Wednesday, August 24, 2011

First Day of School 2011


My girls had their first day of school on last Tuesday. It was a good day with a minimal amount of tears.

They only went for half a day and the parents were allowed to walk the Kindergarteners into the classroom. This was the first and last time that the teachers allowed it.

Sammy lined up outside at her class' designated spot and was all smiles. She was eager to start the day. At first she did not want me to go in with her and take pictures. Of course I had to take pictures of her first day.



After the pictures were taken she figuratively pushed me out of the classroom. She did not shed a single tear. I cannot say the same for myself. It is an emotional day for any mom when her baby starts Kindergarten.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Kindergarten Open House

I received a letter in the mail on Wednesday that the school was having Kindergarten Open House on Thursday at 6pm. It's a good thing that I did not have any plans with the amount of notice that they gave.

It was an opportunity for the kids and parents to meet the principal, meet the teachers, bring in supplies, take a tour of the school, and receive information that is needed for the upcoming school year. They did it a little different from the way it was done 2 years ago when I was there with Makenzie. This year school staff took the kids for a tour and snack while the parents stayed in the classroom with the teacher. It was great. Samantha's class has only 16 kids. She will have the regular classroom teacher as well as a Special Ed teacher or her assistant in the classroom at all times. Sammy does not require special ed services. They began having the Sp Ed teacher in the regular classroom instead of pulling students out when Jordan was in 4th grade (2005), which is much better in my opinion.

Having 2 teachers will be helpful with Samantha's separation issues and crying if they occur at school like they have at day care. It also benefits the regular ed kiddos having an extra person available to assist them if needed too.

School officially starts on Tuesday with a half day. On that day the parents are welcome to walk the kids to class and help get them settled. On Wednesday, which is the first full day of school, the teachers have said that the parents are not allowed to enter the building. They want the kids to leave the parents, not the other way around. They feel that this method is easier on the kids. I have to admit that I agree with them.

I am hoping for no tears from Sammy on Tuesday, but I can guarantee that I will not be able to keep mine at bay.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Sick Again -- UPDATED

I have been battling a sore throat for some time now, so when Makenzie complained this morning about a sore throat, I had to take a look. What I could see of her throat was red and swollen. So I got on the phone and called the pediatrician's office and they sent her for a throat culture at the lab.

It took longer for us to get Makenzie to cooperate for the swabbing of her throat than it took for the test to come back positive. So we took the note to the doctor and left with a script for antibiotics.

I guess it's now time for me to call my doctor and get an appointment too. :(


UPDATE: I went to the doctor and yes, I too have strep. I hope the rest of the family stays well.

The Countdown Has Begun

Samantha is so excited about starting Kindergarten next week that she asks every morning if this is the day that she goes to "big school". She has been attending a daycare/preschool since she was 18 months old so she refers to her sister's school as big school.

I am ready for the school year to begin and again I am not. The kids are getting bored and need the separation that going to school provides. This time away from each other makes the house so much more harmonious. There is less bickering during the school year with the exception of long breaks like Christmas and spring breaks. The reason that I am not ready should be obvious. I am not ready for my baby to be that old. It means that she is definitely a big kid.

Once the kids go back, so do I. I will be taking 2 online classes this fall. I decided that the class load that I carried during the spring semester was just too much, especially if I find a job. Yes, the job search still continues. There really are not many positions out there for my field of expertise. I spoke with one company that is hoping to have a position open up in the next 6 months that I am "perfect for". Their words, not mine. But in the mean time, I am still looking. I cannot bank on a hope.