Well, we’re off to a new school year with this morning’s drop-off to the first grade classroom looking entirely different from last year’s. Lainey’s calm assurance left me with such peace as I kissed her cheek, waved good-bye and walked out of her classroom, looking back only once to confirm that no, I wasn’t seeing things. She was comfortable and fine, and that felt so good for all of us.
There are some things about homeschooling that I love and gave up with choosing public school, but we homeschool our kids from the minute we pick them up from school to the next morning when we take them back. So I like to say my kids have both. I know public schools have to think about germs and cleanliness with so many kids, so I get that classrooms can’t have couches and pillows and quilts and stuffed animals; but I miss those things. “First grade feels so tiley,” I told Heidi today after drop-off. “Why is there so much tile? I miss rugs and blankets.” Moving on. We love our teacher, we love first grade.
I procrastinated on school prep until about noon yesterday when I decided I’d tackle two week’s worth of work. I flew around the house tornado style, cleaning, folding, vacuuming, scrubbing. Nella followed two steps behind me, uncleaning as she went. But somehow we made it, and last evening there was a clean house, clothes set out, lunch made, school forms filled in, backpack ready and children bathed. I did the beginning-of-school rundown with Lainey: “Wash your hands a lot, tell the teacher if you have any problems, don’t share hats or brushes, keep track of your water bottle, be kind, be kind, be kind. You’re going to learn so much.” And then I did the beginning-of-school rundown with myself, which goes something like “When did this happen?!” When did I go from being a first time mom, all pinching myself because I got to wear a Baby Bjorn with a kid in it who actually belonged to me, to a mom of three kids–making lunches, e-mailing teachers and planning a trio of Halloween costumes?
Big Sap gets sappy when school starts.
……
In other weekend fun, we met sweet Ellie and her family, visiting from D.C.
When Nella wears skirts, she looks down and watches her feet and the way her skirt swishes so much that we have to tell her to watch where she’s going.
And this one finally broke two teeth last week. Glory be.
He’s scooching, reaching, kicking, moving.
Onward. Forward.
For all of us.
*****
This week, I’m over at BabyZone sharing 9 Great Thrift Shop Finds for your Nursery and I’m at All Parenting talking about why we’re turning off the iPad more these days.
Happy First Day of the work week.
Ah! Thanks for the Ellie love!
Holy cuteness Dash! And I love the Dorothy theme for Lainey’s first day. She looks like a mini- Taylor Swift in the first picture, her facial expression. Glad to read that her first day went well for everyone. I’ll be doing the crazy mom of 3, first day of kindergarten, routine in about 3 weeks!
First days are so exciting and filled with emotion. <3
My first is heading off to kindergarten this year. Lots of mixed feelings over here. We’ve been practicing today getting up early, getting ready, eating lunch, etc. It’s been fun to watch but sad to see that he’s so big already.
in 3 wks I’ll have a 3rd and 2nd grader and a kindergartener ! With 2 still at home (3yr and 7 months).. I know I’ll be a hot mess when the K gets on the bus with the others ugh She’ll probably handle it hundred times better then me, even though she’s in the Lainey of old stage currently of being slightly terrified by the whole idea! Bah! Dreading it!
So sweet! All three little ones are absolutely adorable! 🙂
Your littles, oh so precious. I also held off on back to school as long as possible. Mine went back last week. I have a ruler of the school this year, 5th grade. So smart and confident. Also have a second grader who was not so confident until this year. We too are moving forward. So great to see yet my mama heart wants to slow it down. Thank you for sharing your family.
Lainey must have been the most adorably dressed student in all of the first grade! What a cute outfit! I am so inspired by the way you make big days so special.
The circle of life…and so it goes…
I’m so glad this year went so much smoother than last year. Have fun being filled in on all the details of a first grader’s first day of school!
You have mentioned raising an introvert before. Can I ask for more dos and donts that you’ve picked up. I’m captain if the extrovert squad, so I’m enthrall end and in love with this new kind if girl I’ve got here and would love some perspective. Especially when it comes to school.
