Preschool and Angels

Last week the girls started preschool for the year. We had orientation on Tuesday. First time Joel and I have had to split up to cover the kids. Hard to do. Even though I had already sat in through Teacher Katie's orientation last year, this year sounded like it would be a little different since there's a new assistant and I didn't get to really meet her (even though she is Katie's daughter and has been around preschool before). But I didn't get to meet the parents so I feel a little out of it in her class right now. Syd's orientation sounded like she's going to be doing some review of some stuff she already knows and learning new things too. I guess that's what the next "grade" should be. One thing she's going to learn is to know (and maybe write??) her lower case letters. There's also a hamster (Herby) in the class and she is very excited about that.
Wednesday they actually started class and drop off and pick up went great for both kids. When Syd came out at the end, she got a little sad because she wanted Daddy to pick her up. I told her to look down the hall and she got a big ol' smile on her face because there he was :) Rylee came out looking a little worn out and ready to go home.
Thursday there was a meltdown though. Rylee's class went outside to play. Then Syd's class. Syd and friends were playing with Rylee (which in itself is cute) Then Syd's class was going to go back in and Rylee wasn't ready for Syd to go away and broke down and cried for about a half hour. When Syd had gone inside and the class stopped at the bathroom, Syd broke down too. Not as long, but she was worried about Rylee. Her teachers were able to calm her down.
This happened again today (technically yesterday) but not as bad. We're talking about it at home and I'll remind Rylee again before school that she gets to play with Syd after school. Amazing to see how strong their bond is.
So far, David and I haven't had a huge opportunity to have David and me time during school since we have been so busy running errands, but soon we'll be doing fun stuff together! He is growing so quick and I'm not sure I'm ready. He's talking more and more but still is a little cuddle bug. He's an amazing sleeper too. He'll wake up in the morning or from his nap and he might stay in his bed for another 1/2 hr just playing. If you go into get him and he's not ready, he'll just shake his head and say no. But if we are on a time schedule you just have to ask him to blastoff and he'll usually get up. We'll bounce and countdown from 10 and then blastoff to his changing table. He loves it.

There are moments when I wish more than anything I can have a video camera on the kids at all times. Tonight was a moment like that. We had finished reading to the girls, said prayers, and then they were given their time to "read". Sometimes they will for 5 minutes. Others longer. Tonight it was longer. Having the monitor allows you into their world without them knowing it. I got to hear the two of them giggle and talk. Syd asked if Rylee wanted to sleep in her bed. Ry asked me and I said it was ok, but they had to finish up reading in 5 minutes and then go to sleep. We all agreed that we could keep the light on until they went to sleep.
Pretty soon they started talking.
Ry said she was scared.
Syd said, "you can cuddle up to me."
Syd asked if she was scared of the closet
Ry: No
Syd: Are you scared of the dresser?
Ry: No
Syd: Are you scared of the angels?
Ry: Yes
Syd: Rylee it's ok. They're here to protect us.

Heart melt. I snuck a peak in on them and Syd had her arms around her and was stroking her hair. Pretty soon, they fell asleep.

Moments that I will cherish.

A month has passed with lots going on in the house. Well, with three little ones, there's always a lot going on. We're getting ready for school for the girls. That starts next week. I'm ready for Syd to go, it's her third year. But it's Rylee's first year. She's going in being the youngest. I know mentally and physically she's ready. Emotionally she's mostly there. But I know I'm also comparing where she is right now to where Syd was when she started 3-days a week last week. I also know that that's not fair because Syd was older at this point.

Syd is extremely excited to go back and see her friends, Rowen, Stella, Echo, and Aaron. When we talk about school she keeps telling me that Teacher Jana is her teacher, but she can't remember her other teachers name.

David is his awesome self. He loves playing with the girls and is really understanding sharing. Of course he has his moments but it is amazing watching all of them play together. He is saying more and more everyday, I'm guessing though that most of the words are words we can only understand. Our own little language with our man. I do think the way he say Rylee is his cutest word. Yaya. I'm hoping the nickname sticks. :)

I have to give my nephew and niece a little shout-out because well, they're awesome! Cooper is such a little man. Holly and Brian caught that look of, I need to go pee and now he's doing an awesome job potty training! Kailey is sucha cutie pie. I love getting photos txted to me all the time. It makes being so far from her a little more bearable, not much, but a little. I wish they lived closer so we could see her at least weekly but, there's no way we could right now.

Speaking of potty training, I had our Elmo potty out a little while ago. David loves Elmo and he saw it in the closet. Unfortunately it down't have the top so sitting on it wasn't very comfortable for them (yes them. Ry and Syd both wanted to sit on it too). So after a few days of playing with that, I buckled down and went to buy new ones. I txted Holly and asked where she got theirs. It's a litle frog and oh so cute. Walmart. Brought all three in, bought some new stuff and came out with two new pottys. David loved sitting on it for awhile, never going but it was a start. Now he'll tell me that he needs to go, and we'll get there, be dry but he won't sit on it. I know he hit the stage that the girls never did where they're afraid of the actual letting go on the potty. That's ok. He tells me almost everytime that he needs to go. Most times, we'll go up for a nap with out any wet diapers yet and then once he falls asleep, he'll be able to relax and go. Afternoons are a little less "productive" but he still lets me know when he wants to go. I'm just letting him go at his pace. I didn't want to PT right now. Not right before school. But I didn't want to train the girls either. Luckily for me, they all did it on their time, not mine which made the process easier. Right now, I'm still enjoying him being my baby. I don't want to let that go.