Back to School

We've just survived the first week back to school and it was no small feat. Cade and Drew are fortunate enough to attend a preschool that is truly one of the most loving environments on the planet for little ones. The teachers are so sensitive that on the first day, Cade's teachers presented the moms with tiny little bags of tissues and Hershey's kisses in the carpool line to ease the pain of leaving the little ones for a morning. Even I, who had slowed the car down to a roll just slow enough that I could boot the children out without injuring them, was touched by this gesture.

My children are on opposite schedules this year (Cade is MWF and Drew T/Th), which means that I get time alone with each boy (which I love) but that I have to get up and get everyone going early 5 mornings a week (which I hate). It also means that I am prone to getting in the wrong carpool line because I can't remember which day it is or which kid I am retrieving (it happened twice this week already).

Because of the Labor Day holiday, Drew was the first to go. Dropoff on Tuesday morning was relatively painless but according to the teacher he cried on and off the whole morning and was so inconsolable that he refused snack (this is HUGE in the world of Bottomless Pit Drew). Further, the teacher informed me that I really needed to be first in line for carpool because he starts falling apart when the other moms start coming. On Thursday, I tried to do my part by showing up 10 minutes early for carpool and was shocked to find myself 12th in line! Why all these moms signed their kids up for preschool so they could sit in the parking lot and wait for them to get out is beyond me, but it means that this week I guess I will plan to be 15 minutes early. Since the month of September is an abbreviated class schedule to ease back into the school routine, they are only there for two hours anyway. So now I will have exactly enough time to drop him off, circle the block, and get back in line. UGH.

Cade's week went slightly better. He jumped out of the car with a smile on his face, briefly mourned the loss of Big Lovey (who was not fortunate enough to be admitted to the school and has to hang out in the van all morning with mom), and then went about his merry business. He had big smiles on his face both days this week at pickup. Cade, as a general rule, does not believe in/participate in organized activities so I was encouraged to see that he is finally (after 2 years) getting the hang of school and we will not have to fund a private a tutor for his entire education since he hates groups and I don't have the patience for homeschooling.

Funny story of the week: For some reason, both boys have trouble distinguishing between anything/nothing/anybody/nobody - they use all four terms interchangably. The latest response when I ask who dumped the entire contents of the bookshelf on the floor/crumbled animal crackers into my carpet/colored on the side of the house (this is another story)/etc. - ANYBODY. Anybody did it but Nobody is talking, which makes is impossible for mommy to discipline. They should definitely start their own School of Toddler Diplomatic Relations.