Back to School

We start school a bit later than lots of other places, which I don’t mind at all even though it means we get out of school later in the spring.  After months of all of us sleeping in until 8:00 (8:30 even some days!) I knew we needed to spend a bit of time this week preparing for the start of the great and magnificent school routine (which doesn’t always feel all that great and magnificent).  Slowly througout the week we worked on being more efficient about getting chores done and getting kidlets into bed a little earlier each day, and last night we even met our target bedtime!  It was so great having everyone in bed when they were supposed to be!  I celebrated by reading a whole entire book and finishing it by 1:00 A.M!

In addition, after a nearly disastrous dental appointment for all three kidlets at 8:00 a.m. last week, it was apparent that we would need to do a bit of practicing for our morning routine as well.  School starts early around here, and this week they moved the starting time for elementary schools 15 minutes earier to 7:45.  This means that the kidlets are getting on a bus at 7:15, leaving the house at 7:05 and getting up at 6:20.  It’s HARD to get up at 6:20 in the middle of the dead of winter.  Unfortunately I have to get up even earlier than they do to make things run smoothly.  So, yesterday, the day befoer school actually started we did a practice run of getting up, getting dressed, brushing teeth, making hair presentable, and then instead of going down to the bus stop, we loaded the Mama Minivan Bus and went out to breakfast.  It was the earliest I have ever had breakfast with my kidlets in a restaurant.  Ever.

This is how some kidlets felt about practicing getting up early:  forlorn and disgusted.

There may have been whining.  There may have been people lunging back under their quilts.  There may have been a dad (who really hates to get up early) who heard all the commotion and strode into one certain bedroom and picked up one certain kidlet and threw that certain kidlet in the cold, cold shower, pajamas and all.

But, the idea of breakfast at their favorite breakfast restaurant was rather motivating in the end.  We were the first group of people there.  The restaurant had just opened, and the food was good.

In the early afternoon we packed all the school supplies up into the backpacks, and after Mr. Trouble on Feet woke up from his nap we headed to the open house (otherwise known as madhouse).  Our elementary school is moving to a different building that used to be a middle school for one year while the regular elementary school building is renovated.  The PTA and teachers and staff did an awesome job getting everything ready in the temporary building, but it was super crazy at the open house searching for where everything was.  Some of my kids have been anxious about the transition all summer, but I think after the open house they were feeling a lot better, even though I was overstimulated and overwhelmed.

Mr. Sneaky Pants was riddled with dread and anxiety about the start of school.  He really hates transitions.  He was apprehensive of having a new teacher.  He was worried about the new school building.  He tried to stay in denial as long as he could about school starting and didn’t even go shopping for school supplies, but alas, it was time to face the facts.  Deep down inside he was also a bit excited to be back at school, and he was very impressed with this fancy pencil pouch.  I don’t usually go for things like this, but I’m glad I listened to my intuition, because it really made his day.

Today was the first day of school!  Everyone bounded out of bed thanks to a healthy dose of nervous excitement about the new year.  Tasks were completed.  Breakfast was served.  Lunch was packed.  We were off to the bus stop, which temporarily is RIGHT next to our house since the usual stop is on the street that is completely torn up right now.  I LOVE having it on our corner  and wish it  could always be there.

Since the stop was on our corner, Dr. Peds dropped by before the bus came and kept Mr. Sneaky Pants in line with a friendly choke hold.  After the bus left he hopped in his car for work.

YaYa is a fifth grader.  Yikes!  This is the last year left of elementary school.  Egads.  I want to freeze her now, although I loved both going to middle school as a kid (even though it really wasn’t a middle school in my small school  . . . but it was a switch from elementary school) and teaching middle school, and I suspect she will like it as well.

Mr. Sneaky Pants is in second grade.  I think his teacher is going to be great for him

The Banana is both crazy excited and concerned and worried about being a kindergartener.  She is worried about leaving me alone all day with no one to visit with and no one to help me remember all the things I am always forgetting.  She’s worried about being the first of our kidlets who will be going to all day kindergarten (but she’s totally ready for it).  She’s a little worried about all the changes, but ready to be a grown up kindergartener and finally go to that big school like the other kidlets.

The big moment:  everyone gets on the bus and is out of Mama jurisdiction until 2:45 ish.

I went back inside my house, and had a whole hour and a half until Mr. Trouble on Feet woke up.  So I cleaned out some drawers in the kidlets room and found all sorts of black, leathered banana peels and a bag full of trash and lots of too small clothes and clothes full of holes.  I got rid of them all while no one was looking.

When Mr. Trouble on Feet did wake up, he was rather mystified as to where everyone else had gone, but he didn’t seem to mind a very peaceful breakfast, a stroller ride to church to get some things ready for Sunday school and a stop at the park on the way back.  We colored pictures and read books and made lunch and then he took a nap.  Although I miss everyone and am wishing them well and praying for their teachers, I have to admit, it has been GLORIOUS!