A Day of Firsts

Shayna started Kindergarden today at Kipps Elementary School with an 8AM bus boarding.  We got a late start on the day but made it out front with 30 seconds to spare before bus #17 came around the corner. Shayna and her friend Amanda climbed aboard without a backward glance. After a few minutes of indecision, I put Elijah and Maya in the car to meet the bus at school to get a few more pictures of Shayna on her first day. I was in luck when she got off her bus first and again when I peaked into her classroom 5 minutes later. Shayna was sitting at her desk studiously working on whatever drawing project the teacher had asked her to do. I am so proud of how she has embraced this next step in life. Her attitude has also made it much easier on me. It was hard watching my baby mark off to Kindergarden.

Amanda's three-year-old brother Ben met the bus with us this morning so Elijah asked Ben's nanny if Ben could stay to play now that the girls were gone. We made plans for a playdate after my visit to school which quickly morphed into a movie date when some other friends invited Ben to $1 movie at the local Cinema. Alaina took Ben and Elijah to their first movie on the big screen: Turbo, about a snail who wants to race. Apparently, the boys got bored half way through and started playing instead of watching the movie.

Waiting for the coming bus with Amanda, and Nahum, Ben and Elijah as spectators.

She didn't even look back and luckily Elijah didn't cry. In fact, he says he's ready for Kindergarten too.

I love the I got her getting off the bus at school. I got to give her a hug before she went inside.

Shayna, already hard at work, didn't even notice me.

Elijah was rewarded for his morning patience with his first donut hole while I met some more people at Shayna's school

Maya, who is 10-months and 1-week-old, has become quite the little adventurer. I think she'll take her first unassisted steps by next Monday. Her first day involved stairs. I was putting away groceries in the house and garage when she decide she didn't want to crawl around the garage anymore. She climbed up all three steps unassisted. I turned around to find her happily climbing into the house. Luckily, she still won't attempt to go down yet.

Aug 2: Maya enjoyed watching Shayna in the sand box while I did some garden work.

Aug. 7: Maya enjoys some corn on the cob. She doesn't eat much of anything but she enjoys trying everything.

A Magical Soggy Day

It's been raining since last night so I knew the kids would not be getting outside at school today. I went to get them early with the intention of going to the pool but Maya and I ended up staying for song time with Elijah's class. Maya was a distraction for the little kids as they all want to sit next to her and pet her but we were able to enjoy some fine ukulele playing and singing by Ms. Rachel anyway. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to swim so we stopped at Heathwood pond to look for puddles.

The grass had many but the the highlight was the feeder and drainage creeks.  The feeder creek had over flowed it's banks so all four of us stomped in the grassy creek with Elijah and Shayna venturing into the deeper, muddier, main creek parts. While they ran and splashed, Maya and I went on looking for more fun and found our first baby geese of the season.  The four of us checked out the four goslings napping on the path around the pond near the sand volley ball court and found more puddles in the sand. Maya loved this new experience with the wet sand squishing between her toes as she made her hop-stomping attempts. We then followed the drainage creek down the hill to the little forested area at the end of the grassy field. This was where I really wished I had my camera, or even my phone which I had left at home. Watching the kids run on the soft green grass over hung by wet, dripping trees was beautiful. Shayna and Elijah hopped into the creek and followed it around a couple corners while Maya enthusiatically hung by her armpits to do her hop-stomping in another muddy puddle.

It was not the wet fun I had intended but it was wonderful to just play and explore with my kids while the sky softly dripped.

Since I did not have a camera today, here are some pictures from Saturday where we, yet again, went out in the rain. That time to the farmers market where we found ice cream and puddles.

We made a few people's day with our 7-month-old baby happily hop-stomping in the puddle.