Last hurrahs before school started

Wow. Being a grown up is exhausting.

The kids are adjusting to the new routine. Little Bitty is psyched about going to her first "build a bear" birthday party of a classmate tomorrow. Brother is playing in his second soccer game of the season. Daddy is the coach and their team, the Iguanas, is awesome. Mostly just because my son and husband are so cute out there on the field.

Daddy took the kids on a last hurrah to a nearby nature center museum the week before school started. We also did a family zoo trip. We got some cute pictures which I've been a little slack in posting. So - here is a myriad of pictures to enjoy.


Apparently Brother loved this gear board and played for a long time arranging them so that they would all move.



Fire fighters in training.


At the zoo. I'll refrain from making a horny joke about my husband.


Our Little Bitty on the carousel.


Hoping through the pond at the nature center museum.

All is well with Team T.

It's interesting how life keeps happening and you can't spend too long worrying about one thing because something else will come along and changes circumstances somehow. All you can do is keep going and doing the best you can. And being thankful every step of the way. My husband may read this and snicker thinking that it sounds way more healthy and adjusted than I actually am.

As I was stewing and hurting for Brother about starting kindergarten at a school where he didn't know anyone we got a phone call that a spot had opened at a magnet school that we had applied for near his old preschool (where Little Bitty still goes). SO - we had a big decision to make on Wednesday. They gave us three hours to accept the spot or not. I grabbed Brother out of his third day of school at his new school to go visit the new new school. This is a Spanish Immersion public school that fills via lottery.

I am so proud of our little guy. I could tell he was hesitant to consider changing schools again, but I also was so impressed that he didn't get overwhelmed or panicked at the possibility. He was very quiet but took it all in as we visited, his eyes lit up as he saw some of his old friends from preschool, his ears perked up a bit as he listened to teachers conversing in Spanish, and I think when the librarian introduced him to her pet frog - he was sold. I think my husband and I both were hoping he would embrace the idea of changing to this new school. It's really a fantastic opportunity - but I stayed objective and tried to talk through the pros and cons and I acknowledged that the timing was frustrating because he was just starting to get used to his new class.

As we drove away from the school I told him we would have to decide soon but that we could go home and talk it over with Daddy. He replied that he was ok and thinking about it and would make a decision soon. About five minutes later he announced that he was going to the new school and would be learning to speak Spanish. His first day was yesterday and I don't think I'm imagining things when I say I feel like I got my little guy back. After seeing him be a little less than himself for the past week or so, he was so enthusiastic and talkative last night. We went to an ice cream social at his new school last night and he ran and played with both new friends and old. He jumped out of bed this morning and was dressed before he came downstairs. He was doing fine at the other school - he really was - but this feels different. And I am happy, happy.

Little Bitty is also doing GREAT in her new class. She is wearing her glasses all day. No kids have teased her or shunned her as she feared. And we had an exciting surprise yesterday when she got two new friends in her class - twins adopted from Guatemala! That makes FOUR Guatemalan born kids in her class of 16. How cool is that?! Her only issue in her new class is that she loves the centers so much (specifically the dollhouse center) that she doesn't want to stop to go to the bathroom. She has dirtied her britches two out of four days this week - and the girl is 100% potty trained, this doesn't usually happen. Ah well. We all transition in different ways. And really - I'm glad that it's her showing her adjusting by pooping her pants and not me. I'll stick to eating snickers and not sleeping well.

Only because I have to let them grow up.

Monday was another first day! First day of Pre-K 1 for Little Bitty. The preschool they have both attended is set up much like an elementary school in that the whole class moves up each August into the next grade level. So, this means that Little Bitty just moved from the 2A class up to Pre-K! We are all very excited for her - and she is excited for herself. There was no nervousness or tears from her yesterday. Just a lot of big smiles. She was most excited that this class has a dollhouse center. She was planning all weekend to start the day off there. Thank goodness it worked out that way. Or I would have had to lure one of the other kids OUT of the dollhouse center to make room for my daughter. She also got invited to her first birthday party yesterday. She's attended several with Brother, but this is one that she's actually invited to - at BuildaBear - whoohoo.

