Up until now I've had my kiddos home with me the majority of the time. Calin had AM kindergarden and I had him home by lunch every day. But this, well this is just wrong. School is from 9am-3:40. That's the entire day! By the time he gets home he'll have time to do his homework, eat dinner, soccer, and it will be time for bed. Quality time as I now know it is gone forever.
I let him ride the bus this year. Last year it was rather easy to drive him with the school being 3 minutes away. But the 1st/2nd grade school is clear across town. And there is going to be construction on the main road I'd drive down for the next year. And with gas prices being what they are and having to drive Naiya to preschool, well, it just isn't in our best interest for me to drive him. So I put him on the bus. The bus only has 1st and 2nd graders, so it really can't be that bad right? And if it doesn't work out I can at any time pull him off the bus and choose to drive him. No harm in trying it, I hope. As you can see I'm still trying to convince myself that this is okay.
Waiting for the bus...
Wait for it...
Wait for it...
Finally!
I got a little bit teary eyed as he boarded the bus and I watched it drive away, but I sucked that up quick when I realized Naiya was upset and needed reassurance. I think she was sad that she didn't get to wave goodbye to him once he was on the bus. I'm not sure where he sat, but we didn't see him through any of the windows. She came down with a fever yesterday at church and has been feeling pretty lousy since. After Calin got on the bus I put her back to bed. With him gone she'll be able to get plenty of rest and will be as good as new by the time preschool starts next week.
I was looking forward to the 2 of us doing some special mommy and me things this week, but I guess it will just have to wait. Not that I'm complaining! I look forward to some down time. She'll probably look like this for the next few days:
This new era will take some adjusting to but I think I'm really going to like the change. It will be nice to have some quiet around the house during the day. It will be strange to have just one child to care for, and she's so calm compared to my intense little Calin, it will be like taking a much needed chill pill. I might even learn how to relax again. The real thriller though is that while Naiya is in school I'll have 4 hours a week all to myself! 4 hours, just me! No kids tugging at my leg or whining "mommy." No worries about if someone else has to pee or is hungry. I can walk into the store, get what I need, and walk out with no one pleading with me to buy junk food or stopping for a potty break just b/c it's there. I can get in the car, buckle my seat belt, and drive away, no fussing with carseat straps and or growling at anyone for throwing rocks instead of getting in the car. I look forward to having just me to take care of for a few hours. But the rest of the time, I'm so excited to have Naiya. She doesn't know a life without her brother and it will be good for her to get one on one time with me. I love that little girl and plan to soak up the next 3 years with her, b/c after that she too will be in 1st grade. Then what will I do with my time? It will be great to have no one around all day, but that will last about a month and then seriously, what will I do with my time? Almost makes me want to have another baby. Almost.
10 comments:
Sniff sniff!! Isn't it so sad to see them grow up so fast?! It's exciting too; scary but exciting!! I hear ya on the bus thing; necessary evil in my opinion!!! Way cute pictures!!
So now I'm thinking about homeschooling so my kids are never out of my sight....j/k. I think I can wait for another two years to have to send him to school. I would be the mom that can't stop crying while my kid runs off without looking back. Callin didn't look too worried getting on that bus either. I hope he loves it.
ah...but if you stick around ohio, in less than 15 years you are going to have to add Early Morning Seminary to that list!
I left you a big ole long comment this AM and then my mouse froze up and I couldn't move it to print and then Keri called so I never got back to it. I luv the pic's of Calin and the bus. It will be a new adventure for him. I wish you would have told me your feelings about the bus before you were an adult.
Now we know why Naiya was so warm at luch yesterday. I hope she's feeling better.
As far as what will you do when they are both in school-take a nice hot bubble bath and realize that no one is going to interrupt you cause they have to go potty.
Also think of Darin's days off. Just the two of you to have some time together doing whatever you want [almost]. Talk to you later.
Calin looked excited to be getting on the bus and going to school. That says volumes to your mothering that he is comfortable going out into the "real" world.
I get 4 hours to myself all alone a week starting on the 9th!! Of course, after January, that will change, but until then, hello my time!
Enjoy yours.
I was the one who put Tillie on the bus this morning, (my first 1st grade send off) and I had a funny memory. For a little while when Darin and I rode the bus together we would plan the night before and bring the ingredients to make a breakfast on the bus. One day we even had breakfast burritos with eggs, sausage, hash browns, tortillias, salsa and sour cream (I think we even had OJ to go with it). Imagine smuggling all that onto the bus and hiding it as we divied it up. Given that I had friends like Darin sometimes I actually miss the big yellow carpool.
That last post was done by Travis by-the-way.
The first day of first grade was almost harder than the first day of kindergarten.. But trust me give it a few days and you will enjoy the quiet time and the return home is much sweeter! He'll do fine! I cried when noah got on the bus yesterday too. I probably will cry every year.
I can't believe he's already in 1st grade. A full day must drain some of his energy right? :)
They have full day kindergarten here in Los Alamos, I think it's weird that they do that! Hope you and Naiya are adjusting.
I feel th pain sis. I put one in 2nd grade and one in kindergarten. It's crazy. That leaves me with just Dawson. It's been nice. I'll blog on mine about the first day of school. Right now I need to get back to my callings. I took a break from Scout stuff to read blogs.
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