Last night, we went to Ellie's preschool Open House to meet her new teacher. Of course, when we returned, both kids were ravenous. Surprise, surprise. Anything to put off going to bed, right? :-) So I sat with them at the kitchen table while they ate apples. I used the time to get started on filling out Ellie's paperwork. Then it sort of turned into a game. I would ask her the questions, and she was greatly enjoying telling me the answers.
"Ellie, what's your full name?" "What's your address?" "When's your birthday?"
Then we got to, "Does your child have any speech problems?" Now this is laughable, because Ellie started talking in complete sentences at about 10 months and hasn't shut up since! So I asked, just to see what her response would be, "Do you have any speech problems?" As I'm writing "no," Ellie launches into a dissertation about how she fell off her boogie board two times at the beach.
Mommy Brain automatically switches into overdrive...processing....processing...Ah ha!
"No Ellie. Not beach problems. Speech problems, you know problems talking??"
This tale is only rivaled by her 3 year check-up at the doctor's last winter. The doctor asked me if there were any stresses at home. Ellie interrupted, "Oh yes! We have lots. A pink one, a Cinderella one..."
"No Ellie, not dresses. Stresses...things that make you unhappy or upset. Please tell the nice doctor that we don't have any of those..."
As I always say, never a dull moment with this one!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Dutch Wonderland!
Somehow with all the down time the week right after the beach (and flood), we managed to fit in a trip to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA. :-) Nana and Pop-Pop had wanted to take the kids, and who are we to decline a day at an amusement park?!? I'm not sure how these pictures have remained un-posted for so long, but better late than never...right?
The kids were so psyched for the trip! Heck, the very thought of being able to get on rides all day long without Mommy and Daddy saying, "This is the last one," is enough to thrill even the most subdued child! We left early enough to arrive right as the castle "doors" opened, right at 10:00. After being thoroughly searched and scrutinized by the "security knights, " we made a bee-line for Ben's first request - the antique cars. I absolutely love this "Driving Miss Daisy" shot! :-)
Especially this one...
Ben immediately wanted to drive again. While he did so, Ellie and Nana "watered a cow." Can you read the sign? It reads: "Bossie says, 'Please Squeeze.' Don't Pull." Uh huh... Yeah...
And see, the humor in the whole thing is that I can't even come up with anything sarcastic to say about it! It just speaks for itself, doesn't it?!?
This is one of my favorites from the day! The kids were waiting in line to get on a ride together, and Ben felt the need to keep Ellie in tow, I suppose. Too precious!
This shot is thanks to Pop-Pop. He and Nana stood right below the opening to the sky ride to capture the initial take-off. Can you see Ellie (below Jim) waiting in her princess pose? Oh my...
See what I mean? Such love. :-)
When we passed the big pretzel in the morning on the way to the antique cars, the kids were too excited to stop and everyone else made me wait as if I were inflicting cruel and unusual punishment upon them! When we finally got around to stopping later in the afternoon, I got this peppy pose. Uh huh. And this is why I wanted to do it in the morning! Talk about cruel and unusual punishment! Doesn't it look like someone has just forced them to march 100 miles carrying the giant pretzel ?!? So much for my "cute" shot. :-)
When Ben went back for this third go-round on the antique cars, Ellie chose to have some rainbow-flavored soft ice cream, instead. She's no dummy! I love putting white shirts on her in potentially messy situations. They're actually much easier to get clean than colored clothes. Bleach is a mommy's best friend! :-)
Ben and Ellie both unleashed their loves of roller coasters on this trip. I had NO idea that my children had this in them, especially Ellie!!!! This coaster was the largest one that Ellie could get on because of her height, or lack thereof. Heh. There's something I never thought I'd say about my daughter! :-) She got on this one with each and every family member at least once. I believe she rode it 5 times, total. Maybe more... Even though this shot is blurry, I just had to share the sheer joy on their faces.
Ellie continued to ride this coaster while Benjamin scared me to death by riding the King Coaster, the largest coaster in the park, over and over. This one was easily comparable to The Comet at Hersheypark. It just didn't have quite as large of a beginning hill. I'm not exaggerating. This was a REAL roller coaster. No pics of this one, since there were no good angles to be had. :-(
Time out to take in a show. Ellie, of course, sat herself (and the rest of us) in the front for her viewing pleasure. This shot cracks me up. It looks as if she is the only one in attendance! She (and all the other kids) absolutely loved the snow machine! What a fun surprise! We got a good laugh at all the fake snow bubbly stuff that was stuck in her hair after the "storm."
