For those of you who regularly read my blogs (or just know me), I have a tendency to get overemotional about a lot... especially anything dealing with my kids. So yesterday was definitely a tough one for me.
Typically, Kevin does drop off on Tuesdays, but because he had a meeting (and I may have begged to take Cole to his first day), I took both kids. On any other day that I do drop off, I find myself running late, in the midst of some kind of chaos, dragging 2 kids and about 10 bags out the front door. Yesterday was no exception, just amplified.
Both kids woke up somewhere between 6:30-7 which is pretty typical for them. They usually don't have breakfast until they get to daycare, but Cole's school doesn't do breakfast, so that was the first twist in the day. (I'd like to thank the inventor of frozen pancakes for the assist here!) Luckily, Chloe is now big enough to sit with her brother, watch tv (my morning babysitter) and eat breakfast. This gave me time to get ready and then get them dressed. At some point during this time, Kevin left for work but gave helped me out by carrying half of the daily bags out to my car and taking out the trash. Huge help!
I had laid out clothes for both kids the night before, but of course Cole's shirt had a stain that I had missed which sent us back to the drawing board with him. He must have been very excited about school because he didn't give me a hard time when I redressed him 3 times. And then he put his shoes on without my asking (this is an every other day battle) and combed his hair (a first). Of course, my mommy OCD had me reaching to smooth his cowlick, but he got upset and told me not to mess it up. Okay, big man.
My goal was to get out the door at 7:30 but knowing that we typically run closer to 8, our 7:40 departure was a pretty big victory. A brief stop out front to take the obligatory "my first day" picture. The next decision to make was who to drop first. We pass Cole's school on the way to daycare but I would pass it again on my way to work. Okay, who is easier to transport in and out. Cole. Done. We'll drop Chloe first. This almost caused a meltdown from the preschooler who just wanted to get there already, but I quickly turned him around with some Mommy psychology.
When we got to daycare, Cole ran in and yelled, "I'm going to Neumann!" Yes, this is one excited kid. Knowing my son so well, the sitter told him to use his listening ears when he gets there. Thank you for that. We dropped Chloe and we were back in the car in just a few minutes.
Knowing that his best friend was going to school with him, Cole found her car as soon as we pulled up and got even more excited. Of course, crazy mom that I am, I wouldn't let him go in until we got a picture in front of the sign for the school (opposite end of the entrance). He luckily obliged and then grabbed my hand (melt my heart) and we went in. Fortunately for Cole (unfortunately for his emotional mother), he found his best friend shortly after entering and forgot about me right away. Well, that didn't take long. I took his book bag over to his hook. Hmm, everyone else just had their spare clothes in a plastic bag. Okay, I did that. I take out the bag, proud of myself for remembering to put his name on it. Mental note that our plastic bag is 5 times the size of the other kids' and I'm already getting a complex. Okay, plastic bag back in the book bag. Arrange it just so on the hook. Put his sleeping bag on the floor under the hook. Okay, now what. Cole is playing. Well, I guess that's good. I find the sign in sheet and initial that I'm dropping him and go to say goodbye.
Okay, here it goes. Be strong, Cole. Be strong, Mommy. I tell him I have to go to work. He continues to play for a few seconds and then says, "okay, I'll kiss you" and plants a big one on me. Good, he still loves me. I head towards the exit, check the lunch menu on the way out (delaying the inevitable) and walk outside. I choke back a few tears but by the time I'm in my car, it's ugly cry time. Oh, man. What is it about this kid that gets me so worked up?
I feel a little better when I get an email from his friend's mom halfway through the day asking if I have their daily schedule with me because she is thinking about what they are doing. Big sigh of relief that I'm not the only one. Note to self to get schedule from hubby that night. Said hubby calls late afternoon to say he can pick up the kids. Usually a big help but I'm a little disappointed that I won't be the first to hear about Cole's day. Luckily, they call me on the way home. The answer to my questions- "Stop! I'm trying to relax!" Um, ouch. We all meet up at home where my now big man asks to play outside with the neighbor's daughter. There it is. One day of preschool and he's grown up and moving on with his life. Of course, he'll always be my little man.
