How in the heck do I have a 1st grader?!

{let's just pretend that i'm caught up on this here blog.  and that you know all about how kindergarten went.  and you know all about our fun summer, etc.  & let's dive into a new era...one where momma gets her booty in gear & actually updates this journal of the russky's life!}

6am.  snooze.  6:09am.  snooze.  6:11am.  crud!  what time is it?!  get up!  first day of school!!!  can't be late like you were to sort pta school supplies or for meet the teacher day!!!  {more on momma over-sleeping later!  hmm...interesting...now i know why nick asks me "did you get enough sleep last night momma?" just about every morning!}

* arouse the russky at 6:40 ... check

* still rubbing the russky's back & coaxing outta bed at 6:50 ... check

* finally up & dressed {& looking so handsome i might add!} at 7:00 ... check

* breakfast eaten {sausage wrapped in pancakes & blueberries} ... check

* teeth brushed & face washed {sorta ... missed a bit of the syrup on the ol' cheek, but that's what mommas are for, right?} ... check 

* hair brushed & blow dried {yeah...that won't last long, but gotta look good for the 1st day!} ... check 

* healthy snack packed in new backpack {grapes...i heart that this kid hearts fruit!} ... check

* new shoes on the peets {i have to brag about my victory too...he got two new pairs of shoes for school - one plain ol' normal non-light-em-up's & one star wars light-em-up's.  somehow i managed to convince him that he should save the star wars for day two.  he had already taken his melatonin...was perhaps a little groggy...maybe i didn't win all that fairly...but...what can i say?  i know i won't be able to pick out his clothes forever, so i'll take it for as long as i can!} ... check

* rush to get in the car to drive one block to school at 7:25am {yeah, yeah, yeah...i'll reduce our carbon footprint tomorrow...i have school supplies to sell to new kids so can't be late!} ... check

* sad because daddy worked at the fire station yesterday & didn't make it home in time to wish him a good day {at least he got to talk to him on the phone & he'll get to see him later today!} ... check 

* walk as sloooooooly as possible up to the school ... check & double check

* hide behind momma while being told "good morning!" & "have a great 1st day!" by the principal & teachers in the hallways ... check

* run into a few friends in the hallway while walking to classroom...momma thinking this would lift his spirits & bring him outta his shell but not so much ... check

* take picture in front of locker {whether he smiles or not!  took two outta spite!} ... check

  

* wander around the classroom looking for his desk {couldn't remember & got a little nervous about this process - apparently kris walked him to it 4 times at meet-the-teacher day, but...well...he is a boy & boys don't have the greatest of memories ya know!} ... check

* tell "mrs egg-wargs" {aka "mrs edwards" to us laypeople...will he ever have a teacher who's name he doesn't have a hard time pronouncing?!} good morning ... check

* run back to momma for one last minute hug, tears in eyes, saying "but i just wanna stay home with you!" {momma's heart melts!} ... check

* wave to momma & sit at desk ready to take on the world at 7:40am ... check!

so.  now i'm sitting at home.  in a completely quiet house.  trying to figure out what the heck i'm gonna do with my day!  it sure goes by supa fast so i better figure it out quickly.  i suppose i'll drag myself kicking & screaming to the grocery store.  not a fan...but sure beats going with a russky in tow! 

xoxo ... liese f

Life's Little Frustrations

this morning was not unlike any other morning in the johnson house.  kris went to the fire station bright and early, so i was on momma duty.  it began with me sleepily stumbling up the stairs, arousing my little russky with a quick back rub and good morning musings.

"did you sleep well?  have good dreams?  what would you like for breakfast?  get up and go potty and wash your hands.  i'll meet you downstairs."

10 minutes later i'm downstairs, still waiting for nick to finish getting dressed and come down for breakfast.

"nick?  what are you doing?  hurry and come down to eat!"

"okaaayy!  i'm coming!"

{waiting...waiting...waiting...}

"nick?  come on!  your breakfast is getting cold!"

"okaaayy..."

he finally makes it downstairs and sloooooowly puts on his socks and shoes while chattering away to himself, as if reminding himself the steps to follow.  comes to the table...takes his meds {like. a. champ. - i should really start praising him more for that.}, and starts to eat.  i tell him i'm going to get dressed and to hurry and eat because he's going to be late since he spent so much time getting dressed.

15 minutes later i come back out of my room, expecting him to be finished eating, putting his dishes in the sink, and heading to brush his teeth.  nope.  still sitting at the kitchen table.  barely touched his food.  staring into space.  waving his fork around.  humming.

