First day of preschool, 2012

At long last, Buttercup's first day of preschool has arrived! She started yesterday, and words cannot describe her joy and exuberance at finally getting to go to her own class.  :-)  

We decided over the summer to switch her from the Mother's Day Out at our church that she attended last year (and Oliver attended for the previous 2 years). That program offered 2 days per week, but we felt like she needed more, mainly because Oliver would be in kindergarten all day every day and it seems like she just has a really hard time when her big brother isn't around. :-(

So we decided to switch to a program at a different church, where she goes 3 days per week. I hemmed and hawed about it for the rest of the summer, because I wasn't sure if she would really be okay at a new place without her old friends, without knowing anyone at all (the other program is at our church, where she knows pretty much all of the teachers), would 3 days per week be too much, etc. 

Well, her first day was yesterday, and after only 1 day I'm starting to feel like this change was the best decision for her! She had such a great day, and even though everyone in her class is new to her, she does have at least 3 friends in other classrooms nearby and she gets to see those kids on the playground at recess time. Her teachers are both awesome and so kind and patient, and I have no doubt that she'll be A-OK. :-)  

And in true Buttercup fashion, she threw a fit this morning because it wasn't a school day. ;-)

Here are some pictures of her from her first day (and one of the baby boy)! 

Crafts and new routines and other stuff

Oliver has been in kindergarten for a little over 2 weeks now and Buttercup, Theodore, and I are starting to get used to our new routine of being without him during the day. At first, Buttercup missed her big brother a LOT, but now she seems like she's enjoying our time more and pouting missing him less. :-)   

She and I have been doing more of her favorite things, like running and doing crafts. She also is dead set on learning how to read, so we're working on that, too. :-)

She ran to the playground and back, a little over 1 mile. :-)

Theodore was a little suspicious of my big camera

Theodore likes doing crafts, too! Well, mostly tearing paper into shreds. ;-)

 

Still suspicious of the camera :-)

At the park

Since we have to leave the house so early to bring Oliver to school (sniff, sniff), I've been bringing the other two kiddos to the park after we drop him off to beat the heat. This morning we got there before 8:00 and got almost 2 hours of playing in before we started getting too sweaty. Whoo hoo! 

Watching a city worker with a leaf blower. :-)

We have a kindergartner!

Today was Oliver's first day of kindergarten! He's been ready for this day for a while and he was so excited this morning. 

Of course all 3 kids decided to sleep in, but we managed to get everyone up, dressed, and out of the door on time. 

Here's Oliver, on the way to school (with Buttercup gazing adoringly at him from her seat):    (I'm not going to post the picture I took of Buttercup glaring at me when I asked her if I could take her picture.)

About to walk through the school doors for the first time!

Sadly (for me), the drop off didn't go quite the way we were expecting. We were supposed to be able to walk them into the cafeteria and hang out on the sidelines for a bit, then walk them to their classrooms. Instead, when we walked up to the school, we were told to go straight to the classroom, drop off our kids and then leave. :-(  

Dennis stayed outside of the classroom with Theodore while Buttercup and I walked Oliver in. I felt like crying, but held it together . . . until I heard the lullaby music that the teacher had playing in the classroom (!!!) and then I started bawling. Ha ha ha.  So I only have one picture of Oliver in his classroom. (I'd been planning to take one of him and his teacher, or at least have one of him and me, or something.)

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and hugged him goodbye, and he shrugged me off and said, "Moooom, I just want to get started with my Play Doh, is that okay?"  HA!  Then Buttercup and I walked out of the classroom, stood in the hall with Dennis and Theodore, and waved at Oliver until he looked thoroughly embarrassed.  ;-)  

I love this sweet boy. So proud of you, my big boy! 

Randomness

I wanted to write down some of the funny things that the kids said in the past couple of days, but I didn't write them down fast enough and I've forgotten some already. :-(  But I do still remember this funny bit that happened earlier today!

I was in the kitchen, slicing a butternut squash to bake in the oven. Oliver walked in and asked what I was making. 

Me: I'm going to bake this butternut squash.

Oliver: A buttercup squash?

M: No, a butternut squash.

O: Buttercup? 

M: No, butterNUT.

O: Oh. Buttercup. Buttercut. Butternup? [obviously confused]

M: [laughing] No, butterNUT.

O: Oh. [walks back into the living room]  Hey Buttercup! Mom's going to bake us a pumpkin!  

HA HA!

There was also another funny moment this morning when we were on the way to Theodore's eye appointment, and Oliver was pointing out the hospital where he was born to Buttercup. The name of the hospital is Seton Northwest, but he told her, "Hey Buttercup, that's where I was born! It's Satan West Hospital!" 

Hee hee. 

And for more randomness, here are some of my favorite (although blurry!) pictures from this summer. :-)

Sitting on a really big chair at the children's museum

More fun at the children's museum

I love this one -- Theodore was trying to heave himself up and over the table instead of crawling underneath it to get out. :-)

Buttercup chasing birds at the lake

View of the Austin skyline from Zilker Park 

Throwing rocks in Barton Springs

Going to see Ice Age 4!

All ready for church!

Summertime fun in the backyard

We have been having such a fun summer! Lots of summery outings (like swimming, train rides at the park, going to get snowballs, playing at splash pads, etc) but also lots of fun times in the backyard. Summer is the perfect time for . . .


. . . dirty feet

. . . swinging in swimsuits

. . . playing in the pool

. . . having long conversations under a shady tree

. . . looking for bugs 

. . . making a shelter

. . . making a "cake" with mud and grass 

. . . and playing in the dirt!

Hooray for summer!