First Day of School

Both boys are currently camped out in front of the television.  Harry is tired out from his first day of third grade and Robert is just hanging with his brother.  Robert had orientation for preschool today and tomorrow is his first official day of preschool.  He seemed to like the classroom there, fingers crossed it will be a good experience.

Harry had library today, so that pleased him.  He seemed to have a good first day.  When the bus arrived, he was asleep against the window.  Clearly it wore him out.  I was sitting with them for a while reading all the paperwork and filling out the myriad of forms that come on the first day.  I think I have a simple dinner planned so I can now go and kick back with them some more.

I am going to post this year's pictures later this week, but here are some of Harry in past years.  It is kind of fun to see how he changed from borderline toddler to a little boy.  Today Robert wore the shirt Harry is wearing in the first picture to his orientation day.  I wonder if the teacher's noticed (they are the same teacher's Harry had for his second year of preschool).

Harry's first year of preschool in Jamestown Early Learning Center - 3 years old

First day of second year of preschool - at Melrose Elementary School - 4 years old

First day of kindergarten at Melrose Elementary - 5 years old 

First Day of First Grade - 6 years old

First day of Second Grade - 7 years old

Home again, home again

Well, I am  home after being away for another week.  This week I was in Cincinnati to meet my godbabies, Aidan and Jaina.  Also to spend time with their Mommy, Kimberly.  We mostly stayed at home, but we did errands and got to the zoo and to church.  It is a daunting thing to deal with 2 babies at once.  I didn't have to do that much at all, because Kimberly was around.  However, I did have a few times holding one and bouncing one in a bouncy chair to try to calm him/her down.  I spent most of my days doing Jaina's feedings and most of my nights doing Aidan's.  I came away knowing Kimberly will be fine on her own, although probably rather tired.   The thing about babies is the dailiness of it all.  Each day is similar and equally tiring.  Babies are so dependent upon us for their needs and so much comes along with those needs.  I remembered the exhaustion of taking care of a newborn and must admit that I am glad to be done with that stage.

At the same time each stage has its challenges and my boys keep me busy and tired in other ways.  Both boys are learning and doing very different things and sometimes I need to stop and remember who I am dealing with and what is the appropriate behavior for that boy and react accordingly.

I had some lovely moments of remembering while there too.  I loved standing in the back of the church and rocking Aidan when he got a little fussy.  It reminded me that I did that fairly often with Harry (read - every Sunday).  I had forgotten that.  I never had to do that with Robert.

So without further adieu - here are the pictures:


It was a good week and here are some pictures.

Aidan snoozing in his car seat

Me at the zoo with a polar bear

Holding Jaina just after she had a little snack at the zoo

Kimberly and Aidan

All of us at the Cincinnati Zoo

Kimberly and her babes :-)

See I can hold both of them for a few seconds before chaos breaks out

Hanging out on the couch in her frilly bib

It was a good week.  I have a real appreciation of some of the challenges of multiples!  I came back to my husband and boys all in different stages of life.  We did fine away from each other, but home is always the nicest place to be.  Now we are looking at a possible hurricane and praying that all the folks in the path of Irene stay safe.

Meeting the godbabies

I am in Cincinnati, Ohio at my friend Kimberly's house.  Just about 2 months ago she gave birth to twins, Aidan and Jaina.  She has had folks parents, an aunt, and many friends and neighbors here helping her out.  This week is my week and for the moment the last week with somebody staying at the house to help.

I don't know how much help I have been, but I am helping with the feedings, doing a little cleaning, doing a little laundry and of course holding babies, soothing babies and just in general hanging out.  Everybody is doing well.  There is the usual exhaustion of a house with a newborn, only multiplied because there are two and Kimberly is a single Mom so she has her hands full.  I am glad I can be here to ease the transition from having had help to being on her  own.

Funny thing is that I am not really a baby person.  Aidan and Jaina are very cute and as they were 7 weeks early, it is like being with newborns even though they are a couple of months old.  I have enjoyed the chance to snuggle with a little one and I think my favorite moments are letting them have some quiet alert time and watching them discover the world around them.

