Friday, September 14, 2012

{progress report}

So after last week's rough start, this week was shaping up to be pretty good. No one woke up with spots, or anything else for that matter. We were settling into a routine. Regular bedtimes, wake-up times, meal times. It was all going pretty well.
These pictures are from Tuesday. Paige and I were trying to figure out what she would wear for picture day on Wednesday. We settled on this outfit. And I took her outside to take a few pictures...you know, just to make sure it would look okay. After a few shots, we both decided we had a winner. And a THANK YOU to Grandma Carol for the SUPER cute outfit!
The next morning was pretty routine. The girls had breakfast, got dressed, got their hair done. NO big deal. Emily asked me if I could drive them to school because she was very tired of being late - their bus driver is not what you would call punctual. Okay, fine. I drove them to school. I waited with Paige until she went in with her class - and only because she begged me not to leave her until then, and then I made my way to the PTO office to get ready to help out with picture day.
So far so good. And that's how the rest of the morning went. Kids came in to get their picture taken, I made sure their hair wasn't sticking up - unless they made it that way on purpose - made sure their shirts were straight, all the general fussing that goes with getting your picture taken. And then Paige's Kindergarten class came in for their pictures. When it was finally Paige's turn, she got up on the platform, got in the pose, and then kind of, lost her cool. She told me "NO!" when I asked her to put her hands where they were supposed to be, and then came the tears. And the screaming. Yep. My kid, you know the one who has had a camera in her face FOREVER, lost her mind on picture day.
It was BAD. She clung to me. Didn't want to smile or even think about having her picture taken. And her teacher - we LOVE you Mrs. Hollinsky! - saw all this going down and took her aside so that we could all get ourselves together. And when I turned around, there was another sweet, adorable, little girl who was also starting to lose it. It took a few minutes, but I managed to talk her off the ledge. I hope her Momma appreciates her picture from that day - because HOLY COW - she was a tough one.
Back to Miss Paige. The ladies - her teacher and our PTO Vice President - managed to talk Paige off the ledge enough to get her picture taken. I did get to see it, and all things considered, it was actually okay. But right after that, Paige lost it again, and had to be dragged back to the classroom by her teacher, all while screaming down the hall, "I want my MOMMY!!!" It broke my heart, but I know that this is a HUGE adjustment period she is going through, and me running down the hall after her was helping no one. So I didn't. I stayed at my post. I did see her teacher a couple hours later, and she said Paige got over it about 1 minute after they got back to the classroom, and was perfectly fine.
So, to sum up the week - 15 successful no spotted wake-ups (Me, and both girls), 10 packed lunches, 10 packed snacks, 1 forgotten rest time mat (oops), 1 forgotten water bottle (oops again), 1 temper tantrum, 1 late night for little girls due to a PTO meeting that was on a Thursday night - Eric works late, 1 sad nine year old who cried when she saw rain this morning, and didn't believe her Mom when she tried to tell her that it was only going to rain in the morning - Friday means an extra 30 minutes of recess, (and BTW - the Momma was RIGHT),1 forgotten tube of chapstick (oops x3) and three tired females. Bedtime is at 9pm tonight for all!

Monday, September 10, 2012

{my two sided girls}

There are two sides to every story. There are also two sides to each of my girls.

This is Emily's serious side. The side that digs into homework right when she gets home from school. The side that gets its feelings hurt so easily. The side that is all business when it comes to rules. The side that is excited about bedtime because that means it's time to read, uninterrupted, for 30 minutes....and sometimes that same side also needs to be reminded to close the book, turn off the lights and go to sleep when it runs 30+ minutes over that bedtime. :) I love that side.

And then there's the CRAZY, SILLY side. This one likes to dance like no one is watching. Seriously. Just think Elaine from Seinfield. This side of Emily is also the one that loves jokes, funny shows on TV, or just can't hold back the giggles when someone says, "underwear". Crazy side loves to sing - LOUDLY. Or even cover herself in mud at the beach. I love this side too.

