Back to School This Week

Well, I can finally breath a sigh of relief. After a whirlwind week, I have eased the boys back into the school schedule. It was eventful as usual and very entertaining.

This year Gavin started 2ND grade. We missed the open house because we had basketball games so I was super nervous bringing him on his first day. We were quite a scene. Gavin isn't old enough to be embarrassed by us, but it's coming. We randomly checked 2ND grade classrooms until we found his. He has a great teacher. Gavin hid behind my leg as we walked in. Tommy was pushing Finn in the stroller. Scott had been at the beach with the boys recently, so the stroller left a trail of sand everywhere we went. As I held the door for Tommy he shoved the stroller as hard as he could and let go of the handle zooming Finn up to the front of the class. Finn cruised up to the front of the classroom and quickly exited the stroller. In hindsight, I probably should have put the seat belt on. Anyway, I was struggling to help Gavin with his backpack, introduce myself to the teacher and feed Petey who was starting to fuss in the sling. When I looked up, Finn was cruising around the classroom. He was doing laps as fast as he could and squealing as all the students pointed and giggled. Tommy was yelling over the squeals trying to introduce himself and Finn to each and every student. After getting Gavin settled in, I bent over and gave him a kiss like I always do. I was mid kiss when I realized all the other kids where watching and maybe I was embarrassing him. Too late. Poor Gavin. To my relief, he wasn't embarrassed and just yelled, "Bye Mom." I got the little boys wrangled up and we exited. As we were walking down the hall I realized Tommy was pushing an empty stroller. No Finn. I quickly opened the classroom door and found him doing more laps. Once again to my relief, Gavin wasn't embarrassed, he was laughing and pointing right along with the other kids. I apologized to Ms Blust and shooed him out the door. Great first impression. On the positive side, I we ever forget to do a piece of homework or lose the student planner maybe she will have pity on Gavin for having to live in such a crazy house with such a crazy mother. That was day one, after that, things went smoother for Gavin. Again this year we have mastered the parent drop off line. Gavin was a little embarrassed one day this week when the teacher opened the van door and a box of wipes and a sippy cup flew out onto the pavement. The teacher had to crawl half way under the van to pick them up. Now he clears a path before we get up to the parent drop off area. He is doing well adjusting to his glasses. I was pleased to find out that he has even started a club for the other kids with glasses. He's named the club, "The Glass Buddies", he tells me he's the leader. I really feel like this is going to be a great year for Gavin and am excited that we have made it through the first week without any major problems.

Tommy on the other hand is a different story. He started Pre K this year at a local preschool. He came home the first day and told me he got to pick out of the treasure box. How exciting, I thought until two days later he admitted that he really took the little Lego man from the classroom Lego box not the treasure box. Gavin explained to Tommy that "no stealing" was one of the ten commandments. I was proud of Gavin for knowing the ten commandments until he mentioned the next commandment. "Though shall not make sex." What? Where did that come from. I was speechless. Now that I'm replaying it, I realize that I never corrected or questioned him. I'll need to do that before religion starts next week. Don't really want that to come up. Anyway, back to Tommy. I have his backpack all packed for Monday complete with the illegally obtained Lego man. On Monday I have to bring my little criminal in and we have to come clean to Miss Zani. We also have little wardrobe debates everyday. I got smarter by the end of the week. I let him pick out whatever underwear and whatever t shirt he wants. Then I pick out the polo shirt and shorts to cover up his selections. He has not done as well with his glasses. The first day, he told me he loves his new glasses and so do his friends. He explained how he let one of his friends wear his glasses at recess. "Aren't I a good sharer Mom?" I also was under the impression that the school was serving lunch everyday. After two days of him coming home starving and begging for an early dinner, I found out his school doesn't feed him lunch. Whoops. Now I pack him a lunch to eat in the car every day. He tells me he loves holding the classroom turtle and is also excited that he gets to try on high heels in the dress up area. He has been much easier at home because he has been so worn out and tired. Not tired enough to stay out of trouble though, he has just announced to me that he swallowed a button. I gave him a quick lesson on the GI tract and he is now in the bathroom trying to "poop it out."

Finn and Petey are happy to see the boys off to school everyday. Timing is bad for picking up Tommy though. I usually have to walk into his daycare with Petey in his car seat in my right hand and Finn on my left arm fast asleep. Pick up time happens to fall directly in the middle of nap time. So each day, I have to strategize and time things just right so that I arrive at the front door as another parent in hopes that they will have pity on me and hold the door. Luckily there seems to be an abundance of stay home dads that pick up at the same time.

I am not adjusting as well as the boys are. Drop off at 8:00, drop off at 9:00, pick up at 12:00, pick up at 2:30. I long for my summer naps and sleeping in each morning and eating lunch together at the table and watching movies and working in the garden with the boys and spraying them with the hose, going on spur of the moment craigslist pick ups and living for the moment. Now we are back to schedules, deadlines, homework and constant commuting. I am making sure all of our time in the van is productive though. Every morning we have a family meeting and a morning brainstorm. Yesterday morning our topic was how to keep our glasses safe. I let Gavin hold the clipboard and write down all of the ideas. Even the really unreasonable ones like their idea to hire a "glass master" to come to the house every night to clean, inventory and make sure the glasses are ready to go for the next day. After morning brainstorm, we go over the daily itinerary. I have also recently added flossing at stoplights. Tommy did almost lose a finger on Thursday when he wrapped the floss super tight around his pinky. It's the weekend now and I am back to work. We will start over next week with the weekday routine. So my leisurely summer lifestyle is gone and dearly missed but we can't live in a constant state of July now can we?