Kindergarten...

It's no longer "easy" to send your children to school, or maybe it's because I'm sending my first off for THE VERY FIRST TIME on 9/1/11!

When I was younger, my mom always made the beginning of school such a treat. She would take us clothes shopping (it felt like we could basically pick out whatever we wanted and she would buy it all for us), then we would go school supply shopping, that was special too! I don't remember ever having to worry about picking items off the pre-determined school list that every walmart, target, shopko in the tri state area seemed to have. All I had to worry about was picking out the prettiest trapper keeper, most exuberant sparkly (#2) pencils, my glue (in a bottle), and some crayons and colored pencils. It was a TREAT to pick out new markers and my goodness if you could get the rainbow pack, you were definitely the IN kid. Now a days you have to have specific brands of crayons, certain types of scissors, pre-determined colored folders etc. MOM!? Did you just take care of this for me for 13 years???? Or have times really changed that much???? It's not only no longer fun to go school supply shopping, it's also EXPENSIVE!!!!

Yesterday I sat down and filled out all of Liam's enrollment information. Health info, permission for pictures/videotaping, field trip approval, extra health insurance denial, fluoride denial, INTERNET USAGE EXPECTATIONS etc. (ps, yes I did make Liam sign his name that he would not google inappropriate websites, misuse e-mail like my friends and I do, and if he did he could no longer use the Internet or e-mail at school). It seems OUTLANDISH!!!! And as I'm filling out the paperwork I also kept a tally of which checks needed to be written (by Thursday), what they were for, and if it needed a special colored envelope so it could be mailed back in. Let me tell you...kindergarten must be what it is like when applying to MED school!!

$61 for milk/snack breaks for the whole year
$8 classroom fee (which really only includes a couple of class parties and a take home folder)
$18.95 for school pictures (and I chose the cheapest package they had because Target is my photographer not Herff Jones)

Then we have to add in hot lunch which is $1.80/meal. Hey, that actually sounds like a steal...but knowing Liam he'll likely take the hot lunch and then not eat it...so it's probably $1.80/da that's going to go down the drain.

Don't even get me started on the every other late start Wednesday. Whomever thought up that fab idea needs to piss off OR come over to my house and get my kid on the bus...because HELLO! I have to be at work by 8:00 a.m. so I can pay for class pictures, milk/snack break, and classroom fees!

I know my mom is a gem and I probably, no definitely, glossed over everything she has had to do as a parent...but I was really not expecting so much to do! It's already been challenging enough with a 5 y/o and twins...now I'm getting educated on the public school system. (ps I'm grateful to every TALENTED public school teacher out there...I'm thankful my kids will go to good public schools where I know they are safe once I drop them off for the day). I just hope no one holds it against me when I accidentally send one of the twinsies on the bus instead of Liam...Hey! At least I'm trying!!!! LOL

My Little Lovers...

These are pictures that were taken on 8/17/11. The babies are 9 months and 2 weeks old and Liam will be 5 y/o on Sunday. Time just flies by...

9 months in...

The babies have started crawling. Although it's absolutely fabulous that they are mobile it also is turning into a pain in the ass. Abe goes all over the place...and I'm talking about ALL OVER THE PLACE! He's in the bathroom, in Liam's room, ripping the cat's hair out, pushing buttons on the computer, picking up crap on the kitchen floor...it's exhausting and Adam and I need to get our butts in gear and block off a room where there are no little toy pieces, no food that can pose as a choking hazard, no computer that can be pulled off onto his head etc. Baby gates are going to be our new best friend and Abe's worst enemy. My friend with twins said she wishes she could tell me it gets easier but in reality, they only get smarter. Crap. I'm fried because DAMN I'm 35 y/o and out of shape!

Eli on the other hand crawls, but he's slower and he's more interested in crawling after your legs so he can get picked up. He has no interest in going too far away and panics if he can't see you. And also, when he gets frustrated he'll either spin in circles or he'll lay in one spot pound his legs and scream. That's how Eli gets around. He screams until someone picks him up and moves him...oh he's smart. I can only take the screaming for so long and he can scream FOREVER!

Oh, did I mention that they're also pulling up on things? Liam was walking by 10 months...I wonder when these little buggers will hit the bricks running?

Liam is my big helper. He fetches diapers, wipes, sings to the babies, dances for the babies, tickles them, carries them etc. He LOVES the babies...I called them "Little rotten babies" and he said "Mom. They're our babies and they are nice babies." Lesson learned. Never dis the babies in front of big brother. LOL

I have signed Liam up for soccer too. That kid runs fast. He hunkers right down and puts his little muscly legs right to work. I hope when he gets into Middle School, High School, and College that he keeps up with running. It's a great way to stay in shape and I wish I would have kept up with it myself. It's so freeing and you don't have to think about anything...A couple of my friends recently ran the half marathon (woot! woot! Sara and Emily! I'm still proud of you) and Liam said to me on the way home that he wants to run a marathon too. "Mom, would you be there to cheer at me?" Me: "Of course Liam!" Liam: "I would stop to hug you mom and tell you thank you. Would you be proud of me?" At that point I teared up. Me: "Baby, I'll always be your biggest fan..."