The wutz survived not only his first day of Kindergarten, but also the entire first week. But not without ending it with a sore throat. Figures.
The wutz finally wrote his name without any help. He'd been long reluctant to do so because he's a lazy sort of kid and said it was too much hard work! Finally, after an agreement made a week ago that he'd get a toy he wanted once he did the work, he began practicing. This morning he sat down and spent time focusing on his c's and e's, which were both the hardest part of his name for him.
After some more hard work and frustration and then finally lots of concentration, he wrote his name all by himself. First the C, then he'd look at me for approval, next the o, again looking at me, he got the l easily and moved on to the t. Once he got to the e he said, "This part is tricky!" and began work on the letter. As he finished he looked to me and I clapped for him. Lastly was his r, which again he had no trouble finishing. He was so excited to have accomplished it all by himself!
But mainly he was excited because he gets to go get Captain's Boathouse to add to his Thomas collection.
Well, I know I have slacked greatly on this blog, but I'm copying this from the wutz's blog. Hehe!
It is a new school year! Amazing. My boy has gotten so big!
This morning he woke up on his own at 6am. Also amazing! And we got up, dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed... and we had time to watch TV. Lately he has been demanding we watch The Upside Down Show ad nauseum, so that's what was on. While we were sitting there, I plucked off a piece of red fuzz off his navy blue shorts. The fuzz was from his blanket. I said, "Look, it is a baby Schmuzzie!" (A creature from the show) and he said, "Awww. It's adorable!" and he took it from me and that was the end of that.
Then we got to school and I did the obligatory first day of school pictures. We marched to Mrs. Nancy's room and he threw the door open. She greeted him with a hug. To which he promptly extracted this piece of red fuzz and announced, "I brought my baby Schmuzzie!" *facepalm*
So, thus begins the school year...
Just a few random things...
1. The wutz survived school today. And apparently so did all of his classmates. *whew* The teacher made a point to make sure I was notified that he was very good today. So the kiddo lives to see another day. We're all kinda grateful.
2. I am thrilled that my DH is working. I'm also kind of thrilled that the work he does has him working from home 4 days a week. He's very awesome about getting up first, getting dressed, making my coffee, then waking me so I can get dressed while he dresses the wutz and even brushes his teeth. How awesome is that? So I can hardly complain, when at the end of his day he kicks back in his recliner, remote in hand, and states "Okay. Leave me alone. I'm done with work and officially driving home."
3. My Nook came today! I'm so excited. I've got that sucker unboxed and on charge. I know I won't have cell service at the house to download books tonight, but tomorrow I'm going to give it a go from work. I'll report back how I like it soon!
4. I got my hair cut Tuesday. No. I don't have a picture. But it is short. I mean pixie short. And I think I kinda love it. It's different for me, kind of edgy, but very easy to fix in the morning. Suh-weet.
5. Tomorrow is Friday. Hot. Damn.
Alright, in the light of a new day I feel that I can finally write a bit about my day yesterday. I still find little humor in it, however. But maybe you will.
The day started out like any other. Coffee was made. Teeth were brushed. Kid was dressed. But the kid was also sniffly. By the time we finally pried him off the sofa and into the car, he was very whiny. I did manage to get him into class and out of the goodness of my heart, I warned her that he was not feeling 100% and there may be issues that day because of it.
I arrived to work late, but that's not a rarity. It's cool. Really. Then later in the morning just as I'd downed my second cup of coffee, the phone rang. It was DH calling to inform me that I had to go pick up the wutz. Immediately. "Oh shit!" I thought. He must be really sick. I was quickly informed that no, that wasn't the reason. Apparently the teacher had called him to tell him that the wutz had severely bitten another student and therefore he could not stay in school.
Yep. My little angel was tossed out of school on his ass. At age three.
I'm was so proud.
*exhales* So I threw all of my stuff in my bag and flew out of the office. I'm pretty sure I told them why I was leaving, but if I hadn't I'm certain they'd have known since steam was coming out of my ears. I arrived at school to find a screaming/crying wutz who was demanding to go outside and play. I talked to the teacher and she informed me that he did not break the other child's skin when he bit.
Well hell.
It's not severe unless there is blood and stitches required, if you ask me.
I informed her that I'd take him home and we'd keep him home on Wednesday and try again on Thursday at school to see if he could be better behaved. I hope to God he will be or Momma's gonna go postal on a three year old. I thought it was the twos that were supposed to be terrible?
This morning I spoke to my parents on the phone. At the end of the conversation I inquired on who would be the one responsibile for school pick up. It was decided that I would be the one to accomplish this task.
Not a problem.
Right?
Well, I left work fifteen minutes early in order to be there when school let out because the majority of the children ride the bus to the YMCA and the wutz hates being left out there alone. Mission accomplished. I got there with a few minutes to spare.
But upon my arrival one of the teachers on outside duty looked at me then looked to where the wutz always is and then back to me. Then the school's Director did the same thing. Not a good sign.
The wutz wasn't there. The Director then asked me to call my Dad to see if he had picked him up. I wasn't panicked as I grabbed my cell phone and made the call. I assumed that, being the flake I am, I'd simply gotten my wires crossed and Dad had picked the kiddo up. Wrong. I could hear the panic rising in my Dad's voice as I explained that the wutz was officially AWOL.
