Sunday, September 24, 2017

Primary Sunday - 2017

Oh heavens. Before children, and while my own were too little to participate, I remember looking forward to Primary Sunday as the best of the year. Full of both entertainment and a very sweet Spirit. Last year, Boy Howdy only went up because some sweet leader came and coaxed him and made him her personal friend. He didn't really participate, but neither was he the focus of disruption. Cheeks, on the other hand, cried because she was stuck on the pew with us. This year it all changed.

This year my children stole the show for being naughty. Boy Howdy WOULD not sit down but insisted on standing at the front all by himself, or walking aimlessly around the podium, in spite of very stern looks by his parents, and multiple requests of various leaders. He wasn't singing or participating in really any way, just standing at the front looking supremely unhappy.

Cheeks, would not stay in any particular seat, frequently stood by her brother or incited others to follow her bad example. This was also in spite of more stern parental stares and invitations from leaders.

Matthew and I were mortified. I found it slightly amusing but Matthew was ready to do bodily harm as soon as they were home, if not right there and then. Finally, I made my way up to them (they were on the opposite side of the chapel from us) and made them aware of our joint disappointment. They were to sit down NOW. Boy Howdy ended up sitting or standing mutely by the wall for the remainder of the program. Cheeks had to be taken out because she hurt herself while trying to hide from her father's wrath.

I apologized for my children's behavior to any and all primary leaders and commiserated with the other parents of children who also behaved less than admirably. Oh heavens. Maybe next year will be better.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

First Day of School - 2017


 As you may know, I have been nervous about school starting, mostly for Boy Howdy. Would he like it? Would he bemoan his fate Every Day the way he did with preschool. Would he cry? Would I cry? Would he be wasted by the end of each day? Those fears were laid to rest this week. The first day of school was all smiles all the way around. No one cried. I was actually surprised at how non-emotional I was given my tears at his kindergarten orientation at the beginning of the summer.

He did great the entire week. I brought him to school Tuesday, but the rest of the week he rode the bus. He was nervous not to have a seat belt (despite my assurances that the driver would surely be safe) but giddy at the very big kid idea of riding the big yellow school bus he has been eyeing for the last few years.

Thursday night he asked when he could get lunch at school. I told him we would get it sorted out so he could eat lunch the next day. I honestly don't think he was expecting his request to be so readily granted. I'm pretty sure I rendered him speechless with joy when I told him he could have lunch at school once a week.

The only emotions that came up were Tuesday as I went and picked him up from school and carried him all the way to the car wrapped in my arms as I smothered him with kisses. His emotion came later at bedtime when he could not stop inexplicably crying. He couldn't identify a reason but neither could he be consoled and kept promising me he wasn't tired. I disagreed.

But after that first day, he has woken up happy and on his own, practically ran to the bus stop each day and been more pleasant than usual to his sister. I won't kid myself that this will last forever but I will take it for as long as I can.

Cheeks was equally as excited to start her second year of preschool. I don't think she is remotely jealous that she doesn't get to go to kindergarten with Boy Howdy. She is excited to have her friend Q in her class this year with her and eager to have something to do with her time. The only problem with her was a bout of naughtiness on Thursday. She has not always been the most obedient of preschoolers, but Thursday was worse than normal, her teachers told me. I'm hoping it was due to a mixture of not getting as much sleep as she's used to now that Boy Howdy wakes up a bit earlier than usual, and she had my mother and father here this past week giving in to her every whim. Hopefully next week we can get into a good rhythm.





 A few joint pictures of the babes. The bottom two are them showing me their silliest of faces.

First day. And so it begins!