Halloween 2012

Costumes were a little simpler this year, thank goodness. Arran decided he wanted to be a ninja, Bryttain was Hello Kitty and Asia was a flower girl (sigh, one day maybe she'll get to be somebody's flower girl in real life, she would so love that). At school everyone gets to change into their costume and the whole school does a parade so everyone can see all the costumes. It's pretty cute.

Weather was miserable so instead of going door to door to show off costumes (and of course get insane amounts of candy) we headed to Valley Baptist Church, in San Rafael where they had games and still gave out candy, while everyone got to stay dry. Worked out pretty well, especially as James had class and I had to do it all solo with the kids.

All School Read

Once a month the kids' school has an all school read, where parents and siblings all can come and read together at the start of the day. We normally take turns on whose classroom we go to and the the child whose classroom we are not visiting that day, joins us too. Just a little thing, but they appreciate it.

First Day of School 2012

Today was back to school day, for my oldest two. In theory, it would have also been Asia's first day, but the powers-that-be changed the cut off date by a month and so now she will have another year home with me. I think she's fine with that, and actually so am I!

We all made the effort to get up and ready early so we could walk to school instead of driving. So glad that James didn't have class this day, this year and was able to organize his work to go in later and join us for the walk to school and meeting teachers.

As has become our little tradition, Asia and I went on a little date and had hot chocolate together at Starbucks. Makes her feel pretty special.

She was anxious for school to be over though and couldn't wait to see her brother and sister again.

First day of school tradition, all the kids get ice cream, not bad! Nice way to end the day and we even got a shot with the principle, doesn't everyone look delighted?

This was SO much better than last year's fiasco and I am incredibly grateful :)

School!

Today was Bryttain's first day of school and Arran's first day as a second-grader. It was a big day! Bryttain was very excited and totally ready to start this new world. Of course, having watched Arran for the past two years and feeling like she already knew his teacher and half of her new classmates (it is a K/1 class) all made her feel completely comfortable. She picked out her outfit the night before and told me how she would like her hair done. As far as she was concerned, this was a good day.

Asia and I took Bryttain to her classroom where the children were settling in with a few projects. I sat with her as she did some puzzles and some drawings.

Things were a little harder for Arran. He had been with the same teacher for two years, in the same classroom and had really blossomed. In many ways it seemed harder for him than his very first day of school. He cried walking from the car to school and I was very grateful (again) for the flexibility that James has, with being self-employed, it was definitely a two parent day.

It was a strange day for me, I felt hollow, is the best way I can describe it. To think that in another couple of years all three of my children will be in school, is bizarre. They have been my life for the last seven (plus) years, but they really are growing up!

I ran a few errands with Asia and before we knew it, it was time to pick up Bryttain. Wednesday is always a short day, with Bryttain finishing at 12pm (instead of 11:45am) and Arran at 12:45pm (instead of 2:30pm).

She had a great day. She told me it was "So much fun", she didn't want to go home and was asking to go back tomorrow. I couldn't have been more proud of her, or have asked for more. It would have been pointless to race home for lunch, only to race back again to get Arran, so I brought a packed lunch for us and we sat in the park down by the school for half an hour, me and my girls.

 She called daddy to tell him all about her day.

Then we got Arran. I was so happy and relieved that not only had he survived his day but he was looking happy again. Both girls gave him huge hugs. Love those amazing kiddos!

Of course we could be having to do something very similar in another month or so...