School report

Well we finished our first full week of Kindergarten. Here are a few of my thoughts.
Both the boys seem to be doing well. James still doesn't talk much about his day at Kindergarten, but I think he's adjusting. It is hard for me to say goodbye in the morning. I just want to smother them and give them one more kiss. I watch them until they go into the school. Then I don't see them for for six and a half hours! I love picking them up after school and seeing their faces when they first spot me. By the way their eyes light up I can tell I'm still the center of their universe for now.

Both their teachers seem really great.

I am okay with the idea of the boys being at full day Kindergarten, but I wish they had more play time and it was less rigorous. I'm a big believer in letting kids play and be kids (or maybe I'm just lazy). If my boys were home for half the day, I know they would be wanting to watch movies or be fighting, so I'm okay with them being in a more structured environment. But I wish they had some more down time. Right now they have three 15 minute recesses, and that will go down to two. They only have 20 minutes to eat lunch, which is not enough. Even their teacher said that's one thing that she's always trying to get changed because Kindergartners just cannot eat that fast.

When we've checked out books about Kindergarten they always talk about the block table or the painting station, but it's not that way these days. I think it is still really fun for the kids, but it is a lot more academic and less play. They are already learning to write letters and the goal is for them to read and write this year. When I was a kid that was first grade work I believe.

One cool thing is that they have Smart boards in each classroom. It's like a big touch screen digital white board. Very cool! They also have computer time twice a week, and it's an all- laptop lab. Jason and I went to Curriculum night last night and it got us excited to have our boys in the school years. Sometimes it's a bit sad to see them growing up so fast, and I do wish they had more time for lunch and recess, but overall we're very pleased with Kindergarten. We're happy to have such great schools here.

I am very much enjoying my days with Audrey. It's very nice to just spend some quiet time with her. I think she enjoys it too. I've had a busy week though. I was at an all night birth on Monday night, so that's thrown my week off a bit. Luckily, Audrey is the best napper. I put her down for a nap at 9:30 and crashed the morning after my all nighter, not waking up until 1 pm! Audrey was hanging out in her crib, happy as could be. She had taken off her diaper and thrown her blankets out; I guess that's what happens when she wakes up and I don't get her right away.

Leon (our cat) followed us a block or two when we walked to school this morning. It was so cute! He got nervous though because I think he ventured farther than his usual territory, so he hid in a bush. I called for him on the way back and he followed me home. The boys got a kick out of that.

I'm having fun making lunches and snacks for the boys. I signed up to volunteer in the classroom. I joined the PTA. The boys have come home with fundraisers. We've really started the school years, hard to believe.

All in all, I'm having fun being a school mom.

James and Nathan start Kindergarten

I can't believe it! My baby boys are in Kindergarten! They had their first full day yesterday. We walked to school at 8:30 and I didn't pick them up until 3:30!
I didn't cry or even feel sad. I was very excited and happy for them that they are starting the school years. It's a little weird to drop them off and not know what they do all day. When I picked James up he was very quiet and wouldn't talk about his day. I think it's pretty overwhelming. The boys are in different classes and they both seem to have really great teachers.



Nathan lining up with his class his first full day. He looks a little nervous.
James heading off with his class.
He looks nervous too!


Thursday they went to school to meet their teachers, but didn't stay for a full day.

Day in Chicago, T-ball, losing teeth, and random summer pictures

Here's a recap of summer

Swinging

Eating icecream

Playing in the yard

Jason's birthday

29 candles

Losing teeth!

James lost his other front tooth but I don't have a picture of it right now. He's lost 5 teeth so far!

Nathan lost his two bottom teeth. His other teeth were already growing in so I made him wiggle his teeth a lot, finally they fell out.

T-Ball!!

James

Happy with the end of year prizes!
Nathan

Chicago

Jason took a day off work and we spent the day in the city last week.

Riding on the Metra
At the Field Museum
Millenium Park
Audrey had so much fun at the splash park


The "bean"

Why I'm still nursing Audrey

Audrey's now 13 months and nurses once or twice a day. She can go without it if I'm not around, and I could easily wean her, but I don't really want to right now. It's a nice time for us to cuddle and bond. But here's the real reason:

Audrey usually nurses when she first wakes up. I'm often still sleeping so I bring her to bed with me to get a few more minutes of sleep. The other morning she woke up early (5:30) and I brought her to my bed to nurse her. She fell back asleep but was really latched on. I couldn't sleep like that so I unlatched her. She immediately woke up, did the baby sign language for "more" while saying "Mama! Mama!" How can I resist that?

Some people think once a baby can ask for it, by signing or talking, then it's time to stop. Why? They can finally communicate what they want. I think it is adorable and it just melts my heart.

James' sayings

Tonight James said "I think we need to get a cat carrier for Leon and Eva, like the kind we saw at Pets Are Smart" (Petsmart)