Logan and Aiden started 3rd and 1st grade on Monday. Brady had “kindergarten round-up” on Tuesday and started full time today (as in ALL day…like his brothers). Kindergarten round-up is a 2-hour period where the parents are able to walk their kids to the classroom where they get to stay, hang out with new friends and do fun things. Meanwhile, we parents go to a meeting and listen to transportation information, school nurse stuff, what to expect etc. It’s also an opportunity for our wonderful principal, our assistant principal and (my very very good neighborhood friend), the school social worker, to try their hardest to make us cry by telling us how much they love our kids, will care for our kids and then read us a super sappy book called The Kiss Box (damn you Kristin and your adorable book about a mama and baby bear who have to be parted and make boxes full of kisses for each other! I cry every year!) After the meeting, we go back to our child’s classroom, get more information and gather them up to take them home. Today (Wednesday), we are allowed to walk our kids in and get them settled. Brady was SO excited to run off with his brothers today, to enter the doors of the school as a true student and buy his first school lunch (apparently he chose salad which was like…WUH?)

I cried when Logan went to 1/2 day kindergarten. I might have even cried when he went to first. I definitely cried when Aiden went to full-day K last year…when I had only my Brady at home in the mornings with 1/2 day pre-K in the afternoons. But let me tell you – Brady NEEDED to go to school today! That child is LOST without his brothers! He is the most social creature I’ve ever met (Brian says he wonders which of us that came from…Ha! I’ll tell you it’s not him!) Brady needs CONSTANT entertainment…and God love him, he never stops talking! On Monday of this week, I had his besty neighborhood friend over for like 4 hours just to keep him entertained! On Tuesday after round-up, he went to the same friend’s house for like 3 hours (love you Heather!) He is my SOCIAL kid! He is READY for school and I was so happy to give him that opportunity today!

I also realized that the only thing standing between me and being the mom-I-know-I-can-be is actually having the kids in my house (ok…that’s sarcasm, but sadly a little true). Today, I did the dishes, put away laundry, planned out meals, had dinner in the fridge by 2 to throw in the oven when needed…the house was clean for HOURS on end and I have HUGE list of stuff to get to that I’ve been putting off for like…um…years! I got the oil changed in the car and had only myself to worry about during the 1-hour wait! I had soccer gear organized and loaded into the car, emails about PTA (“Home and School”) answered, soccer-team-manager stuff organized….I might even mow the lawn tomorrow…you get the drift. They still come home at 3:35…we still have plenty of time together…I’m SO SO happy they are still little and love their mommy…

….but, I’m so very happy they are all in school now!! They get to do fun stuff with friends and get smarter while I get to organize and…be me for just a little while every day! GO SCHOOL!!!!

Here are my beautiful boys on their respective first days of school

Monday: Logan and Aiden. While Aiden is still very willing to let me pick out whatever he wears, Logan is insistent that his wardrobe reflect his athletic personality and only wants to wear “sports shorts”. Guess I’ll be passing the massive amounts of “nice shorts” down to his brothers.

I like their Merrell's this year (the shoes)

The usual gang ready for the first day of school walk

Sam, Logan and Aiden. Nice face Aiden! ;)

Aiden (behind our blond friend Ashley front and center) heading for his seat

Logan at his desk – number “6” in class this year (they all go by numbers based on last name.) Logan was 8 for K and first, 6 for 2nd and 3rd…guess “H” always lands somewhere in that range! Aiden is 8 this year just like Logan in 1st!

Monday: Jack and Brady get ready for their morning playdate

and then he came shopping with me and decided to use his (daddy issued) back-to-school-special-treat to buy this crazy pillow.

Heading to K-roundup

Friends from pre-K

New Seat!!!

Happy to be a big boy!!

Full Day #1 – My sweet baby heads off to school!

Love the little stepping-stone brothers pose!

 

Me when I came out of the school today after dropping Brady off! Bender from The Breakfast Club – FREEDOM IS MINE FOR 7 HOURS A DAY!