Well, it’s still hot as can be around here, but summer vacation is over for Jeff. Sniff. Teachers in Sunnyside School District go back to work for in-service tomorrow, August 21st. I have only been half joking when I say that I know I’ll tear up when Jay goes off to his first full day of kindergarten in 2 weeks, but I think I’ll weep openly when Jeff goes back to work. We didn’t have a grand adventurous summer this year like we did last summer, but we didn’t need it (or want it). This summer it was rejuvenating to be able to spend a whole 2.5 months together with just our family, home together in our own house. We all feel refreshed from the low-key break. Jeff and I shared the parenting and housekeeping load and it made everything feel easier. Jeff actually easily did much more than his share of the domestic duties, but he did it all so happily and willingly that he made me feel like it was ok for me to be such a slug (for lack of a better word that means tired-nauseous-achy-pregnant-person). If I could capture one fragment of that man’s endless patience, I’d be SET for life.
A favorite family activity: Just Dance on the Wii. They like to dance while I watch and laugh from my chair.
Jay and Rose are also going to miss their Daddy dear greatly. They spent 75% of their time each day this summer with Jeff: following him around, asking him questions, talking with him, and playing with him. They simply adore him, and I think we’re all going to be a little lost at first when he’s back at work. Once we get used to Jeff being gone all day again, Jay will start all-day kindergarten and Rose and I will be left utterly bereft of our menfolk.
Here’s how Jay’s kindergarten works: on August 28th, we go in together for half an hour to meet his teacher and look around the classroom. The next time he goes in to school is after Labor Day, on September 2nd or 3rd, for a half day with half the class (the other half of the class goes on the other day). The first official full day of all-day kindergarten starts on Thursday, September 4th. 8:55am-3:25pm Monday-Thursday, with “early” release at 1:15pm on Fridays. That’s intense for 5 year olds! And for moms who are used to having their kids home all day!
In preparation for the school year, Jay and Rose had their second-ever dental appointments. They were troopers, laying there with the strangers and the strange machines poking around their mouths. Rose was so tense the whole time, but she suffered through it for her balloon.
What is it about kids and balloons? They have been playing and playing with them for the whole week since the dentist. Rose fell asleep with hers one night. I had to extract the long string out from under her so she didn’t roll over and choke herself on it in her sleep.
This girl has an opinion. One day she dug out one of last winter’s sweaters and insisted on wearing the thing, even though it was 100 degrees outside.
Sometimes I despair of ever seeing the floor in the kids’ room again, but then I hear them happily building and playing away in there and I think that there are much worse things…like waiting for November to get here…
Goodbye, carefree summertime. You were good to us.
1 comment:
Summer vacations are worth a thousand bucks. I will be sad when Justin finally leaves the student life because then our summer breaks will be gone. And they do all day kindergarten here too which I hate. That is one of the reasons we decided to not start Matthew until next year. Kids (and parents) need that transition year. Good luck!
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