Where Emily has a serious side....Paige has a CUTE side. Maybe it's a seriously cute side. I don't know what it is..maybe most people think it's just a 5 year old being a five year old...but, my goodness...CUTE. Her cute side is the one that insists a feather boa goes with her PJ's. Or that way she think she's five going on twenty-five. I love this side.

Not to be outdone with her BIG sister, Paige also has a crazy side. This side is very similar to Emily's crazy/silly side. Except for the whole Elaine dance thing. But very much the same on laughing at completely inane things. And also making crazy faces for the camera. I dare say she excels at that. (did I just go British....?)
These pictures are compliments of me playing with metering into the sun last night. And while a lot of people may not love that second picture of Emily - her crazy face and the sun  - that is just what I picture in my head when I think of her. So, at least there's that. :)

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

{Paige's First Day!}

This morning, my Paige woke up a lot less rash-y. She was supposed to go to her Grandma's house and hang out there while I went to school to get some work done. But she saw herself in the mirror, declared herself "all better", and started to put on her "First Day" outfit. Okay, then. I guess she wanted to go to school. So, I let her. She was still a little spotty on her arms and legs, but at least 50% less red. She didn't really complain of any itching...so I decided that since I was going to be up there anyway most of the morning, I would let her go. Sniff, sniff.....

 That foot thing she has going on....a little bit nervous, I think.
 How is it that this TINY BABY is going to Kindergarten?? HOW?
 Yep. She's EXCITED!
 My BABIES.
Paige didn't cry getting on the bus. I think she was overwhelmed. Or, at least her mother was.....And I didn't cry either. All the emotions of yesterday pretty much sucked it all out of me. I was just so happy to be doing the "normal" thing.
I did go to school after she got on the bus  - I needed to help out - and I was so glad I did. The 5th graders that are supposed to help the Kindergarteners off the bus, didn't help Paige. So, I personally handed her off to her teacher. Phew! And when I checked on her during lunch, she was still a bit itchy, so I got her another dose of Benadryl, and she was good for the rest of the school day.
It's very strange seeing my little Paige at Ojibwa. We have been waiting for this day for so long, and it's finally here.....amazing, truly amazing how fast time goes. She had a GREAT day. And is very excited to go back tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

{4th Grade}

So let's just gloss over the fact that only Emily started school today. We'll get to Paige in a minute. Let's focus on my fourth grader this morning.  My Emily Jean was so looking forward to this day - like she does every year. She LOVES school. I know, weird. But, to be perfectly honest, so did I.

She is most excited about going to Lansing - the BIG fourth grade field trip. She is also very excited to try out for the school play.

 And she is looking quite the grown up girl to me this morning. Since we had lots of hoopla in the house this morning - i'll get to that - she got herself all ready without me even saying anything to her. She ate her breakfast and got her teeth brushed, and I don't think I even reminded her once. She was all ready when it was time to go to the bus stop. Thank you Emily Jean - because if you didn't do all that, I don't know what condition you would have been in when I walked you to the bus stop this morning.....





 Emily and her friend Nina - who have been standing at this bus stop together ever since they were little, tiny Kindergarteners.....well, not literally all that time...you know what I mean.
And then she rode off.....I hope she has a GREAT first day!
And then there's Paige. This is a sample of what I saw when I woke her up this morning. At first I thought it was heat rash. But after a trip to the doctor office, we found out that Miss Paige is allergic to sulfa - the sulfa that was in the antibiotic that she took for her mosquito bite that swelled up last week. So, no school for her today, and most likely tomorrow. I've already cried about it. And now, I am just going to accept that this is the hand we have been dealt, and we will deal with it. Oh well. At least she's not all that sad about it - she has no idea what she is missing. And I guess it's true, ignorance is bliss. If this had happened to Emily - oh, my. It would be bad.....maybe worse than the rash itself. So, it's all about perspective!