Two Open Houses

I was going to try to participate in a challenge to post something on my blog every day throughout September, and look what happened -- I already missed day one.  Oh well.  I signed up to do this and I will make an effort to make up for it.  Maybe I'll have to do two posts today.  If it's a two-post kind of day.

We attended an open house at AJ & Zack's new school yesterday afternoon.  And I didn't even think about how I never thought I'd be sending two kindergarteners to school in diapers, one of whom still drinks from a bottle.  Not for more than a second or two.

We visited the school last week one day too, just to wander the halls and check out the inside of the building.  So yesterday was our second time there.  Well, our third time, if you count the time we played at the school playground.  By the time the first day of school comes 'round, they ought to be good and familiar!

They behaved exactly as I would have expected at the open house.  They huddled close to the door, not wanting to commit to completely coming into the room, for the first 30 minutes or so.  There was a minute where AJ looked so disraught I thought he might cry.  Which surprised me.  I expected anxiety and all that comes with it -- pinching, biting, running, screaming and such things.  Drama and sadness were unexpected.  But it passed, and he went back to just looking like a bundle of nerves.

Finally, close to the time we were going back home, then they did venture out and explore the classroom, just a little.

Later that evening, Aliza and I attended open house at her school.  It was really nice of the two schools to plan the two open houses one after the other with very little overlap, so that it was possible for me to visit both of them.  I hope they spend the whole school year, coordinating things like that for me!

Yesterday afternoon while attending these two functions, I noticed that I tend to take on the emotions of my kids.  At the boys' open house I was tense and nervous.  My attention scattered here and there.  And when it was time to go, I sighed with relief all the way to the car, just like they did.

Aliza had a blast at her open house, and consequently, so did I.  She discovered that one of her good friends is in her class this year and she is filled with joy and excitement for the new school year.

We're getting close.  Butterflies are flitting around in my stomach.  I try to hide it from the boys but I bet they sense the change coming.  The weather has cooled and we broke out sweatshirts for the first time this morning.  Our therapy schedule has already changed for fall.  Big things are on the horizon.