Where to start?

When the blog goes silent it's usually because things have gotten crazy here, and that is definitely the case now. September brought the start of Jill's preschool, my return to work part time, and the beginning of Peter's days in daycare and it's been a lot to adjust to.

Jill's going to preschool three full days a week this year. School started with the two of us enjoying a half hour visit to her classroom together, and then two short days of orientation on her own. She was fired up for school! Loved it! Two of her friends from last year, with whom we had play dates this summer, are in her class. I have a picture here of her watching the clock, waiting for it to be 8:55 so I could drop her off for orientation. And then when it was time for her first full day of school, off she went, so brave with her lunch and pillow!

The children need to wear slippers or indoor shoes in the classroom. Above are the ones Jill had to have.

The trouble started on Thursday of the second week when she melted at drop off because she didn't want me to leave. It was terrible! It is a really long day for her, 8:30-3:30. She has a lunch time, rest time, and two snacks, but by the second week she was crying at pick up, too, saying she was crying because she wanted "Mommy to come and get me." She was also peppering all of our conversations with comments about how she didn't want to go to school. It was heart breaking. We were very worried that she was on her own for too much of the day. I called the school to find out how she was really doing and expressed all of my concerns. That has made a big difference, I think the teachers are giving her more attention, and she finished last week tear free. She even said she "couldn't wait" to go to school on Thursday! Also, a mom friend of mine with an older child in the class asked her son, "Is Jill happy or sad at school?" He told us she was happy. So that is all something of a relief, but I will KEEP PRAYING that Jill will be happy with her school situation.

Peter, my big guy, on the other hand, has adjusted very well to his two days of day care. I cried my face off the first time I dropped him off, but he has done a great job at drop offs and is learning to nap for two hours at a time there. Way to go, Peter!

So that's how the kids are adjusting, Bryan and I are starting to get the hang of things too. It feels like we are up to all hours either working, or packing bags and making lunches. And I haven't figured out yet how to fit running into this new schedule. I'm not sure that going back to work right now was the best decision, but I do enjoy the work and my colleagues, and it's only 20 hours a week. Hopefully we will get it all together soon.

Besides the start of school, here is some news about the kids.

Peter is talking up a storm! He is 14 months old and said to me when he woke up this morning, "I eat. More please." Some of his new words are eyes, shoes, socks, truck, duck, car, milk, ball, and Jill. He said, "We did it!" at the end of a Dora episode this week and my mom swears that during dinner last night, he said, "I don't want that." That one is hard for me to believe, but in general I don't think I realize all he can say. He absolutely said, "Happy Birthday to you" after hearing it sung on TV.

And the temper on Peter is a sight to behold. He loves to press buttons on our new flat screen TV. Today Bryan told him no twice, then turned to me and said, "Watch this." He told Peter not to touch the TV a third time and Peter stomped his feet, shook his head back and forth and yelled, "Nooooo!" He's the cutest rage-aholic.

Two stories about Jill. We had her dressed in her Ohio State football jersey which has the number "1" on it. She referred to herself as "number one" all day. Finally at the end of the day when it was time for bed, she fell to her knees and cried, "Number one doesn't want to go to bed!" Bryan and I tried not to crack up.

Also during that first full week at school, when she was really sad, we were having breakfast together before her school and my work. She said, "I don't want to go to school. I want to stay here with you." She was pulling out all the stops, trying to play the sick card, too. She wasn't sick. I said, "You don't want to go to school, I know. I have two feelings. I have one feeling that I want to stay here with you today, but I have another feeling that I want to go to work so I can see my friends and have fun doing my work. You can go see your friends, play outside, and do your work. And then, when we get home later, we can tell each other all about our days!" I thought that was some really stellar parenting, but Jill said, "I don't have two feelings. I have one feeling. I feel sick. I feel tired and I don't want to go to school!"

Here is Jill in the famous "Number 1" jersey. The rest are late summer/beginning of school shots.