First day of Kindergarten!

Monday was Ava's first day of school. Full disclosure: I have dreaded this day since the day she was born. It was just full of mixed emotions for me. It symbolized a whole lot of what if's in my head. Turns out, when the day came I wasn't nervous. I think a huge part of that was being very comfortable with our choice for school. I wasn't scared or nervous, I was excited. I was super excited. I was Christmas morning excited. I had a hard time sleeping Sunday night. I did have some crazy dream about Ava taking a friend's hand and walking out into deep water, completely ignoring me telling her not to and I was helpless to save her. So I guess I was a little nervous underneath all the excitement.

Justin stayed home in the morning to take her to school too. I made cinnamon rolls, her requested breakfast for the first day of school, and we were off. It is pretty cool that her school does have so much parental involvement. I don't think anybody in 5th grade or below was just dropped off. Everyone's parent walked them in. Justin and Rhys parked in a different place than Ava and I did (Justin was going to work immediately following drop off) and as we were walking up to the school I saw parents taking pictures of their kids at the school sign. I saw very long, emotional hugs. Suddenly...I felt the urge to cry. It was like being at a wedding. Not sure why you are crying, but it is like there is way too much free emotions floating around in the atmosphere or something. We go into the school and show Ava to her seat. She got right down to business coloring a shirt. She was acting a little shy even though one of her friends from preschool purposefully chose to sit right next to her. (She now says that Emma, the preschool friend, has decided that they are best friends for the year.) We gave her kisses good bye and walked out. I still had the crying feeling but I didn't. The PTM (similar to PTA, but it is a Christian school so everything is a Ministry) hosted a boohoo/yahoo breakfast for parents and as we walked in, I was asked to declare myself. Boohoo or yahoo? I was like for the love! don't make me say it out loud! I was a little of both, apparently.

Rhys and I went to the library for story time and crafts. He was so calm on Monday. I don't think he knew what to do with himself and only me. We ran errands afterward and then went back to pick up Ava.

Today on the other hand, Rhys decided to take on this persona.

It involved many time outs, including one for spitting all over his hand and sticking it in my mouth. It was like a really bad wet willy.

Call me crazy...

Today a friend and I drove three hours to the Michigan Fiber Festival. It was very interesting to say the least. I ended up not buying any yarn, which was odd. I was prepared to have to talk myself out of a lot of it. I had set myself a budget of what I would allow myself to spend. I told myself that I couldn't buy it no matter how pretty I thought it was if I couldn't think of a project to go with it. I had limits in place! I felt very little temptation. I am not sure what the issue was. I think it might have been the total quanity of choices. It isn't every day when you have about 50 mini yarn shops selling their wares. That is a lot of choices. I took notes of the brands I liked and styles I liked, so I could order them online when I came up with a project, but that was about it. I bought one pattern and an elephant ear. (We did also stop for some wine at Lemon Creek Winery, but that wasn't technically at the festival.)

I was intrigued by all the spinning wheels. I was able to watch it and I got the concept. I am sure it is something that looks easier than it really is, but I now have a bug about it. I want to do it! I want to go take a class, learn how to spin and do it. Maybe I will love it, maybe I won't, but it will be one of those things where I can say I have done it. I am not actually sure what I will do with the yarn I make, if I get into it. Obviously I could make something out of it... This might be a nice, needed break for my wrist tendons. I need to make this happen.

Curriculum day and then some.

On a normal day, if I were to get up early to say...work out or make something for breakfast or read in quiet, Rhys would be up, right there with me before I could even leave my room. The last two mornings, I have had to wake both kids up with lots of moaning and groaning from them and it is later than I am usually woken up by Rhys. This whole early morning school thing is going to be quite an adjustment.

This morning we had to be up and ready to leave the house for Curriculum Day. In the higher grade levels, kids actually come and pick up their box of books. They are getting their curriculum for school, gym uniforms, year books, etc. We got our welcome folder with even MORE forms to fill out. It is also a chance to sign up for the volunteer opportunities in the school. Parents for each child have to volunteer 20 hours per child per year. I don't think that is going to be that hard to do, but I can definitely see it getting harder the more kids you have.

