And A New School Year Has Begun

So Bekah is now a big First Grader.  She was so looking forward to starting school and seeing her  friends again.  She was nervous about a new teacher though.  Her teacher is wonderful and Bekah loves her already.  That is such a blessing.

Gotta get those pictures in front of the house before school.

I love Bekah's nervous face and Hannah's excited one.

I was too busy to help her write out First Grade, so she did it by herself.  I love how she spelled it!

Hannah loves going to the playground with Bekah before school starts.

The teacher called the kids, gave them instructions to sit at their desks and then went into the classroom with the kids.  We weren't sure if the parents should go into the classroom or not.  I loved how the parents ran over to the window to get pictures.

Mrs. Koch saw all the parents, laughed and then had us come in and take pictures with the kids before they started their day.  

Bekah got to sit next to her friend Luke.  However, by the second day, his seat got moved with another.  Perhaps a bit too much chit chat going on.

I had to get a few pictures from the second day of school too.  Bekah was more relaxed and it was fun.

Showing off her new (clearance from last year) backpack.

We threw in a salute to the flag before heading off to school.  

Glad that she learned that last year and hasn't forgotten it.

Looking forward to another fun year.  I so enjoy the time we get with Hannah at home.  

It is wonderful seeing Bekah learning so many new things

Mom's Pamper Day in Kindergarten

I had such a delightful afternoon with my sweet kindergartener.  The children had a whole afternoon of pampering lined up for the moms.  I got there early and played on the playground with the kids.  All the boys were showing off for me and kept calling, "Mrs. Kuhner!  Mrs. Kuhner!  Look at me!"  Bekah played on the monkey bars and rubbed a huge chunk of skin off of her hand.  We got a band-aid and some ice for her and she was ready to go.

All the sweet presents lined up for the mommies.  They made us each a jar of sugar scrub and a flower that says, "I love you, Mommy!"  Wow do I like Mother's Day!!

This was the massage chair for the mommies.

All the kids decorated the tables with pictures for mom.  This is the one Bekah drew for me.  She knows that I love Christmas trees.  

This brought a smile to my face!

Mrs. Fletcher was telling us about each pamper station when in walked her son.  One of the mom's found him on facebook and asked him to come pamper his mom.  I was almost in tears.  It was so sweet  to see him come to honor her.

The kids first sang, "Skinamarinkidinkido."  They were darling!

Bekah wanted to paint my toes and fingers.  Since her right hand was hurting, she did all the painting with her left hand.  She did a fantastic job and loved every minute of it.

Then we moved to the massage station where she used a fire truck to massage my legs for 10 seconds.    We will have to work on her endurance.  :o)

Then I got some precious gifts from my girl.

Snack time was next.  I think this was Bekah's favorite station.  She sat on my lap and snuggled with me while we ate a snack.

She made me a bracelet too.

Then spent some time at the relaxation station.  Bekah gently placed cucumbers on my eyes, took them off after 2 seconds, dropped them and then put them back on for a picture.  So funny!  Then she put a lovely mist of body splash on me.  And then another one.  And another one.  And finally a fourth.  I smelled really good.   It was so fun seeing her enjoy pampering me.

After doing a sugar scrub and lotion on our hands, we headed back to the manicure station.

She had fun adding a bunch of different  colors to my pretty toes and fingernails.

This is the end result.  I bet you all are jealous of my beautiful nails.  

Each moment with my girls is a gift.  Days like this are so precious to me.  I love every little thing that they do to show their love to me.  I will treasure up each moment knowing that they will be grown up all too soon.  

All the mom's agreed that we could handle being pampered by our kids every week.   Not sure if Mrs. Fletcher could fit it into the curriculum, but we can at least ask.  

Bekah's First Day of Kindergarten

Bekah started kindergarten at Rincon Valley Christian School on Monday.   She was so excited and a little nervous too.  This was her first time to be away from Mommy and Daddy in this type of setting. 

I was excited for her to start school.  She is so bright and eager to learn.  I can see that she is starting to get a bit bored at home and I know that school will be so good for her.  

Last week we bought her school supplies, packed her bag, got yummy things for her lunch and I modged podged pictures of family in her pencil box.  She liked that.  Bekah told me on Thursday that she looks at the pictures when she misses us at school.

Bekah had fun packing her lunch.  She is so hungry at school.   We keep having to pack more and more food for her.  I guess learning burns calories.  I love Hannah's face watching her big sis.

