My first grader's first day of school

Cambrie: First Grader

Cambrie has been counting down to first grade since the day kindergarten ended.  This girl loves school and couldn't wait to get back there.  Back-to-school shopping with her was a lot of fun.  (I love shopping but have a hard time justifying it for me).  She had very determined opinions about what kind of backpack she wanted-leopard.  What kind of clothes she wanted-comfy ones.  And what kind of things she wanted me to get for school lunch-hummus and fudge striped cookies.  Last night we had a back-to-school FHE complete with worms cups for dessert.  Then after the girls' baths we painted their toes to match their outfits for today.  The girls climbed into bed and Cambrie was so determined to get enough rest for school today that I didn't hear them sneak out of bed once.

This morning she woke up with a huge smile on her face ready to start her day.  There was no complaining at breakfast.  No complaining when it was time to get dressed.  No complaining when it was time to brush hair.  In fact, the rest of us couldn't get ready fast enough for Cambrie.  She did NOT want to be late and had us walking out the door a half hour before school started.  Of course, not before some quick first day of school pictures.

The first graders are dropped off and picked up at a different door than the other grades and we will have to fit that into our routine.  When Cambrie showed up she couldn't wait to see her friends from last year.  Last week when the class lists were posted, she picked up right where she left off with her school friends and was super excited for the friendships to continue.  While we were waiting we found Georgia and then the girls danced in the bubbles by the door together.  

Cambrie wanted one last picture with her sister and baby Kelton.  I'm glad those kids are good to each other. 

Before we knew it, Ms. Flemming was there ushering the kids inside and Cambrie went without hesitation.  McKenzie and I were spying through the windows and as she got to her classroom door she turned around and gave us one final happy wave before confidently walking into class.  McKenzie, Kelton and I turned around to spend a quiet day together.

We waited and waited for Cambrie to come home from school.  Aubri came over after lunch and while the girls were playing she asked McKenzie, "Where's your friend?"  McKenzie replied, "My friend's at school."  Aubri, "My friend is at school too."  It melted my heart.   

I went back up to the school myself to pick Cambrie up.  As soon as the kids exited the building the parents basically cheered.  Making it through the first day of school is definitely an accomplishment!  I saw Cambrie and gave her a huge hug.  While the other kids were walking out to meet their parents, we snuck back into her classroom so she could show me her desk and tell me about her day:  

~The girl sitting next to her right now is named Kate.  They have the same pink pencil box and teal scissors. ~There is a new birthday hat that the kids get to wear on their birthday. 
~They read a story about Chester the raccoon going to school.  It was one Cambrie had never heard before.  They started making a raccoon today and tomorrow they get the body.  When it's done, she wants to read Chester one of his stories.
~They have three recesses!  They played shoe scramble.
~They get to eat a snack before lunch.  I'm supposed to put it in her lunchbox instead of her backpack so it doesn't melt all over her papers.  
~They get to choose where they sit during lunch.  Today she sat next to Brynlee, Georgia, and another girl from her class.  Lunch was so short that Cambrie didn't have a chance to eat her hummus wrap (but I noticed she had time to eat her cookies).
~Cambrie saw the kindergarteners today, they looked really short.
~They played Simon Says during class and she was able to be Simon once.
~She wanted to wear her new pants to school (even though it was 90 degrees) and she was so hot that she had to refill her water bottle to the top.  She drank all of it.
~First grade is long!

I couldn't stop smiling when she came home.  I was so glad she had a great day and so proud of my little girl for being so confident that she can have a good time.  Let's hope the rest of the school year is as carefree as today.

My first day of first grade

I'm not a crier, but I had to fight back tears as I watched Cambrie walk in the school today.  I am worried about her.  I really hope she finds good friends.  I really hope she doesn't feel alone.  I really hope she likes her teacher and feels important.  I really hope her cute little personality will blossom.  I hope she's happy.