We also apparently have to do this walk-a-thon with a required fundraising amount. It is frustrating only in the timing. It is the week befor the fundraising walk for my job. I am guessing we will focus on getting pledges for Ava's school.

Anyway, Ava got to see some preschool teachers from last year. She was looking all cute. She picked out her outfit and was sporting her new hair cut. (I meant to take a picture of her by her classroom but getting Rhys out of there was harder than it should have been and I forgot.) She got to go to her classroom and meet her teachers. She also got to pick out her seat. She didn't put much thought into it. She talked with her teacher a bit and was given a homework assigment for Monday. I also signed up to bring something supplyish within the first week and I have no idea what it was now. I am pretty excited about her starting school. I hope she is as excited as I am.

We then took off to the zoo with friends. Rhys had his first real outing wearing underwear. He is in the don't tell me what to do stage, so everytime I suggested he go to the bathroom he threw a fit, but he was enamoured by the little potties in the children's zoo.

Ava wasn't as interested in posing for pictures as Rhys was.

We then took off to the pediatric dentist.  When Ava started going to the dentist when she was 2, we went to a pediatric dentist that someone had referred us to.  It ended up taking us an hour to get there and back, always with us leaving really early in the morning because of traffic and I didn't think he was all that nice.  After I experienced his "expertice" and realized that there wasn't anything special he could do for Ava's gums, I took Ava to our dentist which was close to our house.  She has been quite happy there for the last 3 visits.  Well, turns out she suddenly has cavities.  They asked if they could do xrays even though she was a little shy of 5 at the time (they don't do xrays on kids younger than 5) because they could see a couple cavities. So...a few xrays later and we are referred to a pediatric dentist.  Our regular dentist implied that this dentist would be able to take care of them all at once.  That is not the case.  He will do her fillings in 4 different sessions (yes, she has that many) and she will be getting a lovely silver cap because one cavity is really deep.  The pediatric dentist was concerned that they all had just appeared, but when he found out she had never had xrays before...well he wasn't thrilled.  He was pretty much of the opinion that she would have had tiny little fillings and no silver cap, if she had been seen by a practice that does xrays on children.  He pretty much said her teeth can't handle any type of sticky sugar.  All of her fillings are in between her teeth, so she has to floss, use a prescription toothpaste and avoid all sticky, sugary things, including things like dried fruit.  Yes, they are just baby teeth.  Baby teeth do serve a purpose.  He isn't doing anything about a little cavity in her front tooth.  He said no need, that tooth will fall out within the next year or so.  Her molars on the other hand, will be in her mouth for the next 7 years.  They hold the place for adult teeth and the adult teeth usually will follow them up to know where to come out.  Since her teeth are already resembling mine, they don't need any extra confusion as to where to come up.

Tomorrow: Michigan Fiber Festival.  I know you are jealous.

some days.

There are some days that I swear every living creature in this house is working against me. I know it isn't true and I am being overly dramatic but it sure feels that way. Example, we have ants. We are constantly fighting with ants. This has always been a seasonal problem but this year it has been exceptionally bad. I think this is probably because we still don't have quarter round down. Justin didn't want put it down before we replaced all the trim...a year ago. Check one for feeling like someone is against me in my woe is me state of mind. While I am making lunch, Ava and Rhys steal muffins and start eating them on the couch, leaving crumbs all over the place, inviting the ants back. Check 2. While I am cleaning up the crumbs, the dog is in the kitchen attempting to dump the garbage can to see what she can eat. Check 3. While I am in the kitchen cleaning up lunch, Rhys and Ava are bringing everything known to man to be on a blanket in the livingroom, including all toys that aren't supposed to be downstairs. Check 4. It goes on and on, but sometimes I really do feel like it is a losing battle.

