Shane's First Day of Kindergarten (and Anders' First Day of Preschool)

Today was a big day, not just because it was the 3rd time in a year that he has not worn some type of superhero shirt.

Looks like he is holding on for dear life, maybe he is more nervous than he lets on.





Shane started kindergarten. Pretty anticlimatic, one dad actually said those words out load. We waited outside the door until their teacher came out. The kids are PM kinder so the rest of the school was already in session. The teacher opened the door and the kids walked in. We followed Shane in and made sure he was situated at his desk and then we left. That was it. Not sure what I was expecting, but apparently a speech or bow or performance of some sort because the whole event was really anticlimatic.

He's all grown up


Crossing the crosswalk


Noticing that his shadow looks like Darth Vader - it does


One last look back

Going in

Sitting at his desk, ready to begin



Flash forward 2 hours and I was back at the school picking him up. I had been warned about the nightmare carpool line so I got there early and parked. I wanted to take more pictures and meet Shane at the door. We waited for a while and then out they came. Shane was looking around and smiled when he saw me, but then immediately said, "Mom you were supposed to wait in the car and I walk out to you." I felt terrible that I ruined his fun, and promised that I would wait in the car tomorrow. Seriously, does that begin already?



Anders had his first day of preschool too. Again very anticlimatic. We entered the class and Anders went to playing. I asked for a hug and kiss and he said, "No, I playing." Shane asked too and was rejected. So after watching a few minutes, secretly hoping that he would show a hint of sadness that I was leaving and there was NONE. He did not even notice me walk out the door. I should be proud that I have such an independent, secure child, but I guess I wanted him to at least notice I was leaving. When I picked him up hours later, his teacher told me that he was an absolute joy. She said he did not have a bad moment the entire day. He ate his food, took his nap, and played nice. She gushed that he was such a good-natured boy. Then I was super proud. And when I showed up, Anders did acknowledge my presence, but only to say hi and then climb back on the rocking toy, obviously in no hurry to leave.

Outside Anders' classroom door.

Then Myann wanted in the picture - seriously, look at her face and his

Anders was not having her in his picture. It got ugly from here - no pictures



This is what we did after school - swim lessons. At least for a month, I am "that" mom who overbooks her kids in activities. We have something just about every day for one of the kids outside of school.

Anders really wanted to be with the kitties on the other side of this door.

Hair Cut Addendum

I debated putting this on the blog, so if you are ultra conservative, please turn away.

I explained how Shane does not like the stray hairs from his hair cut and I had to bring him a clean shirt to change into after his hair cut. On the way home, Shane got upset and exclaimed, "Mom, she forgot to blow me!" If I had been drinking I would have spewed in the car. As is, I could not stop laughing. It was so innocent and so wrong on so many levels. What do I do at the next light, quickly text daddy to tell him what his son just said. To clarify, Shane likes the hairdresser to use the blow dryer to blow off the stray hairs. He was mad because she had not used the blow dryer this time.

Hair Cut Day

My kids never cease to surprise me.

Flashback - Shane had his first hair cut when he was 21 months old. Literally 4 days after Myann was born, I took him for his first cut and I was still in a bit of pain from the c-section, but I wanted his hair cut because I thought it was time for him to be a big boy. Mind you, his babysitter had already partially cut it a few months before while I was on bedrest with Myann, I cried, but I decided to pretend it never happened and that I would take him for his "first" haircut. In actuality, she only trimmed his bangs and not the curls in the back, but I was still mad because then he had a mullet. I digress, his first hair cut went pretty well. He watched a movie, got a sucker and all was well in the world until she brought out the clippers. Then he freaked, but we decided scissor cut was plenty. Shane is still not a fan, but tolerates the clippers. He just HATES the cut hairs on his body. Today he insisted I bring him a change of clothes and then he still came home and ran for the bath tub. Shane may have the most sensitive skin in the world.


