Fay, Fay, Stay Away

The second day of school was canceled due to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Fay. When the decision was made, Fay was aimed directly at Tampa. On my way home from work, before picking up the kids from school yesterday, I picked up sand bags for the back door, and it rained ominously. Before dinner, we snagged an extra propane tax, just in case. But by midnight last night, it was clear Fay wouldn’t really hit our area. Today it was a little overcast, not too hot, and that’s about it. It barely drizzled.

So I missed a day of work and the kiddos and I played Play Doh, dinosaurs, read stories, and generally had a pleasant day playing together. The kiddos are back to school tomorrow.

First Day of School!

Alex started school today! Though he will take a bus from the after school program from here on out, Daddy and Mommy took him in together this morning so that he had two extra set of hands to haul in all of the school supplies (ok, and to take pictures, too!). He quickly found his seat and had no problem when we left to go to the PTA’s boo hoo breakfast, where we chatted with other parents about being parents of a kindergartner. We know at least one of the kids in his class from VPK, along with at least one in the other Kindergarten in his pod, and even one of the first graders. So he felt pretty comfortable.

Though we did drop off in the morning, we let him do what will be the normal after school routine. When we arrived at 6:15 (after picking up Nate first) he was having a ball, literally.

Nate jumped right in to the play, ripping his shoes off and making a beeline for the equipment.

All in all, a successful first day!

Meet the Teacher

Today we went to the open house at Alex’s new school (snif, snif — last time Alex started at “my new school” he was younger than Nate is now!).  The registration portion was a little confusing/annoying, though things went a lot better once we actually met the teacher.  Registration-wise, first there was the confusion over the medical forms, as it turned out that the doctor’s office failed to properly record the shots Alex got two weeks ago, and so the school nurse had to call the pediatrician to confirm that the boy had, in fact, been vaccinated for polio and measles.  Once we worked that out, we stood on the wrong line to find out about the transportation issues, got some misspelled information about school lunches, then got sent back to a different wrong line to find out about transportation issues. At which point, I bit the head off of the nice lady who tried to help me figure it out, because darn it, it is ridiculous to not get any information until three days before school starts! And I was a little stressed about the whole school starting thing. We salvaged the cafeteria portion of the day by joining the PTA and buying Alex a SOES Eagles t-shirt and a magnet for the car.

Thankfully, things were a lot more easy going once we found Alex’s pod, classroom, and teacher. The school is set up with outdoor covered “hallways” (which no doubt save a ton on air conditioning costs) and the classrooms are clustered into 4-room “pods”. Picture a big square, quartered, with a wide hall bisecting the middle that all four quarters open on to, and that’s a pod. In the pod is two kindergarten classes diagonal across from each other, and two first grade classes on the other diagonal (in future years, there will be a 2/3 pod and a 4/5 pod). The teachers share duties (such as each taking a different dismissal job for all four classes), and occasionally switch off the students, as well (such as having a broader range of reading groups to accommodate more reading levels). Alex’s teacher, Mrs. E., seems very enthusiastic and fun. (And is it a requirement that all Kindergarten teachers be beautiful? She’s that, too.) She put my mind at ease.

Alex took to the classroom right away. He gladly picked out his name from the gifties on the table, and then explored some of the books in the room while Mike and I got acquainted with Mrs. E. When we left, he immediately put the magnet on the car, and he is very excited to get started!

Ready for (After) School

We went to the orientation at Alex’s after school program yesterday, and I think it’s going to be great for him — he had a blast! He did not want to leave (neither did Nate) and the second we left he started asking when he gets to go back. I am excited that it includes not only homework help from certified teachers and lots of running around time, but also that he will get Karate lessons and swim lessons in there as well. It should be a good thing.

Michael and Dennis

Not sure what inspired this, but Alex has decided that we should call him Michael. His name is now Michael Alexander Michael Wasylik, says he. Not to be outdone, Nate has gotten in on the action. Call him Dennis, please.

Just Like Daddy

The boys as I type are brushing their teeth. A few moments ago, Nate walked into the kitchen, merrily brushing the whole way. I was about to tell him to go back to the bathroom when he looked up at Daddy and announced “I am walking around like YOU!” And since Mike has a habit of pacing in the living room while he brushes his teeth in the morning, I really couldn’t fault him all that much.

Of course, since we laughed at Nate, Alex has decided to get in on the act. The children are now doing laps around the whole house whilst brushing. Now I get to go explain to them about not drooling all over the house.

Feet

You don’t want to read this post if you are icked out by feet.

I am the family pedicurist.  I go to get my feet done by others, but I do the kids’ nails regularly, and once in a while give Mike a pedicure, too (nice wife, I know).  I have always been a bit weirded out by the kids’ feet, truth be told.  The feet themselves are beautiful baby feet — Alex’s are slender, Nate’s a bit more Fred Flintstone, but both just fine.  But both Alex and Nate have the same issues with their toenails.  Their nails on their big toes, despite my ministrations, always seem straggly and uneven — they just grow that way.  The nails on their second toes grow almost straight down, and it is tough to cut them because they seem to grow into the skin, which can’t be good.  And the nails on their pinkie toes are also oddly warped.  I do my best, but they still always look a bit funky.

