We Did It!

Well, we survived Kindergarten Orientation! What a day, what a day!!! It began this morning at 5:45 with a phone call from my Aunt. She wasn’t going to be able to watch FAB because she was sick. So….I lay awake for nearly two hours worrying about that. I know that Hubby wanted to go the meeting…and I wasn’t missing it for the world…but did NOT want to take FAB. So, Hubby called his sister and she had to work….he couldn’t get a hold of New Mommy (plus I wasn’t sure if she could handle FAB and Little B by herself yet). So, he called Detergent. She said sure! So, we all got up and got ready and took FAB to Detergent’s house. I figured she would cry when we left her…but she didn’t! So, we left here there and headed to the school!

We got there early (go figure!), so we just kinda hung out by the Office. We pointed out the Principal’s Office (which is painted pink!) to I-Man and told him that if he gets called to there…he will be in big trouble at home! So, then we went back to his classroom. We had to wait a few more minutes until his teacher opened the door. We went in and she took all of our school supplies and then she told the kids to find their seats. So, I-Man found his seat and Daddy traced his hands and his task was to color in his hands. At this point, Hubby put his arm around me and I told him to not touch me because I felt tears coming on and I didn’t want to cry. Meanwhile, everyone else got there and then the teacher started talking. Oh! She had a microphone on….which I thought was pretty cool because she seems rather soft-spoken. It wasn’t loud or anything, but it was neat. So….she tells us about herself…she has 3 kids (one is a Junior at Kent State, one a Freshman at OU and the other a Junior in high school – she looks much younger than she is) and she proceeds to tell us that she knows what we are going through with letting our kids go…and my tears started flowing. I was so mad at myself for crying…I was the only Mom doing so! Then the Principal came in….I really like her. And she talked and I was still mad at myself for crying. Oh well. So, it went well. At one point, Mrs. Lloyd (his teacher) started to get choked up as she was telling us how passionate she is about teaching Kindergarten and our kids. She has been teaching at this school for 12 years – 10 of that being Kindergarten. So, I think I am really going to like her. Oh, did I mention that Hubby and I are the only “couple” there. All of the other kids only had their Mom or Dad or in one case, Grandma. I needed Hubby there…and am proud of him for being such a committed Daddy! We both signed up to come and help at parties or just in the class in general. We signed up for conferences. Oh…and I-Man was SO, SO GOOD! He didn’t talk, he just sat and colored his hands and listened.

This is where I have to stop and say that I have really been worrying lately if we made the right decision to send him early…and I have to say that he was as or more mature than every kid there. And there are two other 4 year olds in his class. So, I am feeling better. And Hubby and I both agree that if he has to take Kindergarten twice, we are fine with that. So, he was such a good boy. He didn’t really talk to any of the other kids (which is soooooo un-like him) but I think it was all just so new and over-whelming to him…and he told us later “Well, Daddy! It was my first time meeting these people!” After she was done talking, he asked me if he could go ask his teacher a question…I said yes and then followed him to hear what the question was. Well, she had mentioned that they offer breakfast to kids that are dropped off early. Well, that must’ve caught his attention because he asked her what was for breakfast. Hubby and I just laughed and told her that he wouldn’t be there for breakfast…but he LOVES food. She got a good chuckle out of that too! He also was asking lots of questions about Peanut Allergies because there is a kid in the PM class with allergies so they aren’t allowed any peanuts in her room at all – which I think is great! So, I was telling I-Man that it is just like when he goes to A-Girl’s house…he can’t have any peanut butter before he goes or anything like that. Apparently this kid has peanut and wheat allergies. Poor thing!

So, after that meeting, we went across the hall to his Kid’s Club room – where he will spend his afternoons. His teacher there is very nice…this program is not as structured as Kindergarten and it is also their first year offering it at this school, so I have a feeling there will be lots of tweaks along the way. But again, the Principal was there and she is very excited about this program. I have a feeling she will be around a lot in that class – just to see how it is working and such. It is a lot of hands-on learning and interactive stuff. But again, all my questions were answered. So, I feel so much better after today!!!

OH! I forgot the coolest thing about I-Man’s Kindergarten classroom! His teacher was one of 4 in this building to get this new technology called a “Smart Board”. Basically this big computer screen takes the place of her chalkboard and it is SO, WAY Cool!!! You can write on it with these special markers (different colors) and use the eraser to erase (just like a chalkboard)…her lesson plans can be up there. So, for example, there was a “to-do list” for the parents and she just used her finger to bring it up on the screen and only show the items she wanted to. Then when she was ready to move on, she just moved her finger down and the other stuff appeared. Then she also said that the kids could play games with it. For example, she had this one screen where there was __at on the right side of the screen and a bunch of letters on the left side. So, they could work on making “at family” words and just use their finger to drag a letter over to form a word. VERY COOL. She said that most kids (and I-Man is definitely one of them) are used to video games and computers and this is an interactive way to learn. It was very, very cool. Oh, and they do have a bunch of computers in their room too. So, that was awesome!

So, there is so much more stuff that I think was neat about today…but I won’t bore you with all of the details. It was just so neat and great to get my questions answered and to see I-Man so excited. I know that I will cry on Friday morning…but I am also just so very excited for him to start this new chapter of his life!!! We are going to video-tape it and get lots of pictures!!!!

So, after that…we dropped Hubby off at home and then went and picked up FAB. I talked to Detergent for a bit and then Many Kids got there to drop off her little boy. I just gave her a great big hug and told her we were praying for them. Little L might get to come home on Saturday – it just depends on how she is doing and how her blood levels are. Apparently she has started chemo and she did get sick a bit last night. And Many Kids doesn’t do well with vomit…so that is going to be hard on her. Their little boy is starting to show signs of “distress” as he is realizing that something is not right. He is only 3…so that must be hard. And I guess that her oldest boy is starting to question why God would allow this to happen….but wouldn’t you? I feel for them. Beef took him out to dinner last night…so hopefully that will help. That entire family just needs so much prayer and love right now. I feel for them.

The kids and I left there and then went to McD’s for lunch and then to Magic Castle for a bit and then to Payless to return shoes and get more. Then we came home and took naps! I LOVE being able to take a nap in the day! I need to start doing that at work! I think my day would go so much smoother if I could just take a nap every day! Then when they woke up, we ran to K-Mart and bought a few things (new Dora sheets and a blanket for FAB) and then came home.

Hubby actually got home from work early today so that I could go to a jewelry party with KK at one of our work-friend’s house. It was very fun! Just a bunch of beads and you make your own! I LOVE the watch I made…they take it to finish it…so I should have it next week. That was fun. I was glad that KK was there because I am not decisive at all….so she had to help me out! I just love her….we are so opposite but yet we get along so great!

SO, I just got home a bit ago. Just in time to sing and pray with the kiddos before they went to bed. I am getting ready to head that way myself! Not sure what our plans are for tomorrow. I was thinking of taking the kids to the Rec Center…but I don’t know if that is still open and if it will be hot enough tomorrow. Then I was thinking about going to the Boonshoft Museum, but that is kinda expensive. So, I don’t know what we are going to do! I am getting my hair cut at 9:30! So, yeah for that!

Well, you all have a great day tomorrow and I will talk to you later! Love ya!!!