Next, Myann gets her hair cut, previously blogged. She was close to 2 years as well and I was pregnant with Anders. I expected her to have a fit and was prepared, but she was prefect. She even let the hairdresser put a ponytail in her hair. She got her sucker and was good to go. She is a total girl when it comes to hair cuts, she truly seems to enjoy every minute of the pampering. I love that she will be my spa buddie one day. To this day when I mention it is time for hair cuts, Myann always asks if she will get her sucker.



Today - I had a feeling that things would not go well. I do not know why I had that feeling since Anders is my go with the flow guy. If any kid would do fine, it is him, but my gut prepared me.
Waiting for his turn, all smiles while watching Finding Nemo


Last look at his beautiful hair


We got there and I planned for him to go first, but he would not have it and kicked and screamed. So I let Anders play while Shane and Myann got hair cuts. Then it was his turn. I turned to the hairdresser and said "What do I do? I have never dealt with this before." She said hold him down. So we strapped him into his zebra and I held him to the seat with him screaming and twisting and fighting with all his might. Once he settled a bit, I got the camera - I know, horrible mother, but tears or no tears I was capturing this moment. He cried off and on between distractions and gagging himself with the sucker. The sucker did help and the movie did help, but that boy did not like the experience at all. I am curious what will happen next time.










As for my heartbreak over his hair being cut, it was less emotional than I expected. Maybe because we did not chop it and maybe because he was so hysterical, and maybe because a little bit of curl is left. Maybe because he is still adorable, though I have to do a double-take when I see him from behind because he does not look like my boy anymore.

The end result

Myann's First Day of Preschool on the "Big Kid" playground

Not to be outdone by her brothers this week, but today was Myann's first day of school in the Preschool room, but in Myann's eyes, her first day in the class that goes to the big kid playground. She has gone to the big kid playground a few times this summer, but this is the real deal. She is excited to be in Shane's old class with Shane's old teachers. In her eyes, she has arrived.

In other Myann news, she has been wonderful lately. Wonderful is not usually a word I would use for Myann. Sweet, lovable, cute - all daily, but challenging usually replaces wonderful. For about a week, she has been wonderful. I did not say perfect, because like any 3 year, she has had her moments, but she has been pretty good. She listens, she is reasonable, she has shared without bribery, she has not done many malicious things to her brothers. Call me crazy, but I am optimistically excited that maybe this is the new Myann who is approaching 4. Maybe 4 will be a good age for her and I.

Good-bye Goldi Locks

I write this with tears in my eyes literally. Tomorrow I am taking Anders for a haircut, his first. I have fought this for at least 9 months, but I can finally admit that the time has come. He was mistaken for a girl numerous times the past few days, mind you he had on a truck t-shirt or dinosaurs, so their judgement was questionable. But his hair has been getting into his eyes and the struggle to brush it every morning is more than I have time for these days.

I love his hair, I mean LOVE LOVE LOVE his hair. It is gorgeous and just compliments his already adorable face, but it is time. I took this last picture today so I can remember the perfect curls. After tomorrow I am pretty sure the curls are gone. On a side note, how is it possible that not a single child of mine has inherited my curly hair, seriously, one of them should have. Anders' curls are just the baby curls that will disappear with his babyhood tomorrow when they are chopped off.

No clue how short I will go tomorrow. I may even chicken out and only let them trim it up so he can see and even it out around back so he is clear of the mullet.

Pray for us, I may not get through this momentous week - Shane's first day of school and Anders' first haircut.

Other Anders updates: This boy can talk, like A LOT! He will repeat ANY word I ask him to, even pretty tough words. Saying Myann made her week 2 weeks ago, but this week he has been saying his name. Then today we were taking Brian lunch and as we crossed the downtown intersection near his work I hear Anders say, "We are at Daddy's work." It is downtown, I hardly recognize the intersections, they all look alike to me. He recognized it and he verbalized where we were. Call me biased, but we have some amazing talkers in this family.

Shane's Meet the Teacher

He obviously became very comfortable at his desk.


