The Start Of Something New...."KOOOOL"!!!!

Yesterday was the first day of school for Kai and Amanda. Amanda is in the 8th grade and attending a new school. The night before, she was curled up in bed ready to go to sleep and my heart broke when I went to kiss her goodnight. She said, "Mommy, I'm so scared!" I remember those feelings well and it was horrible to not be able to do anything about it except reassure her that in a few days she would have made new friends and that she'd be loving it.

Well, today she got in the car and was just talking up a storm about her teachers, her new friends and some old ones she had run into. She said that school was "ok" now (of course, she'd never admit to me that my idea of changing schools would be a great one) and that she thinks that everything will be fine. THANK YOU, LORD and all of the prayer warriors praying for her. I think we're moving along and I just knew that this would be, although difficult for all involved, the best thing for her. She even agreed to allowing me to take 1 picture of her leaving on the first day of school. :) My baby is growing up too fast. Before I know it, she'll be leaving the nest, then getting married, and having babies and oh my God....somebody stop me!!!!!!! Whew!!!!

Now, moving on to our little man. Yes, Kai started school. He was incredibly excited and was up at the crack of dawn. I was still dreaming, or at least thought I was, when I heard this little voice through the baby monitor yelling, "Mama.....koooool" (his word for school) over and over and over again. I finally headed to their room and there they were, the three muskeeters yelling, "KOOOOL! Kai-Kai kooooool!"

So, everyone was up and about getting ready for this momentus moment. Every time I really stopped to think about it, I'd cry, so I tried hard to not to think about it. He was so adorable in his whole CARS motif, which included shirt, shoes, backpack and lunchbox. He gave everyone kisses and we took a few pictures before getting in the car. Excitement was definitely in the air and Anna Grace knew it. She really wasn't sure was "kool" was, but she knew it was something good. That is, until she realized it wasn't for her. Poor baby!

We arrived at school, Mama carrying the camera while Daddy was armed with video camera. We waited in the lobby of the school until the doors opened and then made our way through the "big kids" in the hallway until we arrived at his classroom. Kai got to meet his teacher last week and was so very sweet when we walked in. He went straight to her and gave her a hug and kiss. I showed him where his cubby was and he proudly put in his backpack and lunchbox. I reminded him NUMEROUS times that he really had to tell Mrs. Krissie when he had to go to the bathroom. Well, ummm, by the end of the day, he had pooped not once, but twice in his pull-ups. I had a feeling it would happen though. He rarely wears pull-ups and when he does, he considers them diapers, so it's a free-for-all. I learned and today he went with real big-boy underwear and he did great!

Going back to yesterday, Scott and I took pictures while in the classroom and then after a few minutes thought it was time to make a move out of there, especially since Anna Grace was having convulsions because she wanted to stay at "Kai-Kai kool" and AJ just wanted all the toys that were within his reach of the stroller.

Scott waved goodbye to Kai and blew him a kiss and Kai said, "Bye Dada" and kept playing. Then I said, "Ok, Kai. Mama is leaving. I love you! Rememember Mommy Comes Back", as I sang a line of our little song, and he turned and yelled...."Nooooo!" I told him it would be okay and that I promised to be right there when he came out. He apprehensively agreed and went back to the train he had been playing with. I then walked out the door pushing a crying AJ in the stroller, holding a hollering Anna Grace, and wiping my own tears at the thought that my baby was growing up. You'd think after having done the "first day of school" routine with 3 other ones, I wouldn't be so emotional. Go figure.

I must've looked at the clock 100 times waiting for the time to leave and them up. Anna Grace could definitely sense that something was very different and spent much of her day crying. By noon we had already had 3 holding times. A huge setback. I'm probably thinking that she might have thought that Kai was staying there and not ever coming back. Although, I told reassured her most of the morning that both he and Amanda would be coming back.

Finally, the hour arrived when I was able to go get him. He walked into the school lobby with the other kids and his teacher and my poor little peanut looked like he had been through the wringer. He looked so tired. His teacher told me about the potty accidents, but also said that overall he did really well. No tears. What a relief that was to my heart.

The relief only lasted a day though. This morning he stayed with no problems and again, I assured him I would be back to get him. As I was walking out the door, he yells out, "Mama" and comes running towards me. I bent down and he gave me a big hug and a big kiss and said, "Bye-Bye". Ugh!! It was so hard to fight back tears. Anna Grace was much better today. I think she is now bonding a bit more with AJ and little AJ is able to get more attention now that Mr. Attention Hogger (Kai) is not around during the day. I must admit that I am enjoying the one-on-one time also with Anna Grace and AJ. Kai is very energetic and I adore him with every fiber of my being, but regardless of where we are or what we are doing, he always steals the show. It is amazingly quiet during the day at home now. I digress.

Going back to the relief only lasting a day. When I arrived this afternoon to pick him up, I was told that he did great with the big-boy underwear! I knew he would. He was so happy to see me this time!! The smile on his was radiating. The sad part is that his teacher said everytime they walked out the door, he would ask, "Mama? Home?" She'd have to say, "Not yet, Kai." and then the tears would flow. He did this about 4 or 5 times today. ::sniff:: I know it's definitely normal and that he will soon adjust, but it just breaks my heart thinking about my little man crying for me while I am sitting at home aching for him. :(

I spoke to his teacher for a few minutes and gathered up his belongings as we walked out the door. He suddenly stopped and signaled for me to wait. I did. He then ran up to his teacher, tapped her on the leg and puckered his sweet little lips with wide open arms. He wanted to give her a kiss goodbye. He then repeated the same thing with the aide that helps out in the classroom. My heart swelled with pride. This little boy is filled with so much love and his personality is one that I have rarely seen in anyone. I am so darn proud to have been chosen by God to be his Mama. What an honor and a blessing it is!

Here are the pictures from the first day of school. Enjoy!

My baby girl....now a young lady!

I'm ready for "kool" Mama!

Soooo darn cute!!!

Can ya tell he likes Cars?

Yep! I'm the big boy! "Mama! Stop squeezing me!"
"I can't breathe, Mama!"
"Aaahhh...Dada is so much more gentle!"
The crew walking into school.

Walking down the hallways amongst the big kids.

Note how the backpack looks like it's the size of him. Soooo sweet!

Okay, we're here!

CHEEEEESE!

Showing his teacher his neat Cars lunchbox.

I love my precious little man!

Here he is with his wonderful teacher, who by the way, won The Teacher of the Year award in our county last year!

And what did Anna Grace and AJ do with Mama while we waited?

Why, eat chocolate, of course!!!!