Charlie's Birthday, Macalan's Preschool Graduation, Charlie Completes Kindergarten, The SD County Fair, Daddy's Birthday and the 4th of July in Laguna

Did I miss anything? The title says it all. We've been busy! Place holder...I'll be back!

Grandma Rules

Last night Charlie and I were reading together. We across a comma. Charlie asked, "What's that?" I explained that it was a comma and he asked, "What are they for?" I explained that they were there to separate ideas and when you saw one you usually take a very short pause in your reading then keep going.

We kept reading but now every comma was given an exaggerated pause by Charlie. We chatted again about the commas purpose and that the pause was really hardly noticeable. Charlie asked why and I said it was just one of many grammar rules. To which Charlie questions,

"Grandma rules?"

Love those kiddos!

They say "lasts" always bring "firsts"

Macalan, 2 days ago, on Friday February 27, 2011 you took a nap in my arms. It had probably been months since you'd done that and I remember thinking then that I really should jot down the date as I was afraid it might be the last one. As you slept in my arms this week I couldn't help but be grateful for the second chance to honor and savor this potential "last." You are on the brink of so many firsts, firsts you will certainly be more ready for than I. Forgive me if I hold onto these very special "lasts." I love you my sweet boy. xoxo, Mom.

Santa in Laguna Beach

Santa loves to visit Laguna Beach, and we love to visit Santa!

Frightening that I cannot remember if this is the second or third year that we've driven up to Grandma Pat and Grandpa Dennis's house in Laguna to welcome in the Christmas season. (Did we go just 3 months after moving from Hawaii when Macalan had just turned 2 and Charlie was 3 1/2...I just cannot remember!) This year Macalan has just turned 4 and Charlie is 5 1/2. Macalan asked Santa for a Blue Light Saber and Charlie asked for a toy aircraft carrier.

This year as an extra treat we met up with a High School friend of mine, Hallie Jones, and her two children, Emmie and Kai. The kiddos all loved the little play house, watching the glass blower, making construction paper snowmen and playing in the bubble snow.

Charlie's Adorable Comment of the Month

So...Charlie and I are in the car together. He has the week off school and Macalan was at preschool and Paul was at work. Charlie out of the blue says,

"Mommy, we should send a present to Baby Jesus for his birthday. Can you help me find a box? Then we need to give it to Santa because it's hard to get up there *Charlie pointed to the sky* but Santa can get it up there, his magic would be good for that."

I'm pretty sure I was speechless, and I was definitely lost for a few moments in that magical moment reveling in the amazing gifts our children give us.

You know you're a Grown-Up when...

When I was in high school, newly frocked with a drivers license, I would find myself driving down the road in amazement. I would breathe deeply, taking in the world around me in utter amazement - I, most certainly, was grown up. I was driving!

Throughout the years little things would unknowingly find themselves benchmarks in my life as I now and then re-defined myself a grown up once again. Placing my hands on the face of the man I love and realizing I was in a white dress and just said, "I do," that was a very comfortable, much anticipated, marked moment. The day I found 2 carseats in the back of my car with little humans that were in fact mine...well that was the biggest most breathtaking (if not a little panic inducing) moment to date. (As though it happened all at once and unexpectedly, right? I know, I know, completely ridiculous. Except that I'm sure all of my mommy friends know exactly what I'm talking about.) This morning I noted another moment...

I am in the kitchen 3 days prior to Thanksgiving, just having completed the labeling of which dishes will contain which tasty treats at Thanksgiving that we will be hosting, 2 minutes ago I got the boys settled with a mostly educational but still entertaining task, 5 minutes ago I was wrapping up time-outs with a meaningful parental lecture on why we do not use our bodies to hurt others, 10 minutes ago I was cleaning up breakfast dishes and in the background of my head I am planning to interview for a (temporary) teaching position I really want and...I actually feel like I have everything under control. This is my house, my family, wow. Now, I am a grown up.

October Re-Cap

Place holder...'cause I'm barely keeping up!

Happy Birthday, Macalan!

Hi Sweet Boy,

Your birthday was this past Thursday and your Batman Birthday Party was yesterday. What a whirlwind!

On your actual birthday you got to pick your breakfast - pancakes, clearly a family favorite. And you wore your new "4" shirt to preschool, which was having picture day. We also brought special napkins to make snack time festive. A little wrinkle to the day was that Daddy and I had a meeting at Charlie's school that evening. So...we sent you and Charlie to Chuck E. Cheese with Miss Brittany and Mr. Jake. Mommy and Daddy met up with you all after the meeting.

