Chuck E Cheese

I normally despise the germ-infested place, but Friday we ventured there for an end-of-kindergarten celebration.
We arrived at a good time, meaning it was not crowded or overrun yet.
I must say, I like the safety procedures at Chuck E Cheese. The hand-stamp matching for kids & parents...I felt good about that.

Aidan loved playing the games & winning tickets, and once Brennan got over the fear of how high the playset was, he loved going through it.
Our boys slept well Friday night. :)
And once they were asleep, Patrick & I enjoyed some Bud Select (channeling my inner-redneck), and me beating him in 500 Rummy. (even if he says he won, it was really him trying to catch up the number of wins I've had over him)

Some shots of their fun:

Giddyup!

Brennan loved this little ride. I still don't quite know what the heck Teletubbies are.

Playing the water squirt game. Plenty of fun.

Brennan way up near the ceiling in the playset. He'd always stop to yell "Hi MOM!!!"

Aidan in a monster truck

Another ride Brennan was just smitten with. Who doesn't love Barney? (though he doesn't watch it)

I Officially...

have a FIRST GRADER!!

(Aidan with his teacher, yesterday, the last day in school uniform)

Cliche sounding it may be, but it really truly went by so fast! It honestly feels like it JUST started. The only time it felt like it was dragging on was over Christmas break-January. ;) But that was more due to our wintery weather.

Aidan did very well in kindergarten. He is reading. His handwriting is very good. He never cried or wanted to stay home. I (thank God) never had to go pick him up from school unexpectedly. 

He loved kindergarten. We love our school. 

The past week has been filled with fun events, like the farm field trip and another outing to a park on Tuesday. Aidan was head-to-toe filthy: all boy.

And he loved every minute of it.

His school holds the tradition of the last day of school being "Party in the Parking Lot", which is like a festival for the kids. It far exceeded my expectations! There was a DJ with fun music being played (Love Shack, Thriller, Twist & Shout, some Beach Boys...good stuff), a magician, tug-of-war, duck pond game, and many others. It was a blast. I worked 2 hours of the duck pond game, loving the chance to watch Aidan &his classmates. 

There was no kindergarten graduation (which I was fine with) but I still wanted to do something to make it exciting & special. After all, Aidan is done with his first full year of school! And he did it in great stride. 

So Brennan & I did some mild decorating as a surprise for Aidan. Hey, spending a year working hard in school? You deserve some balloons! 

Aidan was pleasantly surprised & loved it. He also loved the tattoo he got at school today-at least it's patriotic. ;)

I no longer have a kindergartner. Aidan is now my first grader. *gulp*

Here is to a great summer! 

Farmer...Aidan?

Kindergarten field trip to the farm! 

Aidan & his class had a great time (despite the heat) feeding animals, enjoying a barrel ride, and being on the farm.

Aidan fed goats, mules, pigs, chicks,  and we saw a 600+pound hog. With a smashed in face and tons of flies covering him. It was quite the sight! (unfortunately I didn't get too great a picture of the hog)

This farm was great. A lot to offer year-round, and the people leading the field trip were so great with the kids. If you live in the area, I recommend Country Lane Tree Farm! 

Here are some scenes from our field trip:

feeding goats 

Aidan & his BFF petting the bunny

This "train ride" made of barrels was a blast! The driver did not go slow, either. The kids loved it.

"Grandpa Bob" helping Aidan milk the cow

Remember this old-school playset McDonald's used to have? It was on the farm as part of the play area! It brought back good memories for me. :)

The lucky kindergartners got another train ride at the end-to the parking lot! Grandpa Bob was great.

I'm so glad I was able to go on this field trip with Aidan. And I'm grateful Patrick was able to work from home yesterday so Brennan could stay home.

I can't believe Kindergarten is almost over. I've loved this school, the teacher has been great, and Aidan has some spectacular classmates. I hope 1st grade will be as wonderful!

