Back to School- 2013

Today was Etta's first day of the new school year! This is her third year in the Early Childhood Program in one of our local county schools. It's actually not the school we're zoned for, but it's the only county school in our city that offers the Early Childhood program. Her "team" and I decided at the end of last year that Etta would benefit from one more year in EC before moving on to Kindergarten. 

The program runs three hours a day, four days a week The school offers a morning class and an afternoon class. Etta was in the morning class for the last two years. This year, she is in the afternoon class from 12:30-3:30. I dropped her nap a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of this new schedule (which I think is going to work better for us than the AM class would have this year). She seems to be doing okay without her nap, but she's OBVIOUSLY tired in the evenings. I will say, it's been nice to have our evenings back when both Etta and Daniel are in bed around 7:30 each night! (Alice goes down sometime between 6:00-7:00, wakes again around 10:30-12:00, eats, back to sleep until about 8:00-9:00. Seriously, she's the most sleepingest baby I know!) 

This morning, I was VERY thankful that Etta's in the PM class this year. Etta woke up around 1:30 last night. This is not uncommon for her to do and it can take her up to two hours to go back to sleep. During this time she rolls around in her tent making this humming/chanting/singing sound. She isn't quiet. I usually get up when I first hear her and take her to the potty before putting her back to bed and turning her monitor off so *I* can go back to sleep. I woke for a few minutes around 6:00 and she was STILL awake! Yikes! She went back to sleep not long after I checked on her and she slept until about 9:30. I was SO thankful that I didn't need to send her to school at 8:30 this morning!

We took it easy around the house this morning, had lunch, and loaded everyone up so we could take Etta to school. She was pretty excited about this! 

She ROCKED her stripes and polka dots today!

We queued up in the car ride line and waited for one of her teachers to come and get her.

She was pretty excited to see her new teacher, Mrs. Hunt! Off she went!

Daniel had a rough time with the whole trip to drop her off because he was ready for his nap and Alice cried off and on because she was ready to eat. (I still need to figure out the rhythm so that Alice isn't ready to eat when we're trying to drop-off and pick-up.) So, we hurried back home and I got Daniel down for his nap and fed the Pixie baby. 

A little less than 3 hours later, it was time to load up again so we could go get sissy from school. Mrs. Hunt brought her to the car and told me that she had a really great day today (minus giving her PT a tough time). Yay! Etta has a really great team this year and we are really hopeful for an awesome year!

Backpack

I ordered this super adorable backpack for Etta to use this school year and it arrived on Wednesday. 

Backpack came from my friend Lydia's online boutique! I think the backpacks are mostly sold-out for the season, but check out all of her other cute items! www.laynejames.com

Etta didn't really want to try it on or play with it, but Daniel's ears perked up! He wanted to put it on and he wore it for most of the morning on Thursday. He didn't show any interest in taking it off.

On Friday, I took Etta to Open House at her school so we could meet her new teacher/drop off her school supplies. I brought her backpack with us because I (still) have some concerns over it's size. (The backpack needs to be large enough for a folder to come home with her each day. After consulting with her teachers, we're going to *try* to make it work, but I'm prepared to purchase a bigger backpack if necessary).

Etta was pretty excited about going to school that morning. After she announced her own arrival with a huge "HI!", she ran right over and gave her new teacher, Ms. Hunt, a hug. (This is actually Miss. Schrader. She's getting married in a month and is having the children start the year by calling her by her soon-to-be last name so there isn't any confusion) 

Her SLP from her first year, Miss Kristi, will be her SLP again this year! Huzzah!! Etta LOVES "isti" and she was pretty excited to see her (even though she saw her during Extended School Year). Wish I had taken video!

We explored her room some and we decorated her folder and a ziploc bag that will be used for her snacks. We also found the bathroom like the checklist sheet told us to and she decided she needed to go potty. After we felt we had spent enough time exploring, we headed back home.

Keith's mom had come down to stay with the little ones so that I would be able to take Etta without distraction. 

Once we were home, Daniel was VERY happy to see "his" backpack again! 

(VIDEO)

I decided I would need to get him his own backpack!

So, I went to Target today. It was a toss-up between the frog and the monkey, but the monkey was ON SALE for $16 (reg. $19.99) AND I had a coupon for $3 off! WOOT! 

(Seriously, though. WHY was the monkey the ONLY one on sale?)

He's pretty happy with HIS new backpack! He even took it on a "hike" tonight. Gearing up to be Daddy's hiking partner!

(VIDEO)

Williamson County Fair 2013

We took our Circus to the Fair last night. My friend, Lauren, and I call this sort of outing "making memories and shit". It's one of those things that you really want your kids to experience and have photos of to look back on one day, but you know it's going to be a little stressful and that your kids probably won't participate the way you would like for them to. I'm usually the one who pushes for these kinds of activities even though I KNOW how it will probably turn out.

I've been wanting to take the kids to the Fair for years! I always loved going to the fair when I was a kid (National Peanut Festival, anyone? Whoop Whoop! -I *will* take my kids to NPF one year!). I loved the lights, and the games, and the rides, and the FOOD! Every year, we find a reason not to go and once again, it seemed like it wasn't going to happen this year. I wanted to take them during the day on Saturday or Sunday, but it didn't work out and I REALLY couldn't picture taking them on a week night since Etta has officially dropped her nap (trying to prepare for being in the afternoon class this year) and she's usually READY for bed by 7:30/8:00. Then, Suzy texted that she and Amanda were planning to go on Tuesday night and I decided to play it by ear. 

Keith went into work early so he could come home early yesterday. Daniel took a late nap and Etta had a super great, (mostly) well-behaved day. There were some rain clouds hoovering, but the weather man said that the sprinkles would pass and we should be okay. So, I fed the kids dinner at about 4:45 and we left here around 5:30 because the gates opened at 6:00.

The parking was free and kids under 6 were free! We made our way through the gates and we took it all in! 

We wandered around for a while and tried to take the kids through this super cute interactive farmer exhibit thing, but they wanted NOTHING to do with it! I already had a pretty good idea that Etta wouldn't participate, but Daniel got all clingy and upset when we got him out of the wagon. So, they both stayed in the wagon and we just walked them through it (it was a maze and once you went in, you were kind of stuck in there until the end). At the end, we walked through the farm animals. Etta wasn't very interested, but Daniel checked them out (from the safety of his wagon, of course)

When we emerged from the exhibit, we found Suzy and Amanda and Co. Since we knew our kids were just sort of along for the ride and we didn't really have an agenda, we decided to just follow them around and watch their kids ride rides and play games. 

Pippa

Lyla

Blurry hand-hold. Too sweet to not to share.

Another blurry, but Suzy's waving.

(See Keith wiping his brow? He's happy that he made it to the top of that hill. lol.)

Maybe next year, Little D...

This is actually one of my favorite shots from the night. Little man is running toward his momma as fast as his little legs will let him go. :) 

When we came back outside after taking Etta to the potty, she exclaimed, "NIGHT!". You're right, little pea, it IS night!

Also, while we were inside, a teenage girl gave Etta that plush rose sticking out from the bag. It was a really sweet gesture and Etta accepted it with a "thank you" before throwing it onto the ground.

The fair food, surprisingly, DID NOT hit the spot. :(

Though, Daniel was quite happy with his share of the funnel cake (and sweet tea)!

We had a good time making memories and shit, but it was eventually time to head home. Maybe next year my littles will be more willing to participate.