Game On!

After 3 weeks of practice, tonight is the first soccer game of the season!  Elliott and Corgan are on the Alligators, and Kitty is on the Green Machine.  They actually have matching jerseys, which should mean some excellent shots of the three of them.  Then again, this summer Elliott and Kitty had the same jerseys, and I never once managed to get a picture of the two of them.

I'm excited about seeing how these moves translate to the game!

 

 

Once Upon a Time, On a Very Windy Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laborious, Indeed

I'm exhausted from the long weekend. Here is a rundown of events.

Saturday:

Prairie Arts Festival

• (Doug worked a hunt)
  
• Funnel cake as breakfast (a PAF tradition)
  
• Strategies for keeping Elliott, Corgan and Kitty from being whiny failed
  
• Chicken on a stick for lunch (another PAF tradition, and it must be purchased from a particular vendor)
• Granted a reprieve when Jero agreed to take the 2 little ones back early
• Bought 2 gifts
• Kitty won 1st prize in her age category in the art contest
• Cotton candy

Post-Dove Hunt Cookout in Artesia

• A fairly new tradition, but very worth it b/c the people who put it on are golden
• (Daddy and Doug at MSU game)
  

Sunday:

Preparation

• Trip to Wal-Mart for some very last minute game supply and prize shopping
• Groceries for assigned dish
• Balloons had to be blown up, etc.

100th Anniversary Celebration at Church

• Arrived at 11:30 to get games setup (Game Chair)
  
• Mass at 12:30, said by Bishop (great service)
• Lunch at 2
• Games after (relay races)
  
• Didn't leave until nearly 5 pm because Mom was chair of cleanup committee

Another Post-Dove Hunt Cookout

• More hamburgers, this time at Jero & Penny's house
• Had the kids do more relay races

Monday:

• Chilled at the house for the morning
• Watched The Office marathon
• Lunch at Mom's
• More chilling in the evening

Please forgive the uninspired and uninteresting narrative that is this entry. I'm so tired from all of the above that a more interesting narrative escapes me.

In weighty news, no loss but no gain. So apparently, relay races directly counterbalance "fair" food. Not too shabby for Labor Day weekend!

Regression Analysis

So, it's a really good thing that I wrote about Elliott's (POSITIVE!) first day of school. Because since his 180 degree turnabout after day 3, those positive first few days are a vague memory. Some days I swear it never happened.

Lots of tears and worrying have filled our mornings and nights ever since. He eats, on a good day, 1/2 of his sandwich at school. He even refused his Popsicle at the Superstar party on Tuesday (children who have smiley faces for the entire month get to attend a party) for fear that it would make his stomach hurt. Doug and I really, really hate the phrases, "My stomach might hurt" and "My stomach hurts at lunchtime."

He has regressed to sleeping in our bed. He cries every day. But once he gets to school, he does well (other than the lunch stuff). Today, as it is not only Friday but treasure chest day (10 consecutive smiley face days to choose a prize), he was slightly more composed. But guess what? Corgan chose to regress today. And selfishly, I thought, "Thank you for letting me have a slight break."

Elliott's teacher sent me the below photo this morning, along with a note that the PE teacher thinks Elliott is the sweetest child in the class (AWW!). Notice that Corgan is smiling, but then notice the smiley faces on the wall to the left.

Corgan's name is the only one on the middle face - prior to 9 am this morning. Uh oh!

And here is a quick pic of us supporting our DAWGS today!

Happy Friday!

Interrogation: 1st Day

Here are the few nuggets we gleaned from Elliott and Corgan regarding their first day of 4k:

• They ate breakfast
• They got to pet Moe (the class guinea pig)
• They played on the playground (and Elliott updated me that the piece of play equipment we watched them work on Friday was now fixed, ha!)
• They ate their lunch in the cafeteria, and then...drumroll...
  
• They sat in their chairs and waited for Grandmommy to come pick them up!
  
• Corgan also asked Penny today if it was going to be another short day (they get out at 2:15)
  
• Elliott told me this morning that you cannot take your shoes off in the classroom, so I asked if someone did that yesterday and got in trouble. He said, "No, those are the rules."
• He also reported that they did not have PE yesterday, but the coach did come to their room and talk to them

So let's recap. After lunch and nap, they get picked up by Grandmommy at 2:15, go get Kitty, and our back at our house by 3 pm to play. I want to go to 4k!

The First Day of 4K

Dear Elliott,

Today was your first day of 4k at CBS. We have literally been preparing for this day for months. I was 3rd in line the morning of March 11 to register you; Aunt Penny and I took you and Corgan for a tour on April 9; you had your testing on April 20; you had your speech test repeated on July 23; and we went for open house on August 6. That's a lot of preparation! Not to mention all the talking (cheerleading!) for big school, the big production of your last day of daycare, buying school supplies as a family, and even grocery shopping for school lunch stuff all together. We worked very hard to get you prepared in every way we could for today. And I will say, you had been talking a good game for quite awhile. And as your mother, who knows you better than anyone, I was anxiously optimistic.

You didn't cry before bed last night, which was a really good sign with you. In fact, I overheard you repeating the morning schedule I had given you to your daddy as you were about to go to sleep. It was so precious. This morning you woke up in a good mood, even giving a little cheer for big school. But your nerves showed through when you sat down to breakfast with Daddy. You were unable to eat, but that was ok. You were still being calm, even telling me how brave you were being! And you were! You minded so good this morning, following the aforementioned new morning schedule. You were proud to put on your new Iron Man t-shirt from Granna and to carry your new Iron Man 2 backpack and Spider-Man lunchbox (with a Spider-Man thermos of water, a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat - cut into 2 dinosaurs - in your green sandwich box, carrots and ranch, baked cheetos, grapes, and a napkin inside - you always ask for a napkin with your McDonald's order, which I think is so cute). Corgan came to ride with us, and y'all were all prepared to even get out of the car yourselves on the first day of big school.