Both kids woke up somewhere between 6:30-7 which is pretty typical for them. They usually don't have breakfast until they get to daycare, but Cole's school doesn't do breakfast, so that was the first twist in the day. (I'd like to thank the inventor of frozen pancakes for the assist here!) Luckily, Chloe is now big enough to sit with her brother, watch tv (my morning babysitter) and eat breakfast. This gave me time to get ready and then get them dressed. At some point during this time, Kevin left for work but gave helped me out by carrying half of the daily bags out to my car and taking out the trash. Huge help!
I had laid out clothes for both kids the night before, but of course Cole's shirt had a stain that I had missed which sent us back to the drawing board with him. He must have been very excited about school because he didn't give me a hard time when I redressed him 3 times. And then he put his shoes on without my asking (this is an every other day battle) and combed his hair (a first). Of course, my mommy OCD had me reaching to smooth his cowlick, but he got upset and told me not to mess it up. Okay, big man.
My goal was to get out the door at 7:30 but knowing that we typically run closer to 8, our 7:40 departure was a pretty big victory. A brief stop out front to take the obligatory "my first day" picture. The next decision to make was who to drop first. We pass Cole's school on the way to daycare but I would pass it again on my way to work. Okay, who is easier to transport in and out. Cole. Done. We'll drop Chloe first. This almost caused a meltdown from the preschooler who just wanted to get there already, but I quickly turned him around with some Mommy psychology.
When we got to daycare, Cole ran in and yelled, "I'm going to Neumann!" Yes, this is one excited kid. Knowing my son so well, the sitter told him to use his listening ears when he gets there. Thank you for that. We dropped Chloe and we were back in the car in just a few minutes.
Knowing that his best friend was going to school with him, Cole found her car as soon as we pulled up and got even more excited. Of course, crazy mom that I am, I wouldn't let him go in until we got a picture in front of the sign for the school (opposite end of the entrance). He luckily obliged and then grabbed my hand (melt my heart) and we went in. Fortunately for Cole (unfortunately for his emotional mother), he found his best friend shortly after entering and forgot about me right away. Well, that didn't take long. I took his book bag over to his hook. Hmm, everyone else just had their spare clothes in a plastic bag. Okay, I did that. I take out the bag, proud of myself for remembering to put his name on it. Mental note that our plastic bag is 5 times the size of the other kids' and I'm already getting a complex. Okay, plastic bag back in the book bag. Arrange it just so on the hook. Put his sleeping bag on the floor under the hook. Okay, now what. Cole is playing. Well, I guess that's good. I find the sign in sheet and initial that I'm dropping him and go to say goodbye.
Okay, here it goes. Be strong, Cole. Be strong, Mommy. I tell him I have to go to work. He continues to play for a few seconds and then says, "okay, I'll kiss you" and plants a big one on me. Good, he still loves me. I head towards the exit, check the lunch menu on the way out (delaying the inevitable) and walk outside. I choke back a few tears but by the time I'm in my car, it's ugly cry time. Oh, man. What is it about this kid that gets me so worked up?
I feel a little better when I get an email from his friend's mom halfway through the day asking if I have their daily schedule with me because she is thinking about what they are doing. Big sigh of relief that I'm not the only one. Note to self to get schedule from hubby that night. Said hubby calls late afternoon to say he can pick up the kids. Usually a big help but I'm a little disappointed that I won't be the first to hear about Cole's day. Luckily, they call me on the way home. The answer to my questions- "Stop! I'm trying to relax!" Um, ouch. We all meet up at home where my now big man asks to play outside with the neighbor's daughter. There it is. One day of preschool and he's grown up and moving on with his life. Of course, he'll always be my little man.
