A bunch of pretty little girls making mud pies!!!!

Alyssa slept through the mud pie fun.

Thank goodness!!!!

The girls had a blast at our Annual Autumn Moon Picnic with FCC. There were crafts, games, food, and lots of dirt. My camera battery died after the first picture and my Mom's camera was acting up so most of the pictures didn't come out. But trust me, they were filthy dirty and they had so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too cute

Let's all do the Pee-Pee dance

So sorry that we don't have pictures to document the big event!!! Some things ARE private, you know!! I really hadn't started potty training at all with Alyssa. Afterall, Emily wasn't fully trained until shortly before her 3rd birthday and she doesn't have any deep seeded emotional scars over it. I take a pretty laid back approach to things like potty training, weaning from the night-time "baba," etc. Alyssa has decided (at exactly 2.6 years of age as of yesterday) that she wants to go on the potty. We pretty routinely put her on the potty if she wants to go (when we remember and when it is convenient lol) and she pretty routinely does pee-pee. This weekend, she started initiating it and most times she was successful. LOL. All of the hooting and hollering has helped I suppose. Now I feel pressured (yes by my child) to get on the band wagon while she is interested. I had a team meeting with her entire team at school yesterday and they are continuing to recommend all of her services continue and they also want to do a vision evaluation. Go for it, can't hurt her is my motto. Those meetings are usually pretty intense for me....I'm not used to sitting on *that* side of the table. It totally escaped me to inform them that Alyssa had been initiating going on the potty all weekend long. This morning her classroom assistant came flying into the office hollering....."she did it, she initiated it all on her own, that kid is amazing." I was a bit baffled for a second, trying to figure out which kid was so amazing when she explained that Alyssa asked to go on the potty and "she actually peed." "Oh, THAT....I forgot to tell you that she is potty training herself at home," I calmly stated. I have a great relationship with all of her team. All that her assistant could reply back to me was...."so much for communication, Mom!!!" I had to laugh. So, for now, Alyssa is well on her way to being pee-pee potty trained. I will follow her lead.....and continue if she wants. If she doesn't want to, I have faith that she will still be trained by the time she fills out her application for College. Pssst....don't tell the speech therapist that she still likes her night time "baba." hehehehehehe

This just might be a looong year....

The last day of each week, Emily's teacher gives a short little "progress note." It just has a few statements such as:

1. Plays nicely with my classmates.
2. Follows the class/school rules.
3. Works quietly.
4. Completes work in a timely manner.
5. Completes work to the best of my ability.

There are two columns for a check....satisfactory and needs improvement. Well, the first week she got a satisfactory check for 4 out of 5 of the areas. She talks too much. That wasn't shocking. Emily and I had a discussion about working quietly so all of the children can concentrate and she understood that she needed to respect Mrs. R's rules. No problem. On that Monday for the second week of school, Mrs. R sent home a very nice note stating that Emily is doing great, adjusting to waiting and accepting that she can't answer all of the questions. She also stated that she put a basket of books beside her desk so that when she finishes her work she can look at books. Mrs. R said that Emily LOVED this and it has helped her remain quiet while the rest of the class finishes working. Sounds positive and proactive. GREAT.

Fast forward to this past Wednesday, which was the last day of school for the week since they had off from school Thursday and Friday. Emily got Satisfactory checks in all five areas....WOOHOO!!!!!!!!! However, at the bottom of this progress note there was a "comment ." It simply stated.....

"Emily had a great week except today she lost playtime for stomping her feet and sticking her tongue at me for not calling on her." OH BOY!!!!!

My first inclination was to send back a note to the teacher stating.....

Dear Mrs. R,

I think there must be some mistake. My angel girl would NEVER do such a thing. As a matter of fact, if she DID, then she must have been provoked in some way. If she knows the answer it is only fair that SHE be the one to answer it EVERY time she raises her cute little hand. In the future, Mrs. R, I would suggest that you just call on her EVERY time and she may not feel compelled to stick her tongue out at you OR stomp her foot at you. I think in this situation.....you deserved it.

Sincerely,

The teacher's kid's mother.

Of course, I didn't send that note LOL. Emily and I had a discussion about being respectful and that sticking out her tongue AND stomping her feet was rude behavior. We spoke about how everyone needs a turn and that she cannot always be called on. She will write a letter of apology and she did not earn playing a board game with me on Wednesday night. Let's hope this doesn't happen again. I suspect that this is just the beginning......................................

It's all a matter of perspective....

I don't mean to offend my friends and family who have biological children, but I loved this.....

The first day of Kindergarten

Emily did great. She was so excited and happy to go to school today. I on the other hand cried the whole way to work......tomorrow will be easier.

Eating breakfast before the big day!

I love my new Princess backpack. Apparently every other 5 year old girl in her class does too LOL

A pose in front of "Papa's" pond.

Waiting for the bus.

Bye, Mom, don't cry!!!

The camera isn't blurry....it's my tears as the bus rolls away!!!

Yes, I followed the bus to the school. HEHEHEEHE!

Here's comes Emmy's bus turning the corner!!!

WELCOME to our SCHOOL!

Still all smiles!!! That's my girl!!!

That's my teacher. Emily tells Mrs. R that she can see her swim class from the shcool. (It is next door).

Emily comes home...one tired girl!!!

Emily was very tired when she got home, but got a second wind once her Aunt and Uncle and cousin Hannah came over to see how her first day of school was. She did her homework....and I did mine....I had A LOT!!! All in all a great day. I will be much more relaxed tomorrow I suppose. This Mommy stuff is HARD!!!!

How can it be?

April 2005

How can it be??? How can it be that this tiny little babe that was placed in my arms 4 years and 4 months ago is going to Kindergarten? How can it be that this little babe that was so afraid to have me leave her sight then, will most likely trot off happily eager to make new friends tomorrow? Emily is so excited to be starting Kindergarten tomorrow. I am excited for her too...but deep down inside I am terrified. You see, up to this point I have been able to be her buffer. The fact that our family was formed through adoption is pretty evident to most who meet us. As such, most people feel like it is perfectly acceptable to ask questions about how we came to become a family. Most of the times I can be direct and share what is appropriate given the situation. If I can sense that the questions are coming from a sincere place or a place because that person is either touched by adoption or considering it, I am much more willing to share. I am also careful with what I share because this story really isn't mine to share. As the girls get older we have had many conversations about what makes a family, how families are different, how some people live with thier birth families and some do not. We have rarely had a negative experience when it came to other people asking questions about our family. BUT, I have always been there to be the buffer. I can sense when Emily is uncomfortable and hopefully I have armed her with a respectful way to decline answering questions that she would prefer not to. I am sure that most Moms have similar concerns when they send their kids off to school. How will my child articulate their fears? How will the teacher know when they are frustrated? Will they ask for help when they need it? What if they can't open the container at lunch? Who will be there to protect and love and nurture my child???? Everyone has a story......I just hope that Emily is prepared to be out in the world without me....I am not sure if I am ready to let her go!!!!

Meeting Emily on March 23, 2003

Christmas 2005

April 2007
June 2007

July 2007