Clair's first week is in the books!

Clair's first week of school has been less eventful than I thought, but not as smooth as I'd hoped.

Like most families, I suppose, we've been on a roller coaster of emotions.

Day 2 was Lester's early day at work, so he had to take Clair to school, since I had to wait for Michelle to arrive.


During summer camp, when I asked Lester how Clair did at drop-off, he lied spared my feelings by saying she did "OK," or "just fine." But on Clair's second day of preK -- the first time we left her there alone -- he couldn't even sugar coat it: "Oh, she was so hurt," he said, sadly. "She cried and cried. It was terrible."

Day 2 was a half-day, so I left work to pick her up and bring her home. When I got to her, she was all smiles, and her teacher said she only cried at drop-off and not a tear after that. "She did great today," she said. And on the car ride home, Clair even told me what she did at school! "My teacher reed a book. I see my friends [not that she actually has any.] I eat some snaaaack."
It was great! I don't think Cary and Dean have ever re-capped their day for me. Ever.

On Clair's day 3, Lester dropped her off again because I had to be in Annapolis at 9 a.m. with the boys (long story). His report: "No tears. Minimal clinging. I was pleasantly surprised."

But I was still worried because Day 3 was the first ever "nap in the class" day, which seemed to me to be a potentially high-octane event, just ripe for meltdowns and nervousness. So after I dropped the boys off at home, I went to her school and peeked in on her in the class. Imagine my surprise - and happiness -- when I walked in on this:

That's her teacher, Miss Michelle. I can't tell you how good it felt for me to walk in unannounced and see her teacher sitting there with her hand on my baby girl, comforting her as she slept. Or pretended to sleep.

The closer I got to Clair, the more I could see her eyes flitting about under her eyelids. So I don't think she was actually asleep here. But she was trying! They said it was naptime, so my girl was doing her best to take a nap! Brava, Clair!

I was soooo relieved. I still got weepy seeing her in there trying so hard to do what the teachers wanted her to do. What a good girl! And also, what a poor baby, having to sleep in class and not in her own little bed in her own little room. Ugh. My little baby girl! But I felt like maybe we were on the right path. The pre-school director hugged me on the way out the door. I'm such a sap!

Then this morning, I dropped her off again and guess what? TEARS galore. Ugh!

So I suppose the roller coaster is still in full force, and likely will be for awhile, as next week is another crazy week, getting the boys acclimated to school. She'll even have to get picked up by Miss Arlene -- the new babysitter -- who she has met twice (and thrown her shade both times) and I know that is going to freak her out!

Bottom line: I will be really glad when we are in a solid, predictable routine again. For her sake, and for mine.

Two cute/funny things from this week to note:

In Clair's classroom, the teachers put labels in the cubbies so they'll know who's full-time, who's half-day, who's three days a week, etc. Except for some reason, instead of writing "full-time" on Clair's label, they accidentally wrote "fun time." This tickled me to no end. Clair Davis: Fun times, man. Fun. Times. Hahahaha!

And Cary and Dean - who are so confused as to why Clair's in school and they're not -- got handwritten cards from their new teacher in the mail! They were SO excited!

Isn't that cute? I'm looking forward to them starting school next week. And dreading the craziness that next week is sure to be.

Hello, roller coaster. Please go away soon.

Clair's (sorta) first day of school!

Today was Clair's first day in the 2s class!

It's so nice only having to convince one child to look at the camera!

I call it her sorta first day, because it was only an hour and a half long, and we were there with her the whole time. *Tomorrow* is the real first day, when she has to stay from 8 to 11:30 -- alone. And then Thursday, she has to stay the FULL day -- until 2:30 p.m., which means she even has to nap there. Yikes.

Poor baby girl. Next week, when the boys start school, her world will be rocked even more, because she will not only have to stay for the full day, but she will also be picked up by a new caregiver, because this is Michelle's last week with us. I'm too sad to talk about that right now - really, it's too much.

