Today is Tuesday, September 6th, the day after Labor Day. If you are in a school district like ours this means that it is the first! day! of! school! My dudes have been counting down the days for weeks now. They miss their friends, they miss the bus rides with said friends and they miss the routine. I do, too, but I will miss summer more.
I am one of those people who enjoys spending time with my kids. Yes, really. They are a little bit (or a lot) awesome. I am one of those women who would be perfectly happy to be a SAHM or, a WAHM. I am not crafty, no, but I love to cook and to bake and I love to walk with them along the creek and to jump with them on the trampoline and to read books with them on the couch and to throw water balloons at each other and to swim in the lake. We have a lot of fun together, is what I’m saying.
I hear a lot of Moms who are SO EXCITED that their kids are in school and I love their enthusiasm but it’s not my story. I would be here to send them off every morning and be back to greet them every afternoon, if I could. (I’m working on it.)
Back to the first! day! of! school!
We have this baby girl…
Miss Emily starts Kindergarten this week. Emily! MY BABY. IN KINDERGARTEN. I don’t even know how to process that. I mean, I’m pretty sure that it was just yesterday that she was born and blew up the consecutive-gender theory that is rampant around these parts.
Remember this?
It’s now THIS:
How? What? WHY???
Three kids, in school full-time. (Well, after the gradual Kindergarten-entry deelio here.)(One hour on Wednesday, with me in attendance, then a two-hour session on her own and then I think she’ll be in full days before next June.)
Three kids, under the age of four, melting down and filling their diapers and sitting with me for many, many moments in the rocking chair.
*Blink*
Three kids, about to don backpacks and spend 40 hours a week at school. Away from home. With people and experiences that will be whittled down to a few minutes of conversation at dinner.
It’s going to be a rough week for me, you guys.
*Edited to add this:
**Edited to add this, too:
Awwww!!! I’m excited for my kids to go to school because THEY are excited to go to school. I’m actually enjoying this (temporary) SAHM gig more than I thought I would. I’m excited, though, to have some one-on-one time with Preston every morning when Liliana is at preschool. I had a lot with Kaylie (being a single child for 6 years) and when Liliana was a baby, Kaylie was in Kindergarten/Gr. 1, so again, one-on-one time.
I hope you make it through this week in one piece.
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
The craziness of balancing it all is helping me to stay together, somehow.
[Reply]
I would home-school if I could at all fathom myself as the teaching sort just to keep my kids at home. My oldest just started preschool and I cried. And it has only just begun…
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
If the kids were upset at school, I’d consider homeschooling but they love! it! so! much!
You’ll make it. Hugs.
[Reply]
I’m another mother who sends her kids to school and comes home and cries. I know they are suppose to be in school, but I also miss having them around.
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Being back at work has helped to distract me, but when I was at home full-time, I could feel the hole they left.
[Reply]
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Aw, thank you!
[Reply]
STOP GETTING OLDER CHILDREN!! Seriously, when did they get so old????
Happy first day of school to them!
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Thanks, K.
And, dude. Grades 4, 2 and Kindy. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
[Reply]
My kids are both moving away to UBCO this weekend and are both over 20. And I still had a major meltdown. They are amazing kids and I’d love to have them home forever. But, I know our job is to let them go and that we have to do it gradually, or we would never do it all! Yay for independece! Sort of! Or not…
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Yes. What you said.
[Reply]
First day of school! First day of school! I am SO excited for them, and especially for Emily because she is going to be amazing, I’m sure.
Also thinking of you and sending you hugs and hoping this time away from them during the day will only make the time you have more precious. And oh, the stories I’m sure you’ll get to hear. Please please please share some of the (no doubt hilarious) stories.
Loving the you. And G, and N, and Em, too!
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Love you MORE. I owe you an email (or five). Let me get through this week (and weekend)(Family Camp). Or maybe we’ll just have to phone chat next week.
[Reply]
hang in there.
you’ll be delighted with all of THEIR delight!
i am one who is excited to have bean begin 3yo preschool today. b/c i have plans for these few hours to myself each day (which includes a trainer 1ce a week) & some MAJOR organizing around here.
plus i know that she can be more amazing learning from the world & other people rather than just lil’ ol’ me.
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
It’s true! I know.
Being at work in an office makes it different than when I worked at home and they LOVE SCHOOL. I just can’t believe my BABY is in KINDERGARTEN.
[Reply]
Yay for first days of school!
Hugs to you lady!
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Hugs back!
[Reply]
That last photo? Wow. When did those boys grow up into MEN?!?!
I’m the same as you, Angella. I count down the days/hours/minutes until until the kids start their holidays, and then feel really really sad when they go back to school. All my friends are yelling “WOOHOO!!!” about their kids going back to school, but dude. I really miss my kids when they’re not here!! I love having them at home – yes, even though I work FULL TIME from home – and would definitely home school them if I had a) the time (ie. no job), b) the talent and c) the patience. My boys do love school though, which makes ME feel a bit happier about sending them off after a long summer break (or even just a term break).
So yeah, I totally get how you’re feeling. Especially with Emily starting Kindergarten! It’s really hard when the youngest one goes, much harder than the first! But she’ll be fine, and you’ll be fine, and I’m sending you a HUGE cyber hug because I KNOW you need it right now. Love you! xx
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Thanks, friend. I think the big thing is my BABY in SCHOOL. She loved her first day and being in a small town with school mates and teachers we already know makes a world of difference.
[Reply]
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO US? wahhhhhhhhhh
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
We need to create a Stop-Time machine.
[Reply]
This is one of the reasons I’m so thankful that homeschooling is the right choice for our family right now. If it weren’t the right choice, if going to school were what was best, I’d be sending Annalie to school and missing her. But I’m thankful I don’t have to do that!
((useless internet hugs)) to you, Angella.
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Thanks, friend.
I think my freak out is because my BABY is in SCHOOL. I’ve always said that I’d home school if need be, but right now I don’t. We live in a small town where the kids get to go to school with teachers and students we know from both the church and sports and they LOVE IT. If I told them they had to school at home they’d be MISERABLE.
Glad you’ve found what works for you guys.
[Reply]
i enjoy spending time with my kids as well but sometimes i need a break and the summer was to long for us all
[Reply]
angella Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
I’m definitely looking forward to the fall routine.
[Reply]
Kids just grow so fast sometimes I wished that they’d just stop growing at one point and stay in the nest forever! But, no, it’s not possible and they have their own lives to live. It’s really fun to take pictures of your kids all together as the years go by. Keep taking those pictures! They’re so cute!
[Reply]
I feel EXACTLY the same way! About it all. My baby’s in school … ack!
Great photos.
Have a great school year Graham, Nathan and Miss Emily!
[Reply]
Goodness. The cuteness. It’s killing me.
I have a lot of cute around here these days too. They’re so big!
[Reply]
It seems like just last week you were celebrating Emily having enough hair for a barrette, now she’s on her way to Kindergarten.
oof, Margaret started Kindergarten on the 1st of September. I can hardly stand that she’s old enough to be gone to school all day. I’m still adjusting to it. And I am oh so happy to see her at the end of the day. It’s hard Mom!
[Reply]