First Day of Preschool

Brody started preschool a few weeks after Orin started kindergarten.  I am doing a preschool co-op with some of the moms from Orin's group last year, which for me is just a nice reminder of how grateful I am that I get to stay home with the kids!  Brody was pretty excited to get to go to school too (although, he kept telling me it's not real school because it's just at his friend's house). 

That morning, Brody got to pick his breakfast.  He, of course, wanted pancakes!  So he helped me make pancakes, with colors (food coloring). 

The boys also requested that I make Mickey Mouse pancakes.  Usually, I only make pancakes on the weekends, so this was a nice treat (Wyatt especially looks excited)!  

"New" backpack passed on from his brother. Check!
New shoes. Check!
Pictures by the front door. Check!
School mix. Check!
He was ready.

 Last year, I did Orin's group (see here) and this year some of the same moms are in the group again.  I think it's so fun taking first day of school pictures. Definitely the teacher in me.  And since I no longer have my own first day of school, I get to just enjoy my kids' first days!

I took Brody's pictures first, cause let's face it... my kids are the hardest to photograph by far!  Brody was totally being silly and trying to hide from the camera! Surprised? Not at all.

Two hours later, it was time to pick him up.  This teacher said he was under the table and she had to ask him to be her helper to get him out (but he's not doing that anymore, for now).
I asked him a few questions:

What was your teacher like?
She is nice. She tells us to listen.

What did you do?
Watched "Cheesecake Factory" (Letter Factory, see above) and had a snack.

Brody wanted to wait to go to McDonald's after we picked Orin up from school and Shawn was able to come too.  The boys even got Happy Meals AND an ice cream cone! Spoiled!

Time-Out

I put myself in time-out!  As I watched my boys throw their dinner (mostly Wyatt), and then smash in into my freshly mopped floor, I started to yell.  Having just recommitted to not yell in my home, I announced that I was going to my room for a time-out! 

Immediately, I felt better.  I hopped onto my bed and just laid there thinking that it might take some coaxing to get me out of time-out.

Just then, I feel a little arm around me and the words, "I love you, mom."

There was Ory.

I had been only been in time-out for about a minute, and he came in to check on me.

He then proceeded to tell me some jokes.

"Why did the duck cross the street? To prove he wasn't chicken! Silly!"

It was a cute moment and one I wanted to record...

As a reminder to me that my children do indeed love me (even though they have been telling me the opposite lately),

That it feels nice to have some one come in and tell you they love you when you are in time-out,

and

to remember that when I feel like I can't handle them or I'm going to yell, 

it's okay to remove myself... go to time-out, or count to ten, take some deep breaths, whatever it takes.

The faces of my little men aren't going to stay little for very long, and yelling isn't going to teach them. (Cleaning it up would... which is what their dad did. Yay)!