On the first day of first Grade!

Well here we go again! The start of another school year!
We woke up this morning full of anticipation and excitement. For me it was mostly the anticipation of a new fall schedule and having to entrust my daughter to the capable hands of her new teacher. For Morgan it was the excitement of seeing her friends again and getting back into her social circle. For Maya... well she simply was feeding off of Morgan's excitement for the time being.

The Day started off on the right foot. I only hit the snooze button on my alarm once (not 5-6 times as I am sure I will again soon). I was up and able to get dressed and get my self in order before the inevitable sounds of the girls waking up. Morgan requested french toast sticks for breakfast and lucky for me she wanted to store baught freezer kind so that was easy.

After breakfast Morgan and I got her back pack packed with school supplies, water bottle and lunch. (packed the night before! Wow I wonder how long I can keep that up.) I braided her hair and then finally I got COFFEE!!

Then came the seemingly endless wait to leave for school. Really it was only about 15 minutes but I don't remember having 15 minutes to spare ever last year... what did I forget? oh well. Time to go! we headed out the door. Mercy in the stroller, Maya on foot this year and Ben was even joining us today. (he didn't want to miss Morgan's first day send off!) seemed almost too easy getting out the door. again what am I forgetting or missing?

We walked to school with friends and neighbors gathered in front of the school for the traditional first day pictures (to which my daughter refused to smile at first). We took pictures of just Morgan, her with her friends and her sad sisters observing.

Then it was off to find her teacher and line up for school. Oh what excitement as she saw friend after friend. Discovering just who would be in her class this year and who she would have to wait to see at lunch and recess. She was nervous to meet her teacher and whispered to me that she hoped Mrs Spillman would be as nice or nicer than Mr Brhem from last year (a teacher who to Morgan could do no wrong). She shyly refused to take a picture with her teacher or shake her hand but I am sure that will change quickly.

Then the Bell rang. All the kids lined up in messy zigzag lines with full backpacks and grocery bags full of new school supplies. We hugged and kissed Morgan good bye waving and watching her walk into the building. Suddenly I hear Ben talking to Maya who somewhere between the bell ringing and waving good bye to Morgan had started Crying. She just wanted "Morgan to stay with me all day". Poor girl.

We calmed her down and headed home trying to talk about all the fun things she could do with mercy and myself. I had not expected Maya to be quite so sad about her sister's return to school. Especially after a summer of arguing! But we made it through the day.

Ben went off to work and Maya, Mercy and I headed off to our new day with a new fall schedule! We played games, went to the library, eat lunch took naps (well they did) cleaned the house and then it was time for school pick up.

The day went perfectly I had two wide awake girls who had all ready napped well at 3pm so getting ready to go was a little too easy. Maya rode her tricycle this time and Mercy happily back in the stroller. (so nice not using the giant double from last year!) We made it to school and waited. Maya was particularly excited to see Morgan come out the door.

When Morgan finally does exit she gives me a quick hug, throws her back pack in the stroller and runs off to the playground yelling, "I'm going to play for a bit". What??? Maya looked at me as if to say,  "what about us?" After much anticipation poor Maya was a bit taken back by her sister's lack of a hello to her.

We hung out at the play ground for a while. Morgan did eventually acknowledge Maya. I chatted with some other parents and neighbors and then off to home we went. Walking with the same crew from the Morning. Right away Morgan started asking for after school play dates with neighbors to which came a quick, "no, it's a school day... the first school day."

Luckily once home I was able to find out that Morgan thinks her teacher is actually nicer than Mr Brhem from last year. She is sitting next to a good friend or her new best friend as she declared while we were talking. (this will change 50 times this year I'm sure). And she thinks her lunch time is too short. After a snack and the update her and Maya were finally reunited and off playing. They played nicely all the way until dinner! No fighting!! I know Maya was sad but I think the school day did them some good.
phew!

First Day is Done!! now to get threw the rest.....  it's going to be a long year! A good one! but a long one!

Summer park lunches

Today was the last summer park lunch.  I think I am going to cry! 
There is no better schedule in my mind than that of leaving the house around 11 (ish) returning home around 1ish (some times even 2ish).  Kids have eaten their fill of good food, run around outside, played with neighborhood kids ridden bikes, scooters, or skates (or strollers) and are now tired and ready for down time!   Oh summer why must you end?


I have enjoyed walking to our neighborhood park greeting some amazing women who are sitting behind a table filled with box lunches. Always smiles on their faces. Always happily greeting my girls by name. Mercy especially had them charmed this summer. She started the summer out barely able to walk. By the end she was running around concurring the playground. She would also light up as we walked up to the Park Ladies with the lunches and she would babble away until she got her little box lunch, juice and milk. By the last week she even learned how to say "Thank You."

Morgan and Maya would race most of the time the last little bit. Morgan had days where she even made it to the park, got her lunch, found a bench and was eating by the time the rest of us made it there. Maya would talk about the chocolate milk the whole way there about how she is going to get one, finish it, play and wait for seconds so she could have another. Maybe even bring one home for later. (which we did quite often!)

For me park lunches meant freedom! It was freedom from lunch decision making, clean up and complaining. I also was able to get to know many neighbors better and get out of the house after a miserable winter. This summer I have to say has been one of my favorites as far as the park goes. I watch Morgan grow in her independence. Maya explore and concur her fear of dirt and bugs... (OK, she still has a long way to go.) And Mercy learned to walk, climb, play, eat real food, throw a ball...well at her age the list seems endless.

I am going to miss my summer days! They never last long enough for me. Maybe one day I will be that mom counting down for school to start but not just yet. For now, on to a new adventure as fall approaches, Morgan gets ready for 1st grade and we all adjust to a new routine. May God grant me patients to get through another school year.