Back to School 2014

The day before the first day of school, Saya was showing me she would have to wear gloves to school to conceal her special ice power (thanks Frozen)!

Noah thought school starts too early!

A little nervous, but she did well.

Saya found her seat.

Sean's class.  He is the one with bright green shirt.  I totally forgot to visit Aly's class.

Miss Lowy sent me this photo.  She looks totally relaxed, compared to Aly's mug shot look last year.

The second day. 

Well, we did it!  The school started after the Labor Day and Sean is a big 3rd grader, Aly and Noah are proud 1st graders, and our little baby Saya became a brand new Kindergartner!  Saya was very excited to be a kindergartner and she was telling everyone she met during summer that she is going to a big kid school.  They all gasped and acted like it's a big news and that made the girl extra proud.  There is something about the youngest entering school... I was feeling a little sad and felt like our baby phase is truly over.  Looking at her with chubby cheeks and dimpled hands, it hardly seems we are ready.  Saya was more than ready though and she carried around her brand new backpack at home excitedly. 

There were some first day jitters, but things went smoothly on the big day.  I clumsily prepared four lunches in the morning while kids are having breakfast.  Making four lunches is a hard work... It's never easy in my house because the girls prefer Japanese style bento where as the boys have their own requirements.  At least though they eat at school.  I don't have to be a lunch police five days out of seven and that is a pretty good deal! 

Noah leaves early again around 7:20 am everyday and he certainly wasn't a happy camper the first day.  Grumpy or not, the bus came and took the boy away to school.  The other three kids and I walked to school a little early since there is always a chaos on the first day.  The bags containing their school supplies were so heavy, I regretted not taking the stroller to haul them.  By the time we arrived school, I was sweaty and the heat from all the parents and children crammed in school made me sweat even more!  I naturally accompanied Saya to her kindergarten class.  I am sure Aly would have liked to have me at her class, too.  Saya was a little nervous, but had the game face on.  She was trying her best to sit up properly and was listening intently to the teacher's instruction.  Her teacher is Miss Lowy, the same teacher Aly had last year.  She is one of the best teachers we had, so I am so happy Saya has her, too.

I walked out of school and I was starting to smile big and bigger as I walked away.  I was finally FREE.  FREEDOM!!  I could have dance walked if I didn't have to worry about people around me.  I just couldn't believe that I had no children with me until mid afternoon.  Am I allowed to be this free?  It felt surreal to have such a light feeling and I was determined to do something I wanted to do for a long time.  The first thing I did was have a cup of coffee.  Then I sat on the couch and read the news on my phone.  The next thing I did made me mad at myself at first.  I fell asleep on the couch for straight two hours!  I was so excited to do something fun and I felt like I wasted my time by being unconscious for two hours - the two precious hours of freedom.  When I thought about it though later, it probably was the best way to spend it after 8 and half years of wearing children on me. 

So we are more than happy the school started!  Saya is doing great and got used to the school routines quickly.  Sean is happy that his buddies are in the same class and Aly likes her gentle new teacher.  Noah seems to have adopted very well to the new classroom, too.  I am enjoying the extra time I have and being super productive at home.  I can finally clean in a real sense without being interrupted.  I will be joining my friend's Yoga class shortly and get into photography more seriously.  Oh and doing the much needed painting in the house, too.  I seem to think I can do millions of things now that I have some time alone.  We shall see!  Back to school = happy family :-)