First Day of School 2011

Jackson and Creighton are both going to school this year.  First time in Bixby. New places and faces. We decided to get our teeth cleaned and checked the day before and also get new haircuts. It was a crazy day but we got it all finished!

 Smiles before bed the night before to show off new hair and clean teeth!

 Charleigh of course needed in on the pics :)

 This pic just absolutely cracks me up.  I have no idea what she was doing but I think the flash caught her off guard and she was looking at it funny...

 I went in to check on the kids before I went to bed (and they were all in bed at 8:15 and asleep by 8:30!, yeah mom!)  Anyway, I found Jackson like this...Not sure what he was doing, but it was funny.

 My sweet Rae. Can't believe she's big enough for school.  (Pre-K in Bixby is only halfday).

 Morning of. All ready. He picked out his own outfit :)

 All my babies!

 Creighton. I had to make her let me fix her hair. Oh the joys of strong willed children :)

 My sweet school aged kids! What happened to the time!?

 The sun was bright! They were so excited.

 They wanted to eat breakfast at school today, so we did.  They only had cereal and that seemed to please them both just fine. It was so exciting for them. Nonna even came and ate with us all! :)

 Love that my man adores his kids and wants to be actively involved in their lives, and that he has a job that allows him flexibility to do so!

 Jackson has Mrs. Haughey (although it's pronouced HOY, like TOY).  She seemed great with him and said he had a great day! Woohoo....day one down!

 I love my little man!

 Creighton is in afternoon PreK (which we might have to change because she is one grumpy bear without a nap (and that is when she is normally napping).

 She got her name tag, found her cubby, and sat down with NO tears.  She did wonderfully!

 Both of them had a great day.  Jackson was way more excited about his first day than Creighton was at the end of school, but I think it had a lot to do with her being absolutely exhausted.  I think she did great though and hopefully if we can't change her to AM preK she'll adjust soon.

We celebrated the first day with Braum's afterwards.  We had a great evening at home with them and a good meal, family devo time, prayer time, books, and bed.  All were in bed before 8 and I don't hear a sound.  God is good.

Jackson's School Pics!

I am so glad that I immediately scanned this because when I came back in a little afterwards, Creighton had scribbled ALL OVER the picture.  I was very mad. She got very much in trouble. But I love the way they did this.  And you can see he's the tallest in his class by a few inches :) He's so cute!  (And I love that there are names on everything)

 My sweet Pre-Ker!!!! I love you John Jackson

Scared to death

So after I write all the most recent funny posts about Jackson I get a phone call from his teacher today that about made my heart stop functioning, even though she told me before she began that he was okay.

We were driving back to Bartlesville, and still an hour away from the school, when his teacher calls to let me know that there was an incident on the playground.  This is not the first time there has been an incident of some sort on the playground, but nothing has warranted a phone call.  I was nervous, but truly hoping it was something minor or funny or anything really.  Nothing totally abnormal crossed my mind.  Until she began...

Jackson was having trouble keeping his scarf ON the last few days during recess (apparently) so she told him he couldn't take it out today unless it remained on his neck.  (no big deal...) Well, he was playing on the monkey bars with his scarf still where it was suppose to be.  [side story: Jackson has a deep desire to tie knots, play with ropes, tie things up and down and every which way, swing from them, and just all around the kid likes that kind of stuff].  He apparently tied the longest end of his scarf around the monkey bars and then fell or jumped or whatever, but the other end of the scarf was STILL AROUND HIS NECK!  Mrs. Ellis wasn't out on the playground, but some volunteer mom was and started screaming and running towards him to rescue my son! *my heart is 90billion miles/hr just typing that*  Actually, I am shaking now...again.

