The Laura Ann and Alleigh Show

Laura Ann and I met Alleigh and Lindsey for lunch at Chickfila on Wednesday. Laura Ann had a great time playing with one of her favorite friends. They decided to do silly faces for the camera & got a little carried away! :)

One Happy Kindergartner!

 

This little boy comes home from school everyday with the biggest smile on his face, which in turn, puts the biggest smile on his mama's face!

Here are some things about his first week:

*He LOOOOVES the bus, and that is probably an understatement, which is funny, because that is the thing that caused me the most worry these last few days.
*He has been on starry eyes EVERY day, so far- WOW!! And I found out tonight at Parent Chat night that they may move their clip down, but can move it back up to starry eyes if their behavior improves, but Daniel hasn't moved his clip AT ALL!! I've been assuming that Ms. Elledge is just being easy on them, but after tonight I found out that lots of kids have moved clips, even to yellow face, just not Daniel. I'm not sure who this kindergartner at my house is, but am LOVING this good behavior streak!
*He really cracked me up on Friday saying that 'things are about to get tough'. He went on the explain that they had been getting 3 warnings before moving their clips, but that starting Monday, they would only get one warning and "Mrs. Elledge said that it was going to be very tough!"
*Today he got off the bus & said that he was on starry eyes again & I said that I was so proud of him. Then he said, "Yea, I am really on the ball! I am getting the hang of 'starry eyes'. I didn't 'get it' at the WEE Center, but I do at Paine." Trying to keep a straight face, I told him that I am so glad he has figured it out! Ha! (Ms.Misty, I'm sure you are proud he finally figured it out, too- thanks for your endless patience with him last year!!:)
*He repeats lots of things his teacher says & I am so impressed that he is listening so well.
*He really loves Ms. Elledge and mentioned several times over the weekend that he missed her.
*I got an email from the parent of another little girl in his class Friday night relaying a story she had heard from her little girl, Sara Kate, about Daniel on the playground. Apparently he is the funniest little boy Sara Kate has ever met. I told Emily, the mom, to prepare herself because there is no telling what stories she may hear about Daniel this year!
*Granny, you'll be happy to know that there is a little girl named 'June' that sits at his table & he laughs telling us things she says. She seems to be quite in charge & may just be the reason for his good behavior! Ha!
*Ms. Elledge has lots of songs for routines, etc. and he has been trying to teach them to Laura Ann.
*She also uses puppets which Daniel loves.
*His story about helping a little girl on the bus the first day turned out to be true- found out from another parent who lives on her street and the little girl's name is Kendall. He still sits with her everyday (and our neighbor, Layton) and says that she doesn't cry anymore.
*He has carried his lunch everyday, but has decided to try out the lunchroom tomorrow. I said that we will have to learn his lunch # & he said not to worry because he already has a popsicle stick with his # on it to take to lunch.

It seems like my baby has done a TON of growing up this past week. I know Daniel isn't perfect & neither will this year be, but it sure has been nice to get off to such a great start. I, along with lots of other parents, gave Ms. Elledge big hugs & huge 'thank yous' tonight for taking such good care of our babies and sending them home with smiles everyday.

Splashin' with the Willingham Girls!

 
 
 

Laura Ann & I tagged along with Carrie Anne, Meredith & Elizabeth to the splash park today while big brothers, Barrett & Daniel were at school. I think Laura Ann & Meredith spent most of their time playing mermaids while sweet Elizabeth enjoyed nonstop snack time, that is when she wasn't sneaking over to the playground- ha! Mischief and all, Elizabeth really makes me miss my two year olds! It was a fun, fun morning that we were excited to squeeze in before Laura Ann starts to preschool next week!

Yard Sale for the Writebols

 
 
 
 

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Our Kids of Compassion group hosted a yard sale this past Saturday for the Writebols (http://www.rafiki-foundation.org/ros/Writebol/writebol.html), a missionary couple, who run a school for orphans in Zambia. To go along with the yard sale, the kids hosted a lemonade stand for Aubrey Steen (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/aubreysteen/createorsignin), a classmate of Allie & Anne Stewart's from the WEE Center, who is at Duke right now undergoing a bone marrow transplant instead of starting Kindergarten at Paine. Due to the torrential rain, the yard sale quickly became a garage sale and surprisingly, we still had a great turn out! The kids had loads of fun playing with each other, in the rain & with all of the yard sale toys. The dads did a great job working the lemonade stand when the kids gave it up to play! Ha! A big thanks to Becky for the idea and to the Bozemans for hosting all of us and our junk (I probably shouldn't call it junk since both me & my kids did some shopping there!!:).

A Great 1st Day!