Sorry, no actual picture of the teacher, totally forgot about that part. So rather, meet the school, meet the desk, might be more appropriate titles for this post. However, the occasion was meet the teacher. Brian met us and we all ventured into Shane's school. I was pretty excited, until I saw that the school supply list I had shopped for no way resembled the list at the school, so I ran out that day to buy another 20 school items. This is not about me but Shane, and he in no way noticed my incomplete supplies. He quickly found his assigned desk and sat down filling his desk. He was a little disappointed that his supplies were not all "his" and would go into the classroom pot. I let him keep his spiderman pencils though. He met his desk neighbors, 4 to a group, 2 boys and 2 girls. My disinterested kid suddenly became very excited about school. He politely introduced himself to his teacher, Mrs. Day, and she was thrilled that he had already learned her name. We then met the principal and several other parents. Thursday we start the drop off/pick up craziness and I officially become a car pool mom. Shane is a bit disappointed that he will not get to ride a bus, in truth, I am disappointed, but his school is not our home school, so we have to drive him.

After we left school, I took him for ice cream, his current fave - mint with chocolate chips, and I had to take a picture of his cone. This is how I used to eat my cone.

"Camping"

After our return from San Diego, we were supposed to pack up Friday and head camping to Republic, WA with the Kipps and Prizemans. Thursday night we got word that fires had broken out in Republic, not surprising since our plane landed in the midst of some crazy wind. We left the airport to smoke all around from local fires. We were very sad to hear about the area in flames, beautiful area at that, plus the weekends flying festivities would be very limited or canceled all together. So as a group we decided not to go, but knew we would have some very unhappy campers, literally. Us moms put our heads together and decided to plan our own "camping" weekend. We voted to eat breakfast at Chaps, good ol' skillet cooking. Ok, so not rustic at all going to a restaurant, but it was Sandra's birthday so we had to start the day out right.


Then we hiked up at Mt. Spokane. I have skied there, but this was our first time hiking there for the whole group. Just gorgeous. Half the group hiked to the Vista House - amazing view. The rest of us hiked back down to get the car to drive and pick up the summiters. I guided us down an "alternate" trail back, to avoid the very dusty trail and before we realized it, we were no longer on a trail taking us anywhere near our car. So we decided to head down the hill, our down hill part was actually the black diamond ski slopes of Mt. Spokane. Awesome on the knees. I lost all credibility guiding our group, but our score was Jen and Jordan finding the untouched blueberry field. The rest of the place had been picked over, but this was obviously unchartered territory. Lots of walking later and a crazy drive up to get the other half of the group and we were worn out. Oh yeah, we still had camping.

Jen being superwoman


Shane and James playing some type of war hunting game.



Our personal bear protectors - Yeah right!


Group photos at Bald Knob - really no jokes were made by this group regarding the location name. And this will forever be the site of my very blond moment. Thank you to Sandra for having a complete brain to make up for my half brain.




Sandra, Jen and Jordan on the ski slope with Spirit Lake in the background. Amazing view. WEll worth going off trail.

Chris looked like he was meditating in the field. He was probably asking God how he got stuck with us women and why he followed my lead.

Family photo at the top of Mt. Spokane.


Anders running back to the car. I told the other kids I would pay them a quarter to run to the car. Anders just followed them because he thought there must be a good reason they were running.


We reconvened in town at the Johansen campsite, nice accomodations I might add, as far as camping goes. Running water, flushing toilets, electricity, and a house for the moms to sleep in with the youngest children. Now this is camping I could do on a
regular basis.
Dinner at the campsite


Hanging out by the campfire


Brian in his attempt at Jiffy Pop wars - I think this will be an annual camping game. The men competed for who could do the jiffy pop without exploding the bag. Chris won, but his was also the most inedible. I have a feeling Brian will be practicing this fall.


Sandra with her "cake" Strawberry Rhubarb Pie


Backyard capmsite (everyone still sleeping)


Up the next morning, enjoying breakfast and coffee and then home by noon. Great weekend to be outdoors and celebrate Sandra's birthday.