“First grade feels so tiley,” I told Heidi today after drop-off. “Why is there so much tile? I miss rugs and blankets.”
“Tiley” is a good thing:) Head lice is not good:)
Two teeth! But, wasn’t he born like last week? This time with wings thing is cruel, so cruel….sigh.
Happy first day of school Lainey (and mama). First grade is the BEST grade (if this first grade teacher does say so herself). Here’s to a new school year filled with love, laughter, and lots of learning!
P.S. I LOVE the sentence about homeschooling your kids from 3:00 until the next morning when they go to public school. Such a great way to look at it and so true!! It takes both! 🙂
Happy 1st Day of Grade 1 Lainey! Yay Mama, for surviving a great first day drop off! My Ava starts Kindergarten in a few weeks and its just starting to sink in, will be a busy working Mama for the first month then hopefully I’ll have some extra time with my little one! I love the photo of Nella in the skirt, reminds me of you Kelle!
So different from last year’s first, but then that is so replica of life. 🙂 And, it DOES go by SO fast – watch out – that little one will be walking before you know it. Don’t say it often enough, but thank you for sharing.
That Ellie is another precious little girlie.
Tejas love,
Melissa
This is so sweet! I am so excited that Lainey is excited for first grade–that makes my future teacher heart melt. 🙂
And my heart melted hearing about Nella + her skirts. That is way too cute!
Aw! So glad she had a wonderful first day! Amazing what a year will do. :)I just welcomed 18 little 3rd graders at open house tonight. So excited for the school year to kick off! Happy Monday!
http://www.wolfswinkelfam.blogspot.com
loved the part about pinching yourself, wearing a baby in a bjorn that’s yours bit. real good.
xo
Always loving your pics and thoughts… 🙂
http://interviewsthatmatter.net/2013/08/19/tim-harris-on-living-with-down-syndrome-i-call-it-born-to-be-awesome/
I especially wanted you to see this!
http://interviewsthatmatter.net/2013/08/19/tim-harris-on-living-with-down-syndrome-i-call-it-born-to-be-awesome/
I wanted you to see this video!
I think Lainey is the most stylish 1st grader I have ever seen. Those booties are killer! I wish I had that good of an outfit for my first day of school.
Love the school outfit – very little house on the prairieish – if only I could do hair like that! Love Nella in a skirt – so grown up!
Love Dash and the fox – sounds like a great title for a children’s book.
So admiring your cleaning/organising achievements at home! Remember not to peak too early (in the school term) 🙂
How cute is Nella in her maxi skirt and vest! I hope Laney had a great day! My oldest started 1st grade yesterday and she loved it.
Was Dash not JUST a tiny tiny baby? Where in Heaven’s name has time gone?
Adorable pics!!! I can’t even believe I cried today (not the ugly cry, but still!) dropping off my 3rd, 1st and PreK3 kiddos today. I was actually fine with the Preschooler and 1st grader, but it was the 3rd grader, my firstborn, that got me all choked up. Like your post said…how do you go for desiring, wishing for that first baby to mom of 3…2 in school???!!! I think, too, it hit me that this is the big time for the 3rd grader. Our school starts “grades” (not + or – or checkmarks) this year. Eeek! 🙂
Your children, as I told you more than a million times, are blessings from God!! Great new school year to Lainey, she is adorable and taller, now!! Have a great week and God bless you all!!
that first image of Lainey is so, SO, perfect. Her quiet confidence shows.
@angdoran79 on IG
Stop it. How adorable is Laney in her first-day-of-school outfit?! I mean, all three kiddos are always super adorable, but that first picture kills me!