There were multiple conversations with him about the danger, and about how he wasn't in trouble, but it was very serious, etc etc.  He is fine. I don't know that it even hurt him or scared him or that he was without breath or anything, but I do know that it hurt me, I was scared, and also without breath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, needless to say I think I might burn the scarf and banish them and ropes and any sort of long thing from him forever.  I love that little boy more than life itself and even though I am praying the actual incident is FAR from the scenario my mind has created, I am just so thankful he is totally fine today and that I still get to hear the words, "I love you, mommy" from his sweet mouth....oh I squeezed him extra hard and long~

Update on Pre-K

Jackson is doing a lot better. He hasn't hesitated to go back and after the meeting with his teacher, I feel much better.  I got a list of all the kids in his class so we would know their first names and also a copy of their daily schedule so I can ask more specific questions from his day.  We talked about a friend "match" for him and that same day they were fast friends, only so much so, that he and Austin never stopped talking, which was a win for friends and a lose for having to get onto them all day. I'll take it though. :)

Pre-K Day 6

The newness is gone. He was asking this morning when he didn't have to go to school anymore. I said in the summer time, to which he replied, "IT IS SUMMER!"  Ahhh. I don't like this.  He got in quite a bit of trouble yesterday.  I hate that. I hate it for him, for his teacher, for his experience, for everything.  He is acting out.  One little boy "X" in his class must be a real troublemaker because it is the ONLY boy (or girl) that Jackson knows his name in the whole class. There are 23 kids and 2 teachers! :( Anyway, X got sent home yesterday from school for his poor behavior.  I am worried that might be why Jackson is acting up so he can come home.  It makes sense from his standpoint.

He just says no one will play with him. I don't know how they "all know each other" except for him, but I feel so sorry for him. I love him. I am biased. I think he is super cool! But I know he can be rough and he doesn't always know boundaries, especially personal space...but really, he is awesome. He just needs a friend. He says Colton plays with him but that is all and since they aren't in the same class, it's rare.

I want desperately for this to be a great experience! i have a meeting tomorrow at 8:30 (hopefully) to discuss how we can better prepare him and equip him for the classroom and to make friends, and of course, good choices! :)

First Day

I took this picture last night before I went to bed.  I just wanted to capture them when they look like angels...so peaceful and quiet :)  Last night before he'll be in school for the next 14 + hopefully at least 4 after that.

Went ahead and took hers too, just because I found it amusing!

Our morning didn't quite go as I had planned, but it was okay.  My alarm didn't go off, but thankfully Jeff's did a little later.  Then he was nervous I think and sat on the pot for 20 minutes.  So we were really rushed and he hardly ate one bite of his breakfast.  We all walked together to school.  The girls were in the stroller and Jackson was walking, but since were running really late, we put him up on the stroller and wheeled all three in record time! :) He was not late to class!  He did exceptionally well and went right in and got busy with the table assignment (playing with shapes).  No tears from anyone.  All smiles.  (even me)

After we got home, I was pretty sure after about 20 minutes I was going to hurt Creighton and then thankfully she turned a leaf and was amazing the rest of the morning and afternoon.  She liked being the "boss" and just playing. She played independently very well while Charleigh slept and even helped do some chores.  Jeff kept me VERY busy by suggesting I clean out every cabinet in the kitchen, which I did.  We had fun with the girls, they were cats today (actually Creighton at one point was also a dog, with pink paint).

At 3:34 we left our house to pick him up from school.  (yes, we were running late). But it didn't matter, the pick up line was backed up to New Mexico.  So I finagled my way into a spot and took off sprinting to his school and found him and MANY students and parents and teachers. It turns out we were hit by another parent in a white van in the process of them trying to park.  Exciting! :( (They have got to figure out a better exiting system).  He was happy to see me, but said he had a great day, but that he got in trouble on the playground (his teacher told me too).  But other than that he did great.  He couldn't remember any of the kids' names, but I guess that will come. I just want him to feel connected socially, but I might come to regret wanting that for him, since once he is, if he is anything like his Daddy, he'll be the class clown!

After school our whole family and Colton's whole family (minus one) went to Braum's.  Apparently that was half of Bartlesville's plans for the first day of school too.  It was a little crazy, but a lot of fun and again, I just can't say enough about how sweet their relationship is.  It was like peeling apart kids from Disney or something getting them to say goodbye to go home. 

