The first day...again

Addie - First Day of Kindergarten - 2012

Lily - First day of Second grade - 2012

I took the first day of school off.  I decided last year to do that every year.  Every person in our family's birthday off and the first and last day of school.  It was a good idea.  

After Kindergarten I brought Addie home so we could bake.  We made some yummy Paleo chocolate chip cookies.  It was my first attempt at baking grain, sugar, and dairy free, and it turned out awesome.  The kids loved them too.  Addie and I had lunch together, played a game, baked and hung out together before it was time for to get Lily.  We did out first day of school interview.  

What's your name? Addie

How old are you? Five
What was special about today? about Kindergarten? No.  I was wondering what you were talking about.  Even stuff that aren't in my kindergarten?  I don't know what you are asking me.  Stop typing.  KINDERGARTEN!!!!!

How did you get to school?  By the car
How did you get home? By the car 
What is your teachers name? Um, I always get them mixed up about two things.  I forgot.

What's your favorite color? Blue

What's your favorite book? Cars
What's your favorite song? Everyone was kung fo fighting
What's your favorite movie? Cars
Television Show? Is it, can it be? Word World
Who's your best friend? I don't really know.  Can you pick one?  Can you list a few?  Um.  Carter, Rachel, that's it

Favorite Smell? flowers

What's your favorite kind of candy? chocolate chip cookies that we just made

Favorite Sound? I don't wheely know. 

Is there any sound you can think of that you really like to hear? The sound of an airplane like I hear right now - or something (it is a motorcycle)

What's your favorite instrument? ukulele

Favorite thing to do at school? Do cwafts. 
What do you hope to learn this year at school? To learn about bears Anything else? uh-uh.
Don't you know about bears already? But I wanna learn more

What's your favorite game? The bear game you got me
Favorite Food? Chicken nuggets
Favorite thing to drink? pink lemonade

What's your favorite animal? Bear
What's your favorite thing to do? cuddle with bear-bear and mommy
Outside? um, the parade in Joseph
Front Yard? play in the sprinkler

Back Yard? Look for butterflies with our net

What about on the swing set?  I wike to do Ninja Warrior and get acwoss without touching the bottom. the. ground.
Where's your favorite place to go? Sauvie Island
What's your favorite Toy? Bear Bear
What's your favorite thing about Lily? Um, I like to play with her

What's your favorite about Bryson?  I like to rub his face and his body because it's so soft. (LOL)
Okay, What color are Lily's eyes? Bwown

Brysons?  Blue Yours? Blue 
Anything else about Lily that you want to share? nothing else, I wanna be done
Anything else about Bryson that you want to share? I wike to cuddo with him when he doesn't kiss me in the eye
How old is Daddy? I don't know Guess.  33 Did I guess white?
How old is Mommy? I don't know. Guess. 15 (smile)

What makes you happy? To cuddle with bear bear
What do you want to be when you grow up? A wace car dwiver

What is your favorite word that Bryson says: I like him say wheel things that we don't even know what he says
What is your favorite word?um, cars
What is your favorite time of day? I like it when it's not too sunny but it is sunny
What is your favorite way to have your hair? I like it just one clippy he-o and one clippy he-o (here)
What is your favorite Holiday? 4th of July
Why? Because it's my bday and I like my bday
What other holiday do you like? I like Christmas holiday

Whose your favorite character? Lightning McQueen
What is your favorite day of the week? Fwiday

What's your favorite room in the house? my woom
What's your favorite thing about daddy?That he's my buds
What's your favorite thing about mommy? That you cuddle with me at night night
What was your favorite trip this summer? Jenny's beach house because Bryson was in the room (with her and Lily) and I like 2 people with me, and I like myself with me.  Haha.  (she said haha)
What do you like about Uncle Matt? Um.  Um. That he's nice
What about Grandma Lanie? Um. I don't weally....Um. That she's nice.
What about Grandma Carol and Grandpa Steve? They're cause they're nice
Who do you sleep with?Lily, cause we share a room.  Anyone else? only at Jenny's beach house, Bwyson slept with us.  Bear-bear
Anything else you want to share : Um, no.  What is it sharing with?  Is is sharing with my teacher.  No just with my blog.  Block.  Oh, so it's for a blog.  

I picked up Lily and thought about how at only 2pm, it was my 3rd and not last time at their school that day.  I rolled my eyes and then secretly felt like a really cool soccer mom since my next time would be for soccer practice.  We went to our favorite little local coffee shop, and I brought one of Lily's American Girl Kaya chapter books for us to read.  We finished the 4th book in the series then did her interview, all while Lily sucked down a vanilla smoothie.  