This reminds me of my first day of 1st grade. twin lunch boxes with my sister, it was pouring rain in boston and we wore bright red rain slickers. I was so so excited. I loved loved LOVED elementary school, every second!! Thanks for bringing back memories. L looks so proud and relaxed….indeed what a difference a year makes! I think lots of parents will take comfort in this.
xoxox
love you lots
lina
Ah, those baby teeth. They have to work for them, don’t they? My little boy is just two weeks older than yours and he’s already got six whole teeth with more on the horizon. He’s been chewing, drooling, and fussing over those teeth practically since birth. No fun.
YES! This is so me!!: “When did I go from being a first time mom, ,….to a mom of three kids–making lunches, e-mailing teachers and planning a trio of Halloween costumes?”
LOVE the skirt pic of Nella. She is adorable in that outfit and with that look on her face.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned – Dash has got to be one of the sweetest looking little boys I’ve ever seen. Adorable.
I’m glad that Lainey did so well with going to school on the first day! I read this beautiful short post about a Mom who is raising a child with a disability and I thought of you and thought you might like to read it? Here’s the link if you are interested: http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html
Love the pictures… makes me want to get a better camera! inspiration!
lovely post! You have mastered the french braid! Lainey’s little braids are adorable!
LOVE that Nella is eating the SAME kind of popsicle that is tattooed on her hand 😀
We enjoy temporary tattoos here – they (and washable marker “tattoos” which are just a drawn picture) are the “potty rewards” for our oldest when he poops on the potty. It’s so fun watching him think of what “tattoo” he wants 🙂
That picture of Dash reaching for his toy is dreamy 🙂 congrats mama to the kick off to another year of motherhood and all the joys each age and stage brings
Lainey is so sweet all ready for school! My son with special needs starts kindergarten Monday and I am really nervous, but also very hopeful. Really enjoyed your article on AllParenting. That limit setting is something we struggle with too but as you said, we try our best to change things that we recognize aren’t working, and move on. 🙂 Have a wonderful week!!
Lainey looks so cute in her outfit.
That skirt Nella is wearing!!!!!! LOVE!
Just stumbled upon this old post of yours about baby Lainey. My how they grow.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2007
“The Perfect Day: It rained today. So, we went to Barnes and Noble –just me and Baby. We looked at board books, read lots of them until we found the perfect one to take home. We sat in the cafe and watched it rain. I drank tea and shared little pieces of my blueberry scone, and she smiled with each bite. An old man came up to our table, smiled like my grandpa used to smile and said, “You’ve got quite a connection with that one, eh? I can see the love in both of your eyes.” And then he walked away. He didn’t see my tears, and I didn’t get a chance to tell him that what he just said was one of the nicest things anyone has ever told me.”
oh sweet Lainey. she looks so grown up and proud. those french braids are fantastic. and Nella is just way too cool in that maxi. and Dash…goodness what a handsome little man. i can’t believe he is already cutting teeth and trying to get around. love your family and heart bunches. xo
We too debated on whether or not to home school. We finally came to our conclusion just a few months before I needed to enroll our oldest in kindergarten. We went with home school for now, but are open to whatever the future may hold for us. Lainey looks adorable in her first day get up, and I’m glad to hear she is enjoying herself! xoxo Lacy
http://lovinglifessimplicities.blogspot.com
What is that adorable little house lunch box? Reminds me if my childhood but I can’t place it.
wanna know something nuts? when I was in first grade and my sister in 6th, we took the T to school by ourselves in Boston. Thems were different times! But literally the school bus system was so bad, taking the T was a much better option. Once we did take the school bus, and the bus driver had to run ‘an errand’ and he double parked the bus on the street and disappeared into his house. For half an hour.
Anyway! Your posts always bring up memories. and I love that nella is enjoying a patriotic pop and also sporting the tattoo. that’s love.
xoxo
lina
Kelle….
I am so very happy that Lainey was ready and willing to start school this year!! New class. New teacher. New challenges. She is growing up!! 😉
I love, love, love the log cabin lunchbox!! ;-D
–Raelyn
Really so lovely pics and anybody would love to have such wonderful moments in life 🙂
Regards,
Valleyobcare