Thanksgiving

The weeks leading up to thanksgiving were a bit hectic. Who knew being a kindergarten PTA mom would be so time consuming! I’m not complaining, i have loved serving at her school and meeting her friends. But there was a lot going on at Liberty last week. And Parker’s preschool got in on the action too! 

Philip and I got to join Ainsley for her schools “thanksgiving feast”. It was the first time she bought school lunch and she actually liked it. We did too really, the food was yummy. They had a nicely decorated table for families to sit at but Ainsley wanted to sit by ourselves:) 

The last day before break, the SIP had their own feast in the afternoon. The kids came in dressed as turkeys that they had cut, colored and put together on their own. Ainsley got embarrassed when i started taking her picture. This time it was just me with both kids and Parker was not on his best behavior. But i did get to meet some new friends and their moms, and eat some delicious food made by the families in her class. 

The day of Parker’s meal, it snowed! He loves a good snowball. Then he had his own feast at his school, but parents weren’t invited to come back, which i was totally ok with. He said he didn’t eat the turkey or corn but loved the cookies. 

The day of thanksgiving we went to nannypops. I made my dishes there while the kids played. We even had time to trek on the farm and chop down some mistletoe. That evening everyone came over for a delicious dinner. Uncle Bubby brought a sleeping mat that he turned into a slide and the kids had a blast sliding down the steps into a sea of pillows. Dinner went well until Parker ran off from the table into the living room, kicking my cranberry appetizer all over moms white carpet (thank you Rachel and pop for helping me clean THAT up). 

Ainsley has been loving being home from school , she calls it her long weekend:) 

She left Parker out of the family pic

We have so much to be thankful for. Our family is one of a kind and the kids are growing so fast. They loved playing with GG, nannypop, their aunts uncles and especially their cousins. 

First Lost Tooth

This tooth has been loose for what feels like forever! It is her first tooth she got in as a baby, and the tooth behind it started coming in pushing her baby tooth to the side. We have been wiggling, brushing and wishing it would come out! 

One night we took videos to send to Philip to work, begging him to let us put the Christmas tree up early this year. I thought incorporating the children was a nice touch. He sent a video back telling her if she pulled her tooth we could put the tree up. So they concocted trying to shoot it out with a Nerf gun. Which didn’t work. 

Yesterday i took the kids to Target after school, got them icees, and while perusing the toy aisle, Ainsley plopped her tooth out in her little hand. She was so shocked and i was too! 

She wanted to rush home and wake Daddy up to tell him (I’m not sure how much he appreciated that, but you’d have never known). She immediately put her tooth in her tooth fairy pillow Aunt Ellen and Nanny made her and stuck it under her big pillow. 

New to how the tooth fairy works, i had to seek counsel from my wonderful momma friends. I was prepared with a shiny bill covered in pink glitter glue (thank goodness). And i convinced her to hang her pillow on her bedpost instead of directly under her head under her pillow where the tooth fairy might not be able to find it (even though she argued that the tooth fairy was so tiny she was sure she could find it anywhere). 

When i woke her up in the morning she told me it was too early. And that the tooth fairy definitely didn’t come because i woke her up too early. Reluctantly she got out of bed and said “ok i guess I’ll check”. And there in her pillow was a pink sparkly five dollar bill. And her tooth was gone. Magic! 

Kindergarten Days

Ainsley has been in school almost 3 months now. And while we still struggle with lots of things, I think it is finally starting to settle for us. Shew, I was not prepared for how hard her starting school was going to be. for both of us. I mean, I knew that first day, the first week, would be rough, but I wasn't prepared to be months in and still be wrestling with it.  We all know the first day I was a complete disaster. Random moms hugged me, dads looked at me like I was crazy, and honestly I felt a little crazy. but I was heart broken that we were already here. That day 1 of the rest of her school life was starting. I felt like I was packing her bags and sending her off to college, which is so dramatic I know.  For weeks, every little thing Parker and I did together I would think about how it was missing our other partner and how much Ainsley would love to be there with us. It felt like I was in mourning and I guess in a way I sort of was. I was mourning the days of having no schedule. of waking up when they woke up and planning our adventures for the day. I was mourning for Parker who no longer had his buddy with him 24-7 (this proved to be futile because he actually loves the one on one time). My heart just ached.  I also couldn't handle NOT knowing what she was doing all day. She wouldn't tell me about her day, or who she played with, or what her teachers were like. and this was all new for me. She went to preschool but it was only 3 hours 2 days a week, and between her teachers and other moms we knew what they did most days. Now she is gone from me for 7 hours. SEVEN HOURS! and all I know is what she ate for lunch and that is only because I see the contents of her lunchbox when she gets home. 
Thoughts of private school, traditional school, homeschool (haha just kidding I never went there), swam in my head. I contemplated flying the drone over the school in hopes of catching a glimpse of her from a window. peering through the cafeteria window making sure she turns left to her class and not right to the big kids hallway (ok I for real did this). 

I happened to be driving home when she was at recess and I couldn't resist. thats her on the swing (of course)

Fast forward to now. She walks into school in the morning, her backpack so big on her little body, and confidently walks herself to class where she hangs up her things and starts her day. Her teacher knows me a little better and knows I'm not 100% crazy (just maybe 85%). I volunteer on the PTA and have been able to help at her school. I've met lots of moms from her class (two of them teach at her school, and one she will have in class next year). I got to meet her friends when I joined her on her class field trip to the pumpkin patch. Knowing a little more eases my heart. It also pushes me to give up the control I've had for the beginning of her life, and slowly learn to put her in the Lord's hands. 
I still anxiously wait for 2:35 each day and we all celebrate weekends now. Some days I appreciate that she is at school and not needing to be entertained at home. Some days I wish her brother was the one at school all day. But most days, I miss having her around. However tomorrow is Election Day which means no school and we are all excited for that!