Back to School!

What? We've been in school for three weeks? Nonsense! Didn't your mother ever tell you to NEVER argue with a pregnant woman? That's what I thought...

Nathan was just stinking cute on his first day of kindergarten. He has afternoon school from 11:00-2:30, so of course all morning long - "Is it school time yet?", "Is it school time yet?" I tried to clarify things by telling him that school wouldn't be until lunchtime. I thought I hit home as he mulled that one over, only to be followed by a chorus of "Is it lunchtime yet?"s.

Finally the time came, and mom of course made him take a bunch of pictures. No hunny, in front of the door. Smile! Now, in front of the tree. Now, in front of the tree with your brother. Okay, yes we are done now.

I love this one of Nathan and Carter together.

I know, the door was a bad idea - horrible lighting - but I just love when my kids voluntarily show affection to each other (Nathan's arm around Carter).

The only time I got teary that morning came next. I got down and looked Nathan in the eyes and said something like this, "Nathan, mommy has been with you almost every day, every hour of your life. I have loved sharing everything with you and sharing all the things you are excited about. Mommy is so excited for you to go to school and learn even more fun things. But, this time mommy's not going to be there, so I need you to store up all the cool things that you do and learn in your head and then come home and share them with mommy so I can still be a part of that part of your day, okay?" (He of course was lost on the sentimentality of this situation and just kinda, "uh-huh"ed me...) Sniff.

Shuttled them into the car and then drove the whopping 1 mile away to school, unloaded everyone and took Nathan to the cafeteria, as Nathan eats lunch first. He proudly opened his transformer lunch box (matching his transformer backpack of course - I did ex-nay the transformer shirt for the first day of school however. Come on, I had pictures to take!) and ate his pizza squares, chocolate milk, yogurt, and fruit snacks. It was so cute to see him with all his little friends. I had no worries about him being sad at my leaving, so I said adios and shuttled the other two off to the park.

Nathan proudly sitting in the big kid cafeteria (though notably absent of big kids!). He is sitting next to his favorite pal Mia (Who did you play today with hunny? Who did you sit by at lunch? Mia. Mia. And more Mia.). She and two other kids in his 14 kid classroom are LDS, which is fun.

How's Carter doing with the change? Well, it's rough...yeah right. Every day he gets pure JOY out of wearing Nathan's shoes, sitting in Nathan's carseat, playing with Nathan's toys. Suddenly karma has come!! He plays by himself for hours on end, even shoeing me away when, out of motherly guilt, try to interact with him (my mom said to never wake a sleeping baby - I say the same with never disturb a happily playing toddler!).

Here's to your journey Nathan! I am excited to see the boy you become and know your little sponge of a brain will just love school, hopefully for many years to come!