Yesterday we had your Batman party. Grandma and Grandpa Lockwood came down with Aunty Liz. Your friends Carson and Leo (and Baby Emily) Sahd, Carson and Miles Brower, Hannah and Sarah and Daniel Demiter, Kannan and Kayla Virgilio were all at the house. There was lots of laughing and running. The trampoline seemed to be a big hit, as was the pinata and cake.

Unfortunately because you and Charlie had runny noses your very good friend, Natalie, was unable to come. But...we're having a special birthday celebration just for the two of you at Seaport Village next Sunday.

Hard to believe my little snuggler is four....

Kindergarten Boot Camp

So...I am clearly not ready for Kindergarten. I've shared the following story a couple times now, and in the course of the retelling I've decided we have not simply started Kindergarten, we have been blindsided and, against our will, enrolled in what I refer to as 'Kindergarten Boot Camp.'

The story: We left Charlie for the first day with a few tears, but otherwise not too many scars. We didn't even linger at the top of the hill with the entourage of nervous parents clamouring for just one more peak. We felt good that all was well.

Yay!

I then picked up Macalan from preschool just a few blocks over. When we get to the top of the hill we can hear kiddos playing and Macalan asks about Charlie. I give him the quick lecture of, "Don't call down to Charlie because if he sees us he may want to come home and it's not time for him to come home yet. And we can just peek, then we have to leave."

We're not overlooking the schoolyard (from a public sidewalk mind you) more than 30 seconds, 45 tops! And one of the teachers literally shouts up to us waving her clipboard calling attention to our out of the way peeking spot and yells, yes, yells that we must leave IMMEDIATELY.

Let's just say Macalan was clearly shaken and I wasn't all too thrilled either. Okay, okay...I was nothing short of fired up! I spent the rest of the day vacillating between fury at being spoken to in such a way and guilt for breaking some rule I was truly not aware of, and disbelief that something so ridiculous had actually happened - did I mention we were on a PUBLIC sidewalk?

On some level, I get it. I understand where she was coming from. I have no doubt lots of kiddos would see a lingering parent and burst all over again into miserable tears...all to be dealt with by not the offending parent, but the teacher. But 30 seconds on our walk home? Really? Yes...I'm still a little fired up.

I am so not ready for Kindergarten. Give me back my half days, welcome hugs (for parents too!), attendance optional, one way mirror for sneak peaks and reassurances that all is well.

Preschool is so much more my speed.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Kindergartner!

With a start time of 9:05, you'd think our morning would be luxurious. And relatively, it was. Charlie asked for pancakes AND cinnamon rolls. And well, they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day....

Of course of all days Macalan wants to "help" in the kitchen and end up with a rather significant burn to his hand. Mercifully it only required some ice, Mommy Kisses and some extra TLC. Of all days kiddo!

Macalan starts preschool at 8:30 and though it's only 3 blocks away, there are sometimes tearful and lengthy farewells, so we left the house at 8:10.

By 8:30, after the expected but nonetheless heart wrenching tears, we were out the door at preschool at back onto Hill Street - home of Sunset View Elementary School. Oh, boy...here we go....


Charlie had a backpack from Land's End with his name on it that he had used for preschool, however, at Kinder Orientation we were told he'd need a BIG backpack. I think this one qualifies! If I didn't know the only things in it were his sweatshirt, lunch and snack - I'd say this didn't look healthy.

And look who's wearing "real" shoes! (not Crocs) Not only does Charlie have hard to fit feet (think Flintstones) he not thrilled with the feel of shoes in general. But, after an all day hunt that concluded at REI, we found a pair of Keen's that seem to be passable.







Charlie thought this looked like a good spot for a photo - I agree. : )

Charlie will be in classroom, K-1.

And as I snap this photo I can't help but beg the universe that my sweet boy, who looks ubber calm, cool and collected, remains that way when it's time for the Mommies and Daddies to say, "See you later, alligator."











Since Macalan is at preschool, and Daddy is at work, we have no photographer. A self portrait it is!

Although, just a few minutes later our good friends, the Browers, showed up and snapped a few photos for us too. Thanks, friends!

And...keep reading to see who else showed up....


Daddy!

Wow, was Mommy ever surprised! I had been so good, not so much as a hint of a tear all morning, but a "good tear" or two might have rolled when Paul showed up. A few minutes later the "Good Bye" bell rang. I think the reality of impending separation was only slightly more jarring than the sound of the bell - a sound Charlie clearly did not care for. There were some tears shed into the crock of my neck, but Charlie was a trooper and we walked him over to his teacher, who gave him the task of gathering up all the kiddos with a name tag like his (meaning they were all in the same class) and with this task he calmed a bit and we said, "See 'ya later, Sweet Boy."

