First Day of School

We lost our first born today, to the rigorous 1st grade schedule of 8:25 - 3:15. While his excitement grows over getting to eat lunch at school, mine is waning with the loss of my rule -abiding, peacemaker around the house for a full day.

The twins also took a leap into the world of public schools today. They are excited, and I'm emotionally okay with the start of Kindergarten, as they will be gone the same amount of time as last year in Pre-K (2.5 hours). Also, Gavin completed Kindergarten last year and came out okay -not too many vulgar additions to his vocabulary. The great change this year, is they will all be at the same school together. Pretty cool to have big bro down the hall. I can't say I'll miss the daily drive across town delivering children to their respective schools for their staggered two and a half hour stay, only to waken Cohen early from his nap to pick them up again. I'm savoring my morning hours with them now with the understanding they will be prematurely thrown into ALL DAY school in a matter of weeks (most likely months) when we arrive in Spain. That I'm not ready for...but we'll live in the now.

Little Totes wanted so badly to start school he tried convincing me that he was 4. If I didn't know he was 2, I may have fallen for it, he's quite the smarty pants. He takes a nap while they're at school, and I'm excited for the day he doesn't need naps anymore, and we can just hang out -the two of us. Being the 4th child of 4 kids so close in age, he doesn't get a whole lot of undivided attention (he's not the demanding type). Until then, I'll just keep cleaning bathrooms, kitchen, closets, etc. while he sleeps. No, really...I'm blogging in the quietness, while thinking of the many other things I should be doing.

I love this picture! It fits their personalities so well. Addie, who cheeses and loves working the camera. Eli who lately always has goggles on his head and a pen hooked to his shirt (keeps it handy for walls in need of his artistic touch) displays his rendition of "working the camera" with his wink.

I can't read!

'Tis not that I never learned, I'm actually quite capable. It's more of a self control issue. It all started when I was young, propping up the comforter with my knees while I hid beneath, with the glow of a dim flashlight providing an inadequate beam for my hours of reading past bedtime. It's the same with TV though. I don't watch much because I'm busy with other stuff. But if I pass by when it's on, I can get hooked in 2 seconds to a show I've never seen and really have no interest in. The only good part about that is that within 30 min. to an hour, they're over. I can leave. Now these 400-700 page books (Stephenie Meyer) on the other hand. Not so quickly finished. Yesterday I was good about keeping the reading to times when the kids were asleep. Today, however, I just needed to finish it. I usually use Thursday and Friday, to really clean up for the weekend so I won't have daily chores on Saturday. Not so this time, today was a bust. Dishes in the sink, crumbs on the floor, Addie's hair undone, my teeth not brushed until after lunch (yeah, gross), kids complaining they're hungry (what, you want breakfast? lunch too? ...and chocolate milk?), a bathroom in need of attention, floors unvaccuumed, laundry piled up, kids in need of a referee...and me with my BOOK! A day and a half of reading, and into the wee hours of the next, and I'm done. Free to clean, feed, bathe, referee, launder, console, etc. I'm glad this was the last book of the series.

Pace yourselves!

They're doing it again. Getting all grown up on me. And so fast. One week ago, Eli said sionara to training wheels never to look back again. Two days ago, Gavin lost the last of his 3 front teeth. Today, Addie joined the boys riding a two wheeler all by herself. Cohen also learned how to pedal and steer the tricycle all by himself today -though it is killing him that he can't ride a two wheeler yet. And thank goodness for that. I mean seriously, spread the milestones out a little. I was looking at pictures from last year and can't believe what a huge jump they've made. They don't have any baby fat left, not even Cohen who's only 2 and a half and should still have a few good years left of pinching pudge.