Lily: 

What's your name? Lily

How old are you? Seven n a half - do you just write what I say?
What was special about today? Uh the first day of school

How did you get to school? You took me 

How did you get home? You drove me to Metro Perc in the car
What is your teachers name? Mrs. LB 

What's your favorite color? Turquoise

What's your favorite book? The Bible, The Kaya (American Girl) books, Junie B books, and Junie B puzzle book
What's your favorite song? The sun will come out tomorrow

What's your favorite movie? Annie
Television Show? Mickey Mouse
Who's your best friend? Rachel

Who are some good friends at school? Emma, Lucy, Brady, Gavin 

Favorite Smell? The smell of mondel bread getting cooked

What's your favorite kind of candy? Um, tootsie rolls

Favorite Sound? Um, listening to songs

What's your favorite instrument? accordion

Favorite thing to do at school? Math
What do you hope to learn this year at school? Harder Math Anything else? How to type

What's your favorite game? Monopoly
Favorite Food? Ice cream and pancakes
Favorite thing to drink? chocolate milk

What's your favorite animal? Penguin
What's your favorite thing to do? Spend time with you
Outside? I think it's going to new parks that I never been there before
Front Yard? Play in the sprinkler

Back Yard? Play on the swing set

What on the swing set?  Do Ninja Warrior and do my flip on the ropes
Where's your favorite place to go? Bullwinkles and to see Grandma and Grandpa
What's your favorite Toy? My stuffed animals in my bed
What's your favorite thing about Addie? When she laughs and when she is in a happy attitude and she wants to be a big girl with me. 

What's your favorite about Bryson? When he plays with me and hugs and kisses me
Okay, What color are her eyes? Blue

Brysons?   Blue Yours? Brown Anything else about Addie that you want to share? no that's it for Addie
Anything else about Bryson that you want to share? I like putting him to bed and when he cries when I leave because he loves me, I mean, I don't like that he cries but I like that he loves me a lot.
How old is Daddy? 39
How old is Mommy? 35

What makes you happy? You and Daddy and my family
What do you want to be when you grow up? An acrobat and a teacher.  I kind of want to be be an acrobat and a teacher and a guy who cuts hair

What is your favorite word that Bryson says: he-a, he-a (here)
What is your favorite word? that I say? I don't know I like a lot of words.  So list one.  I don't know.
What is your favorite time of day? Right when I wake up so it is a long time to go to bed
What is your favorite way to have your hair? a pony in the back
What is your favorite Holiday? I think it's Christmas
Why? Because it's Jesus's birthday
What other holiday do you like? Is my birthday a holiday? no.   

Halloween and Easter and Yeah
What is your favorite day of the week? I think it's Friday, so we have the weekend and it's movie night

What's your favorite room in the house? The playroom
What's your favorite thing about daddy? When he gets me ice cream at Joseph and when he's nice to me
What's your favorite thing about mama? When she hugs and kisses me and puts me nigh night and gives me love
What was your favorite trip this summer?   The trip to Joseph, both of them, and the trip to the beaches
What do you like about Uncle Matt? I like it when he does fun things and gives me piggy back rides and let's me climb on him
What about Grandma Lanie?  When we go there, and when she reads to me, and does crafts with me and when she does fun stuff like that with me.
What about Grandma Carol and Grandpa Steve? When Gma Carol gives me chocolate milk, when she gives me ice cream for snack, and when we make Mondel Bread together.  And for Gpa Steve?When he reads me books
Who do you sleep with? I sleep with Addie and my guys.  What guys? Mickey, Penguin, Socky, Monk-Monk, Elephant, Kaya, Polar Bear, Piggie and Ducky, and turtle that Rachel likes, let me think if there is anything else.  Did we put Monkey?  Green monkey is monKEY and brown monkey is monk MONK.  And that's who I sleep with.  Wow full house.  Yeah, I pretend in my bed is my house, I pretend the foot of my house is outside in the backyard.  YUP  (nod nod nod)
Anything else  you want to share: I pretend that the blankies folded at the foot of my bed are benches outside, and their my outside furniture, and some of my stuffed animals like sockie usually sleep out there.  