 
 
 
 

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I seriously thought I would bust before Daniel got home in anticipation of hearing how his day was. He road the bus this afternoon (since it gets to our house before I could picking him up in the car line). We were excited that his PE teacher, Coach Cooper is his driver. He came bounding down the steps all smiles & said, "I had a GREAT day!". We have gotten lots of details: his favorite part was lunch, the playground was super fun, Ms. Elledge read The Kissing Hand, he helped a little girl in the bus line this afternoon who was scared, he has to learn his lunch/library #, he has a VERY important paper for me, he so hopes he can ride the bus again tomorrow, he got starry eyes & used his manners, he saw Anna Whitley in the hall, a teacher helped him find the amphitheater this morning when he got there, he got lots of rest during nap time, etc. I was especially excited that Ms. Elledge wrote 'Precious' beside the starry eyes in his Huskie Pad. I'm not expecting to see that again, but it sure made this mama happy to see it just one time! Ha! I can hardly believe that my baby just finished his first day of KINDERGARTEN! It doesn't seem possible that he is this big. Lots of prayers were answered today and I am so THANKFUL for a happy, healthy, PRECIOUS little boy who had a great 1st day of kindergarten.

Tears in my Coffee

 
 
 
 

Thanks to my sweet friends, my tears didn't last long this morning. It was great to get together & exchange stories of how our mornings went. Thanks also to the many friends & family who sent messages, texts and cards to check on and encourage me. All of your prayers & well wishes were VERY much appreciated!

Daniel's First Day of Kindergarten

 
 
 
 

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Daniel was up at 5:58 this morning ready to go! He requested pancakes for breakfast & did eat some, but was too excited to completely gorge out like he usually does with pancakes. I didn't even have to ask him to get dressed (wonder how long that will last, because it's usually a battle!). He finished eating & went right to his room to get ready. We got his backpack & lunch packed, took some pictures and it was time to go. Car line went surprisingly very smooth (I've heard some nightmare stories about car line on the 1st day of school). He was all excited about getting there, but did ask several times on the way if those 'big kids', referring to safety patrol, were going to help him get to the amphitheater. I reassured him that they would & he was fine. There were no tears when he got out- from him anyway! And yes, I was the obnoxious mom hanging out the window, snapping pictures & waving bye to him. I saved my breakdown for when we pulled away. Thankfully Laura Ann was in the backseat asking a million questions about the rocks, the playground, who are those kids?, is that lady Daniel's teacher?, and on and on. I had myself pulled together by the time we got back home. Whew! What a morning! Now I can hardly wait until 3:20 to get him off the bus!

"It's Just Life"

 
 
 
Dan had the kids today while I was at the hospital for Sam's surgery & he actually took some pictures!! There may be hope for him after all! Thanks to Nanna & Big Daddy for the back to school surprises! Daniel & Laura Ann were so excited to get them in the mail!
 
It has kind of become a tradition at our house to read The Kissing Hand on the night before school starts. It was fun sharing with Daniel tonight that the first time I ever heard that book was from his principal at Paine Primary, Mrs. Schmitt. She read it to the faculty at our meeting the day before school started one year when I was teaching.

Well, he is set & ready to go, kissing hand and all. He is soooo excited & full of questions about his day tomorrow. He told me while I was bathing him that he is "a little scared". He then asked if he was going to get to ride the bus & when I told him "yes", his fears completely dissolved. Apparently riding the school bus is about the coolest thing E.V.E.R!

Daniel heard me back in the summer talking about having a 'cry' party with my friends when school starts & he asked why I would be crying. I explained that it is not because he is going to school, but because going to school means he is growing up so very fast. We joke a lot about ways to stop him from growing. Since then, he has been teasing me about my 'cry party' & thinks it is very funny. Tonight, he put his hand on my shoulder & said "Mom, I know you love me & you are sad & Gran was sad when you went to school too (she has told him this), but it's just life." Wow Daniel, thanks for the profound advice! Ha! So, through my tears in the morning, I will be remembering that this is just life!!!!

Ramona=Daniel

 
 
Daniel & Laura Ann having a Ramona & Beezus moment
 
 

Ok, so I totally cheated & took Daniel to see the movie, Ramona & Beezus, before reading him the book. It was our last fun outing before he starts to school. He & Laura Ann both LOVED the movie. When we got home I pulled all of my books from the Ramona series out of the attic & we've read the first two chapters of the first book these last two nights. I kept telling Daniel during the whole movie that he reminds me of Ramona. They truly are two of a kind- great imaginations & full of mischief! It was confirmed even further tonight when we read about Ramona's imaginary pet lizard named 'Ralph'. They even pick the same imaginaary friend names! :)

Lunch with Kate

 
(Not a great pic, but the best I could get with my phone!)

Gran & Papa came on Saturday to visit Sam before his surgery & we all met for lunch. Daniel & Laura Ann had fun 'loving' on Kate!

Yard Work

 
 
 

Dan had a great helper over the weekend laying sod in our backyard!

Living It Up!

 
Laura Ann decided to take a nap on her 'float' around the pool this afternoon
 
 
Daniel & William are two of a kind! Daniel has decided lately to take William under his wing and teach him the ways of little boys since he only has a big sister. If 'Batman swords' and water guns are any indication, I'd say he's doing a pretty good job. I also should note that William was already very much on the 'boy' path before Daniel intervened! I think Daniel was thrilled to find someone he could shoot with the water gun that didn't squeal, cry & run away, a.k.a girls!
 
LOVE the goggles!

We lived it up at the Y last week and got in as much swim time as we could manage.