Unfortunately, I made an error in traffic planning. Since there are 3 schools within just two blocks of our house, morning school traffic is a big problem. I chose the wrong route, which caused a small traffic jam. And since you feed off my stress like a leech, you became anxious, which resulted in your stomach hurting. Bless your heart, you starting crying and panicking, two common reactions lately when your stomach hurts. So, I parked the car and walked the two of you to your classroom. You cried all the way in; Corgan noted, "I'm not crying."

Luckily, when we reached your room, you stopped crying, put your lunchbox in your cubby, hung up your backpack, and after I convinced you to give me a hug, walked into Mrs. Michelle's class like the big boy you are. If it were possible to will you to have the first best day ever, it would happen as I have used all of my mental energy this morning focusing on you having a good day!

You and I are quite the nature versus nurture study subjects. How in the world, other than Divine planning, could you have ended up with so many of Papi's and I's neuroses? We both have the nervous stomach, and I was always terrified of the first day of every school year. I even stayed up past 1 am this morning worrying (and crying) for you. Just know, sweet boy, if I could take the nerves away for you, I would do it.

I hope you are having the best 1st day ever. I can't wait to hear about your day when Grandmommy picks you up at 2:15. And one day, should you only remember the bad stuff of first days of school, you will have this account of a good first day of school.

Love,
Mami


P.S. I did not call your Daddy hysterically crying after the drop-off, as he had predicted. :)

Judgy-Wudgy Was a Bear

Last night was the end of year program at daycare.
Elliott, Dalton and Corgan's class performed to some Tiki Tiki song.

Where are Elliott and Dalton you may ask?

Aha!

Elliott wasn't feeling much like performing,
and the only reason he made it down the aisle to the stage
is because Ms. Terri carried him.

But it appears last night was an off night
as even Mr. Social himself (Dalton) was not in the spirit.

I know very well what was wrong with Elliott. He did not want to wear his swim trunks. But we made him because we get so tired of his dressing quirks. Well, MISTAKE. It ruined his whole night. He cried when we left him in his room before the program, and for the first time out of 5 programs he didn't participate. And I usually do not force him to do things that I don't think are overly important. He never wants to do dress up day at school. Ok, no big deal. But I think part of my subconscious thought last night was that other people think we aren't tough enough. You know, those people who think "you are the boss, parents, just make him." Well guess what. He's MY child, and I know best. Is it worth it to make a child so self-conscious/uncomfortable just because he is supposed to wear a certain costume? I think not.

Beware of this mama bear!

Here are pictures from last year's program for comparison.

Kung Fu Panda

Elliott (said authoritatively): Corgan, do you know what pandas eat?

Corgan: What?

Elliott: Kung poo!

Corgan: POO?!?

Elliott (needing clarification): Mami, what do pandas eat?

Me (giggling and missing the point): Um, leaves and berries.

Doug (catching on): No, Elliott, pandas eat BAMBOO.

Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Versatile

Capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.

A Tale of Two Fishermen

You may be wondering why they are facing away from the pond. Well, since Doug had abandoned us and took the cooler to keep the fish in (he doubted our abilities and moved on to another pond), Jeremiah was simply throwing his fish on the ground. I thought the dysfunctional twins were busy admiring the fish. Wrong. When William walked by, Corgan self-incriminated: "We are kicking this fish." My father's reply later was that she was going to need lots of therapy down the road. :)

Lookout, world.

Two Terrors and a Toilet

Saturday night we had a crawfish boil at our house for approximately 30 people. The rain tried hard to ruin our time, but we persevered with tents and a segregated party (men outside, women inside, HA!). As the party was winding down and after most people had headed home, I suddenly smelled the strong aroma of hand soap coming from 1 room away. Huh? you may say. But Elliott has gotten in trouble on several occassions for playing with hand soap and shaving cream in the back bathroom. So when I realized I smelled hand soap followed 1/2 second later by the realization that I heard water running, I jumped from the table and bolted toward the bathroom. Where I found two 3-year-olds with wet heads, passing a towel back and forth between them. I started yelling, when my son volunteered the following information: "We stuck our heads in the toilet." Reaction to come in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: huh? you what?....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Penny came to investigate, and she also started laughing. We could not scold for laughing. Corgan then volunteered, "I did not put my face in, just my head." The investigation continued, and when I asked what happened to (a) all the soap and (b) the top of the soap dispenser, she proudly announced (a) "we put the soap in the toilet" and (b) "we flushed the top down the toilet." Miraculously, the toilet seems ok. Crossing fingers it will remain that way. As for the dysfunctional twins, I fear this is only a suggestion of what is to come from them. Bring on the Clairol.

He Makes Bonnets Look Cool

I know, bonnet is such an offensive word if you have a boy. But by george that's the name of the parade. Last year I made his hat the night before and was totally disgusted with my choices at Wal-Mart. And then totally disappointed the next day when I saw the awesome inventions of more talented parents. I could not be outdone! So this year I bought the supplies two weeks in advance, which included a black cowboy hat, green grass, camo eggs, and a green and a yellow bunny.

Here are some before shots:

The finished product:

And the model:

He could make anything cool.

Good Things Come In Small Packages

As we were leaving her house last night, this tiny and deceptively-adorable child uttered, "So long, suckers." Yep, that's my niece.

I Heart Mississippi

Sunday, Feb. 15

Sunday, March 1
Damn you, Mississippi weather.