Week 25 & 26!

LAST DAY OF SUMMER

Most people get a little depressed on Sunday evenings when faced with the long work-week ahead, but for teachers, this is the most depressing Sunday of the year--the night before our first day back. At least the first two days are just meetings and organizing your room ( I always walk around the building those first two days and think about how much I love my job on days like that--when there are no students in the building!) :). The students don't start until Wednesday. This means my own children as well. Drew is the big second grader, Dawsyn is the big first grader, and Delaney starts Preschool. We have gotten our teacher assignments, picked out our "first day outfits" (Drew could really care less, but Dawyn and Delaney got into it!), and have all of our school supplies. This was surprisingly easy--even with three kids and three different lists. Drew is always practical--he looks at the prices and gets whatever is cheapest and makes the most sense, Dawsyn is so opinionated, that she quickly picks out EXACTLY what she wants, and all Delaney needed this year was a folder. I made a big deal out of this for her benefit. We walked up and down the aisle to choose just the right one for her to take to Preschool every day. She decided on a "Jonas Brothers" folder. It had a picture of the three Jonas Brother boys on the front. I was surprised by this choice, but fine with it since I wanted it to be her decision. I quickly went on to the next item on my list when I saw Drew grab the Jonas Brothers folder out of the cart and disgunstingly turn to Delaney and say, "Seriously, Delaney? I hardly think this folder is appropriate for Preschool". Delaney looked up at him with her big eyes and said, "But Dawsyn likes the Jonas Brothers". Drew replied that it made perfect sense for Dawsyn to like the Jonas Brothers as she was 6 years old and going into the first grade, however, he didn't feel it would make the best impression on Delaney's teachers if, as a four year old, she showed up with teenage boys on her folder. At this point, I directed my attention elsewhere, partly because I was busy, partly because I wanted to refrain from laughing, but mainly because I was having a difficult time resisting the urge to roll my eyes at my "going-on-50", seven-year old. Sometimes Drew makes it so easy to be a parent. He is so responsible and always thinking about what the right thing is--very mature. Then there are those times that he crosses the line and tells Shawn and I what we are doing wrong, and what we should be doing to make things better. I swear he has come close to using the words "not prudent" when discussing our parenting of his siblings.

We took Delaney to visit her Preschool class last week. I thought it would be easier since she is my third to transition to this next phase of her life, but somehow seeing all of the same fear and questions on a whole new child is just as hard as the first. The night before we went, she came to me all teary-eyed and said, "what if someone makes fun of me?" It broke my heart, especially because I know someone will. At some point in her school career, she will come home devastated and upset because someone tore her feelings to shreds. And--there isn't anything I can do to prevent it. I just hope that I can be there for her. She got really nervous as we were walking up the stairs to the school and looked up at me and said, "Mom--what if I forget to put my name on a worksheet?!?!" At this point, I realized that Delaney was going to be just fine since most four year olds wouldn't even recognize a worksheet or the need to put your name on it! During our visit, she just kept telling me it was horrible and terrible there, but she did this with a huge smile on her face!

And then there is Dax who is going to have a tough transition with me returning to work. He has gotten very close to me this Summer. The other day he said, "Mommy--I love you!" and I replied, "I love you too". Then he said, "I love you more than Jesus!" I know it is wrong, but I didn't have the heart to correct him. I will be sure to remind him of those words when he is the rebellious teenager! The other morning, he climbed up on my lap and asked, as he does every day, "can we take the baby out today?" (I am really beginning to think that he views me as some sort of kangaroo!) I explained, as usual, that the baby wasn't ready and it wasn't quite time. He seemed to accept this answer, but a few minutes later, he turned to me again, and with a very sly look out of the corner of his eyes, he took a hand and turned it sideways and began to rub it back and forth along my belly saying, "See-saw, See-saw". I knew immediatly what he thought he was doing and told him that he couldn't cut the baby out of mommy's belly. He said, "oh darn-it!", climbed off my lap, and continued on with his day. That reminds me... I need to make sure there are definitely no sharp objects within his reach!
So... this morning was our last morning to sleep in.... and the hectic back-to-school schedule begins. Shawn and I laid in bed a little longer then normal today because we sensed the impending doom of the hectic year ahead--but he did get to feel some good kicks when he put his hand on my stomach, and by tonight, everything will be layed out to get us off to a good start for the year--bookbags, outfits, forms filled out, and even Delaney will be ready to walk into that first day of preschool with her pink backpack and purple folder with two white kittens on the front (apparantly she thought Drew had a point).