Laying Low

I have so many things I want to talk about, like Jack turning 5 months and Eleanor turning 3! But, after the colds left, we've now been hit with pink eye and I feel an ear infection approaching for Avery, and I spend all my spare time doing laundry, so it looks like it's a season of stepping back and focusing on us and getting well. I'll update soon enough.

Kindergarten!

Avery started kindergarten last week, to which I am only just now writing about thanks to the illness that would never end. Apparently kindergarten also ushered in the world's worst cold to our family. Thank you, School. You're on my list.

Her school is charming and they get to wear the cutest uniforms, and you'll have to text me to ask where she's going because of Internet safety, y'all, but trust me, we love it, all one week plus one day that she made it. Yes, she missed almost the entire second week of kindergarten thanks to fever. She went on Friday, making it every adult's dream week (minus the cold), because then she hopped right into a fun weekend.

I'm also awesome at school. She wasn't late once. I cooked a hot breakfast every day. I was up before 6. Lunches were packed the night before. Notes were written. (My friend Erin told me how to do it all.) She even got a napkin every day. I rock at kindergarten. And with that, there goes all of my momentum and motivation, and we can coast the rest of the year, right? Her desk is the very last desk by the door, so I'm thinking she could just sneak in and no one would notice. Kidding. That stresses me out even thinking about it. Of course she'll be on time, and it's because Luke is doing drop-off on his way to work. The littles and I do school pick-up in the afternoons, and I'm learning the pick-up line is a true science. Being two minutes later than the day before can mean you're twenty cars further back than you wanted to be.

I did drop-off the first morning, though, and we all walked her into the gym where they have a morning assembly and line up with their classes. We then walked her to her classroom where we could get her settled in her new desk and stay to listen for storytime. Eleanor decided to join the class for that, and I had to bribe her off the rug with the promise of a snack. I wasn't sad at all until we were sitting in the car and I was telling her how excited I was for her - and then I had to catch myself, check those tears, so that she wouldn't feel like she had to be sad.

She hopped in the car just beaming that first day. She loved all of it. PE! (Not my kid.) Recess! Reading! No math yet, but she hoped they would do it soon!

Day two - she climbed in wearily and said, "It's a sleepy day. We had to have recess twice."

By Friday, she was sobbing into her oatmeal because she was so tired and didn't understand why she had to go back AGAIN. The days are so long, and I really wish Texas did half-day kindergarten.

Week two started with the Labor Day holiday, and then she spent the next three days home sick. At least she was bummed that she was missing school, so I guess the first week didn't scar her too badly.

celebrating the night before with frozen yogurt