Before school started

We did some things.  Isaac built a fort in the backyard.  He is obsessed with forts.  They are never done.  And he always requests more wood.  And nails. I always have a hard time breaking it to him that's not going to happen.

Isaac has been doing a six-week soccer course.  Mostly drills and lessons.  He has liked it.  the course is for 3-5 year olds but I still feel like Isaac is still a little young.  But he has had fun anyway.

I laugh when he dribbles.  He goes so slow to make sure he can keep with it. 

Controlling the ball.  Even James now steps on the ball and says, "control!"

The helper girl was calling Isaac "batman" when he did these crazy jumps. 

It is slightly stressful to entertain James while at soccer.  He usually wants to bounce a ball in the lobby, which I feel is super annoying to the poor desk workers.  This day he was content with trains. 

He never wants me to take a picture but then he always wants to see it after.  

We have some new neighbors that Isaac and James love to play with.  It doesn't hurt that they have some great wooden trains.  James loves their baby.  When they came over and the mom put a blanket down for the baby, the other kids swarmed.  

James makes a great pout.

Always riding bikes.  We traded Isaac's bigger bike for something smaller.  He hated his 14" inch bike so we sold it on craigslist for enough money to buy a 12" one instead.  Immediately he was cruising around.  I feel bad we bought him a bigger bike for Christmas.  Oh well, now he's happy, seven months later. 

We went peach picking at Eckert's.  It was such a nice day and we bought an enormous quantity, which took us two weeks to eat. 

There were blackberries too but we didn't get enough to buy--we just ate them.  yum.

Another pout for you.

What a beautiful day.

It has been very unlike St. Louis this summer.  I don't think it's broken 100 yet.  We have had many cool days and nights.  We swam a lot for about two or three weeks but then the pool got cold.  It has been disappointing not to swim so much but we have been enjoying the nice weather doing other things.

Kindergarten

How did we get here?  I feel like it was just a few days ago that Blake and I took Isaac home from the hospital to our cockroach-infested apartment.  We set him down in his carseat in front of the couch, sat down, looked at each other, and said, "now what?"  I have been dreading this day for a long time--Isaac starting full-day kindergarten.  A week or so ago some people from the school left this sign in our front yard.

Class of ...?  Scary. 

The night before kindergarten started we went to open house.  Who wouldn't love a school with a giant ice cream in front?

ok, now there are a lot of pictures of Isaac.  And James. 

So we got to visit his classroom and drop of school supplies, which was super stressful by the way.  Oh my heck, bringing bags and bags of supplies and finding the right places to put all of them...and worrying about Isaac's name not being labeled on anything...and getting homework which we didn't do that night...and trying to find the cafeteria and the art room and the music room and the library...all while trying not to look too much like an idiot...

Isaac was happy with his school --because he got a little treat bag at his desk and ice cream outside and a chance to tour/sit in a school bus. 

So then today was the big day.  Isaac woke up early so excited and ready to go.  He wanted to see what was in his lunch box and he got his breakfast of choice--pancakes.  Finally it was time to wait for the bus at 7:35.  He saw the other kids waiting and got so hyper!  He was bouncing around and smiling for everyone. 

The other kids were pretty hyper too. 

Peter, Brinley, Kai, Hussain, Isaac:  bus stop buds

Ok, James, I will pay attention to you too.

The infamous Peter and Brinley.  Isaac talks about them all the time.

It was Julianne's first day of preschool.  Isaac likes to play getting married with her.  They will dance on the sewer manhole and hold hands.  

Peter and his family

And then the bus came!  Isaac bounded on, first in line, found a seat, and some other kids sat by him.  Then we waved to him as he drove off!  

Then we jumped in the car to go to his school.  The bus beat us, though.   (we ran into some traffic.)  So by the time I found a parking spot and walked to the school, his bus was pulling out and Isaac was in his classroom.  I checked in there and saw him sitting on a rug watching Franklin.  (Hey, they watch tv in school?)  The teacher said he came in and put his stuff down like it was no big deal and he had done it a million times.  Then James and I got a bagel in the library where the counselors assured us they will do anything to help our  kids through whatever they are going through. 

It was a long day until 3:15, when the bus was supposed to come.  And even longer until 3:35, when it finally did come. 

And there he is, so happy to see Mom!  The first thing he said was, "I missed you, mom!"

He said his favorite part was riding the bus.  He went to the library and the book was funny.  It cracked him up.  It was about a boy who was naughty in kindergarten.  He sat by a boy that didn't talk to him at lunch.  He played with Brinley at the playground.  Brinley made a new friend.  He sang BINGO and Twinkle twinkle little star.

My favorite part was that I packed him a sandwich, apple, cheese stick, and cookie for lunch.  At home he gets a treat if he eats an apple.  So he brought home three apple slices and the cookie.  He didn't eat the cookie because he didn't finish his apple.  What a sweet, obedient boy he is.  As I watched him full of excitement in the morning I felt that this is a joyous time to celebrate the kind of boy Isaac has grown into and the opportunities he has to learn and grow.  Now for another day tomorrow!

James had a rough day.  He was bored.  And full of demands.  But we made it through.  He still naps so I had two hours to work on a project in the middle of the day.  By the way, James is saying the funniest things lately.  Yesterday he kept saying, "Mom, I am bigger.  I ride the bus."  He remembers who Isaac's teacher is and will tell his friends, "And Isaac go to Mrs. Ladd."  And some days if he wakes up early enough to catch Blake going to work, he will want to watch Daddy leave and when he says goodbye he will say, "Thank oo for coming our house."  And Blake will say, "But I live here, James!"