Grade 1

Tuesday was Blake's 1st day of Grade 1!!

He was very excited on Tuesday morning, almost giddy :)  He ate the biggest breakfast we've ever seen him eat and was in the best mood ever!!!

Cal and the girls dropped Blake and I off at school on Tuesday morning and much to my surprise, there was a long line up outside the school.  It didn't take long to get inside, find Blake's name on the classroom list and find his grade 1 classroom!  We met his new teacher, Mme. Khair, and he was very happy to see his kindergarten friends!  Many of his kindergarten classmates are in his Grade 1 class but he was most especially happy to find that his best buddy Max is in his class!  I took a few pics and left for the day.  I loved seeing the big smile on his face, so happy to be back at school!

Wednesday morning ... different story.  He didn't want to go to school!  Thursday morning, no problems, then again on Friday morning ... didn't want to go to school.  His reasons for not wanting to go include, "I don't like recess; School is too long; I don't get to sit on the carpet like in Kindergarten."  And on Friday morning, he balled his fists, got tears in his eyes and said, "Fine but you guys can't do anything today.  You have to stay home." So what he's saying is, the girls and I are NOT allowed to have any fun while he's at school!!!  I explained that when the girls are his age, they will also be in school and that he had many fun play dates and fun at home with us when he was 2 and 4, just like Reese and Emerson!!  He was fine once he got to school on those 2 days that he didn't want to go and every day when I picked him up, he was happy as can be!  He hugged the girls and I, gave me his backpack and rushed off to the park to play!  We were staying at the park after school for an hour or more each day.  It was fun, nice to visit with the other mom's and we definitely need to take advantage of this wonderful weather while it's still here :)

Blake has always taken awhile to adjust to new situations, never one to jump right in to anything.  So I am sure it will take a few weeks to get completely used to and comfortable with grade 1, his new teacher and his new classmates :)  

We're excited for Blake and this new adventure in Grade 1!  He is an eager beaver when it comes to learning, soaking it all up.  We can't wait to watch him learn and grow! 

Here are some photo's from his first day:

September 3, 2013

Our sweethearts :)

One last pic on the step, then off to school!

Found his desk, ready for Grade 1!

Au revoir Summer 2013!

We've spent the last week at home and it's been really nice!

Mon, Tues and Wed, Reese and I spent all day at home with Reese in underwear.  I thought we should at least try to potty train her, seeing as she's turning 3 in November.  We would have tried earlier but we were not home enough this summer!!  But, turns out she's not quite ready!  She would go in the potty if I reminded her or sat her on it multiple times an hour but she didn't pick up on when to go by herself!  If I left it up to her, she would stand and say, "Mom, I'm peeing!"  Blake and Em picked it up super fast so I think she's just not quite ready.  I'm not going to wash loads and loads of underwear and clothes for the next month until she 'gets it', I'll just wait a month or so and try again :)  I'm a big believer in the 3 to 4 day potty training method!!  She still wears underwear around home sometimes, as she asks for it!  So should be soon!!  I can't imagine a diaper-free home?!  It's been over 6 years of 1 or 2 kids in diapers in our house!!  And I think I forgot to mention that we are finally a crib-free home ;)  While the kids and I were in SK, Cal put together Blake's old single bed, for Reese!!  We came home and the crib was gone!  Reese was pretty excited and really liked the butterfly bedding I had bought for her!  She is a little monkey, getting out of her bed, coming into our room in the middle of the night and even opening Blake and Em's door and climbing onto Blake's bunk!!!  One night Emerson came into our room and told me that when she was going to the bathroom she seen Reese's door open.  I looked in and Reese was curled up sleeping but I have no idea what she did before that, but I know she didn't just open the door and go back to bed!!  So I warned her that I will put a child proof door knob on the inside of her door if she keeps getting out of her bed.  Every night at bedtime she would say she wouldn't get out of her bed but she always did!!  So we put a child proof door knob on the inside of her door!  She wasn't happy but I'd warned her!!  She now calls for us if she needs us!  I tell ya, whatever Blake and Em did not do, Reese does!  They never got out of their beds or their rooms!  I guess she doesn't want us to miss out on these experiences ;)

Monday and Tuesday we played around home but I could tell Blake and Em were getting cabin fever so I called in some Grandma D back-up!!!  My Mom took them out on Wednesday.  They had a blast, visiting the Lego store and lunch out with Grandma :)

Tuesday evening was Emerson's preschool orientation.  It was nice to see some familiar faces and chat with my preschool peep's :)  I'm on the board this year, which I'm looking forward to!  Emerson's first day of preschool is September 12th.  They do a staggered-entry, so she'll go on the 12th and then on to the regular schedule the following week (Mon, Wed, Fri morning's).  At first she was nervous about going back to preschool and sad that her friend Samantha won't be there (she's in KG this year) but now she says she is excited ;)  She loved it last year so I have no doubt she'll enjoy it this year!

Wednesday afternoon we aborted operation potty train Reese and headed to the park!  Cal took Friday off and took Blake and Em to the Disney movie "Planes!"  They enjoyed the movie!  Reese and I went for lunch with my Mom and Dad while they were at the movie.  Wednesday evening my Mom and I went out for dinner with my Grandma and afterwards I spent some time with her at my Aunt and Uncle's.  It was really nice to visit with her and just hang out!  She's not very chatty so a lot of the time is spent not saying much, but that is okay.  It's nice to just be together.

Saturday we met Eric and Berlyn at the Valley Zoo.  It was a hot morning/early afternoon but lots of fun!  The kids love our little zoo, especially seeing the monkeys and Lucy the elephant!  Saturday night we had the Parenteau's over for a backyard fire/hot dog roast/smore roast.  It was a lot of fun!  Hopefully we'll be able to have 1 more backyard fire before winter arrives!!

Sunday we headed to Build A Bear in WEM for some accessories for Sam, Honey Bear and Rosie :)  The kids love Build A Bear and so do I - such a fun place!!  The mall was NUTS though, so we got outta there pretty fast!!  We went to Mom and Dad's for a visit and bbq.  My Aunt, Uncle and Grandma also came for dinner and it was really nice to visit with everyone.  Mom and Dad are off on their September vacation tomorrow morning.  We always miss them but wish them a fun, relaxing vacay!

Hard to believe our baby boy starts grade 1 on Tuesday!!  He seems to be excited!  We have all his supplies labeled and ready to go!  Lunch plans made, clothes picked out :)

I'll do a back to school update soon!  Wishing everyone who is returning to school a great first day :)

xo
Tracy