It is fascinating the process of becoming a family and being a baby.  Kimberly is doing a wonderful job and the babies are thriving too.  Jaina has some tummy trouble, but she's still eating and both of them are still so little that they eat alot, but they are on something of a schedule and now that they are considered newborns and full term, they no longer have to be wakened every 3 hours to eat so hopefully that will make K's life and nights easier.

A household with babies revolves around eating, sleeping, changing and beginning the process again.  It really is a tiring slog.  We've talked about how things change and you aren't as physically tired as your children begin to sleep through the night and can tell you the things they need.  Then comes an emotional exhaustion sometimes as you watch and help your child learn to make friends and socialise.  As you have to teach them about the world both the good and the bad, it can be a heartbreaking experience.

At the same time I miss my family and am very thankful for emails, phone calls and Skype.  It has been pretty cool to talk and see them over the computer.  I think they are doing just fine without me, just as I am, but it does feel like something or really somebodies are missing.  Thoughts will occur to me or things will happen and instead of acting on them or sharing them immediately, I have to file them away for later.

I am enjoying being here and I will be glad to get back to my family.  The traveling here had delays and typical travel glitches, but I made it, if a bit late.  It was also the most time I have spent "alone" (surrounded by people in an airport) in a long time.  So if you read this say an extra prayer for K & A & J as they find their way as a family.

Last of the Summer Vacation Pics - from K's iphone - also proof that I was there :-)

Playing in the waves

At the end of a long day of driving

With Ben Franklin and the signers of the Constitution

Playing with K's old Star Wars figures - dum dum dum dumdadum dumdadum

It's Green Lantern - flying down I-95 at the speed of - well at a reasonable speed for a highway

Looking out at the water at Ft. Sumter and saying the refrain of the trip, "I want to go home" (at least the refrain for this little guy)

One appropriately impressed - the other had been impressed to look at the camera after a few deliberate turns and hiding of faces :-)

We built lots of drip castles on the edges of holes we built to play in while the water tried to push over our sandcastles

Sparklers are a nice way to end a day at the beach - safer than fire crackers at least

The traditional final meal of a trip to the SC beach with the Lloyd Family - crabs and shrimp

Summer Vacation Trip Pictures - the rest of the trip

creek in Chimney Rock

Everybody wading

But it looks like a good sliding rock...

taking a rest on the way to the waterfall

At the base of the waterfall

Stressful wading on slippery rocks - for Dad at least

He made it all the way up to the waterfall on his own, but needed a ride on the way back

On the boardwalk in NJ

Discussing games with Matushka Mary & Fr. Gary

In front of Orthodox Christian Church of the Annunciation in Brick, NJ

Summer Vacation Trip Pictures - the beach in SC

Cousins

Big mouth - always open and talking :-)

My swimming and wave jumping partner :-)

The game of the week - "Who am I?" - especially after we discovered the monster page

We discovered the joys of the ice cream truck - too bad there isn't one in Jamestown (or maybe not)

The green lips/chin lasted about a day 

So are you going to feed us or not?

Cousins - the younger set

Group shot - who gave the toddler bread?

Keep chewing and now a couple of you look down

Woohoo we're all looking towards the camera and not frowning 

Direction from the oldest, but not quite all facing the same way yet

Well - I think this is the closest we're gonna get to everybody looking

Summer Vacation Trip Pictures - The trip south

Stop 1 - Philadelphia - The Liberty Bell

Always happy to pose - NOT

Really not happy to pose in South of the Border

Reptile friends ?

The Boys (and the car in the background) at SotB - it was tacky but a nice stop for running around and getting out energy

Hotel time in Mt. Pleasant, SC - reading the comics

The result of some down time - R was playing with the pool noodle and puppy - not sure but I think puppy was in time out - fortunately he did not fall from the deck to his death in the parking lot

Views around out hotel in Mt. Pleasant - sunset

Ravenal Bridge, SC - view from the boat that we took to Ft. Sumter

View from our hotel room - Mt. Pleasant, SC

Sunset Mt. Pleasant, SC - Ravenal bridge in background

Pelicans

Boys in their tie dye shirts - which we made a few days before leaving on break

Robert at the SC Aquarium

Harry at the Aquarium - wearing his bullet necklace from Ft. Sumter

both boys at the Aquarium in SC