So let's focus on Clair's (sorta) first day!

First of all, for one small child, we sure had to bring a lot of stuff.

The class did a gradual entry today, so only nine of the 16 kids in the class were there this morning. Guess how many of the nine Clair played with? If you guessed "not a one," you are correct!

She stuck close to us, not even venturing off to explore all the exciting toys unless one of us was near.

Making breakfast for Daddy.

Mommy's big going-to-school girl!

 She enjoyed decorating her name-tag and putting stickers all over it.

She didn't cry at all, thank goodness, though there was some whininess. But for the most part, I would say she was generally unimpressed with the whole thing.

Unimpressed is better than freaked the funk out, so I'll take it.

Because tomorrow, my friends, is another day altogether.
Pray for us.

Back-to-school night and other snippets

The boys start in the 3s class on Monday and last night we went to back-to-school night.

This one was much better than last year's - easy-going, warm and familiar. But I knew it would be because I know the 3s teacher and really, really like her. Miss Michelle is all the things you want a pre-school teacher to be -- and as a bonus, she is a real fixture in our neighborhood, so we see her at the Red Canoe and at community clean-ups etc.  It makes me trust her investment in this community and the kids who live in it. So I think this will be a great year for Cary and Dean!

Dean squeezes his friend Marcus.

I love the green in the boys' new school sneakers. I don't love the green it cost to buy them.

Also, lots of their friends (including Marcus) from last year came back, and -- even better -- our friends Maya and Abby will be in their class this year! Yay!

Earlier in the summer, we all got together at Koco's for dinner. The kids played and had Popsicles. Yum!

 One of the things that Miss Michelle says she will be working on with the 3-year-olds this year is "responsibility." Everyone will have rotating "jobs" in the class. That makes my heart sing, because my boys need responsibility. One REALLY needs it.

Take a look at the difference in how the boys handle their clothes when they take them off at night to get into their pajamas.

This is what Dean does when he takes off his clothes.

This is what SOMEONE ELSE does when he takes off his clothes (after being badgered to stop reading and put.on.your. pajamas. right. NOW!) Note: I'm not saying his name so as not to embarrass him in the future. See what a good Mom I am?

In other fun bits, the boys continue to crack me up with the things they say and think.

Here are a few examples:

Cary (out-of-nowhere): Mommy, if Dean was in your tummy, how could you eat?!
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Dean: Mommy, is your boss Tom?
Me: Yes.
Dean: Is he a train? Or a man?
Me: He's a man.
Dean: (looks disappointed; walks away)
{My poor son thought I got to work with Thomas the Train everyday.}
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Boys, spying Brownie Bites on the kitchen counter (leftover from a board meeting):
Dean: Mommy, can we have brownies with breakfast?!
Me: Nooooo. No brownies with breakfast.
Dean: Can we have brownies after breakfast?
Me: Noooo. No brownies after breakfast either.
Dean: Pleeeease.
Me: Nooooooo.
Cary: Pleeeeease.
Me: Noooooo.
Dean: Hey! What if I give you five bucks?!
Cary: My cousin Herb drives a brownie!!
{I cracked up at my boys "quoting" Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. They were so cute, even using the "pigeon voice" we use when we read he book, I almost gave them a brownie. Almost.}
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Overheard from their bedroom:
Cary: Nooo, Big Bad Wolf! Why are you not being nice, Big Bad Wolf?
Dean: Ummm, because I want to come in!
Cary: OK. You can come in!
Dean: OK. Thank you!
{I love that my boys reimagined a peaceful ending to the Three Little Pigs!}
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This weekend, we're going to Dylan's 3rd birthday party (Happy birthday, Dylan!), and we'll meet our new soccer friends at a kick-off-the-season Pancake Breakfast at the school. In fact, I have to go this weekend to buy shin guards for them. Shin guards!

Get prepared for lots of soccer photos to come!