was coming back to his class after lunch on Wednesday, so I am hoping I'll be able to start coming in and helping SOON too!!!!!!

So maybe Kindergarten is affecting me more than I thought.... I am a stalking, questioning, stressed, obsessed mother (all qualities I didn't think I would possess) of a KINDERGARTNER... and I'm feeling like my babies are growing up way too fast!  He shouldn't be having to fend for himself so much!!!!!  Such a culture shock.... for me more than Sam, I think!!!

And I am ALWAYS taking pictures of other people's kids... and putting off my kids'/family's pics... SOOO --- I took a couple of my two LITTLE boys this weekend......... ahhhhhh..... moment frozen......

Ugh... guess it's time to keep going.... ;-)

Our First Week of Kindergarten...

No pictures today... just a report on our little guy who entered into the big boy world of school on Monday....

He is home today (Friday) with a fever.  Nope - we didn't even make it through a whole week.  Honestly, I don't think he is sick. I think he is just tired. Or that is what I am telling myself, because he keeps telling me that he feels fine.  And if he didn't have a fever, I would have made him go to school today!

Sam woke up at 6:00 am yesterday... worried he would miss his bus (I have since assured him that he can wake up at 7, and he will be just fine) --- and he had not slept well that night... worried he'd miss the bus, maybe??? So needless to say, I sent a tired, tired little boy off to school! Getting him off to school was a trip in and of itself - as Sam was on the porch ready to leave, Jake puked in the middle of the floor (he drank his milk too fast - he just pukes - for any reason), so I got the chunks off the floor and ran Sam to the bus stop.  When I got back inside, Stormie was licking up what I had left... yum..... I cleaned that up and we went on about our day....

Sam got off the bus yesterday and was super quiet, so I bent down to hug him and he started crying.  I scooped him up and carried him home (he's 60 lbs, but Mommies possess some major strength when their babies are hurt or sad!).  Of course, my man of many words 'just couldn't remember' much of anything.  I was concerned that someone had treated him badly or he was hurt... but all I got from him was that he missed his mommy. Awww.... so sweet - especially considering that Mr. Independent we encountered on that first day! I sure did miss him too! 

BUT - there were tears, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.... (I won't go into how many questions or how many variations I had to ask) here is what I figured out:
He cried on the playground.  He was lonely. His teacher comforted him. His para pro (who he doesn't know her name yet) took him to get water.

Sam also felt warm to me (which is normal considering it's 100 degrees and he just got off the bus), but I took his temp anyway... 100.6. Ugh... really???? He kept telling me that he didn't feel bad, that he just missed his mommy.  So, I am thinking that his body is so tired that a fever resulted....???

I gave him a snack (OH! And he hadn't eaten his snack or his lunch!!!!), a bath, and put on his jammies.  He spent the afternoon on the couch, and he went to bed at 7:30.  That would have cured the tired thing, but the fever was still hanging around, and he didn't sleep good!? So when he woke up with a fever still, school was out of the question for the day.

WELCOME TO SCHOOL!!!!!! ;-)

I emailed his teacher to let her know that he wouldn't be there (more so because I didn't want her to think I just let him stay home because he was sad since he cried yesterday).... she replied back with the following:
"Good morning!
I shouldn't say I'm "glad"Sam had a fever ---- but it does explain his unhappiness yesterday!  At recess Sam began to cry for you and he did off and on all day.  I asked him if he felt sick or if anything hurt.  He seemed to get better if he sat with me or I rubbed his back.  One of my motherly little girls sat and held his hand (hope she's not feverish today!)  We are well into a long week and the students are tired!  I'm sorry he has picked up some bug. Had I noticed that he was hot to touch or if he had been inconsolable I definitely would have had the nurse call you.  Please tell Sam we will miss him today, feel better, and we will see him on Monday! Have a great weekend!"

What an awesome email... I have clung to every word over and over! And of course I replied back! ;-) So at least I know that a little girl has befriended him, and his teacher has shown him attention in his sadness.... I am just so sad that his mommy can't be there to help!!!!!

For now, I am trying to keep Jake quiet (Sam still has a fever and a headache), which is impossible - so I opt to just try and keep him away from Sam! Sam is to stay still and quiet all day, and will hopefully take a nap... I am going to TRY and get some work done (did I mention that I'm kinda behind?)...

