Let The Celebrating Begin

I picked Lucy up from school today to find her adorning her festive little birthday crown.  This was after a classroom celebration complete with doughnuts.  It sure did make drop off a whole lot easier this fourth day of school.

We are two days shy of the actual big day.  "Happy Buthday Lu Lu" {in her own words} is finally about to become a reality.  She's been staring down birthday decorations and watching me craft and create away for months now.  I believe she was beginning to wonder if it was really ever going to happen.

Lucy's got her eye on the prize now.  The celebrating is here.  After her school shindig, we came home to a package with the birthday girl's name on it.  Never mind that this is Lucy's time to shine, big sister was right there to "help" with the unwrapping.  Naturally.

A box full of love from Grammy.  The girls got busy right away with the princess book and the two year old proof "cd player".  I have Cinderella's waltz playing through my head right now.  We listened to it that many times and I'm sure there are many more to come.

Oh, but my favorite were these sweet Melissa and Doug cupcakes.  Lucy singing the happy birthday ditty to herself and then blowing out the candles nearly did me in.  Pure preciousness.

I'm looking forward to the real deal on Saturday.  See you soon...under the sea!

Happy Birthday Grandma

We celebrated Grandma's birthday this weekend.  Her big day falls on a Monday this year.  And, well, with school and work it just seemed like the logical thing to do.

We took her out to her favorite italian restaurant.  And I'd say we did pretty good with showering her with gifts.  She returned the favor by taking the bigs home to spend the night with her.  Lucy is still trying to figure out when she will be old enough to join them.

Jack and Lucy were in spaghetti heaven.  And Maggie ordered chicken fingers.  Can you believe the only kid in America who doesn't do spaghetti.  Maggie is most definitely my picky eater {and my cleanest because of it}.  

I've been threatening Jack that I am going to sign him up for etiquette classes.  Can you blame me?

I'm sure Lucy will be following suit.  This is what she looked like post meal.  I had her covered from head to toe in linens.

We got everyone cleaned up {for the exception of Maggie} and gave Grandma her happy birthday gifts.  This one was hard for me to let go of.  I'm loving the new line from Stella and Dot.  Have you noticed my recent addiction?

That was followed with a few sweets and a lot more mess {again with the exception of Maggie}.

Happy Birthday Grandma!  We love Love LOVE you!  And are so incredibly thankful that you are here to be a part of our everyday lives!

Next up is Lucy!  We will be celebrating TWO next weekend!  What?!?! Where has the time gone?

First Days

The first days of school have come and gone.  I'm still trying to figure out where summer went.  Seriously...has anyone seen it fly by?

Since it seems there is absolutely nothing I can do about the start of school, I suppose it is high time I embrace it.  At least a third of my children decided to adopt this philosophy.

I had three very different first days.  It went something like this.

As much as I didn't want to, I succumbed to my alarm clock way too early Monday morning to wake up my 1st grader.  He literally did a back flip out of bed when I tried to gently whisper, "it's the first day of 1st grade".

From then on he was full throttle and nothing but a chatter box all the way to his classroom door.  {I have this loving habit of always insisting on driving him the first day of school}.  His excitement was hardly containable.  I was enjoying every minute of it.

He sported his new backpack too.  I must have shown him a million catalogs and options, but as soon as he found the Eagle and blue and yellow it was a done deal.  School pride.

Did I mention he was waaaayyyy excited to go back to school?

My favorite part of the day was when he got off the bus.  He immediately exclaimed, "I love 1st grade!".  Then I got a play by play of every single minute of the day.  That is saying a lot from this boy of few details.

Maggie had her first day of 4's {aka Pre-K} on Monday as well.  She was happy, not nearly as over joyed as her big brother.  But who really could be?

We took her standard first day front door pictures, her smile still in tact.  We drove to school, smile still in tact. And we arrived at the door, smile still in tact.

Then she took one step in...complete panic.

I gave her a giant hug and kiss.  Told her she was going to blow the teachers socks of with her brilliant self and then I put her in her their loving hands.  Ugh, ugh,ugh...tough love.

I got a text and picture {gotta love technology} around 10:35, saying Maggie was finally settling in and doing great.

I could finally exhale.

When I picked Mags up her smile had returned and she said, "at first I was scared and I wanted you, then I decided I liked it!".  Kind of reminds me of that whole meeting the princesses thing last month.

Sweet sweet girl.  I can't even begin to think about next year, we will both surely be a mess.

By Tuesday, I was up for my last first day.  This one was going to be toughie.  I had strategically scheduled an appointment directly after drop off to buffer the pain.  Instead of its intended purposes I was just very late.

