The Difference a Year Can Make

If you chronicle what happens in a year, from daily writings to even recalling shady memories, a great and amazing thing happens. You realize so much!!

This time last year I was breastfeeding my twins, I was fat, well not so much, as I lost a lot of baby weight...but was packing it back on because of breastfeeding.

This time last year my boy was struggling in all day kindergarten. Big G was doing the all day thing, but we realized that starting him a WHOLE year too soon was not best. He was throwing fits, yelling in the halls, everyday was a challenge.

This time last year DH was about to be laid off. Three years and lots of sweat and tears and he was laid off due to budget cuts. Scary when you aren't sure where the next paycheck to pay for your groceries will come from. Especially with newborn twins!!

This year, the twins can almost open the fridge themselves to find food. They remind me of the characters from the movie "Over the Hedge" when they raid the human fridge.

This year I am down 30 pounds (just from March), working on 50 more (to be pre pre baby weight!! Yeah I was a size 4...I am hopeful) or less I would be happy. I just like to know I look good in my clothes, and I don't have to fork out four grand for a tummy tuck I really won't need. Thank goodness for the little engine that could of weight loss, slow and easy, and consistent.

This year, Big G is amazing!! He can color in the lines like a girl would, he gets up at the butt crack of dawn every morning excited to learn. Excited to be at school. He thanks me for making his lunch for him. And he is more than happy and excited when he gets home from school. Each day I find him more and more grown up, having grown up conversations about truly in depth topics like food, Star Wars, well I never said they were MY kind of grown up conversations...maybe his father but not me.

Amazing what a difference a year can make. I am glad that DH and I decided to take him to the young kindergarten program last year since he wasn't quite five when he started school, and I am glad he is able to do all day kindergarten this year. He has matured so much emotionally and I am so happy for him. I am happy he enjoys school so much that this next summer....he gets to go to school then too!! Yup, summer school!! No more being bored! But we will play it by ear. Who knows, school may become the bane of his existence like the most of us.

What happened in the last year for you? Good and bad? With your kids? So much can happen in a year and in most cases even less time.

Back to School Blues

I really thought that everyone but me would dread returning to school. I counted every day and hour like they were my last. Yearning for that moment.....OF. SILENCE.

Hence, the moment never came. Yes, Big G is off to a full day of kindergarten. Last year was the young learner kindergarten because of his age, plus the program truly helped him develop those wonderful social and emotional skills when trekking off to the big bad world of education.

So he left the first day and with all honesty I sat around waiting for the call. The call to tell me he did something absolutely horrid. That he was a complete embarrassment to my parenting skills. I thought he would not be able to make it through the day without myself and his father. We were oh so wrong.

I really did not appreciate how much of a help and a great entertainment he was to the squids. I mean they all played so well together. And now that he is at school, the twins rely heavily on me to be their source of entertainment. Not so bad, except when I took my days to feed my reading addiction....which I am still having withdrawals about....so I am going to Barnes & Noble tomorrow for more reading.....my laundry and cleaning really piled up. Although, when Grant is at school, when the Squids find something they are interested in and leave me be then I can get A LOT done.

My other misconception that I had about the fatal return to school was that he would be bored. I am so glad he is not. Kindergarten is working on counting to 20 right now....which is mere child play, pardon the pun, to Big G. He can count to 100 and almost to 20 in Spanish. So when we pick him up everyday, we are so glad that he is telling us how much he loves school. The last few mornings he has even gotten up early enough to watch his little bit of cartoons, sing in our ears how excited he is to go back to school, and he isn't arguing.

I think the back to school blues have got to be for the parents because I am so lucky to see that so far so good, my kid LOVES school, and I love that he is happy.

How was your back to school with the kids?