The First Day

I think all in all the first day of school went pretty well for everyone. We made it on time and I even took a couple of photos beforehand (still can't get the camera to download photos though). No one cried not even me! I kind of felt bad later on that I wasn't upset when our neighbor, Courtney, called and said she broke down when Sam got on the bus at the babysitter. I started thinking that since I have 3 kids I don't have time to focus on the moment I guess. When I dropped Caden and Addison off at their classroom first just trying to get them to put their book bags in their lockers was a major feat while Ethan was trying to run in their room to play and crying and then dragging him by the arm, carrying his book bag, and trying to steer the stroller . . . I barely remembered to kiss them good bye. Ethan stopped crying when he got to his room. He must have thought he wasn't going to get to play. When I left he looked like he was going to start to break the crepe paper barriers she put up to keep them out of certain areas. Mrs. Flynn told me to come back at 11:30 to pick him up.

I got home, put Reesey to bed, and started to clean like crazy (cleaning lady coming tomorrow). I always seem to move super fast when I'm home alone -- I'm hardly ever home alone and my 2-1/2 hours went fast. At 10:30 Mrs. Flynn called and said Ethan was doing wonderfully but he was asleep on the carpet. What???? She wanted to know if I wanted to come get him. I really didn't because Reese was asleep, I was cleaning, and I want him to get into the swing of things. She said should I wake him up? I think she was worried he would be a big grump but he normally is good natured when he wakes up so I told her to get him since they were having snack but call me if she needed me to come get him early. I arrived at school at 11:30 and I was watching through the class window. Ethan was sitting on the aide's lap while other people colored. Then most of the time he was playing in the centers while he was supposed to be sitting on the carpet. That is typical of him but I felt my sails deflate a little. He noticed me and started calling my name so the teacher said I could come in. I stayed while they had restroom breaks. He wouldn't sit in line with the other kids and kept running away. We returned to the classroom and he did sit in the circle after I dragged him there a couple of times. They sang a song and the teacher would call a child's name and they would stand in the circle and "do" something like hop or perform a somersault. It was Ethan's turn and he almost did a headstand -- pretty impressive for a 3-1/2 year old -- but then he wouldn't stop he just kept doing it. They moved on when he wouldn't listen to the teacher. Finally she had to pull him to her lap. He's all about attention and he's nothing about waiting. At 112:10 we left and made it home for lunch and naps then it was back to get Caden and Addison. They had "awesome" days as their teacher wrote. Addison was perky and happy to see me and Mrs. Duncan said Addison told her all day she was tired but then when it was nap time she didn't sleep . . . imagine that? Caden only slept 20 minutes she said because some girl next to him woke him up. He cried a little when he saw me but I think he was a little tired. They played at home a lot and weren't too grouchy. They went to bed right away at 8:15.

I think it went well. They didn't have a lot to say about school. They said they ate. Aaron and I both talked to Ethan about behaving and listening better. I hope it gets better for him. He's not being "bad" just wanting to do his own thing. I have some fun photos to share if I can ever get them off my camera!