By mid-afternoon, Ben was somehow still going strong! He even voluntarily pushed Her Highness as she sipped her lemonade. :-) This shot was taken on our way to the river boat ride. I think it was the long, slow ride and all that sitting that made everyone realize just how tired we were!
Two very tired kiddos. Ben and Ellie were tired too. :-) Soon after this picture was taken, we began the trek back to the van.
We stopped for a quick dinner on the way home, and the kids promptly fell asleep with full tummies. Jim and I braced for what we knew was going to be an ugly few minutes, getting the kids stripped, showered, into pajamas and to bed. And it was ugly. ...but WELL worth it!
We would definitely recommend Dutch Wonderland to everyone with young children. There are LOTS of different rides for each age and comfort level. The facilities were clean, kid-friendly, and uncrowded. There are many appealing shows at staggered times to provide a reprieve from the sun. There is even a large water park within the amusement park that we didn't get to touch! I'm thinking we'd need more stamina to do that, too! Maybe next time...
Thanks, Nana and Pop-Pop, for an awesome day!
The kids were so psyched for the trip! Heck, the very thought of being able to get on rides all day long without Mommy and Daddy saying, "This is the last one," is enough to thrill even the most subdued child! We left early enough to arrive right as the castle "doors" opened, right at 10:00. After being thoroughly searched and scrutinized by the "security knights, " we made a bee-line for Ben's first request - the antique cars. I absolutely love this "Driving Miss Daisy" shot! :-)
Especially this one...
Ben immediately wanted to drive again. While he did so, Ellie and Nana "watered a cow." Can you read the sign? It reads: "Bossie says, 'Please Squeeze.' Don't Pull." Uh huh... Yeah...
And see, the humor in the whole thing is that I can't even come up with anything sarcastic to say about it! It just speaks for itself, doesn't it?!?
This is one of my favorites from the day! The kids were waiting in line to get on a ride together, and Ben felt the need to keep Ellie in tow, I suppose. Too precious!
This shot is thanks to Pop-Pop. He and Nana stood right below the opening to the sky ride to capture the initial take-off. Can you see Ellie (below Jim) waiting in her princess pose? Oh my...
See what I mean? Such love. :-)
When we passed the big pretzel in the morning on the way to the antique cars, the kids were too excited to stop and everyone else made me wait as if I were inflicting cruel and unusual punishment upon them! When we finally got around to stopping later in the afternoon, I got this peppy pose. Uh huh. And this is why I wanted to do it in the morning! Talk about cruel and unusual punishment! Doesn't it look like someone has just forced them to march 100 miles carrying the giant pretzel ?!? So much for my "cute" shot. :-)
When Ben went back for this third go-round on the antique cars, Ellie chose to have some rainbow-flavored soft ice cream, instead. She's no dummy! I love putting white shirts on her in potentially messy situations. They're actually much easier to get clean than colored clothes. Bleach is a mommy's best friend! :-)
Ben and Ellie both unleashed their loves of roller coasters on this trip. I had NO idea that my children had this in them, especially Ellie!!!! This coaster was the largest one that Ellie could get on because of her height, or lack thereof. Heh. There's something I never thought I'd say about my daughter! :-) She got on this one with each and every family member at least once. I believe she rode it 5 times, total. Maybe more... Even though this shot is blurry, I just had to share the sheer joy on their faces.
Ellie continued to ride this coaster while Benjamin scared me to death by riding the King Coaster, the largest coaster in the park, over and over. This one was easily comparable to The Comet at Hersheypark. It just didn't have quite as large of a beginning hill. I'm not exaggerating. This was a REAL roller coaster. No pics of this one, since there were no good angles to be had. :-(
Time out to take in a show. Ellie, of course, sat herself (and the rest of us) in the front for her viewing pleasure. This shot cracks me up. It looks as if she is the only one in attendance! She (and all the other kids) absolutely loved the snow machine! What a fun surprise! We got a good laugh at all the fake snow bubbly stuff that was stuck in her hair after the "storm."
By mid-afternoon, Ben was somehow still going strong! He even voluntarily pushed Her Highness as she sipped her lemonade. :-) This shot was taken on our way to the river boat ride. I think it was the long, slow ride and all that sitting that made everyone realize just how tired we were!