Twas a wonderful full day of school.  I didn't feel as sad as the last two years.  But I did get a little teary eyed during Mrs. O's "see ya later alligator" song when she said "give a hug to your partner, Kindergartner"...that got me.  I love her, and my Addie is in Kindergarten.  Then I got choked up while reading about Kaya thinking of her sister who had been kidnapped 3 books ago and the stray dog that was leaving Kaya.  My sentimental came out in strange places on my first day of school this year, that's for sure.  I'm a blessed mama, a happy mama, a tired mama.  Good night.  

7 blogs in 7 days. Day 3 - The first day...

Third day of blogging. Third day of blogging mostly about Lily. Guess this is just her week.

How could I possibly post any backlog blogs when my little girl started Kindergarten today? It almost feels cliche to say since people have been posting on FaceBook for a month about their little ones starting school and where did the summer go and can you believe I have a third grader, etc, etc. But today, it wasn't cliche because it was my baby. My first one. She started real school. The school she'll go to for the next 6 years. When she is finished here she will be 12 years old. TWELVE. Yeah, so I'm sentimental and I'm getting a little ahead of myself. But. Still.

Before we left the house she came to me, hugged me tight around the waist, put her chin on my belly button and looked up at me. I looked into her deep brown eyes, and I could remember those same eyes looking at me as a baby, as a toddler, as barely a little girl. Her face has changed through the years, but her eyes, they are exactly the same. I said, "Lily, how did we get here? I can't believe you are in Kindergarten. When you were a baby, I couldn't imagine this day would ever come!" She just smiled hard at me with her squinty smile eyes and her happy dimple.
To compare how she looked last year on her first day of school, you can see that post hereWe walked in together, even though she desperately wanted me to let her ride the bus today. I couldn't do it. I needed to see her get there. Be with her a few more minutes. "They don't let Kinders ride the bus to school on the first day." I lied. :)
She signed her name when she got there.

She hung up her back pack on her hook. She put on her name tag and she went off to play. She is the only Lily in the class, but there are two Emma's, two Claire's, and two Emily's. Wow. Not that I ever had any class/camp/etc. without more than a few Jenny's growing up, but 3x2 seems like a lot. The teacher has 24 students to keep track of.

The day was great. She liked "Criss Cross Applesauce, put your hands in the chocolate sauce" at circle time. She had a lot of fun, she made a great friend.

Over a year and a half ago I did an Interview with Lily. You can see the answers to that here. My friend Jenn told me about her mom interviewing her on the cassette recorder before her first day of Kindergarten. I thought, wouldn't that be a cute little first day of school tradition, for all the kids? Each year, see how their answers change. I re-read her first one. I was impressed by the difference in her as I read it. And the same-ness. Even before getting this years answers. I remember that her and it is amazing how different she is now. AND Wow did she love Addie. :) Now they fight a little more like sisters than what I'd like! :(

Sitting down before we started she said, "But I'm still in my jammies, is it just talking? Did you take those pictures of me tis morning? Mama? And you already got them on the computer? (meaning the pictures above)

So I was a little disappointed at how UNinteresting this year's interview was, but I'm still going to post it for record keeping sake. Stop reading now if you aren't a grandma! :) I'll try to write the dialect like she says things and also put my commentary in (parenthesis).

What's your name? Lily

How old are you? Five. N. A half.

What was special about today? having my first day of school
How did you get there? Mommy drove me
How did you get home? The school bus
What was the school bus like? It was very big, there were only six kids on it and it was so big. I sat next to my friend. I don't know her name. Tomorrow I'll come back and tell you that answer okay Mommy, it was either Emma or Emily. I'm pretty sure it was Emma.
What is your teachers name? huh. I don't know. I don't remember. Mrs O. That's it (we are going to call her Mrs. O for privacy sake this year.

What's your favorite color? Pink

What's your favorite book? B.O.B. books

What's your favorite song? All of them. Oh, "You got a friend in me" You know that song, mama? I like that one.
What's your favorite movie? Dora saves the snow princess
Television Show? Mickey Mouse
Who's your best friend? Rachel

Favorite Smell? Mandel bread smell
What's your favorite kind of candy? chocolate

Favorite Sound? I don't know. Is there any sound you can think of that you really like to hear? No. You just like things to be silent? Yeah silence (ha, yeah RIGHT kid!) Music, Talking, Laughing,?? Your sleep music? Yes! Sleep music! Mommy singing? YES!! Mommy singing. I like when mommy sings at bed time to me. (Ahh the power of suggestion)

What's your favorite instrument? Piano

Favorite thing to do at school? Everything.
What do you hope to learn this year at school? How to read. Anything else? No.
Don't you know how to read already? No (okay then-moving on)

What's your favorite game? Anywhere. What? The question was what game do you like? Like any game. Uno and Memory.

