First Day of School 2009

I got up at 5:30AM on my day off so I could make chocolate chip pancakes and turkey bacon for my beautiful children. I gave them the choice of a special breakfast on the first day of school and since I'm going to be at work on Saturday by the time they get up and Saturday is usually our pancake day, I agreed to make pancakes today instead. Even DS#3 who doesn't usually really eat breakfast ate one pancake and one piece of turkey bacon, so I was happy. DH said he would have given them cereal for breakfast. :)

Is it sad that I didn't really pay attention to what the boys had to wear for their first day of school, but I went shopping with DD a month ago to pick out a first day outfit for her? When she saw this outfit, she immediately said that she wanted to wear it on her first day. You can't see it in this picture, but the shirt says "big sister". She's all over that role and likes to make sure everyone else knows she's a big sister.

She was all bubbly with excitement this morning before school and this afternoon after getting home. She has a homework packet for the week that we need to start working on. *SIGH* My summer "vacation" is over, too.

The boys didn't really get any "new clothes" for school, so this shirt that DS#2 is wearing is two years old. It says, "Football It's the beautiful game", a quote by Pele. Notice the athletic shorts? DS#2 is all about comfort and being sporty. Notice the smile? That took a bit of coaxing...and threatening.

When DS#2 got home, he talked a bit about how he liked his teachers and how he had to be more "organized" to move from classroom to classroom this year instead of being able to only stay in one classroom like last year. One of the other parents at the bus stop this morning said that the school needed five more fifth grade students in order to be able to get one more fifth grade teacher, so apparently the classes are very full. I just hope DS#2's teachers are as good this year as they were last year. He needs extra attention so he doesn't get bored.

Is it sad that I barely even took a picture of DS#1 about to be on his way to his first day of high school? The younger kids' bus left a little after 7AM and DS#1 didn't even get up until about 8AM. By that time I was busy doing other things while he quietly got ready for school. Before I realized it, DH and DS#1 were on their way out the door, so I made DS#1 get out of the car briefly so I could get a picture of him. When I picked him up this afternoon I didn't want to embarrass him by taking a picture of him there, although I had my big camera with me. I have to admit that I felt the most apprehensive about this one going to school. He is at another "new" school for the second year in a row. I shouldn't have worried, of course.

He had two homework assignments to complete this evening along with some beginning of school paperwork. The assignments didn't take too long, but we didn't get home until about 4:30PM. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he'll have to leave the house by 5:30PM for soccer practice, which doesn't give him much time for homework or eating dinner. Tonight even with the homework and going out to eat for dinner and then ice cream to celebrate the first day of school, he had time to play some video games, so we'll see what the coming weeks will hold.

This is DS#3 waiting for his siblings' school bus. He missed them today. He didn't have slaves to order around and to play with, only Mama and Papa. I don't know how stay-at-home parents do it. I couldn't get anything done today. Either I was getting DS#3 snacks or reading to him, or trying to get him to take a nap. I did really enjoy spending time with my little guy, though. He is growing up so fast and changing almost daily. It won't be long before he'll be riding on that bus, too. I know I'll be a basket case on that day.