Two very tired kiddos. Ben and Ellie were tired too. :-) Soon after this picture was taken, we began the trek back to the van.
We stopped for a quick dinner on the way home, and the kids promptly fell asleep with full tummies. Jim and I braced for what we knew was going to be an ugly few minutes, getting the kids stripped, showered, into pajamas and to bed. And it was ugly. ...but WELL worth it!
We would definitely recommend Dutch Wonderland to everyone with young children. There are LOTS of different rides for each age and comfort level. The facilities were clean, kid-friendly, and uncrowded. There are many appealing shows at staggered times to provide a reprieve from the sun. There is even a large water park within the amusement park that we didn't get to touch! I'm thinking we'd need more stamina to do that, too! Maybe next time...
Thanks, Nana and Pop-Pop, for an awesome day!
Monday, September 7, 2009
A Basement Update:
I need to post an update of our basement "saga!" I apologize for not doing this sooner. It's so like me to share all of the drama and none of the resolution. So here goes...I'll attempt to give an abbreviated update. Yeah, right! (For those who are just catching up, the saga started with this post - Home Early! Friday, July 24. You can access it through the archives on the right.)
After a few days of trying to dry things out ourselves, we realized that our home was being overcome by that terrible musty, dank smell that wet basements tend to give off. We finally called a restoration company...actually we had to call a few until we could find one that wasn't booked. They sent someone out to give us an estimate and talk through a "plan of attack." They set up a HUGE dehumidifier and two HUMUNGO fans which were strategically positioned to dry out the walls and floor boards. Our carpet was salvageable but not the padding. So they suggested that Jim and I pull up the carpet to cut out the sopping wet DISGUSTING padding. Once this was done, the entire drying process only took a few days! They returned to collect their equipment and spray the carpets with deodorizer, and the rest was in our hands. ($465.)
Ben and I went shopping for the best deal we could get on carpet padding ,which of course has to match the padding that was left in the rooms. ($120.) And I am darn proud of that price! If anyone needs good carpet padding price-haggling tips, just let me know! :-) Jim and I installed it a few days later. Of course it goes without saying that an unplanned run to the hardware store interrupted the project, since one needs copious amounts of duct tape, right?!? Once the padding and carpet were back in place, we had to hire someone to restretch and retuck the carpeting. ($140.) Finally, we had our super awesome carpet cleaner come for the finishing touch. ($42.) This was the true bargain of the whole thing, don't you think?!?
Then, the putting away could begin. We had to throw some things away, but all in all we were very lucky. I actually got to the point that I was relieved when I found things that I could just throw away instead of having to wipe them down and try to remember where to put them! We decided to move all of our files and records out of the built-in vertical file drawers directly under the window well. Brilliant, eh? The only problem is that they are now housed in the vertical files that used to be full of music. So we're now in the market for some sort of shelving to file piles of music... ($??.)
Of course while all of this clean-up was going on, there were numerous calls to and from the insurance company. We discovered what everyone sort of already knows in the back of their minds, that practically nothing in a basement is covered! This storm damage would be categorized as "surface water," which is not covered. :-) We have since looked into flood insurance and concluded after more phone calls that this would be rather pricey and would still come with way too many limitations. We've decided that our money would be best spent just "cleaning up" after the next time, God forbid!
We also discovered that our professional instruments, which reside in the basement office/music room were insufficiently covered! They were not is any danger this time, but it was a good wake-up call. So, of course, we will now be paying to have their coverage increased. ($??.)
Once we decided that we definitely weren't getting flood coverage, I set about brainstorming ways of handling such a flood should it happen again. I finally settled on purchasing a pool cover pump that we could lower into our window wells to pump them out like our neighbors did. ($29.) Yet another steal...hope it works... We'll have to work on our entire plan of attack, but I think I've got a good start. Perhaps I'll write it up and color code it just like the federal govt and public schools have tried. :-) Then, of course, we'll need to have some in-service on how to properly put the plan into effect...
Oh, and I almost forgot that we had an insurance adjuster and contractor come out to examine the stains in our kitchen ceiling. They appeared during the storm as well, and after long contemplation were deemed to have come from the pipe vents on the roof! Apparently that much water in that short of time forced its way through the elbow joints at floor/ceiling level that must not have been glued properly when the house was built. Go figure. Vent caps will prevent that the next time. ($10.) Of course, we don't own a tall enough ladder to install them... :-)
So that brings us to Now. We got a check from the insurance company to cover having the ceiling patched and repainted, and we're still waiting to hear back from the "paint people" with a definite date.
