Stew Pit Week In Review

We survived, I guess. It's still no fun, though. No. fun. at. all.

We started a tradition last year when Abigail had her first (gasp!) Mr. teacher. When I dropped her off for her first day of raising her hand and saying "Mr....?" she was practically in tears. I couldn't stand the thought of it. I knew that it wouldn't be wise to stand outside the door all day to observe (or spy, whatever). The 3 kids strapped into the stroller wouldn't tolerate that (Harrison didn't start kindergarten for another week). So, we did the next best thing. We showed up for lunch. I just had to be with her for a minute to see how she was surviving the un-mushy, un-fancy roomed Mr. teacher. We picked up fish at Arctic Circle (the favorite meal of my Abigail) and met her in the lunch room. It turned out that she was just fine and, although Mr. teacher wasn't super warm or, um, feminine, he was funny, and that made her transition easier.

So, this year, I continued with that thought. For Abigail, we brought McDonald's. We talked in the lunch room amid all the lights turning off (our lunch lady's way of getting the students attention for announcements. I thought it was annoying) and I found out that she is doing great. Her new Mrs. (hooray!) teacher is right up Abigail's alley. In fact, Abigail is thriving in this new class. She is staying on task and loving coming home to do her reading and be able to check everything off in the homework category in her student planner. After our lunch, she says that we don't have to come onto the playground with her, she is just fine. If only her mom was as brave and strong a girl as she is.

The next day, (Harrison's first real day) we met Harrison at the lunch room doors. He was excited to see us there. I always send the kids with a lunch on that day, just in case, but then we show up with something they really want. This ended up being a really great thing.

Harrison's class approaches the lunch room, with his teacher giving instructions all the way. "If you brought your lunch from home, stand in this line here. If you picked choice 1, stand here. If you picked choice 2, line up over on this side". Then they were released to sit at the assigned first grade tables. That is when I noticed a little boy in the cold lunch line who didn't have a lunch. "Did you pick chicken nuggets? They are going that way" I said, trying to be helpful. "I picked cold lunch" he said quietly. "Do you have your lunch?" I asked. "I left it at home" he said. So, so sad. That is when Harrison piped up. "I have 2 lunches!! My mom brought me another one!! We can share with you! We have extra!" he said excitedly. Harrison's new friend, Gavin, ate the chicken nuggets we brought, and the cookies that Harrison brought. Harrison ate his PB&J and the apples from the Happy Meal. Perfect. The 2 little ones and I were invited to join our Big Brother on the playground. That was nice. Then, when it was time to go in, he said "can you come back for my next recess? Pleeeeaaaasssseeee?" Oh, I wish I could. I really, really wish I could.

Things have been okay since their first days. Harrison still stands back with me and the stroller brigade instead of lining up with his class in the morning. That first bell that sends him on his way is such a downer. Every morning he still asks me "Are you gonna bring me lunch today?" Sigh. Heavy, heavy sigh.

Leah asks about every 27 minutes if the kids are coming home. She runs out the front door and over to the corner to see if they are approaching. When she comes back in, I always tell her it's still going to be awhile. But, 27 minutes later, she is asking again. I know it's 27 minutes because I'm checking the clock myself, trying to speed it up to get those kids home sooner.

Abigail is off and running. She loves her teacher and loves her class and is up before me most days. Is it that time already? Does she really not need me to help her through her day already? Isn't "independent" a word saved for, I don't know, adults and not 9 year olds? I guess I knew it would come eventually. I wish I were more prepared for it, though.

When the 2 bigguns come home, it's a party at our house. Hudson screams with delight, and I feel myself doing the same. Leah excitedly fills her siblings in on what they missed at home during the day, and her big brother and sister excitedly fill her in on what they did while they were gone. Our usual rule is that homework has to happen right as they come home; we want to get it out of the way and make sure we have all the time we need to get it finished. But I have been having a difficult time of enforcing that one. Everyone is just too, too excited to be together. It really does a mom's heart good to see that. I rejoice.

We press on. Labor day - I can do this until Labor day! I can, I can!