With the start of the school year approaching I am making an attack and conquer plan for de-cluttering and streamlining my cleaning process. Our clutter attracts clutter. Phase one: shoes will be in the shoe thing and if they dont' fit they have to go in someone's closet. Bags will not be brought in and left by the front door. They all attract random things that don't get picked up and cat fur and probably ants.

Ava is now claiming to be having chest pains from the effort of taking her toys back upstairs. The dog is whining about starving to death from not being allowed to eat the muffin wrappers in the garbage. People are going to have to get on board with my plan or else....

(let me know if you can figure out what my or else should be.)

Too easy

If you have ever heard Rhys sleep, you know he snores. Loudly. I mentioned it a few months ago in passing to our pediatrician. Rhys has always snores but he had started gasping more here and there in his sleep. The doctor referred us to an ENT and gave Rhys a steroid nose spray. the nose pray did make a huge difference and Rhys was great about taking it. I just wasn't sure how I felt about him being on the nose spray long term. He had his appointment wih the ENT today and it turns out the main problem is his adenoids and he will be getting those along with his tonsils out right after labor day. The whole thing seems sort of weird to me, like it was all too easy to schedule him to get body parts removed. One look and an xray and yep, let's take those bad boys out.

In other news Ava had her kick off picnic today. She really needs to up her friendly factor. I have heard she is better when I am not around but she was flat out rude to people when they tried to introduce her classmates to her. She knew three girls from her class last year and was fine with them. New people... Not so much.

Sent from my iPhone

Ava today. Just because

Big guy

Rhys hasn't wanted to be outdone by Ava turning 5 and starting school soon. Nope. He has decided to potty train himself. I am just more or less giving pointers, and reminders. He is doing it all. We are finishing up 24 hours of no diapers and are doing really well. I wouldn't say accident free, but as long as he is able to get to his potty right away, he is fine.

Ava was gone all weekend after her party, so we had a lot of Rhys time. He is pretty funny without her and the level of whining in the house drops drastically. We were playing on our bed Saturday night and I threw him off of me onto a pillow. Dori didn't like that. She got herself in between the two of us, pretty much a hands off sign. She sat there pretty calmly, but definitely sat there alert, next to him for the next half an hour or so just giving me the eye.

no excuses

I haven't written in a long time. It is what it is. Moving on.

Yesterday Rhys discovered the box of Justin's old GI Joe's in the garage. He stayed out in the garage, literally dripping sweat, playing with them. I brought him to rehydrate and cool off. It wasn't that hot in the garage, just kind of stuffy. He tried playing with them in the house but he thinks the garage is better for some reason. He woke up this morning and wanted to hurry up and have breakfast so he could go back to playing.

Justin is getting a new phone through work...the new iphone. I know, woopadeee doo!!!! No really, I was filled with insane jealousy. I am usually not a jealous person. Other people are allowed to have things! It was that he didn't even want an iphone. I did! For 3 years!!! but we had a cell service that doesn't carry them. Then my train of thought was hmmm, how much would it be for us to switch service now that I am the only person on our plan? I am up for an upgrade anyway, contract wise, so now would be a good time. I had looked in the past and for hte family plan, it didn't make sense. Turns out, it was the last day of a promotion and when it arrives today, I will have my own iphone that cost me $9 and a plan that pretty much costs the same as my old one. Maybe a couple dollars more, depending on the corporate discount. I am excited to get it, but I am actually feeling a little guilty that I was motivated by feelings of jealousy. I can also bless someone else with my old phone so yay.

Ava has her golden birthday on Friday. Her birthday is a very big deal this year. It definitely has to do with the fact that in school, her friends talked about birthdays all year. They built it up to be a great time. She has me sucked into the hugeness of it. I am trying to remind myself, it is just a birthday. Though it is a great day, lets not get too crazy.

Our summer will be coming to a slow halt. Ava has a laser treatment on Monday, which pretty much means the last 2 weeks of summer break will be spent inside. I guess since she is only in morning kindergarten, we can still do some summery stuff in the afternoons. I am looking forward to hanging out with just Rhys everyday, for the first time in his whole life. It will definitely be an adjustment for all of us.