What's crazy is that, like I said before, this was certainly no Katrina! And yet it has still taken all this time, effort, stress, etc. to get this far. I can't even begin to imagine what a "real" disaster is like! I mentioned this to the "Head Water Mitigator" from the restoration company. (Don't you just LOVE that title?!? I guess it's better than "Water Soaker-Upper"...) Anyway, I said something like, "I can't even imagine where we'd start if this was a real disaster!" He replied, "I tell you what you'd do. Three things: a buncha' guys, a dumpster, and a Pod."
That's sobering.
So, for now all's back to "normal" is the Weaver basement. Thanks for all of the well-wishes along the way!
After a few days of trying to dry things out ourselves, we realized that our home was being overcome by that terrible musty, dank smell that wet basements tend to give off. We finally called a restoration company...actually we had to call a few until we could find one that wasn't booked. They sent someone out to give us an estimate and talk through a "plan of attack." They set up a HUGE dehumidifier and two HUMUNGO fans which were strategically positioned to dry out the walls and floor boards. Our carpet was salvageable but not the padding. So they suggested that Jim and I pull up the carpet to cut out the sopping wet DISGUSTING padding. Once this was done, the entire drying process only took a few days! They returned to collect their equipment and spray the carpets with deodorizer, and the rest was in our hands. ($465.)
Ben and I went shopping for the best deal we could get on carpet padding ,which of course has to match the padding that was left in the rooms. ($120.) And I am darn proud of that price! If anyone needs good carpet padding price-haggling tips, just let me know! :-) Jim and I installed it a few days later. Of course it goes without saying that an unplanned run to the hardware store interrupted the project, since one needs copious amounts of duct tape, right?!? Once the padding and carpet were back in place, we had to hire someone to restretch and retuck the carpeting. ($140.) Finally, we had our super awesome carpet cleaner come for the finishing touch. ($42.) This was the true bargain of the whole thing, don't you think?!?
Then, the putting away could begin. We had to throw some things away, but all in all we were very lucky. I actually got to the point that I was relieved when I found things that I could just throw away instead of having to wipe them down and try to remember where to put them! We decided to move all of our files and records out of the built-in vertical file drawers directly under the window well. Brilliant, eh? The only problem is that they are now housed in the vertical files that used to be full of music. So we're now in the market for some sort of shelving to file piles of music... ($??.)
Of course while all of this clean-up was going on, there were numerous calls to and from the insurance company. We discovered what everyone sort of already knows in the back of their minds, that practically nothing in a basement is covered! This storm damage would be categorized as "surface water," which is not covered. :-) We have since looked into flood insurance and concluded after more phone calls that this would be rather pricey and would still come with way too many limitations. We've decided that our money would be best spent just "cleaning up" after the next time, God forbid!
We also discovered that our professional instruments, which reside in the basement office/music room were insufficiently covered! They were not is any danger this time, but it was a good wake-up call. So, of course, we will now be paying to have their coverage increased. ($??.)
Once we decided that we definitely weren't getting flood coverage, I set about brainstorming ways of handling such a flood should it happen again. I finally settled on purchasing a pool cover pump that we could lower into our window wells to pump them out like our neighbors did. ($29.) Yet another steal...hope it works... We'll have to work on our entire plan of attack, but I think I've got a good start. Perhaps I'll write it up and color code it just like the federal govt and public schools have tried. :-) Then, of course, we'll need to have some in-service on how to properly put the plan into effect...
Oh, and I almost forgot that we had an insurance adjuster and contractor come out to examine the stains in our kitchen ceiling. They appeared during the storm as well, and after long contemplation were deemed to have come from the pipe vents on the roof! Apparently that much water in that short of time forced its way through the elbow joints at floor/ceiling level that must not have been glued properly when the house was built. Go figure. Vent caps will prevent that the next time. ($10.) Of course, we don't own a tall enough ladder to install them... :-)
So that brings us to Now. We got a check from the insurance company to cover having the ceiling patched and repainted, and we're still waiting to hear back from the "paint people" with a definite date.