Grandparents Day

It's Grandparents Day at Aidan's school today.
I don't know who is more excited-him, or my in-laws. ;)

Both Marmar (Aidan's name for his paternal grandma, ever since he started talking) & Buppa are making the drive down here early this morning to participate. Aidan is a lucky kid!
They should be here in time to take him to school. First it's school Mass, then a reception after.
Aidan planned out the kids he wants to introduce them to, the art work he wants to show them, etc.
It's cute to see him so excited & enthusiastic about his "home away from home".

Speaking of grandparents....
We named the baby we just lost. I wasn't planning on it, but after some prompting from my dad, we did.
God does work in mysterious ways. When all of this was happening last week, Patrick actually had a dream that gave him peace about us having a girl. Baby #4, in his dream, was just that, so even though we don't know for sure, we went with a girl's name.
Ater his dream he had a strong feeling for the name Lily. I like the name, but wanted to know the meaning of it, first.
When looking it up, I learned it stems from "Lillian", which coincidentally is my grandmother's name (she passed when I was pregnant w/ Aidan).
I thought that was a faith-coincidence, so we agreed on naming our baby Lillian Hope. Not that it matters a ton, but it feels good to us. (I had been leaning towards Faith or Hope).

Lillian Hope is baby #4.
Partying up in heaven with Dorothy Grace (baby #2) and my grandmas, I'm sure.
Hopefully they're looking down on us and intervening. :)

100 Days Ago

                                            

100 days ago, my oldest started school full-time for the first time. KINDERGARTEN.

I was an emotional wreck the week leading up to his first day. I definitely felt the growing pains more than he did.

He loves school. He loves homework (usually), loves that he can read, loves his jobs in the classroom. He enjoys interacting with the other kids, seeing classmates at Mass on Sundays, recess, and his specials (gym, music, spanish, library, computers).

He has grown so much these past 100 days. He is more than halfway to 1st grade now!

Today they had the student go in through a different entrance. As we walked in, the teachers & principal were there, and in the walkway was a gigantic cut out of "100". Each student walked through the middle "0", and as they did, the staff counted each student. It was pretty cool. I wish I had my camera with me.