So that's week one --- what will weeks 2 through whatever bring?????  I want my summer back!!!!!

Sam Starts KINDERGARTEN... how the day went...

Here they come! Here they come!!!! Sam's home!!!!

(That was me, for the record - Jake was sleeping ;-)

Last one off... of course...

Such a big boy! Love him - so glad to see him!

I got in his path to get my hug...

Then BJ did the same and took his hand to walk home (I was handed his book bag)...

He let go of BJ's hand, ran ahead into the house and undressed (!? - I don't know what my kids' deal is with clothes!?) and got his ring pop!

In BJ's words... "That was Anticlimactic"!!! For a moment, I forgot that I am dealing with a boy - he doesn't talk!!! It was like playing 20,000 questions....
ME: Did you have a good day?
SAM: Yes.
ME: What did you do?
SAM: I don't remember.
ME: Did you play on the playground?
SAM: Yes.
ME: Did you like it?
SAM: No.  It wasn't a cool playground.
ME: Did you play with anyone?
SAM: No.
ME: Did you talk to anyone in your class?
SAM: No.
ME: Did you learn anyone's name?
SAM: No.
ME: Did you do anything in your classroom.
SAM: I don't know.
ME: Did you use a pencil?
SAM: yes.
ME: For what?
SAM: I colored a school bus.
ME: With a pencil?
SAM: Yes. Well, I used red and white.
ME: Did you leave your classroom today?
SAM: Yes.
ME: Where did you go?
SAM: Lunch.
ME: Did you talk to anyone at lunch?
SAM: No.
ME: Did you go anywhere else?
SAM: Science.
ME: Oh boy! What did you do there? Were there animals? (I already knew there were and I was thinking, 'Dear God, get him to tell me SOMETHING'!!!!)
SAM: Yes.
ME: What kind of animals?
SAM: A lizard - big with rubber spikes. And another smaller lizard.
ME: Did you do anything in Science?
SAM: No.
ME: Was Mrs. Rowberry with you in science?
SAM: No.

I suppose you get the gist of how this went... I could keep going, because I'm not really exaggerating about the 20,000 questions!!!!

I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting, but this wasn't exactly it.... OH! I was expecting my pre-school Sam!  I now have grown-up Sam!  And just like that, he became a boy!!!! ;-(

He DID get a note from the teacher, though! It was a thank you for the homemade bread we brought her at open house! Oh yes! I'm a suck-up, and I don't care!  I want her to remember (and like) my baby!!!! ;-) All's fair......

We are going to grill hamburgers for dinner, at Sam's request for his 'first-day-of-school-dinner.' Guess I should go start cooking! We were so happy to have BJ home all day just for Sam's first day - and now HE can grill!!!!!! ;-)  Sam has only been home for two hours, and has been in time-out twice and had one spanking....... maybe some pent-up energy to deal with? Or the need to act out since he didn't at school? Or maybe he didn't talk all day (which is HIGHLY likely) and he's got to get it all in before bedtime? Or he's tired already after his 6:30 AM wake-up call?  Either way... we need to get THAT part figured out!!!!! LOL!!!! Well.... that was that.  Kindergarten...eh..... I'm ready for summer!!!!!

Sam's First Day of KINDERGARTEN!!!

Oh boy... Kindergarten... Sam is BEYOND excited!  Which most definitely makes this easier on his mommy's sad heart! BJ, Jake and I put him on the bus this morning, and he is on his own - I feel like I've abandoned him!!!!! But let's use pictures instead of words so that I can avoid choking up! ;-)

FIRST OF ALL... I must BRAG on my SMART guy... BJ gave him 'homework' to do during his quiet time last week - he had to write all of his letters and numbers.  I put him in his room at his desk and closed the door.  Here is his finished product... absolutely NO help from me!!! Isn't he just amazing??? Must give some props to Hebron Preschool too, of course! He is SOOO ready for Kindergarten!

We had to wake our little Kindergartner up this morning at 6:45... Pardon the pictures - camera phone! ;-)  BJ was already thinking I was mean for flashing him which woke him up! ;-)

Good thing he had a little while to get woken up!

Yummy eggs and sausage - his favorite!  And chocolate milk, of course!!!

