Changes

To say this week brought a lot of changes for our family would be an understatement. Between coordinating transportation, making lunches every night, filling out (and returning!) forms and doing homework, we were a busy group.

The biggest change was for our boys. Jack started his first day of kindergarten on Monday. I don't think he could have been more excited. I don't think I could have been more sad. I just kept thinking about how by the end of the week I'd be sending him off to college. Needless to say, the end of the week came and he's still living at home with us, but I'm sure it won't be long. Anyway...after a few sibling photos, a few tears and a few more reminders from Mom, the bus showed up to take Jack to school.

Aside: Jack is going to a charter school that has two campuses. We drive him to the upper campus and he takes a shuttle to the lower campus. In our grown-up minds, of course we know that a shuttle is just a bus of some kind. In his 5-year-old mind, a shuttle belongs in outerspace. Imagine his surprise and excitement when he found out that he did, in fact, get to ride the big yellow school bus.

He got on the bus, found a seat and drove away. That was it. It all happened really fast. 

Upon his return from school I asked how his first day of kindergarten was. "Fantastic!," was his enthusiastic reply.

Then it was Wesley's turn for his first day of preschool. (It was really bright that day). 

 

The first thing we did was meet Wesley's teachers, Mrs. Kathy and Mrs. Holly. Then it was time for Wes to explore the classroom while I filled out more paperwork (will it ever end?!).

 

Although Wes tends to be a little more adventurous than Jack, he also tends to cry a little more. So, despite him reassuring me over and over that he would just "make up some new fwends" at preschool (because Jack wouldn't be there), I wasn't sure what to expect from our second son. I was delightfully surprised to discover that he didn't really need me. Okay, so maybe I wasn't delighted. I might have been just a little sad that he demonstrated such independence at the tender age of 3. And I might have had to fight back a few tears when I left him in a room full of strangers so I could go to the parent orientation meeting and he simply waved goodbye. Sniff. Sniff.

 
 

Through all of this, our baby girl experienced some change too. Three days each week (when Wes is in preschool), she has the run of the house and the undivided attention of whichever adult happens to be in it. A few times she's wondered "Where's Jack & Wes?" When she's reminded that they're at school she simply responds, "Oh, dat's wight," and continues on with whatever she's doing. I don't think she's going to mind the change.