What's crazy is that, like I said before, this was certainly no Katrina! And yet it has still taken all this time, effort, stress, etc. to get this far. I can't even begin to imagine what a "real" disaster is like! I mentioned this to the "Head Water Mitigator" from the restoration company. (Don't you just LOVE that title?!? I guess it's better than "Water Soaker-Upper"...) Anyway, I said something like, "I can't even imagine where we'd start if this was a real disaster!" He replied, "I tell you what you'd do. Three things: a buncha' guys, a dumpster, and a Pod."
That's sobering.
So, for now all's back to "normal" is the Weaver basement. Thanks for all of the well-wishes along the way!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
BIG News!
So what do you think every time a 30-something mother tells you she has "big news?" Yep, of course. She must be having another baby...perhaps, even one that was not planned! What could add more drama and upheaval to a household finally starting to step out of babyhood than another teeny, tiny helpless being? Well, guess wha-at??? I'm not pregnant! :-)
I am, however, VERY excited to announce that in just a few weeks, I will be starting a new blog on pennlive.com! Pennlive is the website for Harrisburg's newspaper, The Patriot News!
Since starting this blog six months ago, everyone has been pouring on the compliments and suggestions of finding a larger "stage." Well, I finally took the advice to heart and began submitting samples of my work to various magazines and websites. I got a "yes!" back from pennlive within 24 hours of having contacted them!
The best part is that they want me to continue writing and posting as I have been doing, sharing the crazy stories from my crazy life! How much better can it get?!? Who knows where this will lead in the future, but for now I'm flattered by the endorsement and excited about this next step. Of course the more hits I get, the better! So please help me out by passing along my link to anyone and everyone you think might enjoy reading my zany tales and ramblings.
When my new blog is up and running, I will be sure to post a link to it here. For now, I plan to keep this (my personal) blog going, too. I figure that most of the time, I'll simply post a link to my pennlive blog. In the event that I have extra pictures and/or stories that I deem "not worthy to share with the entire world," I'll share them here. We'll see how it all works out...
Now, I have a favor to ask. I need to come up with a title for my new pennlive blog. (I guess "Becky's Blog" isn't "sparkly" enough. :-) So start brainstorming and let me know what you come up with! I need help!!!! No idea is too cute or silly or dumb. At this point, I got nothin'! Seriously. I'm begging. Send me your ideas a.s.a.p.! If you come up with a winner, I'll split my signing bonus with you! For that matter, we can easily split "nothing" a bunch of ways, so everyone who offers a suggestion, can have a piece!
I'll be waiting... :-)
I am, however, VERY excited to announce that in just a few weeks, I will be starting a new blog on pennlive.com! Pennlive is the website for Harrisburg's newspaper, The Patriot News!
Since starting this blog six months ago, everyone has been pouring on the compliments and suggestions of finding a larger "stage." Well, I finally took the advice to heart and began submitting samples of my work to various magazines and websites. I got a "yes!" back from pennlive within 24 hours of having contacted them!
The best part is that they want me to continue writing and posting as I have been doing, sharing the crazy stories from my crazy life! How much better can it get?!? Who knows where this will lead in the future, but for now I'm flattered by the endorsement and excited about this next step. Of course the more hits I get, the better! So please help me out by passing along my link to anyone and everyone you think might enjoy reading my zany tales and ramblings.
When my new blog is up and running, I will be sure to post a link to it here. For now, I plan to keep this (my personal) blog going, too. I figure that most of the time, I'll simply post a link to my pennlive blog. In the event that I have extra pictures and/or stories that I deem "not worthy to share with the entire world," I'll share them here. We'll see how it all works out...
Now, I have a favor to ask. I need to come up with a title for my new pennlive blog. (I guess "Becky's Blog" isn't "sparkly" enough. :-) So start brainstorming and let me know what you come up with! I need help!!!! No idea is too cute or silly or dumb. At this point, I got nothin'! Seriously. I'm begging. Send me your ideas a.s.a.p.! If you come up with a winner, I'll split my signing bonus with you! For that matter, we can easily split "nothing" a bunch of ways, so everyone who offers a suggestion, can have a piece!
I'll be waiting... :-)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Unwinding...
Day #2 done! Here's a picture of what I found while making dinner. Apparently, singing incognito is the best way to unwind after a long day of Kindergarten... No music in his blood! :-)
My favorite tidbit of the day was this conversation that we had while swinging at the neighborhood park this afternoon.
