Kindergarten and 3-yr-old preschool

We have made it through almost the first 6 weeks of kindergarten!!!! Will started at Clinton Park and has a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Landfair. We found out at registration that he had John David, a boy from his preschool class that he is good friends with, in his class...that really made Will excited. He also knew two other girls from his preschool class that are also in Mrs. Landfair's class. That is rare in such a big school!!!! Of course, Will tends to do things in unusual style, and true to form...he got sick (I know, not his fault!) with a big fever virus. So he had to miss his first two days of kindergarten. However, once Monday rolled around, he woke up singing and ready to go. Let me say...out of all of my "I'm sure I'll be fine...Will is so ready to go that I'm not worried about it" big talking...I cried like a baby watching him walk into that big school by himself. Any chance I had of composure went out the window when Owen said "Momma, I miss Will, let's go back." I'll also admit to being in the carpool line at 1:45 the first day (school doesn't get out until 2:25). I couldn't WAIT to see him. After the first day, I was much better and Will never missed a beat. What happened to my tentative child who preferred to stay by my legs? He hopped out the car like he was made for school and never looked back. I watched him take a big breath and knew he was nervous, but he walked into that school like he knew just what he was doing. The thing is, I'm learning that Will WAS made for school. He LOVES it. He even loves homework. He loves to practice writing his letters, and reading and all of those things. Of course, he will also tell you that his favorite thing about school is the awesome playground (it is awesome!). The first few weeks he was SO tired by the end of the week and was worried about having to go to school so much...he felt like he was missing out on playing and swimming and things like that. Once we got in the groove of being able to meet friends after school at parks, and swim at a sweet friend's house...he realized that he was busier but still able to do the things he was used to. He's pretty much rocking kindergarten now and really loves it.

Owen also started "big school"...meaning 3-yr-old preschool. Let me first say that he was DESTROYED about Will starting kindergarten. They were able to go to playdays together this summer and he was used to having Will at school with him. Also, I am SO blessed because Will and Owen truly are best friends (as I overheard Will tell Owen after Owen said "I'm your best friend, Will"...Will said "Owen, you are my brother and brothers are even better than best friends!"). Owen was just sad and unsure of what to do without his best friend at school. When Owen got to start preschool, he was not happy about it for a few days. He wanted Will with him and had decided that he was 5 and needed to be with Will at kindergarten. Starting preschool sorta destroyed the idea that he might get to somehow magically turn 5 and go to class with Will. Let's just say that, as much as Will was made for school...Owen has to adjust to school. I'm probably gonna owe Miss GG (Owen's teacher) a bottle of wine by Christmas! He's gotten in time-out a fair amount and for the most part is perfectly happy to explain to me why he got in trouble with no real remorse. I think we've finally gotten through to him that the goal is to NOT get in time-out...and the last 2 weeks seem to have been better. He really found school to be a shock the first few weeks and it was a hard time. But thanks to the wonderful teachers and director, he's definitely adjusting and figuring things out. He's had MUCH better weeks the last 2 weeks and has come home happy and, for the most part, likes to go. It helps that he's found a cute little blond gal that he has a crush on. :-) The starting of school has reminded me of HOW DIFFERENT my two children are. In case you'd never noticed. ;-)

Oh, one more funny Owen story that happened in the car-rider line. As we were sitting in the car line waiting for Will to get out of school I turned around and said "What's up back there, Owen?" I got a really cute grin and this response "Nuthin' but the ceiling, baby." From my 3-yr-old!!! Oh, my. I laughed for 2 days straight. Look out, girls, Trouble is coming, "baby."

About to drop Will off on his first day. Look how excited Will is! Now, look at Owen's face...he was SO sad to be dropping Will at Kindergarten.

Oh my goodness...getting out and going in...

Look at my brave boy!!!! This picture can still make me cry! Happy Kindergarten!!

It Comes Full Circle

This was an email I'd sent to some of y'all after our Gulf Shores trip...I just copied the email here, but want to put it here on the blog as well. I can never have too many reminders of the goodness of God.