The Director then mentioned that he could be on the bus with the YMCA kids. It was in that moment that my rising sense of panic began to ebb a bit. "Yeah." I told her. "He's on the Y bus." She then looked at me with a questioning glance, and I had to explain that the wutz had been talking for a few days about how he wanted to ride the big school bus to the Y. I knew in my heart of hearts that he was safely on that bus. After a phone call confirmed it, I headed off to the next preschool to pick him up while the bus was held up for me.
When I arrived at the school, I was met with apologies and a screaming/crying wutz. He did not want to get off the bus. He wanted to ride it all the way to the Y. I was too frazzled, though. I just pulled him off the bus and all but threw him into his carseat. Then I had to field half a dozen panicked phone callsas word of the wutz's Great Escape had filtered through the family grapevine.
Shortly thereafter, the Director called to offer sincere apologies once more and to tell me she wasn't making excuses for the error, but it was something that had never happened before. Fortunately, for her, I know her very well. Her daughter was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding. I know she'd never ever purposefully be neglectful. I told her that I wouldn't say it was okay, but as long as she made certain it never happens again we could consider the matter closed.
It turns out that both of the wutz's teachers were out sick today, so she was in his classroom along with a substitute teacher. But the Director had been called out to go to her office to tend to another matter as the morning came to a close. So when the substitute teacher asked the wutz if he went to the Y, he saw the opportunity to ride that wonderful school bus and he chirped, "Yeah, I do!"
In addition to the absent teachers, the YMCA bus was being driven by a subsitute today, too. The bus driver normally does roll call as the children enter the bus, but the new driver didn't know to do that or either just did a head count and the wutz apparently filled a vacant slot.
It all added up to be the perfect storm that allowed my child to slip onto a bus that he wasn't supposed to be on and shave at least five years off his Momma's life.
I'm just glad he is safe and sound, though.
Now, where's that damned drink I need???
Wow. It is hard to believe that we're entering another school year. The wutz is now in the wee-3 class and he is going half-days, five days a week. He's growing so fast!
Here are a few pictures from his first day:
And a trip down memory lane -- last year's picture from the first day of school:
The wutz has been in school for one week. Already we've ordered T-shirts with the school logo on them, purchased the various required supplies, and prepared for Sharing Day and upcoming picture day. And today we participated in his very first birthday party for a classmate. It seems like it has all happened so fast. I've been sucked down into that blackhole of responsible and semi-required parenting of a school aged child.
I have a couple of friends that have children that are the wutz's age. But we are always traveling in different directions and no effort for a playdate, or whatever it is called, is ever made.
However, today during the pool party, I met several new parents that seemed quite nice. I'm definitely no social butterfly but, naturally, talk of get-togethers and playdates were mentioned. I had to secretly wonder if any of it would actually pan out. Probably not.
It was nice to chat with the parents of kids in the wutz's class, though. I hope since they've seen we are normal parents, too, that they won't get extremely angry if my child continues to whack on their children's heads during playtime.
All in all, the pool party was great fun. The wutz is still unsure of water, but he loved the fountain play area. He kept insisting that I join in with him, though. So, I undoubtably looked like a drowned rat by the time the party was over. Oh well. It was fun!
Artwork the wutz did Thursday (8-14-08) at school:
Today was the wutz's first day of school! It was a challenge getting him up early and getting him fed. He hates eating breakfast first thing in the morning, so I had to shovel the oatmeal into his pie hole while he watched 64 Zoo Lane. Then we got him dressed, and as you can see, he was ready to go!
He was fussy on the way to school, but as soon as we pulled into the parking lot he was excited and ready to go see the babies I'd promised would be there! (He calls all children babies right now.) He marched right into the early drop-off classroom and pushed past me. He did a large circle to survey the room, then he held his hands out, palms up and tilted his head and asked, "Babies?" I promised him that they would all be arriving soon, and that placated him enough. He squatted down and began playing with the toys and I was instantly forgotten. He didn't even notice when I left.
I left work early to pick him up. When I arrived he was sitting quietly against the wall waiting in the pickup line. I was so proud of my big boy! Until the teacher told me that they'd had a little issue with him hitting and grabbing. My son, the two year old juvenile delinquent, apparently did not want to share. This resulted in him hitting and grabbing whatever it was he wanted. Why am I not surprised??? I told the teacher that he is a very physical child and we'd been dealing with it using Time-Outs at home. She told me that was what they did as well until he calmed down. She assured me he would learn to adjust and share. I certainly hope so. I'd hate for him to be expelled at two years old!
Unfortunately, he really has not had any children to play with or learn from, so this is all new to him. I know it will take time for him to figure it out, but I pray it doesn't take too much time. My heart can't take it.
All in all, I think he had a good first day. Let's just hope the little juvie can keep his hands to himself from now on!
In his bookbag were a few things he did today:
Summer is almost over. Soon we'll put away all of the fun stuff that goes with the three months of sun, sand, surf, and family vacations! I cannot believe that tomorrow is the first day of school for the wutz. My little baby is growing so fast!
I've already packed his bookbag, which is almost as big as he is!
