First day of school

My children have both had big milestones in school this past school year. Madison started kindergarten in August (yes, in August, once again proof of my terrible blogging skills in the last year) and Hunter started preschool this month.

Madison was so excited to start school. She had been ready for kindergarten for a while now and was excited for the chance to learn and play with friends every day. She gets so sad on the weekends when she is home with the two of us and her brother and no friends. About a month after school started she got upset with me and asked "Mommy, why didn't you put me in all day kindergarten?" Well, honey, I sure would have if I could have. Trust me, 2 1/2 hours of school is not nearly enough for me either. I just told her that we didn't have that option. Then she went on and asked why she didn't get put in morning kindergarten with all of her friends. I asked for morning but she ended up with afternoon. I actually prefer afternoon, but everyone I already knew had morning and I really wanted to carpool. It has definitely worked out well for us though. The afternoon class is smaller so she gets more one-on-one attention and the kids in her class are great. Plus, I love her teacher. She is a lot like me so it is easier for Madison to stay on task. I'm a no-nonsense, super strict, scheduled (for the most part) parent and her teacher is the same way. Needless to say, we get along fabulously.

I have had a lot of fun seeing what all she is capable of. She hasn't been willing to learn from me like she is willing to learn from someone else. Within 2 months of school starting she was reading. I had been trying to get her to read for a few months and she was not having it. I'm just so proud of her.

The hardest thing about school is that her brother is sad without her at home all day. His nap schedule is completely messed up from me trying to not have him sleep while she is home, waiting until later results in me getting a break for 2 hours while she is at school. 1:00 in the afternoon is just so passed his tired point it's hard some days. Right now we are simply doing the best we can. When we go to pick up Madison he runs up to the gate and looks for her. When she comes out he loves to run and give her hugs. He just misses her so much. It is cute! I love that they get along so well.

I found one preschool here that takes 2 year-olds, I don't know why, but she claims she LOVES the 2 year-olds. He loves going and gets so excited when it is a school day. He goes for 2 hours, so 2 days a week I get about an hour and a half all to myself. As most mothers can attest, the opportunity to go to the grocery store, or Target, or wherever by myself is pure heaven. I love my children to death, but shopping is stressful with them!

Anyway, the little monster only says about 10 or so words (mommy, daddy, more, sippy, night-night, poo-poo, owie, eat, hair, no, and mine) so I wasn't sure how he would do, but his teacher says he does really well. She said he has really good coordination for his age and he understands everything you say to him. He follows directions really well and does pretty well with the other kids. His class is 2 and 3 year-olds so the older kids love to pick him up and carry him around. She says they treat him like a doll sometimes. I told her that he is used to it, that is what his sister does all the time. Apparently, he just lets them carry him and doesn't complain at all. Like I said, he is used to it.....

I took this picture on the 2nd day of class when he made this hat. He loved it, all day long he wore it and didn't want to take it off. He ended up learning the word hat as a result and just had so much fun wearing it. By that night he had torn it up, of course, but I love this picture.