Because y'all have been with us through so many of the ups and downs over the last several years, I wanted to share what I considered a really great moment in my life with you all. As most of you likely remember, almost 4 years ago when I was in early pregnancy with Owen, we had a huge scare and thought that we'd started to lose (miscarriage) him. The next day I had a docs appt that simply left us unsure of what would happen next and what state Owen was in (we knew we hadn't fully miscarried but weren't sure what the next few days would hold). What we hadn't told anyone yet was that they'd also discovered a mass or lump that caused concern. We left the OB/GYN unsure of whether or not we'd continue to miscarry, and went straight to the radiologist where they could feel the mass, were concerned, but coudn't see it on ultrasound. So we had another "not sure what will happen" report. Our doctor advised us to go on and take a few days of vacation we'd had planned to Gulf Shores, so we did. We spent that weekend with heavy hearts, praying a lot, unsure of whether we were going to lose our baby and unsure of whether we could be looking at me having cancer. We did the only thing we knew to do, be quiet, be together and pray hard. We had our picture taken on that trip at LuLu's resteraunt in Gulf Shores. I treasure the picture b/c I remember what we were feeling at the time.

This past week, we got to go back to Gulf Shores with Wes' family...it's the first time we've been back since that weekend we were so heavy-hearted. We got to go to LuLu's again...this time with a VERY healthy Owen and a very healthy me. We got another picture...one I want to frame next to the one of Wes and me almost 4 years ago. It just hit me as we were getting ready to go to LuLu's this time...the powerful reminder that when we were most lost and confused, God was still most in control. And feeling so incredibly blessed to have a chance for a second picture (in the first, Owen was in my tummy) with my Young Warrior Honoring God, as Owen's name means. Just wanted to share. It was a great "full-circle" reminder of the goodness of God...and I'm so glad I wasn't too caught up in life to miss the reminder this week.

Summer Fun (yes, I know it's almost October)

Ok, I keep thinking of all the things I'd like to blog about that I'm behind on, but I'm not sure I'll ever have a chance to sit down and catch up. So I'm going to do one big "summer" post and then get into the all the current happenings in the next post (that will come soon!!!).

This summer was a busy one, but FUN!! The boys were in summer playdays on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I could work, and Owen got to go downstairs with Will (vs upstairs to the Mothers Day Out 2-yr old room he had been in) and the other big kids. He was pretty pumped about this and Will was a sweet big brother and was excited to have Owen with him. I was glad that the teachers had a chance to get to know Owen before he started 3-yr-old preschool this fall!!! You know, sorta realize what they had coming. We also spent a lot of time at the YMCA pool and in "Whaley"...our inflatable whale-shaped pool in the yard. As you can see, they loved it!

Speaking of Owen, I have to share one of the funniest stories of the summer and then we'll move on to beach trips and pictures!!! Pizza Hut. I will never think of it the same way. Owen, Will and I went to meet a friend and her little boy for lunch one day. The Pizza Hut in Clinton has a really great indoor playground separated from the restaurant area by a big glass wall. We were sitting just on the other side of the wall where we could easily watch the kiddos. Sitting right by the door into the play area was a really sweet couple that were there with their little grand-daughter. To say that they opened that door for Owen a few times is a massive understatement. That poor man got to where every time he saw Owen running towards the door he went ahead and stood up to open it for him (he was closer than I was even though I tried hard to get to the door quickly). Anyway, he'd been chuckling at me dealing with Owen ever since we got there. At one point when the kids (I thought) were contentedly playing, I was eating pizza and, you know, trying to have an adult conversation that had some form of uninterrupted and continuous sentences. All of a sudden, I saw the man that was by the door stand straight up, looking into the play room in alarm. I turned to see Owen perched ON TOP OF the enclosed "curly" slide. Obviously...since the outer part of the curly slide is "locked away" behind nets that are fixed to the floor with plastic ties, the fact that Owen was outside the boundaries of the play area was a problem. Also concerning was the fact that he was straddling the curly slide at my eye level. One slip and he'd come crashing down and hit a lot of metal poles (that hold up the play equipment) along the way. Great. So I go running in there along with this sweet man. He manages to get his hand through one of the squares of the net and tells Owen to hold on to his hand so he won't fall. I'm trying to figure out how to get back there to Owen. At this point, Owen starts crying. This nice man, who knows nothing of my strong-willed child, thinks he is scared and starts telling him it's ok. I realize quickly that Owen is crying b/c he does NOT want to get down and knows I'm about to make him. The man figured this out with the "It's NOT ok, I want to stay" response from Owen. I, with great regret, figured out how Owen got back to outer area of the slide. The net had torn from the floor up, about 2 feet high (and not very wide). Nice. Guess who's going back on her hands and knees through that little opening to fetch a kid?? Guess who wore my denim mini-skirt that day?? Guess where the staff at Pizza Hut HAVEN'T mopped since the building opened umpteen years ago?? None of it was pretty. This sweet man who now realizes he's in for more than he bargained for, and who was laughing pretty hard by this point, held the net up as high as he good for me while I tried to gracefully (ha!!!) get through this tiny opening. I manage to grab a hold of Owen, who doesn't want to get down. Dealing with an angry Owen is like wrestling a 40-lb Labrador, but I eventually won and had to shove him by his angry rear back out the little opening. My sweet helper escaped back to his wife and grand-daughter, and from what my friend says, was doubled over in laughter. When I came dragging Owen out of the play area (guess who wanted to go BACK behind the net??!! Not Mommy!), he said "I know what you need...another kid!!" He laughed and laughed and I pretty much did too. What else was there to do? Especially b/c it's pretty much just another day with Owen.

