Firsts

Wow. For the past 5 years, 1 month, and 8 days I've sort of dreamed about *that* day when both kids are in school, full time, on the same schedule. In my dream, the house is quiet, I'm doing whatever I feel like, and it is bliss. Of course, this dream started when I had a newborn and a 1 year old in the same house! Through the last 5 years we've had many ups and downs, twists and turns, lots of laughter and a few tears, and the closer we got to *that* day, the more I realized that I'd sort of miss the chaos and the noise that came with having 2 kids in 13 months.

Well, no matter what I did, it happened. Ready or not, this funny little twosome is conquering school together. They seem so big and mature, yet still sort of little and fragile. I'm going to miss our carefree afternoons to do whatever we feel like, but I really enjoy watching them learn and grow so much every day.

So here we go, ready to start the next chapter of our lives. No more preschoolers, no more naps, and (hopefully) fewer tantrums. I'm pretty sure they're more ready than we are!

Brett's 2nd day of 1st grade... the first day was PE uniform day.  Nobody wants pictures in a PE uniform :)  Well, at least not mom!

Totally random, totally Brett... cracks.me.up.

Kate's first day of Kindergarten!  She was soooo excited!!

Cutie Patootie... loving the ginormous book bag :)

Ready to head off to school together!

A friend of mine posted this poem today, and I thought I'd share it:

She started school this morning,
And she seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside her
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as
She first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though she must have grown
To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn’t understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She’s not a baby anymore –
She’s in Kindergarten today.