New Kindergarten Mommy Syndrome

So...I'm pretty sure New Kindergarten Mommy Syndrome (NKMS) doesn't officially exist, but it should, and I'm pretty sure I've got it. In fact, I think this may be inspiration for the book I've always wanted to write. I should probably get to work while I'm in the fullest throws of it's maniacal grasp.

In the meantime, our...er...Charlie's teacher is...Mrs. Punzalan AND Mrs. Grey. Yes, two. How lucky are we to be in the classroom with 2 teachers?!? Mrs. Gray teaches Monday and Tuesday, and Mrs. Punzalan teaches Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. A good many of my fellow afflicted parents are none too happy about the whole idea. I, however, think it's fantastic! My child is blessed to have teachers who are not nearly as burned out as any of the others. Yay, us I say!

All seems so rosy for me to be truly suffering this dreadful case of NKMS you say? Ha! You should have seen me up until about 24 hours ago. I would have told you to run to your nearest financial advisor and double up on your shares if Tissue.

"So what changed?" you ask.

Yoga.

"What?" you say.

Yoga.

"Did you go to a marathon day of yoga classes?" you ask.

No, I did not even go to one yoga class today. In fact, it's summer. The kids are out of school and I haven't had a chance to go to yoga in months.

"Uh, your crazy is showing," you say.

Yes, it was. That's for sure. My house is museum clean to prove it. (My crazy cleans. My husband thinks that's super cool.) But, I'm better now, thanks to yoga.

Yoga teaches us to keep our focus in the present. Our minds cause us all sorts of grief drifting to the past and to the future. But that's not where we are. We are here - in now.

And you know what? Right now, I'm fine. Charlie's fine. We're all okay. My mind tried to go hurdling off faster than a dust cloud in the Big Bang, but I breathe. I resist with all my might and drag it back here - to now. Right now we're all okay.

And, it gets better.

"I'm sure it does," you say rolling your eyes. (And if you're not rolling your eyes, you're amazing. I'd be rolling my eyes.)

It does!

I discovered I need a lot more yoga classes because I am about as good at staying in the present as a 2 year old is at impulse control. And in one of those sub-par yoga practioner moments I started to worry again about problems that might crop up. For the most part this particular mental voyage ends with me muttering, "You hurt my kid, I'll find your Mommy." (Violent, huh? I know, I know...I was probably related to Ghandi in some past life.) But anyway, what was also a very clear image is that I am great at handling problems.

Imaginative problems...well, with those I'm about the worst. But give me a real life, in the now problem - I rock!

So...I will try to stay in the now. (It's much more comfortable.) And if something comes up - I'll handle it.

Here's to a successful first day of Kinder, (for Charlie, and myself) a new book and heaven help me, an end to my battle with New Kindergarten Mommy Syndrome.

First Days and Anticipation...

Here's our big (almost FOUR year old) preschooler on his first day in the Lion's class with his new teacher, Mrs. Slater. Macalan did awesome!! He marched right in, all smiles and got right to work, er...play...er...work. Well, in any case, he was busy and hardly noticed Charlie and I leave. And when we returned to peak on Macalan just a bit he was still doing great, sitting nicely for circle time, listening and participating well. Yay, Macalan!!

Okay, so tomorrow isn't Charlie's "Big Day" quite yet, but it is a decently sized one. Tomorrow is Charlie's Kindergarten Orientation, and the day we will (finally) find out who his teacher is. (One business day before game time seems a bit last minute if you ask me, but apparently no one is.) There is one teacher I want most of all, Mrs. Johnson. And one I am a bit (or more than a bit) apprehensive about, Mrs. Strong. Anything in the middle will be just fine, I'm sure. So...in about 17 hours, we shall know. And I shall most likely have no finger nails left at all....

In the meantime Charlie, Macalan and I have been having some of the most absolute best days ever. We've been doing lots of swimming, beach days, the zoo with friends, serious exploration in the parks of Poway and we've discovered some interactive literacy website the boys adore - www.starfall.com and www.readingeggs.com. Amazing how fast the kiddos learn when it's presented in a video game format.



As for me...I've discovered a book given to me nearly 3 years ago, that was little known then but so popular now. It's probably exactly what the doctor ordered for this moment in time, "Eat, Pray, Love."