100 days. Already.

~~~~~~~~~~~

On a different note, HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!
Phil saw his shadow over in PA, but here in Ohio our local groundhog did NOT. So we may get an early spring here. (though my bets are on the more experienced Phil)

Happy Groundhog Day! Happy 100th day of school!

Wordless Wednesday: Kindergarten School Picture

Kindergarten: One Month In (Perspective from a first-time school mom)

It's been a full month now since Aidan started kindergarten!

I thought I'd do a little "review". I certainly shared my worries over him starting, so why not follow up?

If I could rate it 1-5 stars, I'd give it 4.8 :)

Why not 5? Because I still miss him, and that will never change.

We feel so very blessed with our parish school. Aidan's teacher is great and really gets him.

The behavior-discipline system really works for us.

He has made some friends that he just adores.

There are some really great families involved.

Aidan loves it, too. In fact, yesterday, while driving to pick Pat up from work, he told me he wished he was in school. I said "why? Don't you like home?", and he told me he has "so much fun at school!".

He is thriving on the learning environment. I worked with him at home, too, but this is doing it for him.

He is trying to teach Brennan his letters, he is enjoying learning to read, often writing his own "books". It is adorable, so heart-warming to see him loving it all so much.

I had my doubts. I doubted he'd do OK with full-day kindergarten. I doubted his teacher would communicate well with the parents. I doubted that he'd eat his lunch at school, without me there.

My doubts were proven wrong. He is tired, sure, but full day seems so right for him. He loves it. His teacher sends home a weekly update, as well as updates a website daily. We can view their "specials" schedule at any time (art, music, gym, Spanish, computers, library), same for their homework. Pictures are also put up.

It was hard to go through this for the first time, but now we're past that hardest part, and it's more fun & exciting now. I get to volunteer for things, I get to see him proudly putting on his uniform in the morning. I get to hear stories of how they dig for worms, or pretend to be robots and chase the girls.

I don't get as much time with him during the week, but the time I do have, it's good. Our bond has not diminished at all. It has matured and grows in a new way.

Kindergarten: Month One. It's been good.

Heartfelt

This may be considered a moment of mommy-brag, just a heads up.

I was dropping Aidan off to his classroom this morning, watching him put his backpack in his locker. He likes me to stay long enough to see which center he opts to play at for that morning.

I nodded to his teacher, telling her I was just waiting for that time, since Aidan likes me to know.

She came over to me with a big smile on her face, put her hand to her heart, then said that Aidan is such a sweet boy. She said he is so thoughtful and sweet.

A boy was crying in his class the other day, she told me, and Aidan went right to him to comfort him. He had rubbed the boy's back & told him it's OK. His teacher told me this with such sincerity.

My son. My sweet son.

It may not seem like a big deal, but for me, this is.

I had a very hard time sending my first-born off to school full time. The idea of him being with someone else for 30+ hours a week, and me not included, very much so unnerved me.

My biggest fear?

That person not seeing him for who he really is. Not finding the good in my kid.

Now I know his teacher has seen some of the good we know is a part of Aidan.

It completely made my day. I know it's only 10:23 in the morning, but it made my day. I feel so relieved and happy.

I am proud of my compassionate son. Sure he has his crazy, wild, misbehaved moments. But he has a good heart. At the age of 5, he knows compassion and sensitivity.

I can't wait to hug him when I pick him up from school.

Today's Daily Embarrassment

When you have kids, you're bound to have a daily embarrassment.

Usually mine involves Brennan and a temper tantrum in public, but not this morning.

Today's embarrassment (if that's even the right word...I found this more humorous than anything):

I was dropping Aidan off to his classroom this morning, and his teacher laughed and told me Aidan drew her a picture last week. She took me over to show me.

Yup.

My 5 year old drew his teacher a picture of a wine glass.

And he did a good job, too. She even said "he drew a great glass".

I laughed, slightly nervous, and assured her I don't drink that much wine, and it's the cheap stuff, too.

Thankfully she replied that she likes wine, too, and "who can afford the good stuff?"

Phew.

That so could have gone the wrong way.

First Day of Kindergarten!

It is with such mixed emotion that I write this post.

One part of me wants to say that he was my colicky baby. I held him and listened to him scream for 4 straight months, sometimes thinking about my life without him. My "simple" life before he came along. I think about the times he frustrates me during the day, picks a fight with his brother, or refuses to go to the bathroom alone, even though I'm a whopping 10 feet away.

The bigger part of me, though, is thinking "how did my once colicky baby grow up so fast?!" I want to hold him longer, hug him more, and tell him how much I'll be missing him. I want to tell him that when we left the school today, Brennan cried and said his name over & over. I want to tell him that I cried, too, but not as much as I did the last 2 nights.

I want to make him know and feel just how much we love him, how much he means to our little family. He is the oldest child, and this is new for all of us.

Aidan is truly a blessing. My little kindergartner.

Instead of all those things, today I'll pick him up at 3:15 and ask too many questions about his day. I'll casually say we missed him, then ask the names of his new friends. I'll hug him, but not too tight. I'll find a super cool snack and let him watch The Magic School Bus before doing his homework (yes, homework already).

Tomorrow we'll do it all over again.

According to the schedule, Aidan is about to eat lunch right now. I hope he enjoys it and has fun at recess. Lunch here isn't the same without him, but he is doing his job and hopefully working hard.

Here is to a great new school year!

It's Official!

Aidan is registered for kindergarten!!

Ack!!

Ask me how in the world he is already old enough to go to kindergarten, and I have no idea.

Blink.
He was born.

Blink.
Now he's going to school full time.

Yikesapee.

He's registered at our parish school (as of an hour ago), and we are very pleased with the idea of sending him there. My little boy will be wearing his uniform and looking so handsome. :)
We also registered him at our local public school, but that's just a back-up plan.

I have a huge sense of relief.
There are some really crappy things going on right now in our corner of the world, but this is exciting. This is good news.

I love my little man. He is growing up so fast!