Favorite Food? Pancakes

Favorite thing to drink? Milk

What's your favorite animal? Monkey

What's your favorite thing to do? Scrapbook with Mommy (TRUE)
Outside? Play on the swing set
Front Yard? Chalk (what? even Addie piped up, 'what about widing bike Lilay?' I mean she does like chalk but not in the front yard)

Where's your favorite place to go? Safari Sams (honestly haven't been there in a year, too bad, you know since it's her favorite and all)

What's your favorite Toy? Penguin

What's your favorite thing about Addie? Nothing, I can't think of anything. (What a CHANGE from last year's answer!

Okay, What color are her eyes? Blue
Anything else about Addie that you want to share? nothing about that
What is your favorite thing about Bryson? For him to be my brother and for Addie to be your sister, (are you even listening to me, kid?)
Anything else about Bryson that you want to share? no. why did you say this will be pretty boring to daddy. (haha, oh you heard that?)

How old is Daddy? 37 (correct)

How old is Mommy? I don't know. Guess. 3298

What makes you happy? Did you write 3298 for real. No. No I don't want you to write 3298. What did you write? What makes you happy? When Uncle Matt comes to my house.

Favorite Thing About Addie? She's my sister

What do you want to be when you grow up? An ackerbat in Cirque du Soliel

What is your favorite word that Addie says: Whateva
What is your favorite word that Bryson says: Whateva, mama, he said whateva for the first time today today
What is your favorite word?I love you
What is your favorite time of day? Waking up and going to school
What is your favorite way to have your hair? my bangs grew out in a french braid
What is your favorite Holiday? 4th of July
Why? We get all the candy. No Halloween. Why? We get the candy. And it's out Birthday months
What other holiday do you like? I don't have another holiday
What happens in June? Flowers

Whose your favorite character? June (should have seen that coming!)

What is your favorite day of the week? Friday. No Friday, Saturday, Sunday

What's your favorite room in the house? The playroom

Do you want to be done? Is there anything more that I could do?

What's your favorite thing about daddy? (Addie - I yuv him) Lily - Cirque du Soliel.
(Addie - 'mommy - I want you to write me. Not Lily. Me!'; Me - I just did Addie.; Addie -'You Ony wote one sing, I want you to white five sings')

What's your favorite thing about mommy? When you get to play with me.

What do you do with your kisses when someone kisses you?I wipe them off and they go in my head to give to other people and they make more kisses.

Do you crack your knuckles? Yes. Why? I"m trying not to but I can't help it. (Grrr)

What was your favorite trip last year? Going to North Carolina. Going to Sunriver.

What do you like about Uncle Matt? He's my uncle and I really really love him and he is so fun.

What about Grandma Lanie? She's my grandma and I love going to her house and I love spending time with her.

What about Grandma Carol and Grandpa Steve? I like to spend to time. And I love all of the wonderful things they give us.

Who do you sleep with? Addie

Anyone else - like your "guys"? Penguin, Bear bear, I have to sleep with Addie's bear bear. the bean beans bunny. Did you write the bean bean bunny?

What's the capital of Oregon? Um I know it. It's where Washington. Is that right? No. Salem
What's Oregon State animal? (We stopped here, she doesn't know these anymore and Addie was getting IRATE that it wasn't her turn to do the interview. Lily wasn't really paying attention and then Addie locked us all in their room. Luckily I had the computer and Skyped Julia to let us out. The girls thought this was one of the funniest things that had ever happened. Bedtime for bonzo. Bryson has a bit of a fever so bedtime for me too. Praying it won't be a long not for him. G'night. Only day 2 of school tomorrow. And 2 more orientations for Addie's preschool. Oh dear, going back to school is not made for the workin' mama. Lucky for me I've got a super AuPair and a very nice boss! :)


Unasked:
What States do you know?
What is the capital of New Jersey?
What is the NJ state flower?
What is the OR state flower?

Interviewing Lily

My friend Carrie did this interview with her daughter. Since I'm always forgetting the cute things that Lily says before I write it down, I thought I would do the same. The things in parenthesis are (my commentary).

What's your name? Lily

How old are you? Four

What's your favorite color? Pink and Blue

What's your favorite book? Hmmm The one that is this piece from the library "Is this peas" oh "Are these peas?" (We just got this book Sunday and have read it once, sometimes favorite in this interview = the only thing you can think of).

