7 Quick Takes Saturday

My blog, how I've missed you.  Teaching is really sucking up all of my online time.  How I long to post and reflect on all of the things that have been happening in these past two weeks!  There's just no time.  To statisfy my blogging urge, here are some quick takes... and they're going to have to be reeeeeeally quick!

--- 1 ---

As promised, the video from N's first day of school:

--- 2 ---

While we're watching videos, have a look at this one that I've been meaning to post for a while:

--- 3 ---

Here are some pictures that I took a while back.  N picked out this outfit for C one day, and C (who is ever adoring of her big sister) wore it obligingly.  She even left the bonnet on for most of the morning.

--- 4 ---

N survived her first week of kindergarten!

She wore the visor that she made on her first Friday proudly for the entire weekend.

It has been an adjustment, to be sure.  Parent's night was this week, and it was there that we first got a copy of the daily kindergarten schedule.  Just looking at it makes me tired.  My worries about filler activities during the school day were unfounded.  They keep these kids busy-- the day is jam-packed with activities in reading, writing, math, something called "FUNdamentals", and specials (gym, art, music etc.)  As her teacher put it at the orientation, "Kindergarten is the new first grade."  It almost seems like a little too much.

As a result, N has been coming home physically and mentally exhausted.  I predicted that the adjustment to the longer school day would be hard for her physically, but I didn't expect the mental exhaustion from all of the curriculum.

Every worksheet she brings home has a smiley face or a "fantastic" sticker on it:

...so I think she's keeping up just fine.  And her spirits have been remarkably bright considering her level of tiredness, except for one meltdown at dance class the other night.  (It was a make-up class so it wasn't her regular dance friends, and she burst into inconsolable tears, saying "I'm just too nervous about new people!!"  She's had a lot of new things and new people in these past few weeks.  Even my social girl is getting weary of it.)

I'm reserving judgement, though, because I know she will adjust, and she'll get to know people, and things will get easier.  I've told her all these things in reassuring tones, but it's been hard to watch her get so worn out (not to mention she's had a case of the sniffles for about a week now).  I'm trying to help her through the adjustment as gently as I can.

--- 5 ---

Last week one of the parents from L's preschool arranged a playdate for all of the children in her class at a local playground, and her teachers arrived too, equipped with juice boxes and snacks.  It was SO great and I'm certain that day had a lot to do with the smoothness and ease of her first day the following week.

L really hit it off with a few of the little girls and she coached them on how to climb up this thing:

She spent most of the time here and hung and twisted herself in all sorts of crazy ways.  What a strong little gymnast she is!

She would also warn me as she got to the top: "Mother, I'm going considerably high!"

Also, as we were leaving, she pointed to her knee (the location of a former boo-boo) and said, "My wounds have completely healed!"

Where does she get this stuff?  I have no idea.

--- 6 ---

Oh, and we made it to the fair for a few hours last Friday:

I'm so glad were back to chilly fall temperatures and sweatshirts this weekend, after a heat wave for a couple days.  After we've had a taste of fall I never want to go back to those 90 degree temperatures again!  Some of our trees are already changing too.  September is probably my favorite month of the year with foliage, apples, and crisp temperatures, but I always sort of miss out on it because I'm so busy with other things.  It has been especially busy this year (kindergarten and preschool starting for two girls, my new online teaching job starting, my youth orchestra starting, church choir rehearsals starting, M really busy at work with all of his fall courses starting).  Anyway, I'm really glad we took some time out to go to the fair, even if it was just for a couple of hours.  That corn dog was a balm for my soul! 

--- 7 ---

Speaking of my online teaching job, it is going well, but it is overwhelming.  I have about sixty students right now so needless to say the grading for this AP course takes me a looooong time.  I have hopes that things will calm down in the next few weeks as students have less technical questions, the add period ends, and I get into a groove with organizing my time.  It has been really fun meeting all of the young musicians in the class and I'm sure it will be a rewarding experience for me.  I'm hoping my blogging won't suffer too much, because I do miss it a lot, but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day!!  I've already spent too long here and should go check in on the course while the younger girls are still napping.

Thanks to all who have made it through this super random post!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!