Crazy day at school.

Dear Henry, Today is crazy day at school. You are so excited and here are the choices you made.  You ran around collecting things for your crazy look, including darting out to the car to get some chain you stashed away for your scorpion necklace.  You have yellow and white make up around your eyes (disappointed that I didn't have giant eyelashes to put on your lids), snake tats with flowers on your arms and two bracelets.  You are really excited about crazy day!  As you spoke about your friends in class you were amping up thinking about the things they may have done...and yet when I dropped you off at school a couple of hours ago you were the only one in the class who had done ANYTHING, besides one of the teachers who had put her hair in pig tails.  You didn't seem to mind but had a little bit of a shocked look.  It makes sense.  Yesterday you were the only one to not wear PJ's to school ("Pajamas are for bed not for school").  You don't even go to school on Wednesday normally but you wanted to be there for crazy day.  I'm glad you're the kind of kid that wasn't/isn't normally swayed by the fact that everyone was or wasn't, but were happy with you doing you.  A solid lesson and reality to carry through life.  I know I had so much fun getting you ready today and taking a few pictures of you.  The poses were also your doing.  
Love, Mama

Henry Loves a Theme

Dear Peep, 
You sure do love a theme.  Your school has been having themes each week.  You get very excited about this and go all out.  Last week was camping week.  You were REALLY excited about this, gathering up your things the night before.  I had put out some clothes the night before and when I told you to go and get them you I heard a rolling thunder of steps directed toward me coming from the hall.
"MOMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE!  I can't wear those clothes!  They are not camping clothes.  Camping close have to be blank and dark."  Uh, okay, so I went to your room with you and we picked together.  This is what we came up with, along with a lantern, sleeping bag, boots and ball cap.  You also brought out your book Gisby and the stuffed dude that goes with it, as well as another book about camping. You rushed me along to get you to school and you were full of such energy.  We get to your classroom and we talk to the teacher about your excitement and you share your books with her and she says, "Oh, you should have gotten here earlier.  We are cleaning up the tents now."  Your shoulders slumped and you went back to the cubby and put your hat in and took off your vest.  I had no idea that the themed stuff was in the morning.  I thought it was all day.  I do wish, however, that you at least got a little 'way to go kid' speech from the teacher.  She seemed to be a little stretched thin that day so I'll give her a pass.  Daddy not wanting you disappointed sent me a text to give to you letting you know when he got home the two of you would camp out in the basement and watch a movie together and eat hotdogs and beans.  This pumped you back up and for two hours prior to Daddy's arrival home every five minutes all I heard were, "Is it time for Daddy to get home now?"  That's love.
Today you created your own theme, checker board clothes (orange and white checker board shirt, sweaterhoodie, pants, and shoe laces).  You picked out this look head to toe, asked me to take your picture on your great grandpa's chair.  

I asked you what you're doing in the first photo you said, "I'm trying to look cool."  Lawd help us!
Love, Mama  

Back to School

Dear Peep, 
You started back to preschool 2 days a week for a few hours.  You were so handsome your first day, well and everyday of course.  You were so excited, right up until we got to the door.  You begged me not to leave ya.  You didn't want me so far away.  So it went the first three times you went.  You came home and chit chatted at length about your day but you didn't want to go back for sure!  Now you're in the groove and while yous till beg to "just stay home with you Mommy," before every school day you are having a grand time playing with kids and talking the teacher's ears off about your new baby sister.  You did tell them that your sisters name is Boingy Furry.  I walked in one day you telling them "she doesn't cry much and her hair is just so soft!"  You've already made some wonderful crafts, such as a cute little apple guy with three eyes, a nice smile and the only one with green arms and legs.  You were super charged during the Teddy Bear theme week.  

You had a very hard time choosing a teddy bear to take in.  The first day you choose a blue Care Bear teddy that plays the alphabet with a good squeeze.  

I'm taking this one.

"Did you get them all in?"

