I guess they were just ready

So, we are into week two of preschool.

Still no tears.

I know, what? do I want them to cry? NO! but, did I think there would be some? OH YEAH.

They are so happy to be in school that when I arrive, they start trying to play with things again.

I cannot even begin to describe how cute it is to see them sitting all together waiting for their loved one to come and greet them.

They tell me all about school and what they did in class.

"I played with dinosaurs!"
"We had raisins and apples for snack!"

I like to ask them questions about what they did, it's so much fun to hear their answers.

I asked Ryan today if he played with his friends...
"Did you play with Briggan?"
"No"
"Did you play with Nathan?"
"No"
"Did you play with Riley?"
"No"
"Did you play with Alison?"
"No"
"Who did you play with?"
"EVAN!"

They are still beyond excited to see me when I arrive. Today they were so excited, they were giving me hugs, giving Mrs. F hugs, and giving each other hugs. Which of course ended in a full body tackle of Evan on the ground in the doorway.

I have to admit that the house is REALLY quiet when they are not here, it makes me sad...however, I did vacuum, clean the hard floors, workout, and shower before pickup!

We were all ready for preschool!

And so it begins...

a lifetime of learning.
Today was it. The day I left my kids for their first day of school. Big day for us. The first time I've ever left my kids with someone other than family, (or nearly family) EVER. EVER. Let me make that clear. EVER!

I was very excited. It is time. It is time for them to learn from someone other than me. For them to have to follow directions from someone other than me. For them to learn to work things out with out me there to help. BUT...I've also been very worried about how this would go over. These boys haven't exactly been eager to be separated from me.

I prepared myself for the worst. Lots of tears, shrieking, hysterics.



We wandered off to our classroom, buckets (we decorated them ourselves) full of a change of clothes, including shoes (the extra pair of shoes threw me, I had to go buy them more shoes!) a bottle of water, and our special friends (Snoopy and Ringo).



We walked into their classroom where they were greeted by their awesome teacher, they learned how to put their buckets on the shelf and we washed their hands. By this time they were chomping at the bit to get to the stuff laid out to play with today. I saw shaving cream and trucks, but I didn't really look too closely. By the time they had their hands washed they were ready to play. I gave them each a kiss, and told them I would see them later. I got a "where are you going?" from Ryan, and a little look of worry, but I told him I would see him later, and off I went...to wait in the church courtyard...to wait for all hell to break loose...for the tears and hysterics.

I waited for an hour.

And then I went home and waited with my cell phone close at hand for two more hours.

And then I went to pick them up.


All of the parents waited anxiously at the door waiting for it to open. We signed up for snack days, and looked at pictures from the days activities. Then in turn we each stepped into the classroom while Mrs. F asked the class "who does this Mommy belong to?" and we each got to watch as our kids eyes lit up and smiles came across their faces. Ryan couldn't wait until I got to his seat, he came running over to give me a hug and knocked me to the floor. We went over to where they were sitting and Ryan let Evan in to hug me too. Evan was so excited, SO EXCITED. His feet were dancing and he was hugging and kissing me, and he was making this noise he makes when he is really happy. It's hard to describe, kind of a high pitched moan, or a mew? He was so, so happy to see me.

It was this moment that almost made me lose it. I was really happy to see them too.

We got home and during lunch we talked about what they did in school.

This is some of what they had to say:

Ryan: My water spilled two times, I said oops.
Ryan: We had cereal for snack.
Ryan: We didn't dance with bean bags. (Me: Mrs. F said that you did) No, (shakes head) We DIDn't
Ryan: I didn't want to do it. (the bean bag dance) I picked a chair and sat down in it.
Evan: I writed (Me: You wrote?) Yes, I writed. (Me: what did you write?) 17.
Ryan: Sometimes we color at school
Evan: I danced with bean bags and I stood up.
Evan: We pretended our buddies were bean bags. (Me: Ah ha! You didn't use bean bags with the bean bag dance, you used your buddies! Is that right Ryan?)
Evan: YES! and we POPPED them into the air!

This evening I gave them their Schultuete. I read about these "first day of school cones" in a blog a couple of years ago and filed it away as a neat tradition to start with the kids. I was going to give them to the boys before school, and then one of the mom's I know suggested that they might not want to leave to go to school after they got all of their treats, so I adapted.





Scott also thought to get the boys a special treat!!!! Look at how excited Evan is to get his "American Flag" hackey sack. He promptly asked if he could take it to bed. I said yes, and he replied, "Now I'll have two hackey sacks in bed!"


I love how simple things make these kids so darn happy. I wish you could bottle that joy. I guess the next best thing is to have your kids share their happiness with you each and every day.

T-minus four days

Tuesday. In four days my babies will be starting preschool. How is it possible?

This week we've had several getting ready for preschool events. Parents went for an adults only orientation on Wednesday. Thursday we had the official meet the teachers with the kids. Friday our class had a play date at school.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our teachers. I think that Mrs. F is the perfect teacher for the boys. She is so excited to have kids in her class again. At parent orientation she got all weepy while she was telling us how much she was looking forward to meeting our kids. Her enthusiasm is infectious, she really LOVES what she does and it shows.

Mrs. C and Mrs. S are also awesome. When I brought the boys into the class room, they were both immediately engaged by Mrs. C and Mrs. S. Evan struck up a conversation with Mrs. C and was happy to tell her all about his day so far. Ryan was happy to show Mrs. S the cage he built for the dinosaur. He told her that it was in the cage and it was eating cookies.

I am more sure than ever that the boys are ready for school to start. I'm not saying that there will be no tears on Tuesday when they realize I am leaving, but these last couple of days we walked in and they were off like shots. On to whatever it was that struck them as interesting, with nary a glance back at me.

I'm ready too! I'm not guaranteeing that there won't be a few tears shed when I turn to leave my precious babies for the first time, but I can assure you, that when I am grocery shopping ALONE, or running twice as many errands in the same amount of time without having to strap and unstrap two kids at every stop, or when I am just sitting in my quiet house ALONE for three glorious hours, I will NOT shed a tear.

America's Top 40 here we come.

Tonight at dinner, Ryan wrote a few songs, the Puppy Song, the Fire Engine Song, and this catchy little ditty the Stegosaurus song.

One, two, three, everyone say Stegosaurus song...

Stegosaurus, Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus, Stegosaurus

cry cry cry

go to bed, go to bed

sleep tight, sweet dreams

Daddy comes home,
says goodnight

Goo-oood Ni-i-i-ight!!!!

Don't tell anyone, but we are making progress!

Evan went poop on the potty!!!!!

Ryan told me he had to go pee yesterday!

Evan took off his clothes and sat on the potty and went pee, and THEN told me he went!!!

It's hard to believe that a month ago I was pulling my hair out because no one was showing any interest in ever getting out of diapers.

Is it something I served for dinner?

Or just a new fashion statement?