All Day

All day kindergarten started today.

Might have been harder than the first day.
For both of us.

7 hours without this face.

 I miss my time with him already.

I remember looking forward to these days.
And I know I will like them some day.
Hopefully soon.
But today I miss him like crazy.

Moms with young kids at home:
Love them tons.
Try not to get too frustrated.
Read a book with them.
Play a game.
Do a puzzle.
Hold their little hand.

Before your ready,
they're out the door.
Off to school.
Experiencing new things.
Without you.

About the time Ezzie snapped this picture
on the way to school Thursday,
Jobie was saying:
I just miss you so much.

The feeling is mutual, baby.

K, 2nd & 7th

My boys.
All growing up so quickly.

First day of school for 2012.
First day of school for my baby.

It was an emotional day for me.
A shocking admission, I'm sure...ha!

(I'm telling Ezra to please stop swatting my bottom.
Sometimes he just gets so excited.
He can't control himself.)

We had walked almost half way to school
When I finally said:
Jobie, aren't you going to hold my hand?

Then, just before we got to the doors he said:
Mommy, can we quit holding hands now?

 But at least he let us get another pic or two.

We dropped Ezzie off in his room first.

Then walking through the halls to Jobie's room,

he grabbed my hand once again.

Before I was ready, we were at his classroom door.

He found his seat.

And sat down.

Ready to start his day.

And I managed to keep my brave face on.
Until I walked out of his classroom.

Ryan took the day off.
To comfort me.
Some comfort he is.
He says things to make me cry more.
Like: well, how does it feel to have your very last baby in school?
And: didn't he look so cute?
Then he tries to hug me.
Which will only makes me cry more.

Meany.

Brookie doesn't start until tomorrow.
So I had 2 people home with me today.

Tomorrow.
I'll be walking home by myself.
Tomorrow.
Might be harder than today.

I'm so proud of Jobie.
(Just a few short months ago,
he was insisting he did not want to go to school.)
And I really am looking forward to the ability to
1) visit the restroom uninterrupted
2) make phone calls uninterrupted
3) grab my bag and run out of the house
    without searching for little people socks and shoes

But, man, is the house going to seem quiet.

Until...
I find an amazing station on Pandora.
Crank up the music.
And sing as loudly as I want.
Uninterrupted.

Jobe and Kindergarten

It appears my baby is ready for kindergarten afterall.
Jobe had been insisting he didn't want to go.
Doesn't want to turn 5.
Doesn't want to grow up.

Last night was pre-enrollment.
We walked to the school.
He held my hand the whole way.
So I knew he was nervous.One of the teachers asked him what his name was.
He spoke right up.
A couple of months ago
he would have hid behind my legs.

He said: Jobe
I was surprised he didn't say: Jobie.

He even spelled his name for her.
I didn't know he could do that.
He writes his name.
I just didn't know he could spell it out loud.

Yah, me.
For teaching my kid things without knowing I did.

My other kids knew the alphabet.
Could write it.
Even read a little.
Before kindergarten.
Not so much Jobie.

I've still got a few months...

He is a great counter though.
I was a math teacher at one point.
His daddy is the writer.
He really should be the one to teach him letters.
Right?I'm fairly certain I will have streams of tears.
The first day of school.
But I didn't even get teary last night.
Proud of myself for that.
Ha!

I just asked him:
Jobie, did you have fun last night?
Jobie with a big nod: uh-huh!
Me: So are you ready for kindergarten now?
Jobie with another big nod: uh-huh!

Ok, now I think I'll go cry.

Cheap and Teary-Eyed

I'm cheap.
I don't buy calendars.
We get them free.
Actually, my mother-in-law usually gets them.
She's always kind and shares with us.

This one comes from a local small-town bank.
They have a Norman Rockwell calendar every year.
I just cut off the bottom advertisement flap.
It's ugly and big.
And I feel no need to advertise for a bank.
Especially one we don't even use.
It's a good thing I write small.
Some of the days get pretty full with 6 in the family.
Many days in January already have 3 items.

I was adding school activities a couple of nights ago.
When I came upon Kindergarten Pre-enrollment
on the district calender.
I almost passed it by.
Then remembered:
I will have a kindergartner next year.
And I nearly cried as I wrote it down.

There it is.
Only 3 short months away.
And then,
4 months after that,
Ezzie will be leaving me.
Growing up.
Making new friends.
Learning new things.
Experiencing things without me.
I'm going to make myself cry.
So I will cherish each moment.
Even though some days
I'm giddy with the thought
of having only one kid at home with me.

Cry hysterically.
Or laugh hysterically.
I'll probably be doing both come August.