sandbox

Dear Daddy,

Thank you so much for spending most of one of your "stay at home days" building this awesome sandbox for us to play in now that it isn't too hot to be outside. We will spend many hours building castles and throwing sand at each other. Thank you very much! You're the best!

Love,
Andrew, Austin and Ashley Grace

Austin's Preschool Playdate

2 days after sending Andrew on the school bus for the 1st time, I took Austin to his preschool playdate at a local park.  It's an opportunity for the kids to meet the teachers and some classmates.  Austin is going to be a Bumblebee this year.  Both of his teachers are new to the preschool, but one of them happens to be the mother of one of Andrew's T-ball teammates, who we met over the summer.  She is very nice, and so is her co-teacher.  Austin knows most of his classmates from last year.  He starts preschool the Tuesday after Labor Day, and it will feel a little strange dropping him off by himself (he went with Andrew last year) after taking Andrew there for 4 years.  I know Austin can handle it and will be just fine.  He is getting to be such a big boy!  

Austin's 1st Swim Lesson

Andrew started swim lessons at Stony Creek Swim Center in April 2011.  He made a lot of progress and he continued through March 2012.  We decided to take a break over the summer, but when we decided to sign him up again we thought it was a good time to sign Austin up as well.  He had watched Andrew for nearly a year and said he wanted to go to "swim class", too.  We started them both at the beginning of August.

It's amazing.  The same kid that wanted his Daddy to carry him through a parent participation soccer class at the age of 2 yrs, 9 months didn't look back when he went to his first swim lesson at the age of 3 yrs, 4 months.  Austin has grown up a lot in the last 6-7 months.  He listened to his instructor, he did what he was told, and attempted everything that was asked of him without a parent next to him - and he loved it!  

Andrew starts Kindergarten

August 15th was the first day of school - Andrew's first day of Kindergarten.  Can you see his excitement?? He had been looking forward to this day for a good year or so.  It was bittersweet for me, but mostly sweet.  I knew Andrew was ready and he was SO excited, I couldn't bear to be sad.  Orientation was on the 13th.  We met his teacher, rode on the bus, saw his classroom, he went through the lunch line.  It was a lot easier to picture him as a Kindergartener after that.  I knew he was going to be in excellent hands.

Getting on the bus...I envisioned hugs and kisses and well wishes as he walked up to the bus for the first time.  Instead our very nice neighbor (a non-English speaking Chinese grandmother of a 5th grade boy we have watched get on the school bus for several years) saw Andrew eager and ready with his backpack and she got SO excited.  She grabbed his hands and started saying things I really wish I understood.  She was practically dancing with Andrew when the bus pulled up.  I'm not exaggerating either - it was quite the sight. 

Andrew hurried onto the bus and off he went - to the big, bad exciting, wonderful, 'full of adventure' world of Kindergarten. 

All day I anxiously awaited for 2:51 to come, so I could hear about Andrew's day.  He was so happy to get on the bus in the morning, but he was also excited to see me when he came home.  (Yay!)

This new routine has definitely been an adjustment.  Instead of relying on one of the kids to wake me up in the morning, I have to set my alarm now!  I know, it's horrible.  I set my alarm for 6:45 so I can make sure Andrew is up by 7:00 (sometimes Austin is kind enough to wake me up before 6:45, though).  Andrew gets on the bus (in front of our next door neighbor's) at 7:48.  He has had a hard time falling asleep most nights because he is so excited, and, as a result, has been a little grumpy at the end of the day.  Oh, and the Kindergarteners eat lunch at 10:15!!  That's crazy.  They are given a snack in the afternoon, but he still comes home a little hungry, so I make sure I give him another snack when he gets home.

We are adjusting, but so far Andrew has loved Kindergarten.  His teacher moved from first grade to Kindergarten this year and has taught for a long time.  She is very experienced and knows what is expected of kids going into 1st grade so she can properly prepare her Kindergarten class.  I have heard only wonderful things about her from others I have talked to.  

It's an exciting time! :)

I'm back! (hopefully, maybe)

It has been way too long since I last posted anything on here.  It isn't because we aren't interesting or haven't done anything interesting.  It is simply because I have been busy - we have been busy, and posting on the blog has, quite frankly, moved to the bottom of the priority list.  But, I am going to try and be better (pretty sure I have said this before) about posting about what we have been up to.  Hopefully I can stick with it!

I can't possibly recap the past 6 months (yes, it has been that long, and I did think about trying), so I will start with the present (roughly) and go from there!