I thought Jax would be very tired after such a long day, but I really didn't see too much evidence of that until 8pm sharp.  He lost it. It was awful.  He told me I was the worst mom ever, which stung a little, but I knew he was just tired.  He later, thankfully, apologized and told me he loved me, unprovoked.  He was asleep as soon as I walked out the door.

Good day.

Confessions of a PreK Mother

I wanted to blog last night when my emotions were much more raw, but I suppose it was a good thing that it wouldn't let me for some reason.  This is sure to be a whole lot of rambling...but I would like to remember that when my baby boy started Pre-K I was a complete wreck.

Last night I was so distraught and nervous I couldn't do ANY thing. Yet, I was doing everything not to sit still and think...or I might crumble.  I even got out the kids' coloring book and colored two pictures of Clifford the Big Red Dog.  What?!!? I think Jeff was nervous then :)

But really it's so scary letting your baby go for almost 7 hours a day.  I have NEVER EVER understood how a mom could home school until yesterday.  The thought of him leaving me for so long, everyday, I almost buckled.  And I still might, but I am determined to give it a shot first. 

He's so little to me and I want him to stay little forever, but, alas, I know I can't.  He is so excited.  This won't be nearly as hard for him as it will be for me.  I just remember when he wasn't sleeping through the nights at 10 months and I thought that would never end, and now he sleeps like an angel and is starting school.  Shouldn't there have been some type of a time gap between these two phases in life? :) I know you all told me, "This too shall pass" and it did...all too fast looking back.

I can honestly say I have felt just about every emotion under the sun these last few days.  Worry, fear, nerves galore swish through my head and stomach on a regular basis. I feel like I haven't prepared him for what the 'world' will really be like.  We've sheltered him in a lot of ways. He's still so innocent and pure. 

I run just about every scenario good and bad through my mind rapidly without much control...and thus I am not sleeping at all right now.  That's not good...

But tomorrow is the big day.  He's so excited. We met his teacher, Mrs. Ellis, today and she's very sweet and I have prayed my little heart out for her and for Jackson.  I know the Lord knew that I needed to hear that she is a believer.  That has eased a lot of my worry.  I love that He answered that prayer for me.  I think that is why my emotions are not nearly as raw as yesterday. 

There are a ton of neat new toys and books and all sorts of things under the sun in his room and the Pre-K area in the new wing of Ranch Heights. 

Jackson and Colton are not in the same class but their rooms are adjoined by a bathroom.  So hopefully they'll see each other enough.  They were pricelessly cute tonight when they saw each other at Open House.  Jackson hasn't seen Colton in about 2 weeks I think and so he ran to him and hugged him and I just LOVE their sweet friendship.  I know that they will each make new friends this year, but I know their little friendship will remain strong.  This is also another comforting thing for me.

I want so many things for Jackson. I can't believe he is going to school full time now, but I can't wait to see what the Lord will do in and through him along the way. 

Jackson graduates Mother's Day Out

Jackson had his end of year program last week

He was rather excited to see that Grandma Maxie, Nonna, Grammy, and Daddy (and Charleigh & Mom) were all there to watch him! :)

 I have video of all the songs they sang (4) and they did a great job. 

He was in Mrs. Morgan's class this year Monday, Wednesday, and half day Friday. He really did such a great job this year and learned a ton about so many things! His favorite friend, Colton, was in his class and it was just SO cute to see their friendship grow this year.  They were pretty inseperable during the school year and we even had some playdates throughout the year, too.

The kids in his class were:  Jackson, Olivia, Reed, Colton, Steven, Aubrie, Parker, and Grant (not pictured)

I believe that only Colton and Jackson are moving to Ranch Heights next year, but we are so glad that they will be together (and we are praying they get the same teacher).

Of course I couldn't leave without a picture of him being goofy...he is Jeff's kid afterall! I am sad it was so blurry, but I had to post it all the same.

And, so we go to big school next year...I am sure there will be many posts about that adventure! I am quite sad about it as of now, however.