Tales of the First Days

The Princess -

          She started grade 2 this year and it didn’t seem to be all that interesting or note worthy of a first day.  She insisted that I walk her in, so that I could find her classroom and her locker for her, and then once she knew those basics it was “see ya later mom, get lost!”  And since day one (now 2 weeks past) she hasn’t wanted my interference or my assistance going in or coming out.  Except for that one day when the Mommy (yes, me!) forgot the schedule and didn’t show up to pick the Princess up from school and she received the stressed phone call from the school - “where the heck are you mom?”

          Princess also started her gymnastics program again and again, I walked her in on the first day to make sure that she got to the right place to start.  It was almost embarrassing though, because honestly we get inside and then she turns to me and says “see! I didn’t die walking in.  You can go.  Now!”  And then on her second day, which was the Boy’s first, she practically tried to drag him out of the van with her while saying, “I can take him in mom, don’t worry.”  Independence is a good thing.  That much independence is sorta a pain in the ass.

          When the first day of piano rolled around this last week, I thought for sure she was going to do much the same thing as at gymnastics and school.  But for the first time in a long time she wanted me to stick around, not that I was going to leave her anyways but still.  And you know, she really, really liked it.  Which surprised me a little but I guess everyone has their thing.  I guess we’ll just have to see how things go.

The Boy -

          I can’t believe that my baby boy is already in Kindergarten!! Next thing I know, he’ll be graduating and going off to college.  Or clown school, and with the Boy either could be a realistic option.  But on his first day of Kindergarten he was slightly more considerate of my feelings than his older sister was.  He held my hand walking in and pulled me right in to the classroom with him.  Of course, I had to go in to drop off his school supplies but still... At least he didn’t just tell me to go away!  Once we’d dropped everything where it went though THAT’S when he gave the Baby and I a quick kiss goodbye and he was gone.  It’s been like that since.

          He was so excited about starting gymnastics! He was honestly, no exaggeration, bouncing with excitement.  And he did great! Absolutely Awesome.  He listened well, he did (or at the very least attempted) everything he was asked to do - AND HE LOVED IT! 5 minutes after class was over, he was already asking when he had class next.

The Baby -

          Baby and I have been enjoying some more one-on-one time while the other two kids are at school in the mornings, and I’m happy to say that we’re actually both enjoying it!  Over the years, despite a babies dependence upon it’s mother - and this Baby’s extreme dependence on me for the first 11months, our actually enjoyable time that was just one-on-one has been limited.  That may be something of a common thing for the youngest, especially when your kids are close together like ours are, but personally I’m really glad for the time to be with just her. (Though I’m also becoming more acutely aware that I didn’t ever have much of that same kind of 1-on-1 time with the Boy, and have been trying to find ways to give him more time with just me whenever I can swing it.) 

          But back to Baby.  Last year she complained about not getting to do all the things that her big sis and big bro were doing.  Granted she was only two, but complaints are complaints, and when we started talking about the activities that the older kids wanted to do, and didn’t want to do this year, Baby made herself VERY clear that she wanted to do some things too. 

          As with the Boy, Baby absolutely wanted to do gymnastics this year, so bad that she would stand next to you saying “I want to do gymnastics too! Me too, Mom!” until you’d acknowledge her words and assure her that yes, she could do gymnastics too.  So I registered her for class and it ended up being a parent-tot class, so I (and Husband when he’s home for winter) will be doing gymnastics once a week with Baby.  We started this class the same week that the other kids started their classes and it’s been fun so far.  There are only 3 kids (and 3 moms), including Baby and I, so we’re not lost in a crowd and the girls are all right about the same size/same age so it’s cute to see them all trying to do the activities and playing together.  Of course, Baby’s occasional but acute shyness seems to kick in every time the instructor comes near her, or talks directly to her, so that makes class interesting to because then she clings to me (and I’ve been known to call her my little spider-monkey) but expects me to do whatever it is that she’s been instructed to do - whether it’s jumping on the trampolines, something on the bars, rings or floors, or whether it’s getting into or out of the foam pit at the gym.  But hey, I guess I’m getting a workout. :-)

         

          Both the Baby and the Boy will be starting skating lessons next week - Princess was very specific with me this year that she DID NOT want to skate this year - and I think they are both looking forward to it.  The Boy was very adamant that he wanted to do 2 classes a week again this year and I’m really hoping that we don’t end up regretting that.  Baby is just going to start with one class a week for this year, and hopefully she’ll have fun and learn something.  I’ll keep you posted there.

So those were all our first days, so far, and a bit about how things went.  

See you next time!!!

(Photos and video are just random shots from the first gymnastics day for both older kids - but I don’t have many because I ran out of memory space on my camera card and I haven’t picked up a new one yet... and yes I know that I could download/upload and delete, but I don’t want to do that.  I usually only upload the really good, really cute, or other pics I plan to use for something, and then replace the mem-card.  I’ll have a new one soon though and then I’ll be able to snap pictures of anything again!)