First Day of School 2012-2013

This summer seemed to just fly by.  In no time at all we went from spending days at the library and visiting with cousins to getting back on a decent sleep schedule and preparing for soccer.  I'm exceedingly grateful that all three girls still love school.  They were excited to go back and spend time with friends and learn new things (no, seriously!).  Sabrina filled out an "about me" paper at the open house.  It asked what her favorite thing is about school.  Her answer?  Homework.  I'm not even making this up.  She was sad that she doesn't get her first homework packet until tomorrow.  Of course, I remember hoarding times tests and grammar sheets to play school during the summer, so I guess it's just in her blood ;)

Sabrina and Lizzie still look more like twins than older / younger sister.  In fact, Sabrina's teacher assumed Lizzie was a friend tagging along since she looked the same age.  You also can't see it, but Sabrina's shirt has a silver butterfly on it.  I made them each a shirt with their own symbol on it.  Daisy for Kate, sunshine for Lizzie, and butterfly for Sabrina.  Three of the prettiest, happiest things I can think of.

Monday night the girls each got a chance to take a bubble bath in my huge tub, then I painted their fingernails and toenails.  As shown in the bottom right picture, above.

 Michael stayed home "late" so he could walk the girls to the bus stop.  Fortunately I'm not the only mamarazzi.  There were nearly a dozen mothers with various cameras and recording implements.  We were waiting on the wrong side of the street, so when the bus stopped the kids all ran across.  (Upper right corner, below).  Lizzie was on the bus before I got to the right side of the street to get a picture.

There's something about a bright yellow bus and "early" morning sunshine that chokes me up a little.  Probably to do with the fact that it keeps carting my children off!

Michael ended up working from home all day.  We went out to breakfast together (well, ran through a drive through since we were short on time).  I finished baking brownies, went visiting teaching, ran errands and did some shopping, ran back out because I'd forgotten the flowers, and got home just in time for us to go back to the bus stop to pick the girls up.  I have met the girls at the end of the first day of school every year with flowers.  It's a good thing I didnt' forget them this year.  They were expected!  I also cut out brownies with a heart shaped cookie cutter (also for VT because it was a birthday) and the girls got fancy after-school treats.

It is impossible to properly show (though if I slowed the shutter speed down a bit you might get a better idea) how very many words were coming out of the girls' mouths at such a great rate!  (Side note: that top left picture above makes me laugh.  Kate appears to be levitating off the bus!).  They all loved their classes, their teachers, their friends, and so on.  All in all, a very successful first day!

One more note: I was talking to Sabrina that evening about her first long day at school.  I was asking about lunch and how much she ate and where she sat..  She was relating to me how excited she was to see someone who was sitting alone.  I couldn't figure out who it was, though obviously she expected me to understand.  I finally understood.  Sabrina had walked into the cafeteria, looked for someone to sit with, and seen one of the aides for the special ed students sitting alone.  She said that [the aide] looked lonely so she asked if she could sit by her.  Then Sabrina went on about all the great friends who came to sit at the table too.  All special ed students with varying physical and/or mental disabilities.  She thought one boy might be blind because he poured his juice over his corn, then in retrospect mused that perhaps he just didn't realize that it wouldnt' taste very good.  It was absolutely delightful to hear her talking so comfortably and lovingly about these students, using their names and everything.  This is a part of Sabrina I have seen before (can you see why I represent her with a butterfly?) and hope she never loses.  She loves people no matter how they may be different from her.

I'm so glad my girls are happy with school!  We've made it through one full week now.  They're long since asleep, getting ready for another new week.  Bring on the homework!