What's your favorite song? Dora Fiesta
What's your favorite movie? Dora saves the Snow Princess
Television Show? Dora
Who's your best friend? Rachel

Favorite Smell? I don't have a favorite smell
No Yummy Smell you like? Actually my favorite smell is the smell of biscuits

What's your favorite kind of candy? Candy Canes

Favorite Sound? The sounds when Addie's coos

What's your favorite instrument? The Harmonica

Favorite thing to do at school? Play with my friends. Samantha and Ella and Alison

What's your favorite game? I have a few favorite games, mama. Candy Land, Bingo, and Jenga and the game that unco Matt gave me (Mancala) and Break the Ice and Cooties and Don't Spill the Beans. My favoritist game is Don't break the Ice. Oh Crazy Eights and Go Fish and Old Maid. I have lots of favorite games in the games section.

Favorite Food? Ice Cream

Favorite thing to drink? Milk

What's your favorite animal? What's a very cute aminal (not spelled wrong, one of the few words she still says so cute so wrong) mama? Is there anything about my sister? About our eyes. A very cute aminal or a very silly aminal.

What's your favorite thing to do? Play with my sister

Where's your favorite place to go? Safari Sams

What's your favorite Toy? Books.

What's your favorite thing about Addie? She's cute.
Anything else? I want to talk about her eyes like what color are her eyes.

Okay, What color are her eyes? Blue..oh or brown and blue. Blue for my sister, mama.
Anything else about Addie that you want to share? Her rash. Please write Lily doesn't have a rash and Addie does.

How old is Dad? I don't know. 35 is it 35. (Correct)

How old is Mommy? 31 is she 31? 21? (Yes 21, close enough)

What makes you happy? Playing. Playing with mama. Actually one other thing. Addie. She makes me happy.

Favorite Thing About Addie? When she smiles at me.
I have another thing about Addie. When she doesn't cry.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A haircut lady. A Princess swim teacher. A mommy to Clarabelle. (this is the baby that has been in her belly since I got pregnant with Addie, and Addie was still Nate)

What is your favorite word that Addie says: Gaga. Coco.
What is your favorite word? I love you Addie
What is your favorite time of day? Free play at school or gymnastics
What is your favorite way to have your hair? In braids
What is your favorite Holiday? Christmas
Why? Because I get presents and Santa is out.
Out where? Delivering presents
What other holiday do you like? Halloween and Thanksgiving
Can you ask me what's my favorite month? October. My favorite month is June.
What happens in June? I don't know.
Once you told me about June, you silly daddy.

Whose your favorite character: June, Little Einsteins. Tico and Benny and Dora and Boots and Rocket and June and Annie and Leo and Rocket and Quincy and Rocket. Did I say Rocket?

What's your favorite room in the house? My room, actually and the play room.
This is a settling down talking thing. Are we done yet mama?

Do you want to be done? No, I want to read Alex's

What's your favorite thng about daddy? Cirque du soliel - Oh one thing that I want to be when I grow up is go on stage for Cirque du soliel.
What's your favorite thing about mommy? How bout Because she gives me the breakfastes and because you bake with me. (I do? I better get on that if it's the best thing about me)

What do you do with your kisses when someone kisses you? I wipe them off and they go in my head because I don't want to lose them. They will just float around in my head forever they will. Sometimes when I'm sleeping they will just be still and not floating.

Why do you crack your knuckles? because I like to, well I don't want them to give me an owie but I still want to crack them. (yes, she just started this and it is infuriating to me because I started doing it when I was four!)

What was your favorite trip last year? Going to see Nicholas (family reunion) and going to North Carolina and going skiing with Nathaniel.

What do you like about Uncle Matt? because he does fun things with me.
What about Grandma Lanie? That she doesn't live with a doggie.

Who do you sleep with? Cancer bear (this is a bear that was given to me for being the team leader for a walk in May, it has the pink breast cancer ribbon on it's shirt. I gave it to Lily for being a good girl on a night when I had to work late. I explained what it meant and reminded her of the walk, and now the name has been shortened to only cancer bear)
Anyone else? Big Bear bear, it's Addie's it's Nataline

What's the capital of Oregon? Salem
What's Oregon State animal? I forgot, can you tell me daddy
What States do you know? Oregon, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, Joseph, Montana, I'm kinda tired
(Okay just a few more to show off)
What is the capital of New Jersey? Trenton
What is the NJ state flower? The purple violet
What is the OR state flower? The Oregon grape

I think we'll do this again, it was fun, she liked it too!