Daddy gives Bekah some hugs before we left for school.

I so love my girls.  They make me smile with their enthusiasm and love for life.    

At school we bought a milk card for Bekah, saw Grandmom, then walked to the playground.  The kids were already going into their rooms.  I helped Bekah find her name tag and hang up her backpack.  She was a little overwhelmed with so many kids and parents in the room.  I was a little overwhelmed too.  There are things every where to play with and the choices are almost too much.  I stayed with Bekah until she found the creation flannel grafts to play with.  It was so cute as Hannah sat right down with her and they played together.  I was one of the first parents to go.  I felt that Bekah was going to be fine and the teacher couldn't start school with all the parents there. 

 It was a little sad leaving her, mostly because I wished I could sit in the corner and just watch her.  I want to see what she struggles with, what she faces with confidence, who she sits with and how she interacts with everyone.  I don't feel the need to hold her hand.   I know that she can do it and will have a blast.   I just really wanted to experience it with her.

It really helped me to have Christine, Jen and Patricia there as I left the class room.  They have all been through this before.  Patricia's daughter had Mrs. Fletcher last year and she was so encouraging.  It was nice to talk to the other moms and realize that I was starting a new season in my life.  

We were joking about how we were close to crying, so of course we roped Andy B. into getting a picture of us pretend crying.  It was so funny that it made me not  even get choked up at all.

I love having friends that I can laugh with (and cry too) as we go through life together.  

I had a meeting at work, then went to a few stores.  Hannah got to be my special helper and even pushed the tiny cart at Olivers.  I think she really will like having one on one time with me (and daddy too) while Bekah is in school.  Then we ate lunch, had a short rest and it was already time to pick up Bekah from school.  

It is so weird having Bekah in a class where I don't know anyone.  I don't know the kids or the parents. We all gathered at the side of the building where our kids would come to wait for them.  I got a chance to have a few conversations and meet a few of the parents.  One of the families is new to the area and we bonded with them at the back to school night.  I want to get to know them all and be comfortable around them, but I know that takes time.

Finally they came out.  What a cute group they are.  Bekah saw me and ran to give me a hug.  I was so glad to have her in my arms again.  I missed her so much.  I asked her how school went.  She said, "It was super fun!  But I am so exhausted and hungry too.  Can I have the rest of my lunch on the way home?"  

We live 20 minutes from the school.  At times it is a pain to drive it and I really wished we lived closer. But it is nice having a chance to just talk. They can't go anywhere else.  So I heard all about her day.   She met Emma and Luke and played with them.  Then she said that a really nice boy kept smiling at her and they are friends, but she didn't know his name yet.  It was so cute.  Today she told me that he didn't want to play her her at recess because she kept trying to give him kisses and hugs.  Her eyes lit up and she said, "I love him."  Oh dear.  We had a talk about just being friends and not trying to kiss and hug all the boys she likes since they don't really want to do that.  I didn't think that that talk came this early.  

Since I have had to work almost every day this week, I am having to let go even more.  Chris took her to school Wednesday and Thursday and will take her tomorrow.   Since I don't get off of work until 7:30 am and she has to leave our house around 7:35 am, I don't get to give her or Hannah hugs and kisses before going to bed.  This has been hard on Bekah and my heart as well.  Bekah told me on Wednesday night that she didn't want to go to school anymore.  She was going to stay home so that she could see me in the morning.  For months now, she crys at night begging me not to go to work.  She just wants both mommy and daddy to be at home with her all the time.  We talk about how I have to work so that we can have a house and food and send her to school.  She is ok with it most of the time, but it was super hard for her not to see me in the morning.  We came up with a plan that I would call her as soon as I left work.   Then we could talk before she headed off to school.  This worked well today and I'll keep doing it.  I love hearing her tell me she loves me and to have a good sleep. 

We talk every night before she goes to sleep.  I lay down next to her and rub her back.  She talks and talks and then asks me to tell her stories of when I was a little girl.  I told her about my kindergarten teacher and all the fun toys that I got to play with at school.  I told her about a little boy at my table that pooped his pants.  Obviously that made a big impression on me.  :o)  I just want to keep her close to my heart.  I love having my girls tell me about everything.  Someday that may change, but I am going to do everything I can to help it not change.

I found this quote on pinterest that I love.   It is currently hanging on my fridge to remind me to listen to all they have to say.

Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what.  If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff. 

 Catherine M. Wallace