Zac's First Day of School (one week ago today!)

I'm finally getting around to blogging about Zac's first day of school. Unfortunately, last week we had two viruses sweep through our house... no fun! However, last Thursday Zac got to go to his first day of K-3! I will post my letter to him below. He loves school, and luckily it hasn't been too big of a transition for him since he attended school here last year for about 12 weeks. Thankfully, this week has been relatively uneventful... except for the fact that a nerve in my foot started giving me trouble on Sat. and by Tuesday I had to get a shot in my foot and pain medicine to help manage the pain and inflamation. Luckily, the shot worked and I'm feeling better now. O.K. Below is the letter to my sweet baby.



Zachy:

Today was your first day of K-3! Your first day of preschool. All of the other kiddos have been going for the past 3 days but you had to missed due to a virus. You were very excited about going to Mrs. Kelly’s class. Nate had Mrs. Kelly in K-3, and you’ve wanted to be in her class ever since!

Luckily, this morning went much smoother than Nate’s first day of school earlier this week. Originally I’d planned on dressing you and Nate in matching shirts for your first day (cheesy I know) but since you were sick, you got to wear yours today and of course you looked cute as could be. There is just something about that blonde hair and multiple cowlicks that give you a very mischievous look! I reminded you several times on the way to school that you have to be nice… not hitting, kicking, biting, or throwing toys… and no potty talk or you’d get sent to the sad chair! Of course you replied, “I KNOW mom”! I dropped you off and you waved bye and you ran out into the middle of all of the kids and began playing. I looked at Mrs. Kelly, gave a smile and wished her good luck! Sweet Zac, if you don’t know it yet, you are a little free spirit with a mind and attitude all your own. It’s kind of a blessing and a curse that you are such a cutie because it usually gets you out of trouble… people just can’t help but laugh at you!

Well of course when I picked you up you told me that you didn’t want to go home and that you wanted to stay at school! I told you I’d missed you so much and that I’d be sad if you didn’t come home; so you gave me a big hug and said, “let’s go”! I asked Mrs. Kelly how the day had gone and she said great. She said there had been one incident during craft time when you guys were using your glue sticks …. you had been instructed to keep your glue sticks on the paper and of course you thought it would be more fun to put it on the table instead of the paper! The aide came by and told you to keep it on the paper or you’d have to put it up. When Mrs. Kelly came by your table to check out your progress, you had turned away from the table, crossed your arms over your chest, stuck your lip out, and you were looking at the ceiling and wouldn’t talk to any one! That is pretty typical! I told her if she’d been close enough she’d have heard you go, “huuuuuuuuuuungh!” under your breath. I also told her just to ignore you and you’d come around. Obviously it didn’t bother you too much since you wanted to spend the night with Mrs. Kelly at school!

On the way home I asked you how your day went and you said, “Great! I didn’t even have to go to the sad chair”! To which I replied, “Good job Zacy, I hope you don’t ever have to go to the sad chair, but if you do, I’ll still love you”! However, when Nana called to check on your first day, you told her that you “hit the girls and called them stupid”! I grabbed the phone from you and assured Nana you did not! (I verified this the next day with your teacher).
So my sweet Zachy, your first day of pre-K went great! I’m so proud of you and I can’t help but smile to think of what lies ahead for both of us and your future school experiences. You bring such joy to my life and a love and happiness that knows no boundaries! I love you and I am so proud of you! Love, Mommy

Summer Is Winding Down and School is Starting Up!

The past few weeks have been busy trying to get ready for school and cram in end of the summer activities! The boys have gone fishing with their daddy several times and have caught some really big catfish. Nate and I made a trip to LR to the ENT for a post-op check-up following his tonsillectomy and to see my grandparents. We've swam at Nanna and Papa Docs and the swimming hole near our house. And last but not least, we were so excited to have Jenny, Matthew, and Molly come spend some time with us in "the country". It was so much fun having them here. Tim, being the brave and great dad that he is took Nate, Zac, Matthew and Baylie girl on a canoe ride! They had a blast and Tim looked no worse for the wear! We also had our dear friends over for a casual dinner the night before school started... Stephanie, Caroline, and Anna Grace (Caroline is in Nate's Class).

Well yesterday was Nate's first day of kindergarten and supposed to be Zac's first day of Pre K... but as luck would have it, Zac woke up sick! I'll post the letter that I wrote to Nate to put in his scrapbook that pretty much summarizes up the crazy day!

Nate:

You’ve reached another milestone today, your first day of Kindergarten (K-5 as it is called at your school). Thank goodness for both of us that you are staying at Glenwood Christian School for another year, where’ve you’ve been the past 2 years, or I think both of us would’ve had a really tough time this morning.

As luck would have it, our perfectly planned morning went awry when you and Zac ran out of your room asking “do we get to go to school today… and have a cupcake for lunch?” To which I replied, “yes”… that is until Zachy crawled in to my lap and I could tell immediately he was running fever. From that point on, you no longer wanted to go to school. You couldn’t understand why you couldn’t stay home too. This was followed by about an hour and a half of tears and protests. I was not above bribery as I promised you a milkshake, ice-cream whatever as long as you would try to have a good day and stop crying by the time we got to school. We made it to the van, Zac with a fever, Ben crying, and you reluctant to go without Zac in tow. You were quiet on the drive there, answering as few questions as possible. When we arrived we saw sweet Caroline followed by precious Baylie. You posed and smiled for a couple of pictures and then reluctantly walked in. However, it didn’t take long for you to perk up when you saw your buddies. I gave you a hug and told you to have a great first day in K-5… followed by “I love you buddy.” Off you went and off I went to the car. I felt a little guilty that I couldn’t hang around like some of the other moms but I had to get back to the other little guys waiting/crying in the car (Ben was tired and Zac was upset because he couldn’t go to school). So began the first day of your kindergarten experience!

Throughout the day I would think about you and hope that you were having a good time. I wondered if you were eating lunch, coloring, or playing on the playground. I will say it was kind of quiet around the house… no secrets whispered, yells exchanged, wrestling on the floor, tattling, or laughing between you and Zac. However, it will not be long before those things will be common place between Zac and Ben! I kept thinking about how I can no longer keep you home any time I want or take you out of school at any hour… never again… you are a big boy now.

I’m so proud of you and amazed at how fast time flies. My dearest Nate, you will never know the depth of my love for you… you aggravate me to know end at times but you touch my heart in ways I could never describe or have even imagined. I look forward to watching you grow and I will always remember that your first day of Kindergarten started in tears but ended with this conversation with cousin Matthew, “Matt, when you turn 5 and can go to K-5, you will have to come to Glenwood and go to Mrs. Annette’s class with me… it was AWESOME! It was even easier than K-4!”

Love ya, Mom

Nate & Caroline Below!

Nate after his first day of Kindergarten and

Poor Zachy is sick!

And one final thing to note... to celebrate Nate's first day in kindergarten, my precious Ben Ben (11.5) months, took his first steps! We take about 3 to 5 at a time before falling or collapsing in to someone's arms! He is so proud of himself and I am too! What a good day yesterday was!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Tonight after Tim's birthday cake & festivities (the birthday dinner was last night), the boys went fishing in the canoe! Look what they caught! A 4.5 lb. catfish measuring 21 inches! According to Tim it was a group effort. Nate reiterates that the fish pulled them all over the river. They were all exuberant over their catch and it is now cleaned and in the fridge awaiting preparation for dinner tomorrow night! More soon. KMO