I have been anxious about getting everything ready for her, her clothes, her backpack, and even her lunch.  I was trying to figure out why I've been feeling so worried then Jeremy summed it up for me, "You're worried because she is setting the stage for the rest of her life."  That may be a little dramatic, but it's pretty true.  Even by first grade kids start distinguishing between the "cool kids" and the "nerds."  She doesn't have to be a cool kid, in fact I don't really want her to be.  But I don't want her to be picked on by the cool kids either.  I just want her to settle somewhere in between and to be happy with who she is.  So many little things depend on her social status, things that don't matter in the grand scheme of life but really matter for a kid going to school, such as her clothes, her backpack, and even her lunch.  As we were school shopping I just had to make sure her clothes choices wouldn't put her on the bottom tier of acceptability.  Her backpack had to be cool enough that she feels like she fits in.  And her lunch had to be accepted as exciting not only by her, but her friends too.  I'm pretty sure most of this hasn't crossed her mind at all, and for that I'm really grateful.  But Jeremy and I both grew up on the nerdy side of things, we turned out just fine but we know how important it is to have a cool backpack and a great lunch.  I hope we don't fail her.

So now I am home with McKenzie and Kelton enjoying the slow paced of our day now, but constantly worrying about my Cambrilicious.  I can't wait until 2:30 when we get to go pick her up and find out how her first day of school went.

Miss McKenzie's speech

McKenzie's speech still is a little bit hard to understand, but sometimes it can really bring a smile to our faces. I wanted to share a couple of moments that have made me laugh.

~McKenzie saw a little boy getting changed at the swimming pool and asked, "Mommy, why does he have a tail?"  She was very surprised when she saw that her little brother had a tail too.

~When we play I spy, Miss McKenzie says, "I spy wit my witto eye..."

~The girls should have been going to sleep, but instead I heard a lot of running around, laughing, and then crying from McKenzie.  After investigating we learned that Cambrie "Made me laugh all my pee out."  She was pretty upset and said, "I mad at you Tambrie.  I'll never forgive you."  But then later did forgive her sister, gave her a hug, and both went to sleep.
~Whenever Kelton cries she is the first one there (if she can beat her sister) patting his belly and telling him, "It's otay.  It's otay.  You can stop crying."
~She loves "smoozies" from Costco
~She desperately wants a mansion for her birthday.  In her mansion "(She) wants a hot air balloon, a waterslide, trampolines, colorful flowers, one tree, two bushes, three grasses, four leaves on my tree, Friend Legos, some pictures, Rainbow Dash, strawberry lollipops, a puppy, a bounce house, and some babies because I love babies.  When I a mom I give milk to my babies in my mansion.  I want some roses outside.  I want some swimming pools this big.  I want a pink car and a purple house."  Her list is always growing and is her fail safe response if I ever tell her that something won't fit in our house or that she has to wait until she's older to get something.
-Her version of "I Am a Child of God" goes like this, "...has given me an earthly home with parents kind of dear."

Lafayette Peach Festival

I like to visit small towns and experience their traditions.  Last weekend Lafayette was having their peach festival.  I didn't know what to expect but I like peaches so that was enough for me.  When we arrived we saw a ton of booths.  Many of the booths had activities for the kids which my girls loved.  There was face painting (a dragonfly and a rainbow).  

A fish kite making station.  

A shaker station.  

A balloon animal booth. (Waiting in line)  

(A dragonfly and Rainbow Dash)

And we topped off with some ice-cream.  

It was an incredibly hot afternoon and you can see my girls' cute sweaty faces.  You can tell Kelton thought it was....too hot.  

I was a little disappointed however because by the time we got there, all the peaches were gone!  I couldn't believe it!  I was having dreams of peach pie, peaches and cream for snacks, peach smoothies, and peach cobbler.  I guess I have high expectations since I grew up with a peach tree in my back yard.  We left the peach festival with no peaches, but lots of little crafts for the girls.  By the time we finished exploring we were hungry and drove out to Boulder for some pizza.  The first place that popped up on our GPS was Nick & Willy's Pizza.  When we arrived we discovered that it sold pizza by the slice instead of family style, and they only had patio seating.  What began as confusing quickly turned into my most pleasant dinner memories in awhile.  The temperature was perfect.  We didn't have the sun glaring at us.  All three kids were very happy.  And we were simple able to enjoy dinner.  I absolutely loved it.

Boys bonding over pizza.

Trying for that perfect smile

Now Kelton is starting to smile more often.  Once again we tried to capture it on film.  We came very, very close.

The girls adore their brother and were trying to encourage him with tickles and funny noises.

"Hello baby, time to play..."

When I saw this...  

I was immediately reminded of this three years ago.  It's funny how some things don't change.