Well, after exactly 4 days of pre-school, i feel like i have no idea how the boys (save Aidan) really feel about school. The first day, no one cried when i left, but they did look stunned and a little sad. Day 2 - no one cried, but Gavin was like a Cling-on Monkey before I left and then gave his "sad face" look until i closed the door. Day 3 - Aidan BAWLS as I am leaving (after staying an extra 10 minutes or so b/c he wants to sit on my lap during circle time). So much so that they called the nurse to check him for fever/illness because he was so (according to note) "not like himself" for the rest of the morning. Day 4, began language class and while no tears, it was only after staying for the full language class (which i'm not so sure about) and their regular teacher beginning circle time and songs that I was able to give kisses and promises to pick up after lunch and only got Gavin's sad face until he could no longer ignore the Wheels on the Bus song in progress. :)
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| Gavin spots me! |
Well, this weekend, while making breakfast Aidan was in the kitchen with me - probably to get protection from his brother after getting whacked on the head with a car - Aidan says to me "Mom, I'm not happy at school." I ask him to repeat it, and he does and then I ask him "Why aren't you happy at school?" and he says "Because I miss you." well, I just about pulled him out of school then and there. not really, but it was very sweet. Especially b/c one day I know he will be MORTIFIED to admit he has a mother and will probably stop giving public hugs and kisses. The thing is when I come and pick them up, they are usually yucking it up and appear to be having a ball at school. While Brady is the reporter (no surprise there) with who was crying b/c they missed their mommy, who pooped on the floor and had to clean it up (true story - day 4), etc. Aidan and Gavin both talk about school and songs and teachers in a positive way as well. Of course, depending on the day/time they have each asked if they can go to school on days when it isn't a school day. The day school is to happen though, they are NOT down with it . .. so strange.
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| Day 3 of school (BAG) |
I was told after the first day that Aidan was the best helper when it came to cleaning up. I could have told her that, but I do think school has gotten the other two in gear quite a bit more. Brady usually starts the song from class and Gavin will kind of sing along as you goad him into picking stuff up. Aidan on the other hand has a PLAN for clean up and is already half-way through the toys when his brothers finally get around to picking up the first truck. I can't wait to see how these battles manifest themselves in the future.
This weekend, Curt went to Barcelona to see FCB play with FREE VIP TICKETS! Now, of course it would have been SO MUCH FUN to go with him, but I'm not the one who needed a break. Hands down, Curt does and I'm so glad he got to go. IT's sunday night as I type this and he's due home in a couple of hours and I COULDN'T BE MORE READY, but I am still very glad he got to go. Anyway, this weekend was the first time i have been able to get the boys to float without an adult touching them in the pool, EVER. Jill and Justin kindly agreed to be my adults and with the aid of water wings and a noodle, everyone went hands free for long periods of time on Friday - AWESOME! Gavin was probably the LEAST willing to let go of my hands to float and he spent the last half hour floating around int he deep end by himself just chilling and checking the world out (again, no surprise there). Today when Tess came in, I took each of them individually to swim at the pool to reinforce this. It was really great to get some one on one time and to see how each of them is SO different.
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| Aidan liked putting on my pants. |
Aidan pretty much jumped in and was IMMEDIATELY happy to be floating again. He didn't even try to hang on to me and at one point, he was jumping from the top step of the ladder onto the noodle without me in front to catch him. But he didn't really want to "go" any where. Brady on the other hand immediately began trying to deflect and distract by talking me up as we were getting in the water. This will be his MO. When I FINALLY got him in (a time limit for us being there together worked) he would NOT let go of my hands(and he demanded the shallow end), so I drug him around the pool a bit and then took away one thumb for him to hold and then the other (even crossing into the deep end). He immediately started laughing and then decided to kick his way ALL OVER the pool. Literally, we probably did 4 laps all around the pool - the kid can kick. (I think some of it are his feet - Aidan's are much smaller and more narrow). Brady would NOT jump off of the ladder to his noodle, but he would sit on the ladder and hold the noodle pretty close and slide into the water. baby steps. Gavin was willing to jump in to me but was like a MONKEY on my front. I had to basically slip the noodle in between us and then remind him that my hand was holding his hand on the noodle for him to let go of my neck. I did the same let go of one thumb, let go of the other, but he was still working to hold on to me as much as he could. He finally relaxed and was happy tooling around the pool, but his kicks were getting him nowhere (really, have you seen his clodhoppers and his legs?!). I mentioned how Aidan had jumped into his noodle from the top step of the ladder and Gavin was game for jumping in - FROM THE SIDE. The kid does his FLYING LEAP into his noodle twice. I think the sheer force of the jump and the subsequent quick dunk under water was enough for him, but he laughed the entire time. I taught some doggy paddles with arms and we did some bubbles. I"m really glad I could reinforce the stuff form the weekend. Reason #437 to stay home (especially since we can't get them in swim lessons until January at the earliest! boo!)
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| Aidan asked me if I wanted to take a picture of them eating their popsicles. too funny . . . (BAG) |
While it was LOADS of fun to do this with them, it's pretty tiring for me (running back and forth to the house, getting people to stop crying b/c i'm leaving, the multiple showers, etc) and i was getting BAKED in the sun here. I'm guessing this will be just once a week or so that I try to do this on my own with them. Otherwise I will look like a leather handbag by the end of the season. no thanks.