Here she is on her first day of Pre-K!

Yesterday she missed school because we had a follow up eye appointment as a result of a questionable vision test result at her three year appointment. A note here about trusting your "mommy instinct"... the nurses performing the test were going to blow it off as her "losing interest" in the game of naming the pictures they were holding up. But knowing my daughter as I do - I knew that she was acting embarrassed and frustrated. Suddenly little signs that I had dismissed all added up and I knew that she was having some trouble seeing. Our pediatrician suggested a great opthamologist (spell check is wanting to change this to something that I am pretty sure is someone who studies bugs - so I'm leaving it) who works with many children and she was diagnosed with an astigmatism in one eye that needs to be corrected. So - here is our BIG GIRL in her BIG GIRL glasses!

I'm not going to lie - there is some bribing going on to leave these on for most of the day. A new remote control puppy dog from Target is involved. I think she likes them alright... but she did ask me last night what she should tell kids that ask her "why is she wearing those glasses?" and asked what to do if they didn't want to be her friend anymore. UUUGGHHH. It hurts my heart so bad. Between that and Brother telling me that he didn't have any friends to play with at recess just about drives me to start designing that bubble that I'm going to put them in at some point to keep them from EVER getting hurt.

First Day of School! First Day of School!

All over the country kids are attending their first day of school this time of year.

But this is MY kid.

And I know that he has to go off and become more grown up and independent. I want this for him. I pray for this for him. I am completely thankful that he has this opportunity. And he is excited. And his teacher seems awesome ~ the perfect person to love and teach him when he is there. She has a frog theme - and Brother is into polliwogs right now - so that's cool.

And there were no tears shed. By him.

But - that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt my heart a little bit. Cause it does.

Bye, Buddy. See you in a few hours.

Little Bitty the sports fanatic

"Mommy, my guys and I are up here watching the Predators game."

"Do you know who is winning?... The Red Sox."

Ok, mixing sports but still - here is where her Nonno's heart swells with pride.


"Do you know who is losing?... The Yankees."




"Mommy. Take a picture of me with my guys watching the Predators game."





And I did:

File under: It's Funny Every Time

My husband's best friend from college owns a monkey suit. No... not a tuxedo, as he has to explain to people, an actual monkey suit. I don't entirely know or remember the origin of the suit. I think it was for a costume party and when he saw the cost to rent vs. buy he decided to buy, because - really - it just makes good financial sense. The monkey suit has gotten a lot of wear. We don't live near them - so I haven't gotten to see him in it as much as I'd like - but I was in attendance at one New Year's party when he came out mingling as a monkey shortly before midnight. That's the best time to don a monkey suit. When it will be a surprise, get noticed and is strangely inappropriate for the occasion.

Little Bitty has only met this friend once. However, they share a special bond. Little Bitty owns a monkey suit. Hers is a hand-me-down from Brother. Brother has had MANY costumes. He is a costume lover. Little Bitty? Not so much. In fact, she's usually rather averse to donning a costume. However, there's something about a monkey suit. And she gets it. She totally gets the point of the monkey suit. It is best worn when it will be a surprise, get noticed and is strangely inappropriate for the occasion. For example, an hour past bedtime, when your parents have threatened dire consequences if you don't immediately put on your pajamas and brush your teeth, when your mom is chasing the dog who is out of his ever-loving mind and is yelling to you something along the lines of "Child - for the love of ALL THINGS - if you don't go get ready for bed I am going to lose my shit mind!" This, people, is the PERFECT time to go to your room, quietly change into the monkey suit, and then stroll back to your parents and wait for the reaction. Do it proudly, confidently and with a huge smile. PERFECT.

I LOVE our children.

Edited: The Monkey Friend sent a picture. Here he is with his offspring.