"The bus stops at a place for just one person. It's a boy with pokey hair."
"A what?"
"A boy with pokey hair. You know, like a dinosaur head?"
The irony here is that Benjamin has the perfect hair for a little gel and "pokey-ness." But he absolutely cannot handle it! The one or two times that I've gotten him to let me try, he gets all worked up and demands that it be brushed flat again. :-) In a few years, I'll probably wish for this "problem" back...
My favorite tidbit of the day was this conversation that we had while swinging at the neighborhood park this afternoon.
"The bus stops at a place for just one person. It's a boy with pokey hair."
"A what?"
"A boy with pokey hair. You know, like a dinosaur head?"
The irony here is that Benjamin has the perfect hair for a little gel and "pokey-ness." But he absolutely cannot handle it! The one or two times that I've gotten him to let me try, he gets all worked up and demands that it be brushed flat again. :-) In a few years, I'll probably wish for this "problem" back...
Monday, August 31, 2009
The First Day!
Would you believe that MY son, who is always awake at 5:45 a.m. slept until I woke him at 6:20 this morning?!?!? Go figure.
Our preparations went smoothly; then we all trekked to the bus stop. This is the expression I captured when I asked Ben to stand still for just a minute. "But Mommyyyyyyy! We can't sto-op! We'll miss the bu-uuuuuus!"
LOVE this shot. What a big boy!
He gave me a pleasant smile once we were there - standing and waiting. Take note of The Tag. He is expected to wear this for the first three weeks! Each of the twelve (yep, 12!) kindergarten teachers has a different shaped tag. The string is color-coded to tell people "in the know" something important. His bus number and name are displayed prominently. And the smiley face sticker's color also means something to those with "top secret clearance."
And off he goes! Remember how he is assigned to Bus 10? Yeah....well, apparently it's Bus 53 masquerading as Bus 10. That teeny tiny white number painted on the window above the 53 is a 10. This should help greatly.
Three little boys in one bus seat. Cozy. Can you see his little bespectacled silhouette?
And this is the "other woman" in Ben's life these days - Miss Shufelt. I took this picture last Friday at our open house. I was inspired by my friend, Rob's, picture of his son last year on the first day of school with his teacher. Since we don't get to drop our kids off, I figured the open house was the next-best thing.
And look who returned in one piece!!!!! Miss Karen, the bus driver, drives Jim's percussion kids to almost all of their competitions. She was thrilled (as were we) when she found out that Mr. Weaver's son would be on her route! :-)
We're still piecing together tidbits from the big day. So far, we know that they sung (and Ben very much liked) the "Goin' on a Bear Hunt" song. We also know that he couldn't find Henry, his good buddy in a different class, on the play ground. And he also brought home a picture that he drew titled "What I did on my first day of Kindergarten:" He drew a picture of himself buying lunch. He explained it to me, "I know I didn't really buy lunch. I was just pretending."
Tomorrow he's going to buy lunch. :-)
One down. 179 to go...
Our preparations went smoothly; then we all trekked to the bus stop. This is the expression I captured when I asked Ben to stand still for just a minute. "But Mommyyyyyyy! We can't sto-op! We'll miss the bu-uuuuuus!"
LOVE this shot. What a big boy!
He gave me a pleasant smile once we were there - standing and waiting. Take note of The Tag. He is expected to wear this for the first three weeks! Each of the twelve (yep, 12!) kindergarten teachers has a different shaped tag. The string is color-coded to tell people "in the know" something important. His bus number and name are displayed prominently. And the smiley face sticker's color also means something to those with "top secret clearance."
And off he goes! Remember how he is assigned to Bus 10? Yeah....well, apparently it's Bus 53 masquerading as Bus 10. That teeny tiny white number painted on the window above the 53 is a 10. This should help greatly.
Three little boys in one bus seat. Cozy. Can you see his little bespectacled silhouette?
And this is the "other woman" in Ben's life these days - Miss Shufelt. I took this picture last Friday at our open house. I was inspired by my friend, Rob's, picture of his son last year on the first day of school with his teacher. Since we don't get to drop our kids off, I figured the open house was the next-best thing.