Ok, vacations. We had a FUN summer with vacations this year!!! With no kids in diapers or pack n' plays, the beach was definitely a bit easier. The first trip we took was true vacation. We went with Wes' parents and his brother's family to Gulf Shores. Will and Owen really enjoyed having their cousins to play with, and we all enjoyed the family time. Owen and Will both LOVED the beach, as the pictures will soon tell. Between our nephews and our boys, there were many shells collected, many sand piles made and lots of "learning to swim" in the condo swimming pool. Overall a really fun trip!!! Since our vacations are often around Wes' work conferences, it was especially nice to have him relaxed and not in meetings! Here are pics from our first beach trip with family!

with Wes' parents at LuLu's

Ok, second beach trip (I know, this is a ginormous post, but I better get it all done now!). Wes had his MS Engineering Society meetings on the Coast at the IP Casino this year. So we made a family trip of it again this year. Also, Karin was able to get off from work for the whole trip this year, so she was with us as well!! The boys were very excited to have their "almost big sister who doesn't live with us" (as Will calls her) along for the trip! Wes had meetings every morning and we hit the pool/beach as much as we could, along with seeing Toy Story 3 one afternoon that it rained. We also went to the kids museum in Gulfport. This place was AWESOME! I hope our coming children's museum in Jackson is as good! The very sad news on this trip was that, while we were there, we learned that Karin would be moving home to Connecticut for a time in order to be with her family there for a number of reasons. This news did not go over well with the boys (or us either, for that matter!), but thanks to Skype and phones there is lots of communicating and Uno playing going on across the miles. It made us even more thankful that she got to be with us for the trip before leaving.

Owen climbed this structure at the Children's Museum at least a dozen times.

Guess what Owen's other favorite thing at the museum was? My two engineers!!!

This makes me laugh. Our friends, the Altmans were at the same engineering conference. Here are the two engineers at the museum trying to figure out which ball will go faster. They never really grow up...

Look at Owen's face! Don't tell him that obstacle course was too big for him! Everything he does, he does 110%.

My candy lover at the table where they said "take all that you can fit in your bag." It was trick-or-treat come early for him and he was pumped!

It's been TOO long...

I know...I'm way behind on posts and pictures. My hope is to get somewhat caught up in the next day or two. Hang with me and keep checking back! Lack of posting hasn't been for lack of adventure...Owen all by himself has been enough to give me gray hair at 31. But it's been a good summer and I promise to update soon. The big news of the week is that Will starts kindergarten on Thursday. I've been saying all summer that I'd be fine with him starting kindergarten b/c he's so ready and excited. Now that it's here...yeah, not quite so fine. I'm glad he's not nervous...I'm nervous enough for us both! More to come...