Jake even woke up early to send big brother off (well, 7 isn't EARLY for him - that's pretty normal!)

Getting his shoes on...

Heading out the door (OK - tearing the door off the hinges) to catch the bus - and showing off his Bumblebee book bag!!!

Outside to go to the bus stop... Jake just can't avoid a photo op - or doesn't understand that he can't be in every picture!!!!

Sam and one of his best buds, Mark.  He is beyond excited to ride the bus with Mark! And Mark was giving him all kinds of pointers and was planning all the things they can talk about on the bus! Thank you to Mark, who made putting Sam on the bus SO MUCH easier on me!!!!

Walking to the bus stop...

Waiting for the bus...

Getting on the bus... Sam was running to the door before she had it open and was the first one on!  Love that kid and his enthusiasm... nerves? what nerves?

And there he goes... he picked a seat for himself and Mark and was all smiles!

Darn that sticker and tinted windows - but can you see that smile (in his eyes since his mouth is partly covered)? Seriously... this is the picture that makes me weepy... Precious baby boy!!!

There she goes with my baby... BE CAREFUL LADY - I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN IF I NEED TO!!!!

And just like that, I officially have a kid in his first year of school.  Wait... I need to have my moment....

Sam is happy and excited, so how can I not embrace that? I had my emotional breakdown (i.e. the ugly cry) when I registered him last May, so maybe that was it!? Who knows... but for now, I am so happy that my baby is happy... I love him and I miss him lots (OK, typing that makes me tear up), and I canNOT wait for 3:00..... stay tuned for more pictures and a recap of his first day!!! (and mine ;)

Sam Starts Kindergarten...

Sam is starting Kindergarten on Monday... It's a mix of emotions around here -- excitement from Sam (he really doesn't seem nervous or anything besides excited!!!), and hesitation, nervousness and sadness from Mommy!!!! Hesitant because I keep questioning myself if we have Sam in the right place at the right time; nervous for my little guy to get to his classroom by himself, meet new friends, get into a new routine, learn new things, etc, etc..... Sadness because my little baby is growing up!!!! But that also makes me happy because he is a bright, kind, sweet, loving, caring, fun little (big) boy!!!!

We met Sam's teacher today.  Mrs. Rowberry.  If I could have requested a teacher (which I was going to do, but decided to let God handle SOMETHING ;), this is the teacher I would have picked... mainly because my friend/teacher's son had him when he was in Kindergarten, and she was VERY, VERY happy with her.  So here is Sam with Mrs. Rowberry....

 Sam in his new classroom...

Another of Sam in his new classroom... EXCITED about learning!!!!!!

 Jake had to have his picture made too!!!!!

Sam ready to do something at these numbered tables!!! (And Jake 'getting out of the picture! ;)

And yes, we are now GOLD members of the PTA!!!!

Sam and Jake both stayed with Mrs. Rowberry while I tracked down bus information and took care of a few things... yes, even my little clingy Jake -- he even stayed with Mrs. Rowberry while Sam and I went to pick out a school shirt!!! I wonder if Jake can just go onto Kindergarten now with Mrs. Rowberry!?!?!?!  Yes, you read right... Sam is riding the school bus.  He really wants to... and Mark (his friend from across the street who is going into 2nd grade) will be riding with him... so that makes me feel a little better about it.  And I talked to Mrs. Rowberry about the process, so I feel very comfortable with how he will get on and off the bus at school.  Sam and I walked from the front door to his classroom a couple of times, and he seems confident on how to get to his classroom.  YIKES!!! See why I'm so nervous for him? (Of course I'm trying REALLY HARD not to let him see any of MY nerves... he gets nothing but confidence from me!!!!).

So many things we have thought about that Sam needs to be sure he can do and things that he doesn't need to do...... like pull up his pants BEFORE leaving the bathroom (not running around naked); like actually going TO the bathroom to teetee (ugh - that would be horrible if he pulled his pants down at the playground!!!); like opening his own snacks; like raising his hand and asking if he needs help; I could go on..... and on..... and on......

I know he will do just fine.  And surely I will too????? I have signed up for helping in the classroom as much as possible, and I know God will take care of my little angel when I can't be there to watch him ALL the time.  I'm just so sad for school to start. :-(