Gavin's First Day of (Pre)School!

Today our baby boy started his first day of school! He goes two days a week and gets to ride the big yellow school bus!

He chose his clothes, determined to start his academic career as a jock apparently! He called the look, "football boy."

We were able to convince him to leave the helmet at home.

 

When the bus came, he eagerly ran to it, "We're going to miss it!!"

Is it terrible I'm a little sad he wasn't?

His teacher sent me a text with this picture telling me no tears, all smiles at his first day of school!

 

Here's some pictures of his tour we took last week.

 

 

He participated in circle time without pause!

 

Here's the legendary dragon "Bella" he talks about nonstop.

 

 

Circle Time Cherubs!

Last week was a major parenting win!

First I took the boys to a local community preschool center.

Ethan was thrilled to "teach Gavin how to do circle time" and literally took him under his wing!

With big bro having his back, Gavin readily separated from me and participated the whole 20 minute session!

The very same night, the elementary school that hosts Ethan's pre-k threw a birthday party for Dr. Seuss. Kids were invited to come at bedtime in their pj's, read a Dr. Suess bedtime story, and end the night with birthday cake!

They had Ethan at out at bedtime, pj's at school, and most of all, CAKE!?

Grateful for all three exceptions to momma's rules, he polished his halo and was yet again a circle time cherub.

That day, for a couple hours at least, my boys were definitely mommy's little angels.

New School, New Wheels!

Ethan just moved to a new preschool program at a local elementary school. His favorite parts include bringing his lunchbox for the first time, recess everyday and weekly P.E., no more naptime (groan, it's in the afternoon- giving his nap the permanent boot!), and most of all...the big yellow school bus!

The morning began with our first day of school tradition.

Here was his first day at his last school almost two years ago!

And his first day at his first school, our very own Building Blocks Co-Op.

Slipped a special note into his lunch box.

He wasn't impressed, might have to do with not knowing how to read yet.

Ethan said goodbye, no problem.

Gavin was a different story! He sobbed trying to chase Ethan onto the bus!

When we waited for the bus to return a couple hours later, he remembered being mad and missing him all over again.

Every vehicle that went by without Ethan on it was another blow!

He'd watch for more...

Finally a bus came by!

And it wasn't Ethan's bus.

Here is where I put the camera down. Between Gavin consumed by missing Ethan and envying the bus ride, and Ethan coming home after missing his nap...

No one needs to see how the rest of the evening went.

 

 

Because you have my heart Mommy!

"Mommy, look what I'm drawing for you."

"I drew you a beayouuutiful flower...

because I you have my heart Mommy!"

 

I'm enjoying being his number one gal while I can.

The next day he said, "Mommy, I'm going to give the new friend at school, Penny, one of my pretend flowers too. She has my heart."

 

"Oh yeah, Ethan?" Trying to mask the sting in my voice.

 

"Oh don't worry Mommy, you still have my heart. I have lots of hearts."

First Day of School 2013

Continuing our tradition of taking pictures of the first days of school (starting in 2012) and the last days of school (see 2013), today was another installment! Some call it the first day of school, others call it parents' happiest day of the year!

For Ethan and I, we were both excited but we didn't feel the unrestrained glee we did last year. This year was more eyes wide open combined with anticipation and hope for a great year. Now we know more of the ups and downs like never ending colds, learning fun new songs, hard work, and making new friends.

 

Ethan has grown so much more over the summer and we are both excited about another Montessori year with his beloved Mrs. Fraley!

 

 

 

And later, caught in the act of doing some work!

 

Sound the Alarm! Ethan is 4!

Ethan just celebrated his fourth, yes FOURTH, birthday!

He's spent the last 6 months inviting everyone he met, waiters, amusement park attendants, strangers of all sorts, to his (unplanned) birthday party. With that much build up, I figured we had to throw one!?

Luckily, our fantastic friends made it much more fun than he had dreamt about all year!

He hosted his buddies at the local fire station, complete with a fire fighter's tour of the trucks and station!

The invite:

The favors:

The crafts:

The cake:

The piñata:

 

(I love Ethan's enthusiasm while his friend is at bat!)

(The lone lady of the group leaving the line after deciding this was NOT for her!)

(Apparently the one thing these active boys will wait patiently in line for is hammering paper mâché with a bat!)

(The piñata would NOT break, even after several rounds by the boys! So we let Ethan at it!)

 

 

The loot:

 

The tour:

 

The candles:

(You can tell how vigorously they played by looking at the decorations behind me!)

 

The fun!

I could have skipped the crafts because all they cared about was running in the open space...

Tossing the balloons

(Doesn't that look like a balloon stand off between the seniors and the freshmen?)

And lapping the room in Ethan's fire truck!

 

 

 

 

"Thank you amazing friends for making big bro's day so special!!!"