(Oh, and while I didn't feel the slightest bit "old" when I turned 31...I think I aged a decade in my first PTA meeting. When did I get old enough to have a kindergartner and go to PTA? That's rhetorical, BTW.)

Preschool skating and Olympics Day

I've been meaning to post about some preschool events that Will has had. First, he learned to roller skate! One day a week for February and part of March, they got to spend about 30 minutes in the gym roller skating. He LOVED it. And it turned out he was good at. However, at first, this momma was NOT excited about him roller skating. Will has, after all, broken 2 legs in his 5 years of life, and turning him loose to learn to roller skate was not my idea of safety first. I was so worried about it, in fact, that I chickened out and just couldn't go watch for the first few times. I felt moderately bad about this, but knew that my fear was noticeable and I did not want Will to be scared to skate just because I was so worried about it. This was one time when I knew he'd be better without me at first. After a few times, I went to watch, and he was really good on the skates. He didn't fall at all (it helps that the skates were tightened up a lot so they weren't rolling super fast) and had a ball with his friends.

Will and his buddy, Regan.

Check out that superhero pose Will's doing! He did that every time he got ready to "take off" on his skates!

Will with his buddies Regan (far left), Troy and Dawson from his preschool class.

Also, at the end of March, the preschool had Olympics day following a week long unit learning about the Olympic Games. There is an opening ceremony with the passing of the torch and carrying in of the flags. This year, they asked Will to be one of the flag-bearers and he was so excited to have a special job to do! After the opening ceremonies, the kids went around the gym doing different "Olympic games" like limbo, walking on stilts, bean bag toss, etc. At the end, everyone got a medal. It was a fun morning!

They each made life-sized drawings of themselves and decorated them. Will gave himself green hair!

Will (holding the American flag) getting ready for his flag duties.

He was really proud of getting to walk it in and present the flag!
Now...let the games begin!!!!!

Limbo!

Bean bag toss!

Egg walk

Horse races! :-)

Potato sack races

Will and Troy waiting for a game to start. They are super close buddies and as Wes said after watching them at Olympics Day...they act almost like brothers they are so close!

Stilts! Will really likes these!

Ring toss

My Olympian!!!!

Camping at Rocky Springs

Several weeks ago (end of March), we decided to take the boys on a short camping trip just to get away and have some quiet family time. This was also Owen's first camping trip (Wes and Will are old pros). We packed up and headed down the Natchez Trace to Rocky Springs. If you've never been there, it's a GREAT place both to camp or just take a day trip. There is the old town site of Rocky Springs, an old church, plenty of walking trails and of course, the creek and waterfall. The campsite is great too. We got there Saturday afternoon and set up camp before heading down to the creek. Playing in the creek was definitely the highlight of the boys trip. It was actually a somewhat cool day, depending on the breeze, and so I didn't even take swim suits...thinking we would just wade in the creek at the most. Well, Wes and I waded, but Will and Owen went all in. They played and played until they finally started to get chilly and ready to head back and make dinner. We made hot dogs and smores over the camp fire and had a really good time. They boys stayed up late chatting in the tent, and then around midnight we got some good rain. Wes had put up our rain fly, so we stayed dry in the tent, but our chairs and campsite got wet! The next day was a lot cooler (about 60 degrees) b/c of the rain and clouds, so we let the boys ride their scooters around and walked some trails before heading for home just before lunch. It was a great trip and very successful camping adventure with a two-year old!! Can't wait to do it again!

goofing off with the camera so Wes could set up camp in peace!

Headed straight to the creek. Will is my OCD child to hates to get wet and dirty. He started off wading like this...

Then we saw him get his running start...

And he is apparently no longer worried about getting wet and dirty. YEAH!

Owen has never been concerned with getting wet or dirty...

He prefers to play that way...

If he could do this every day of his life, he'd be in heaven.

Eating yummy camp treats.

I love all 4 of our chairs around the camp fire. SO cute!

Two handsome fellas...

Their personalities definitely shine through in this picture!!!

Will was a great big brother, teaching Owen everything he knew about camping.