One step closer to an ending season!

So the picture are not in chronological order. It's not easy to drag pictures around with MAC!

Ethan and Grant enjoying lunch time!

First thing he ate was his Sandwich! Good Boy!!!!

Waiting in line after I left! What kind of look is that?

Last Goodbyes!

The one with the Teacher!

Do I really have three kids in school?

So Monday took me another step closer to the end of a season in my life. I'm not talking about Fall here. I'm talking Spring actually! Spring is sometimes defined as the first stage of Motherhood; young Motherhood! It seems like yesterday when Aubrie and Boston were toddlers and school seemed so far off in the distance. Back then I thought that life would be so much easier, when they grew up and went to school. No diapers to change, no fights to break up all day long, no more toting kids all over the place to do errands, and no more multiple carseats crowding my car. How quickly those toddlers grew and here I am with 3 kids in school and only one 2 year old to keep me company through the day. I am making such a concentrated effort to enjoy Sophia more. Play with her more, and try to see things through her eyes. A few weeks before school started I realized that my alone time with Ethan was gone when school ended in May. Before, when Sophia took her naps, it was just me and Ethan with no other kids to get him wound up, or fight for my attention. I so loved my time with Ethan here at home. And how I wish I would have taken advantage of it more, instead of wasting my time with cleaning, computer work, crafts, etc. He just loved doing his own thing, and so it was easy to let him. Now he is off to school. I miss him so much. Even if it's just his presence! He has such a sweet, loving spirit. Though his attention span is lacking, his heart is made of gold. He is like a sponge, absorbing everything around him, but at the same time everything bounces back as quickly as it's learned, processesing and then tries those things out himself! Oh how I miss my Ethan, but seeing how excited he has been about school has helped me be a little more excited about him being at school.

I wasn't sure he was going to like school. Months leading up to the first day I would ask him if he was excited to be going to Kindergarten. He wouldn't act very excited about it, and would give me the nonchalant answer of, "sure, Mom." Perhaps I was asking him during the middle of a video game or something. LOL The night before the first day of school he seemed a little more excited, but not enough to make me feel like this was a day he was looking forward to. Then when we woke him up, he was up and ready (chores done, etc) so fast. I thought, "well maybe he is excited." When we got there, he again was acting really laid back, like it was just another day. When we got to the Kindergarten playground he instantly saw a friend and started playing. When it was time for them to go to class, he was so good to get in line and stay there. I gave him a kiss goodbye (putting my sunglasses on to cover the few tears I couldn't hold back) and left! I stood on the other side of the gate (parent's had to leave) and watched him just stand in line looking off and a little worried. Not tears. Just a concerned look. I walked away hoping he would have a good day!

I was very sick over the weekend, and was still not feeling well on Monday, but decided that I had to go and check on him at lunch time. I showed up and was lucky enough to see all three kids. They overlap each other; Boston having lunch 15 minutes before Ethan, and Aubrie and Ethan having the same lunch time. I watched for Ethan to come in, and he didn't look like he was out of place. He came right in, sat down and started eating. I grabbed the two other kids and we went over to say hi. He was happy to see us. I asked how his day was, and he said it was fun and that he had new friends. It made me feel so much better to see how well adjusted he was to his environment!

Later in the day, when we were going over some homework, that asked him where his "favorite place to go" is. He answered, "school! I love school". I thought that maybe it was just the first day that was so fun for him. Today he was ready faster than Aubrie and Boston, and was packing his own lunch before I got downstairs. He also knew he was going to ride the bus for the first time, so maybe that helped things along. He had another good day, and was singing a new song he learned at school, around the house all afternoon.

So of course this is mostly about Ethan going off to Kindergarten, but I can't forget the other kids. Boston was soooo excited for school to start that he could hardly sleep. He picked his outfit out, and when he put it on he said, "Now this is what a second grader looks like!"

Aubrie picked her outfit out months ago. I think I'm having a flashback. How about you? Oh, you can't see all of it! Imagine a hot pink Cindy Lauper looking skirt, black tights, and black converse! Gotta love it! Boston was excited for his class because there were lots of kids he knew, including Brigham and Davis. Aubrie wasn't too happy at first because Gracey wasn't in her class. But all the Mormon kids were, except one. The boy she liked last year was in there, too. She threw a fit during open house, but by the first day of school she was glad she was in that class. Her teacher is new, but taught 4th grade for several years at another school. One of my friends taught with her at the other school and said she was good. Aubrie loves her teacher, especially that she lets her eat in class. She also made a new friend today, which I'm happy about. She was just hanging out with Gracey, primarily, and it was time she realized that she can have more than one friend and still be a good friend to everyone. Such a hard thing for some girls to learn.

Oh...Ethan has a good teacher, too. And there are two kids from church in his class. So all worked out, and all is well. The kids are happy, and so that makes Momma happy!

What have I been doing with only one at home? Well right now nursing a bad cold and finally finishing up the Work and the Glory series! YIPPIE!!!! I LOVED it. So much great Church history info, and I really learned a lot about the development of the west, the Donner party tragedy, and many other things they never taught me in school. I look forward to more quality time with my little girl, who I CANT get enough of right now. She went from being a insubordinate, fit throwing, mischievous little 2 year old, to a fun, exploring, talking, swimming joy, within the past month. I guess all the traveling took the spunk out of her. No...she has plenty of spunk. She just is channeling it better! I'm hoping the terrible two's are finally over! Oh, I just want to go and give her a squeeze right now, before I turn around and am sending her off to school!!!!