"nick!  what are you doing?!  you haven't even eaten yet?!  well there's no time now!  you're going to be late for school!  let's go!"  {breakfast thrown away}

"okaaayy..." {walks as slowly as possible to bathroom for the brushing of the teeth & hair}

"let's go dude!  walk faster!" {seriously!  is this opposite day?!  does "fast" really mean "slow as possible?!}

i brush his teeth & hair, and send him to put on his coat and grab his backpack as i grab my wallet and jacket.  does nick act with expediency?  nope.  meanders to the coat closet.  gets the items necessary. talks to the dog.  happy go lucky.  not a care in the world.

"nick!  come on! get your coat on!  let's go!"

"okaaayy..." {i swear the kid is eeoyre sometimes!}

i slow my pace.  take a deep breath.  put on my own jacket.  walk to the car.  nick...well...still moving at a snail's pace.  jacket dragging on the floor.  backpack slung {upside down} over one shoulder.

"nick!  hurry up!  get in the car!  move it!"

"okaaayy.  i'm coming."

{and the slower he moves, and the more calm he is, not even caring that my voice has raised, make me even more angry}

several hours minutes later, we're finally heading to school.  with me asking him "do you like being yelled at?  is that what you want?  our mornings to always start out like this?!"  do i really expect him to say "yes mom.  i looove to be yelled at and to make you angry and frustrated first thing in the morning.  i live for it!"

several hours later and i'm still rehashing the morning, as i do every morning that starts this way.  it should bring me some comfort that my ever-patient, laid-back, easy-going husband becomes just as frustrated at this morning routine.  but - it just makes me sad!  i know he really, truly can't help his daydreaming, and his lack of enthusiasm for being awake so early, however, some mornings i really find myself counting the seconds until his ADHD meds kick in!  they make such a difference, and even his teachers at school tell us that the mornings are especially rough and they can definitely tell the "aha" moment when they finally take hold of his wandering brain.

so what do i do?  wake him up an hour earlier and deprive us both of much needed sleep?  wake myself up earlier and down two cups of coffee immediately so i'm a little more bearable?  i wish the answer to all this could be as simple as "just slow down and enjoy this time with him...", which is great for the weekends when we have nothing going on, but during the week, i can't do that or he'll always be tardy for school!  {soo not a morning person to start with!}  i don't know the right answer, but what i do know is that we can't go on this way with the constant prodding for the next step in the morning routine...

the "get dressed...get your pants on!...get your socks on...ok...now put your shoes on...eat...take another bite...put your dishes away...dude...just put the dishes in the sink stop looking at the sink...brush your teeth...ok you're done now...wash your face...ok i'm sure your face is clean now...dry your face and hands now...dude...dry your face!...etc, etc, etc..."

all that's gotta stop.  it's driving us parents nuts & apparently he's so used to us yelling at him, that it doesn't even phase him anymore!  why can't parenting come with a magic guide book, with steps that actually work on every child?  i love that he's an individual...but... well... i guess that's really it... BUT... cuz what else is there to say?  we're at a loss... :(  any advice from the peanut gallery out there?

xoxo...liese :o)

Holy Heck...I Have a Kindergartener!!!

i can't believe nick is already a kindergartener!  it's crazy to think he's been with us just 3 short years...kinda makes it feel like he should technically only be 3 years old.  he's definitely come a looong way from that scared little guy that took his first car ride outside baby home number 1! he has a lot more confidence and has overcome a lot of his shyness, altho he still does become a little unnerved in unfamiliar circumstances.

nicky was very excited as we walked him to school the first day.  he was all smiles, and chattered the whole way; asking a million questions about what kindergarten would be like.  the closer we got tho, the more anxious he became.  as we crossed the street and walked up to the front of school, his grip on my hand tightened and the questions about when he could come home started.  he told me "i just wanna to stay home wif you momma!"  so sweet! :)

 we found his locker and helped him hang up his backpack and put his lunchbox in the right spot.  we walked into the class and met his teacher, and as he saw the other kids in his class all reading a book, he delightfully joined them.  he was excited to see that a little girl that lives across the street from us was in his class!

 once he was settled, he barely even paid any attention to us!  it was as if he was thinking "adios parents...this is my world & you gotta go!"

i picked him up at the "walker door" after school and he came bounding out full of exuberance.  he told me all about how fun his first day was, and that he couldn't wait to go back the next day the whole way home, and all thru snack once we got home.  then...he fell fast asleep!  i guess kindergarten is hard work!

xoxo...liese :o)