Another week ...

Well, we've made it through the first week of school in the Wiard household ... barely! Nicholas did great until his 4th day of school--Thursday. He cried and cried as he got on the bus--I barely thought he would make it, but was happy when the bus doors closed and he was sitting in his seat! I got a call from his teacher later that day saying that he had a rough first hour but she was able to get him calmed down and he enjoyed the rest of the day. Let me just stop here and tell you how grateful I am to have Mrs. Kim Morey for Nicholas' first "real" teacher! What an amazing lady! She took my child and loved on him and showed him such patience and kindness ... I hope she realizes what a blessing she has been to our family already--especially this blubbering mom! SO! My second day working and here I am crying because Nicholas struggled so much that Thursday morning . . . not that I could have done anything differently had I been at home--he still would have had to go to school--but somehow I managed to make myself feel guilty. Regardless, he made it through his day--barely said a word about it when he got home that afternoon, not even when prompted! He was a little teary when he got on the bus on Friday, as well, and that's pretty much been our experience through this morning. From discussions with Mrs. Morey, once he gets to class, Nicholas gets through his tears and participates just fine! Here are a few pictures that I didn't get on the computer--one of Nicholas in front of his school the day before it started (he was NOT happy about having to stop to pose for that picture!) and the other I took out the car window as I was picking him up from school on his first day!





I need to spend a little time on Paige while I'm writing--these kids are like night and day! Paige had her first day of preschool last week and barely looked at me to tell me good-bye! Her teacher is Mrs. Gue (pronounced like "Cue" with a "G") and is a very nice lady. Her husband is on staff at the Fall Creek Wesleyan Church where Paige attends school and I already feel like she genuinely loves my child! Paige likes her class--she goes on Tuesday and Thursday and seems to really enjoy her time there. She takes naps at school and still manages to fall asleep by 8:30PM those days so they must be keeping our little princess busy! I have enjoyed the daily updates that Mrs. Gue sends home and also Paige's creative artwork--on display on the fridge whether I want them there or not!

Paige went with me to the eye doctor last week and she was SO crazy! She was entertaining the waiting room--two elderly women were sitting next to us and gave Paige the captive audience she demands. She put on some of my lip gloss and kept trying to pucker her lips; she wanted me to take her picture and I just happened to have my camera in my purse so I complied. Then, after the exam (she did really well waiting for me--but didn't like the lights being turned down for the Dr. to test my vision on the eye charts), she was SO bored waiting for me to pick out my frames. There was a whole kid's section and finally I agreed to let her try on the Hannah Montana frames--what a nut! I put some of the pictures I took that day and put together a little collage--The Many Faces of Princess Paige:

Lastly but not least, we've had some additions to our family! The week before school, I took the kids to PetSmart and they each picked out a new fish (they think they are theirs but you know they're mine ... I love fish!). We got Bettas; Nicholas picked out a boy--Spiderman and Paige picked out a girl--Ariel. We took them home and from the start both were very active and interesting. Eventually Ariel stopped eating and, after joining a Betta chat room (I know ... feel free to make fun of me!) I diagnosed her with "Dropsy" and she died shortly thereafter. Paige was only concerned long enough to ask if she could get another one, so no harm done! PetSmart guarantees their fish for 14 days, and we were at about day 8, so off we went and picked out another one--this time a boy named Jasmine (Princess P needs to stay with her theme, even if doesn't match the gender!). Jasmine has been fun--he's adapting well and has finally started to eat (we'll have had him for a week tomorrow). They're fun but more work than I'd like ... regardless, I enjoy them and I'll do the extra work! The kids have pretty much forgotten about them at this point--except to show their friends or cousin about them. Here are a few pictures because I'm obsessed with them!!!!
Spiderman:

Jasmine:

Nicholas' first day of KINDERGARTEN!

So, today marks Nicholas' first day of Kindergarten, and it went off without a hitch! He woke up before his alarm went off at 7:30 and was dressed right away. He ate his breakfast and was ready to leave the house before 8:00 ... his bus is schedule to stop at the corner of our street at 8:28 AM! We saw some other kids heading down around 10 after 8 so we decided to go, as well ... Brian said a prayer while the four of us stood at the front door--Nicholas didn't really feel like he needed it (our brave boy!) but mommy was definitely in need of a little strength! Our bus stop has a TON of kids this year--I think only 3 of them are Kindergarteners. When the bus came, Nicholas got on like a champ and waved at me as the bus pulled away. Like several other moms, I was crying--it almost turned into an ugly cry but I gained control before that happened. Nicholas is in Mrs. Morey's kindergarden class at Fall Creek Elementary. School starts at 9AM and I pick him up at 11:40AM. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he'll attend the K+ program through the YMCA which will supplement his day to be like the rest of the Elementary school kids and he'll ride the bus home with our neighbor, Sophie, on those days. Originally I was going to have him attend the after-school program through the Y that would allow him to stay at the school until 6PM so I can work, but I had second-thoughts about that and my neighbor Holly graciously offered to let Nicholas come over on those days so that I can work until 5 without worrying about him. Paige starts full-day preschool tomorrow and will attend that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well. I'm so grateful Nicholas got off to a good start today--I was SO proud of our boy. I can't believe time has come for him to be in Kindergarten ... I remember so clearly the day he was born and it doesn't seem like almost 5 1/2 years have passed. This was a huge milestone--his first day of Kindergarten! I'm sure some days will be tough but now that we've gotten the first out of the way, I'm sure we'll manage. Thanks so much for all your prayers for Nicholas--they were truly felt today!!

Nicholas' long bike ride!

I don't have any pictures to document it, but I just wanted to share that Nicholas rode his bike with me for 3.6 miles today! I was so proud of my boy--he was a real trooper! We decided to take a ride to get his housekey fixed at Ace Hardware (I had housekeys made for the kids yesterday and Nicholas' didn't work). About half way there, I realized that I had the key we needed fixed but didn't have my actual housekey! UGH! Being the master keymaker that I am, I thought maybe they could fix the problem without having the key, so Nicholas and I made the decision to keep going. Once we got there, the key guy told me that what I thought was the problem wasn't the problem (so much for my career in keymaking!) and that he'd need the original housekey to try to fix it. We turned around and headed home--no complaints from Nicholas ... or his sister, who was enjoying her ride in the carrier I was pulling behind my bike! About half way home, Nicholas started tell me that he wasn't going to be able to do this anymore ... his legs hurt ... his helmet was "killing" him ... he was hot. Normally, I'm not so much the exercise-encourager but I just slowed down and told him he could make it and to keep going. We stopped a few times for drink breaks but he made it without anymore complaints! He was excited that he had exercised and was ready to "sit down for a while" to relax. After he and Paige had their quiet time, I jokingly said that we were going to ride our bikes back to get the key fixed, thinking he'd disagree, but he was ALL over it! He said he wanted more exercise! Who is this kid? Surely not mine! :) Anyway, I'm sorry not to have any pictures of our big trip, but maybe I'll take some of them on our next bike ride so you have pictures to go along with the story. Oh, and we did get his key fixed ... he and Paige spent a good 1/2 hour locking themselves out of the house and letting themselves back in ... they're so easily amused ... on second thought, they MUST be my kids!!