ups and downs

On Wednesday, my boys went back to school. This year school starting was especially unique because BOTH my boys started all day school at the very same time! Ash started first grade, which of course is full day, and then our school district made the decision to implement all day kindergarten beginning this year...so Maddox is among the first kindergarteners in Mustang to go to school all day! That's alot for one mommy to handle! I was nervous pretty much the whole summer about this day but especially the week leading up to school starting I had a knot in my stomach. My babies are growing up and no matter how hard I try there's absolutely nothing I can do about it...ugh. The morning of the first day of school I couldn't help but take a picture of my "sleeping handsome's" as they snoozed and snored. I didn't want to wake them up. I just wanted to crawl back into bed with them, where it's warm and cozy, and sleep as late as they wanted to. But instead, I acted as a responsible parent, and started waking them up slowly early in the morning. It felt like the middle of the night compared to our summer schedule! The boys weren't exactly eager to wake up but once they realized it was their first day of school they were pretty excited!

The boys spent some time sitting on the sofa watching cartoons and Maddox DID NOT want his picture taken...

I finally captured one shot of him, though, while he was drinking his milk and holding his sword!!

Noni took a family picture for us, which we never get on the first day of school because I'm usually the one taking the pictures!

After breakfast, vitamins, brushing our teeth, getting dressed, fixing our hair and putting on our backpacks we were ready to roll!! But not before mom took about a thousand pictures, of course! By the last picture the boys were huffing and puffing at me but one day they'll thank me...I think... :)

That's right...I'm officially "THAT MOM" and bought a Back to School flag to hang on our flag pole during the first week of school! Ha! (Where can I get a pair of mom jeans? I think it's only fitting, right?! Ha! I'm only kidding of course...) After taking pictures inside I made the boys go outside and take some pictures under the flag and in front of the garden.

They were so proud of their lunch boxes!

I know I've said it a million times but I truly can't believe how fast time has gone. I don't feel old enough to have a kindergartener AND a first grader! Wow! How (and when) did that happen!?!? Nevertheless, here we are and minutes later I drove my babies to their first day of school. On the first day of school, parents are allowed to walk their kids to their new classes. I walked my boys into the school and they both bravely walked beside me. Ashtyn even walked a bit ahead of me. I really think that, if I had let him, he would have walked to his class EVEN THE FIRST DAY all by himself. I pretended like he needed me though and walked right there with him. Maddox looked a bit nervous but he wasn't even about to admit that he really was. I got kind of nervous as we were walking toward Maddox's kindergarten class and had to pass another kindergarten classroom and I saw a little girl clinging to her mom, tears streaming down her face and refusing to stay in the classroom. Oh no! I started praying that Maddox wouldn't break down. As we turned the corner to Maddox's classroom we immediately saw a little boy who was in Maddox's Pre-K class sitting in the room and he called out to Maddox saying hello. After that, Maddox walked right in ready for his day. Ashtyn too went into his classroom without even looking back. As I made my way back down the long school hallway to the parking lot I was holding back my tears...trying desperately to make it to the comfort of my car before breaking down. I made it...but barely. As soon as I sat down in the drivers seat (Brandon was waiting for me in the passengers seat) I put my head in my hands and the tears began to flow. I knew, deep down, the day would be fine and I actually had a very busy day planned so I knew the time would fly by but all the emotions of the morning came bursting through at once and I couldn't help but get emotional.  I think I was just as much upset by the fact that the boys walked into their classrooms without being upset as I would have been had they thrown a fit...

I spent my day having our annual first-day-of-school breakfast with Jill. We actually spent almost the entire day having breakfast!! Ha!! We arrived at I-Hop at 8:30 that morning and after eating breakfast we sat in our booth and visited until 1:00PM!!!!!!!!! Whoa!! Now THAT'S a breakfast!! Ha!! We enjoyed visiting and laughing and, yes, even crying. After the longest breakfast of all time, my mother-in-law and I did a little shopping before picking up the boys and then taking them to Sonic for an afternoon snack. Overall, the boys both had a pretty good first day of school. They both said it was TOO LONG and were EXHAUSTED!! Maddox loves his teacher and is excited to go to recess everyday. Ashtyn had a few rough patches the first day but I know in the long run he'll really enjoy school. He told me, that first day, that he cried at lunch because he "missed his mommy" and that his teacher gave him a hug. I think he was a bit embarrassed that he actually cried in front of his whole class and lunchroom. Ash also said that his day was "boring" but I think that's just because Ash is so excited to actually learn (especially math!) that when they spent the entire first day going over rules and procedures he didn't find it very exciting. Once his class actually gets into a routine, though, I know he'll be fine. Ash also struggled his first day at school with lunch. As we all know, Ash is an extremely picky eater and so I've been worried about his first lunch at school since he was 2-years-old!! He didn't do terrible but he said that by lunchtime his sandwich was soggy. I had packed a peanut butter sandwich (which is the only thing Ash has been eating for lunch for probably six months...) but he's always eaten them fresh and I think the peanut butter soaked into the bread too much for his taste. So that first evening we discussed a new lunch plan and I think it'll all work out.

Now, the boys have been in school for three full days and day two and three were MUCH better all around! Maddox had a blast and Ash enjoyed his day (and his lunch) much better. I was still emotional each day but with Praise4Gray taking up so much of my time this week I haven't had too much time to think about how long the days will be without them. This next week will prove for sure how I'm coping and how the boys will do for the year. I'm hoping for the best!