You know that GG bought this for you, one of your first gifts from her.  I asked you if you would tell them your GG gave it to you and you looked at it, squeezed it tightly and told me you'd just keep that a secrete.  You also were asked to bring in some books that featured bears.  You selected Bear Snores On and You Can Do it Sam.  I'd say you're doing really good these days playing with buddies and participating, though Zumba is not your cup of tea and you choose to sit back and enjoy watching instead.  They will never know what a dance machine you truly are.  It is divine to pick you up.  You run to me full gusto, toss your arms around me and squuuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezeeeeeeeeee so tight and give me kisses, kisses and more kisses.  You tell me you miss me.  This makes our hours a part so worth while.
Love you! Mama

Preschool for Peep!

Dear Henny, 
Yesterday was your first day of preschool!  Now hold up!  I am not giving up my stay at home mama status just yet!  I just needed to find some more hours in the day to catch up on things I needed to get done at home or to get to appointments.  You'll only be  attending the Giraffe class 2 days a week for 4 hours.  Still, these are the only hours we've spent apart since the moments after your birth. (With exception visits to your grandparents houses!)  


The night before you helped us get your lunch together.  Cheese, yogurt, apple sauce, a bag of teddy grams and in the morning I will make you a PBJ sandwich (which I cut into a heart shape). 
You've got sleeping in your big boy bed down!  So the night before school we knew you were nervous when you came to sleep in our room.  In the morning we woke you up and got you dressed.  You begged to wear your red boots, which turned out to be a huge hit.  You told us, "We need to get your lunch for school out of the fridge!"  We did and you insisted that you carry it to school.  

We dropped you off and you were ready to jump right in and play.  We felt a little teary that you weren't all worried about us leaving but also very proud.  You know you can come to us when you need us so you feel free to be independent.  We have to be cognizant that we don't pass our anxiety on to you...though it was hard on such a big day.

Mama came home and felt lost the first hour...then I got to work on staining the sides of the deck and got it all done!  I went to pick you up and felt I couldn't drive fast enough!

You did alright!   Miss E said you were pretty quiet in the morning then in the afternoon you were much more chatty.  She said you wanted your blanket really bad and wanted to take it outside to the playground.  She told you it had to stay inside and this freaked you out a bit.  You begged for the blanket, she told you it could get leaves on it and get dirty.  You still wanted it.  She asked you if you were missing Mommy and Daddy or were tired or scared and you just responded, "I want my blanket!"  Then at art time you got to use scissors! Oh my! Miss E said you wanted to use both hands and kept getting frustrated and walking away and then would come back and try again. Mommy doesn't allow you to use scissors just yet, although we just happened to practice on Monday.  I will get you a pair so we can start learning how.  Then when it was nap time you told all the other kids shhh shshhh but they were trying to get you to shhhh from shhhing...then when they asked you to rest you blew razzzberries at them! They asked you to put your head down and you were out like a light.  When I arrived you were still napping.  It was the cutest thing to see all of the little cots around the room with little bodies and little blankets sleeping.  I walk to yours and gently brush your curls and cheek and call your name.   You looked up and smiled and said, "I was crying for you mama. I was crying for you!" I told her the blanket thing was likely that you were feeling anxious.  You did say you had fun and recounted all of the same stories that she did all on your own.  Thanks for sharing your day with me!  I especially enjoyed the tone you used to tell me she wouldn't allow you to have your blanket outside...it was "as if?!!!"  Last night as you fell asleep in your bed you told us more, about the girl that ate carrots and how the lady laid out all of the cots herself, and how you painted.  Then you said, "I won't cry when I go next week."  It is okay to cry when you are in distress.  I told you so and asked you to tell one of the ladies if you were feeling sad so they can help to make you feel better.  In the early morning we heard you come into our room to sleep on the floor...then an hour or so later something happend that hasn't for about 4 weeks, since the move to the big boy bed, you crawled into bed with us and wrapped your arm around mine.  As we sat on the couch this morning to eat Cheerios you put your arm around my neck.  This morning you told Daddy, "Thanks for going there with me Daddy."  We love you Peep and all the adventure you bring us!  (I just told you we should get some clothes on and you said, "I already goed to school, Mommy!"
Love, Mama