Exciting News...Maybe

I got a phone call Wednesday night from the lady from Smart Start (program that runs the public school pre-k program). Landon is going to be transferred to Tommy's Rd. When she called I was uneasy about telling her to go ahead and move him. I figured he had already gotten used to his new school and he likes it there. But I told her to go ahead. We pumped up the fact that he would be going to school with Kylie and how exciting that would be.
He went for his last day at Small World on Thursday and I thought the teachers were going to cry. I hadn't realized that they would be so attached in this short period of time. Although who wouldn't get attached to my precious baby boy right from the start! So he gave hugs and collected all his things. And we left Small World. Maybe we will be back another year.
Today is Friday and it's Landon's first day. He only went half a day so he could get used to it. The morning didn't start off well at all. He didn't want to get out of the van and walk into the school. Even Kylie had no effect on him. He pouted and told me that he didn't want to go the whole way down the hallway. And it's a long hallway! And I had to basically drag him in to the room by his hair. I told him that I would not leave him until he was ready so I stayed right next to him. He did his morning activities like writing his name and washing his hands. Then he sits on a letter on the carpet and waits for breakfast. I sat there with him and we sang our alphabet together and looked around at the walls. Once the rest of the children were coming in I got up and walked around the room for a bit while the teacher did their morning thing. Landon said he didn't want to eat breakfast so he went to write in his journal. That's when I left. He kissed me and told me bye but didn't cry. I think he was ready and comfortable by then. I left and went to my class.
I picked him up at 1200pm. We walked in and he was showing his fire truck for show and tell. He said that he had a great day and that he could go back on Monday. So I don't feel as bad now. But we will see how Monday goes.

Week One...Down

Week one of Landon in school has come and gone. He did pretty good. There were some days where I thought I was going to have to tear him off my leg to get him to stay at his school. He is taking naps and actually going to sleep unlike his mommy who never slept at school. I guess I was too afraid that I would miss something. We took one final trip to the beach this weekend. The kids had a blast but getting back into the rhythm of getting up in the morning and getting everything done was hard. Especially after a long weekend. This morning Landon was not thrilled about going to school. In fact he started to cry and wanted me to take him with me to my class. It took some negotiating but I got him to stay. I'm curious to find out how he did today. He was probaly fine once I left. I just hate leaving him when he is upset but I know if I stay then he will just get worse. So I leave, heavy hearted!! Time to go pick up my big boy. More later on how his day went.

First Day of School

Landon's first full day of school is today. I am excited to see how he likes it. He went on Friday for a half day and said that he loved it! He even got up on Saturday morning and made up his bed and picked out his clothes and got dressed without being told to. He was kind of bummed when I told him that he didn't go back until Monday. Jay and I took him to McDonalds for breakfast and then took him to school. He meet his teachers and put his book bag away and was completely happy when his teachers told him that he could bring his blankie to school to sleep with at nap time. He went over and played in the kitchen area and told me that I could leave now.

I picked him up at 12p and he came running to me and hugged me. I was tickled so much I shed a tear. He said he meet a new friend. The boy in the red shirt. We still don't know his name. And they got to play outside. One of the little girls in the class was having a birthday so they had a little party too. He was all hyped up on sugar!!! His teachers names are Ms. Tia and Ms. Paula.

I am still not so sure about it. And if the ladies who run the program call and say that he is transferred then I will be sure to move him. He has only been there for two days so he isn't attached yet.

I'll let you know what happens today

Orientation

Today was orientation at Small World. I am not impressed!!! AT ALL!!! Everyone knows that I am not too excited about Landon starting school this year. My baby isn't supossed to be this old this quickly. Small World was our 2nd pick for places. Our first is Tommy's Rd. This is were Kylie attended More at Four and we love the teachers there. They know all of us and we couldn't ask for a better set of More at Four teachers. In fact they even told us that they were disappointed that he wasn't in the class but to put his name on the waiting list and if anyone dropped out then maybe we could get him in. So that's what we did.
Today I went to Small World and fill out all his paperwork and met his teachers. The classroom was so small and there weren't any decorations on the wall. No alphabet with pictures representing what the world was, no sign for kids telling them that this was the bathroom, no little sunshines (or what) with the kids names on them. The cubbies weren't even labeled. It just seems to me that if you have a class that is starting the next day that your classroom needs to be ready for parents to see!
So I told the Tommy's Rd teachers about this and apparently they have an opening. (But they can't really tell me that) So I have called, Shelia has called, and now Mrs. Reid is calling bugging these people to try to get Landon transferred to their class.
My question is what does it take to transfer a student?! We want him there, they have an opening, he is on the list to get transferred...transfer him!!! We handle all the paperwork anyways!
I will keep you posted on what goes down.

Landon's First Days of School

I've decided to record Landon's first few days of school. He will be attending Small World this year. Last year he went to Protestant Preschool (PP&K) and fell in love with his teacher, Mrs. Brown. She is truely a blessing b/c within the first week he felt completely comfortable going in and playing. By the end of the year he didn't want to leave and has spent all summer asking when he gets to go back to Mrs. Brown's school. We have been trying to explain that he probaly wouldn't be going back to Mrs. Brown's school that he would be going to a different school. We signed him up for Protestant Preschool just in case the public school 4 year old program feel through the budget this year. Once he was assigned to Small World I started driving by the school pointing out that that was his new school. He didn't like it. He wanted to go to Mrs. Brown's school. I'm beginning to think that this wasn't such a good idea. I love that the public school program doesn't cost us a dime (and that's a big plus) but they go all day from 815-215. And it's 5 days a week. At PP&K he would have gone for 4 days from 9-12p. I still feel that all day every day is a bit much at 4 years old. Jay pointed out that this program is not mandatory and if I didn't think he needed to go on Fridays or Mondays that I didn't have to send him.

Tax-free weekend came up and we all went shopping as a family. Jay even went and was so cute picking out matching outfits for the boys. Landon picked out a book bag with Cars on it. He picked out his folders with Cars on them too. He even helped picking out some clothes. He picked out his pencil box and some pencils to go in it and a pack of crayons. The book bag is just about bigger than he is. He is now getting into the mood of going back to school. Now I'm worried...

I'm worried that I won't like his teacher the way that we love Mrs. Brown! She is really a blessing to both Landon and myself! She helped us both transition into the school ages so nicely! I felt completely comfortable leaving Landon in her care and the schools care. I love PP&K. All the teachers were so nice and it seemed like they knew every kids name even ones that aren't in their class. It was really a great experience for our first year in a school.

Look for more post coming soon. I will be posting every day for the first few weeks of his new school year. School starts on Aug 28th.

4th of July

Our fourth of July was spent together, unlike last year. Jay and I have spent every 4th of July together since we started dating. But last year work took him to the OBX for the summer and the kids and I weren't able to go visit that weekend. But this year was different. We went to the river and we able to relax and enjoy time with my family and our children. We even brought the canoe with us and that in itself was an experience. Loading this thing was very trying and at times I thought Jay was going to throw it across the yard. We have never really had to strap it to the top of the van so it was a learning experience. Once we thought we had it strapped up there good enough we went to Walmart to get paddles. As soon as we pulled out of the driveway the stupid thing starts to slide. And it begins!!! Long story short, it takes us all the way to Kinston to get it right. All this and we only take it out for one short twenty minute ride with the boys down the creek which I knew they were going to tip us over in the water with all the alligators and everything else that's in that water. I don't mind swimming in the river but I am scared (for some reason) of swimming any where near the creek!
We spent the weekend swimming and playing and relaxing. We watched fireworks and set some off of our own. It was a very nice weekend.