First Day of School 2008

Last night, DS#3 didn't care that today was the first day of school and that his parents wanted to get plenty of rest so they could go about their day's activities. No, he kept crying in his sleep last night. DH and I were exhausted this morning! The one "good" thing was that I was up before the alarm so I could awaken the DD and DS#2 (both were very sound asleep), and I was awake enough to heat up the leftover banana chocolate chip pancakes from Saturday and make turkey bacon. As long as I was home, I wanted to do something a little different for their breakfast than what they usually get. I even offered to make DS#1 some eggs, but he said he liked my pancakes. :)

DD was in a good mood and was very willing to get her picture taken, of course. Doesn't she have just the best smile? I bought her this outfit a few weeks ago, and she has a matching argyle sweater (she was afraid of getting cold at school) and matching headband and ribbon barrettes for her hair. She's really gotten into Hannah Montana ever since she watched the "Best of Both Worlds" concert movie. She's got a matching lunchbox too, even though she will probably be eating the hot lunch on most days.

The kids were so excited that they bounced around and even got ready early! I managed to get a smile from DS#2, but only after DH threatened him! I couldn't get him to smile when I was taking pictures out at the bus stop. DH and I think he was getting a bit apprehensive and just needed to be left alone. In fact, DD was one of the first ones to get on the bus (she didn't even wave goodbye), while DS#2 was the last one on board. Their bus driver is the most amazing man. He was the bus driver four years ago when DS#1 rode his bus last. He recognized them as being new right away, despite a very loaded bus (sitting three deep). He even knows the kids by name and when DS#1 rode his bus, he remembered his birthday! Wow!

DS#1's bus picked him up about half an hour later. He let me take photos of him in his school uniform, but I allowed him to go to the bus stop alone. This is probably the first photo I've posted here of him without his glasses on. He's getting adjusted to wearing contacts, but I made sure he had an extra pair of contacts and glasses in his backpack, as well as some saline solution--just in case.

All the kids were just as excited when they got home. DD and I had to rush off to gymnastics, so I didn't get to see DS#1 get off the bus or hear the boys' stories. DD busily talked about how she got to sit by her good friend on the bus and that she had already made friends in her class. She also talked about how she didn't have to "move her clip" which meant that she behaved well also. DS#2 seemed happy because he knew a boy in his class already. DH and I were so worried, but I'm sure that once DS#2 realized that he knew someone, he must have felt some relief. DS#1 wasn't too talkative earlier, but DH did get the impression that he felt good about his new school and his classes. Now, both DH and I can relax a little. The first day of school is over!

What about DS#3? He and DH walked out to the bus stop in the morning, and he let DH and I go to the gym. He also let me have lunch with my friend Jen. He was patient with me at Costco, and although he could have taken a longer nap, he awakened in time to see the kids get off the school bus. This evening, DS#1 took him outside and he didn't want to come back inside. I enticed him back inside by telling him that I would give him a bath. He loves baths! After his bath, he was playing in the gameroom with DS#1. He apparently opened the TV cabinet and made sounds like he wanted DS#1 to open the other cabinet door. He picked up the Gamecube controller and even unwound the cord so he could sit down and start pressing the buttons. DS#1 called me upstairs to come take a picture, so I did!

I'm a little sad I'll be going back to work tomorrow morning and that I'll miss the second day of school. At least I feel better now about the kids making a good transition to their new schools! :)