Last night was one of those nights where I gave my husband a pedicure.  And as I was cutting the nails, I had the epiphone that they boys get their weird toenails from their father.  Same issue with the second toe, same issue with the pinkie toe.  I am sure the big toe would be the same, too, if he had paper thin kid nails rather than thick adult nails.  That explains it!

Also on the subject of feet, I have instituted the indoctrination of my children in the ways of foot massage.  Yesterday during the day, I jokingly asked Nate to rub my feet, and he did, complete with lotion.  He was pretty good at it, and lapped up the praise I gave him (which was genuine — I was surprised at the strength with which he gave my feet a nice squeeze!).  This morning, he crawled into bed with me and asked “can I rub your feet?”  And he did!  I think he likes playing with the lotion.  I like having my feet rubbed, so I’ll take it! 

Our Lucky Day

Today we had plans to visit Grandma and Grandpa for some fun in the sun in the afternoon.  While Mike attended to the lawn, thunder boomed, water drizzled, and it threatened rain all morning.  We left the house at 2:30 with bathing suits packed, but not all that hopeful that we would make it out of the family room. 

It poured the whole way there.  POURED.  Barely-see-the-road-in-front-of-you-bona-fide-Tampa-rainstorm POURED.  I remarked to Mike that I had hoped the rain was going to be only in Pasco, but I guess not.

When we arrived, it was down to a drizzle.  We sat inside and caught up for a while, and then decided to give the bathing suits a try.  By the time we got outside, it was overcast, but no rain and more importantly, no thunder.  Into the pool we went!  It wasn’t too hot, though the sun peeked through, and we spent several hours splashing around, and did a couple of circles around the lake as well.  Finished up with dinner on the back porch.

We left at 7:30.  On the way home, it POURED.    Barely-see-the-road-in-front-of-you-bona-fide-Tampa-rainstorm POURED. 

We were so lucky to have that window of good weather in between!  A fun time was had by all.

A-Rod and Super Nate

Alex was shy at first, but he got up the nerve to ask to join the neighborhood baseball game already in progress.* They immediately put him on a team, dubbed him “A-Rod”, and he was up to bat right away. At his first at bat, he hit a nice one down the first base line! And made it to first. He had a hard time understanding when he had to run — Daddy and Alex served as his third base coach, and Nate, God love him, stood there with his hands on his hips like he was really in charge! — but he ended up making it all the way home, and then batting another one in (earning his very first RBI!) before they called the inning at five runs. Our neighbor Andy pitched the tennis balls nice and slow to him, and one of the older neighbor boys helped him get the hang of holding the bat.

I see T-Ball in my future.

When it was Alex’s turn to field, I went out there and helped him stand in short stop position. When Andy (the only other adult playing) came up to bat, the first baseman (Andy’s son, who is probably 9 years old) went out to where Alex had been to field, and I basically helped Alex play first base. Andy dribbled it to the pitcher, who tossed it to me and I actually caught the ball bare-handed and tagged Andy out, much to my own surprise. Andy, in turn, threw a (joking!) Major League fit, complete with kicking dirt at me and getting in my face.** It was quite hilarious. Alex got one more at bat, at which he managed to connect when he had a full count and make it on base again. Go Alex!

When we got home, the boys stripped down and got immediately into PJs. Well, Nate took a side trip as “Super Nate”– wearing nothing but a diaper, he asked me to tie a blanket on his neck like a cape, and he was off and flying. When I finally got him onto the changing table, he was still saying “I’m Super Nate!”

PJs secured, the boys and I played a rousing two games of Go Fish! in lieu of stories for bed time (they still got their reading in today, since we stopped at the library before and after the Backyardigans show). A full and fun day for team Wasylik!

* Can I just say once again how much I love our neighborhood? A friendly ball game consisting of boys and girls, ages 5 through maybe 14, plus an adult or two. There are often similar pick up football games that include the younger kids. And the older kids are so good and patient with the little guys, it just brings tears to my eyes!
**Afterward, Andy admitted he had started to go for the chest bump and then realized that wasn’t the best idea. Too funny.

Delayed Gratification

Today was the big day — Backyardigans Live!  Alex got the tickets for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa, and he has been waiting anxiously for the show ever since.  We had great seats (did I mention, thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!?!?) and the kids just adored the Tale of the Mighty Knights, and being honorary Knights themselves.  There was much singing, clapping, and shouting back to the stage.  A good time was had by all — even the parents.
but still, I can’t help but ponder the question that has plagued parents since the dawn of the Backyardigans — what in the world is Uniqua?