And look who returned in one piece!!!!! Miss Karen, the bus driver, drives Jim's percussion kids to almost all of their competitions. She was thrilled (as were we) when she found out that Mr. Weaver's son would be on her route! :-)
We're still piecing together tidbits from the big day. So far, we know that they sung (and Ben very much liked) the "Goin' on a Bear Hunt" song. We also know that he couldn't find Henry, his good buddy in a different class, on the play ground. And he also brought home a picture that he drew titled "What I did on my first day of Kindergarten:" He drew a picture of himself buying lunch. He explained it to me, "I know I didn't really buy lunch. I was just pretending."
Tomorrow he's going to buy lunch. :-)
One down. 179 to go...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The Night Before Kindergarten
'Tis the night before Kindergarten
and all through the house,
Not a creature is stirring,
not even my spouse.
Then why is it
that I am still awake at this hour?
It's the thought that in the morning,
soon after my shower...
My son will be leaving
for his very first day,
of Kindergarten fun
- learn, lunch, and play.
I've been "fine" up 'til now,
not bothered by the thought.
I'm excited for him,
for the new things he'll be taught.
But as I tucked him into bed
just a few hours ago,
I was surprised by my own emotions,
suddenly aflow.
I wanted just to kneel there
next to my boy,
as he snuggled with "Cooper,"
his stuffed animal toy.
I wanted to hug him
so tight and so long,
and give him kisses
for any and all future wrongs.
It's not that I fear for him
tomorrow or the next,
But it's the speed with which 5 1/2 years have flown
that has me perplexed!
Wasn't it yesterday
that he was a babe in my arms?
That I was following a toddler,
keeping him away from harms?
Wasn't it yesterday
that I was coaxing him to speak?
That he was learning new words,
a handful each week?
How then is it possible
that Tomorrow is so near?
How can it be that to our corner,
the bus will steer?
Everyone always says
that Time really flies,
So I best compose myself
...and dry my eyes.
I wouldn't want to miss
all the adventures ahead.
Although I still wish
he could just stay 5, instead.
So in the morning
when Bus 10 pulls up to the curb,
I will smile and wave goodbye
and not say a word
About the mixture
of sadness and pride that I feel,
Knowing that this Next Step
is a pretty Big Deal.
I'm ready. Bring it on!
I can do this...I think.
I'll keep a stiff upper lip,
then come home and cry in the sink. (What?! It rhymes...)
I find comfort in the knowledge
that I have many friends that share,
My feelings of disbelief
and maybe just a bit of despair.
This "ride" is goin' fast,
so we'd better hold on tight.
Happy First Day of School to all,
and to all a good night!
and all through the house,
Not a creature is stirring,
not even my spouse.
Then why is it
that I am still awake at this hour?
It's the thought that in the morning,
soon after my shower...
My son will be leaving
for his very first day,
of Kindergarten fun
- learn, lunch, and play.
I've been "fine" up 'til now,
not bothered by the thought.
I'm excited for him,
for the new things he'll be taught.
But as I tucked him into bed
just a few hours ago,
I was surprised by my own emotions,
suddenly aflow.
I wanted just to kneel there
next to my boy,
as he snuggled with "Cooper,"
his stuffed animal toy.
I wanted to hug him
so tight and so long,
and give him kisses
for any and all future wrongs.
It's not that I fear for him
tomorrow or the next,
But it's the speed with which 5 1/2 years have flown
that has me perplexed!
Wasn't it yesterday
that he was a babe in my arms?
That I was following a toddler,
keeping him away from harms?
Wasn't it yesterday
that I was coaxing him to speak?
That he was learning new words,
a handful each week?
How then is it possible
that Tomorrow is so near?
How can it be that to our corner,
the bus will steer?
Everyone always says
that Time really flies,
So I best compose myself
...and dry my eyes.
I wouldn't want to miss
all the adventures ahead.
Although I still wish
he could just stay 5, instead.
So in the morning
when Bus 10 pulls up to the curb,
I will smile and wave goodbye
and not say a word
About the mixture
of sadness and pride that I feel,
Knowing that this Next Step
is a pretty Big Deal.
I'm ready. Bring it on!
I can do this...I think.
I'll keep a stiff upper lip,
then come home and cry in the sink. (What?! It rhymes...)
I find comfort in the knowledge
that I have many friends that share,
My feelings of disbelief
and maybe just a bit of despair.
This "ride" is goin' fast,
so we'd better hold on tight.
Happy First Day of School to all,
and to all a good night!
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