Lucy has been talking about going to school for over a week now.  She had been saying, "big guhrl" and "mommy riiiight back".  She was ready or thought she was right up until the moment we hit the  classroom door.  All the way down the hall Lucy was hopping, running, bouncing and giggling saying, "go skoool".

It was the exact moment that she realized I wasn't stepping inside that classroom door with her that she lost it.  I mean full hyperventilating, red faced tears.  I almost lost it with her.  I wanted to snatch her up and say, 'we don't have to this.  Lets just go home'.

But I didn't.  Instead I gave her a kiss, reminded her I would be right back, and then loitered in the hall....for a long while.  And when that didn't give a nice enough view I went outside and peered through the windows.  Just like a true stalker.

At last, I decided to let the teachers do their jobs and I sulked out of that preschool building like never before.

I kindly received a call at 10:20 to say Lucy had finally settled in.  I could exhale again for the second day in a row.

When I picked her up her emotions were all confused, turned upside down and inside out.  She ran to me...cried... smiled...said, "go skool"...cried some more...laughed...and wanted to go home.  We had a bit of emotion sorting before we could actually get buckled in the car.

So many firsts in so little time with so many emotions.  We plan on spending the next week month getting used to our new roles and schedules.

And once we do, I am convinced, it is bound to be one of the greatest school years ever.  With a start like this, I mean it has to.

Three Peeks

We were sneaking peeks all over the place today.  Three kids...three classrooms...and I wish three hours to get it done.  But, it was more like two.

And so it goes in the life of a mommy with three little ones.

Jack and Mags head back on Monday.  And littlest Lu follows close behind with her first day being Tuesday.  I can hardly believe it myself.  I can definitely say for at least a third of my trio, it's time.  And I say that as kindly as possible.

Never the less, it's still taxing emotionally and wonderfully exciting all at the same time.  They just keep growing up.  Where does the time go...seriously?

So the girls were up first.  Off to preschool we went directly after breakfast.  This may be one of my hardest years to date to do this.  Maggie's last year at preschool and Lucy's first year of preschool {sigh}.

Maggie settled right in and began checking out her tropical themed room.  She was thrilled with the newness of her classroom.  I could hardly get her to leave when it was time to visit Lucy's room.  She begged me to "leave her" there.  Heart breaking but, very comforting at the same time.

{oh...and please excuse the quality of these photos, I was lucky to get them with all that I was juggling, trust me}

It doesn't hurt that her teachers are fabulous for this all important year.  Or at least I foresee it that way.  They were beyond welcoming and full of energy.  I was squealing with joy when I learned Maggie would be reunited with Ms. Meridith.  She was Maggie's toddler room teacher way back three years ago.  Maggie got a kick out of knowing that Meridith used to change her diapers.

Ms. Stacey is bound to make everyday of learning fun and exciting.  And who wouldn't love that?  Maggie was tickled over her collection of hats.

And to top off all that fabulousness, these sweet girls will be spending the year together.  That was an answered prayer right there. Yay!

As to be expected, Lucy started the visit to her young 2's class on the shy side.  In no time, she was checking the place out and making her self right at home.  When our visit was over she nearly threw a nice tantrum saying, "no go, no go".  We will see how Tuesday goes.  Fingers crossed.

Lu's teachers are as sweet as ever...Ms. Johanna.  Which Lucy has already been practicing..."Ms. Honna".

And Ms. Janet.  I've been wishing and hoping to be in class with her since back in the day.  My young two year old made it possible!  I'm thinking a great year in this class is inevitable.

Neither girl would part with their school bags as we headed out the preschool door.  I was on a serious time crunch, but how was I to stop this cuteness.  They were both so proud and full of anticipation.

We skidaddled home just in time for me to trade out the girls for my big 1st grader.  By this time I was nearly wiped out, but Jack's enthusiasm gave me a second wind.

We raced upstairs to meet this lovely lady, Ms. W.  I could see it in Jack's eyes immediately, he was back at home.  That boy LOVES school.  He was thrilled to meet his teacher and just as thrilled to see 10 kids from his K class.  The perfect mix of new friends and old friends.

This old 1st grade teacher in me, could see right away that we are in for another fabulous school year.  Ms. W is energetic, kind, academic, and oh so, organized.  A teacher after my own heart.

Jack settled right in to his new big kid desk without a wince.  He would have let me leave him right there until Monday morning had I let him.  I kept him busy filling out paperwork and then we explored his room for a bit.  It seems Ms. W is a serious Auburn fan.  Jack was the first to let her know the bad news...his team beat her team in the national championship.  I'm assuming it's something we can all work past.

So there you have it.  Three peaks.  And three great school years on the horizon.

Now to enjoy our last weekend.  Monday morning will come way too soon.