First Day of School 2013

I always make a point to not rush life along nor to live in the past; enjoy the moment I am in and live life to its fullest. However, my mind is still in summer mode. My ADD is getting the best of me. But it is September and we are pressing on. 

Here is a summary of Brady and Reese's first days of school. 

Last week we got to meet Brady's teacher. I grabbed some pictures of her at the school since she rides the bus. Yep, new territory for us: public school and big yellow school bus. 

This is her at her desk. I had the wrong lens on so you can't really see the background, but I promise there is a desk and classroom there. 

September 3, 2013: Brady's first day of first grade. 

I wake up to the sound of Elli vomiting at 3:30. My first sign that things were about to get a little crazy and that I would miss summer immensely. My emotions about sending my biggest baby to school were thrown out the 'I'm too tired to think' window. My gear was shifted to survival mode, but we were still driving. 

6:00...Brady was pumped; Brady was up early; Brady was starting to get hyper; Brady COULD NOT WAIT!

We get to the bus stop early, in typical Orthner style. But within in minutes the bus stop was bumpin'. Yah, that is a third of the bus at one stop. I LOVE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD! As we were walking to the stop we stood at attention for the national anthem, all the kids stood and respected the colors of our wonderful nation, only at base housing. 

 No tears fell as I watched this. I was surprised too. But the mountain of vomit laundry at home distracted me.

Now take the picture above, turn Brady around, and turn the clock to eight hours later. Yea, I lost it then. I downright missed her. I swelled with pride when I saw her coming home. I have issues that a stranger gets to enjoy my Brady Boo all day long, but it is what is best for all of us. 

That night she spoke of mechanics of her desk, the yumminess of the school lunch, the lack of recess, the intercom that can speak to her teacher. Not much said about her teacher, academics or new friends. 

This is an excerpt from an email her teacher sent me. 

"She is an absolute doll, by the way.  So well behaved and a joy to spend the day with."

Yep, teacher's pet already. She has it to a science already. 

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Now Reese is a MWF preschooler so her first day was September 4, 2013. 

Well, no vomit in the middle of the night, but I guess I was still off my game because I forgot to set my alarm. I would have set it for 5:30, but instead woke up to Elli's chattering at 6:35. We all needed to be out the door by 7:30. YIKES...Did I really sleep in on Reese's first day of school. Yep, mother of the year award was overnighted to me. So the morning was a lot of rushing. We did though, we got there on time, which in Orthner speak means we were 15 minutes early. But we pulled up the same time as one of Reese's good friends, so Reese had no first day jitters at all. 

Side note: I keep looking at these pictures thinking 'did Reese grow two inches (in her legs) overnight?'

Reese had a blast. She talked of new rules, playing in the sand, HER hook for her bookbag, chasing a new friend with her BFF, and snack including juice but no water. Again no mention of her teachers or academics. But this is a 4 year old's world. 

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Three cheers for my two students!

 I miss these girls already. I miss the unscheduled summer days that allowed us to get dressed at 9:30. I miss their laughter throughout the day. I try to relish this time as they grow and learn at school. But, heck, those teachers best appreciate my kiddos.

This school year has me frazzled. Besides the forgetting of the alarm, I almost ran out of gas (noticed the light in the middle of thirty minutes of stand still traffic). Also, when eating my lunch, I look down half way through and realize I was using a plastic minnie mouse fork. I am off my game people. But I know I will catch up soon enough.

Here's to a wonderful school year, that soon enough I will appreciate.