Another First Day

Check out this big guy, in his old trusty "Friendly Shark" back pack, and his new outfit, selected by Ellie and purchased by Mimi. Finally, he had his first day back at school yesterday, which went great. He's in a new room, but he was familiar with his teacher from last year. She knew him by name and when he started telling her about his new firetruck shirt, she leaned over and cupped his face in her hands to listen to him. It made my heart explode from the sweetness... and then I basically bolted from the parking lot. If he's not crying or looking back, I'm sure not going to give him the chance to do so! He had a great three hours, and came home happy as a clam.

Overall, the transition back to school has gone well. Ellie is loving first grade, but the earlier mornings and longer days are kicking her butt a little bit. Every Wednesday at her school is a half day, so that they can do teacher in services without having to take a full day off of school, and those days we're home by 1:15 and I try to make them nap before music class, which I think helps for the week. We're definitely trying to get them in bed with lights out by 7:30, instead of sometime after 8. She was so delighted to bring in a couple of horn worm caterpillars this week, along with a book she made up about them called Yum Tomato. She doesn't realize that they're actually terrible for gardens and that either myself or Gigi is going to squish her new friends, rather than encouraging them to turn into moths.

The kids went and did some good pottery painting for fun over Labor Day weekend, and on Monday the weather cooled down and we were able to go and float around on Lake Mission Viejo with friends. It was chilly enough that the kids demanded jackets - the only one I have in the car for Ellie is her old Hannah Anderson elf jacket, which I think she got when she was three. Still cute as heck, even if it's too small.

(Different elf jacket, from February 2012. But still ready to wear it out on the open seas.)