first day of first grade.

He had a good day.
And that's all this mom was hoping for, really.
He didn't really want his picture taken but I told him he wouldn't get to play with my ipad if he didn't let me take a few pics. That seemed to work, but the fake "cheese" smile is evident.
Notice those two missing upper teeth. :)
We still have the issue of actually eating the lunch he brings to school to work on, but I think he'll figure that one out fairly quickly. ;)
I remember holding him as a baby and toddler and thinking I that "all day, everyday" school days were SO far away...and they'd never get here soon enough for this exhausted mom who day-dreamed of a reprieve from the non-stopness that is motherhood. But now here they are...
And just like that I'm back to days alone with the dog and no job - just like when I left work and went on bedrest five weeks before having Maxwell.
Different dog, but we'll keep each other company just the same.
I'm just happy this dude above is back in school and getting to see his friends on a regular basis.
And unlike last year, this mom did not shed a tear.
He's a happy kiddo - no need for tears.

inch by inch: last day of kindergarten.

Yesterday was the last day of Kindergarten (You can see the first day of school post HERE to compare photos.) I'm not sure it really phased Max. He had a classmate's birthday party to go to immediately after school, so he got to spend more time with a few of his favorite buddies.

But when he came home he was more than a little quiet and sad. You see, two of his best friends from class are moving this summer. Poor dude. He will make new friends in first grade, and he has plenty of other friends from school that aren't going anywhere. But it made me sad to see him so sad about it. I don't know what that's like really - none of my best friends moved when I was a kid. (And in the end, I was the one who did the moving away from all of my best friends...ironic...)

Anyway, it was a great year! He had an amazing teacher, amazing staff and principal. And I really enjoyed helping out in his class. It was a good year! I'm happy to say that the rumors of how great Camas schools are is more than true.

On Monday the Kindergarteners had their end of school year program. They sang two songs. The second song they sang was The Garden Song aka Inch by Inch. You've probably heard it before.

I am happy to say that I didn't shed a tear, though I came quiet close. I had a lump in my throat the entire time they were singing. Here's a bit of the lyrics:

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless these seeds I sow
Please keep them safe below
'Till the rain comes tumbling down

Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones
We are made of dreams and bones
Need a place to call my own
'Cause the time is close at hand

Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
Till my body and my brain
Tell the music of the land





A little John Denver for you... 

Happy summer, friends!!

fortunately and unfortunately: tuesday randomness.

Fortunately unfortunately, today was my last day of volunteering at Max's school (I think...)

My favorite part of volunteering this year was sharpening a big pile of pencils at home. (Wow. That makes me sound really awful, doesn't it? Well, that was my favorite part of at-home volunteer work.)

My favorite part of in-class volunteer work was getting see all the kids in the class and my little Maxwell. Getting a glimpse into what a portion of his day is like.

My fear about volunteering this year was breaking messing-up the laminating machine. (First world fears and problems...I know. Ridiculous.)

Unfortunately, today I did something wrong while using the laminator. I wouldn't say I broke it exactly... But it was unusable by the time I was finished using it.

Fortunately, I finished my laminating project before it broke stopped working.

Unfortunately, I had to stay a bit longer to complete my task.

Fortunately, I got the chance to talk to the principal about first grade next year.

I really enjoyed sharpening these pencils.
I really, really enjoyed taking macro photos of these pencils.
I really like simple tasks that leave you with a strong sense of getting something simple done quickly, and checked off the "to-do" list.
Like vacuuming...but I won't get into that now.

You know what else I really enjoy?...
The smell of crayons and looking at all of those colors.
But that's a different post.
With a different set of macro photos.

Oh and then I went to the store and took an item off the shelf of a perfect display (if you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw it.)
Again, that's a different post...maybe for tomorrow.

It's a Tuesday.
Mine was pretty good.
How was yours?...

(does anybody else have vivid memories of writing "fortunately and unfortunately" stories in elementary school?...)

his first day of kindergarten.

That is the one and only regular old smile photo I got of this boy on his first day.
It kind of drives me crazy that I rarely get the non-goofy faced photos, but he's a funny man. That's who this boy is. He likes to make people laugh and smile. And that makes me smile.

We took these before we walked up to school yesterday. He did just fine. The afternoon Kindergarten kids met in the library for a story before going to class. We walked him in, he took off his backpack, and we told him to have a great day and gave him a kiss (SO happy I can still give him a kiss at school!) and then we left. I got that lump in my throat, but I didn't cry.

Another school year has begun. It feels quite a bit different with Max now in elementary school.
Walking him up to school at lunchtime...
Walking up to get him in the afternoons...
Asking him about his day on our walk home and getting the usual, "I don't know." and "Nothing" and "Okay" answers...(any and all remedies for getting boys to talk about their day are welcome. boys young and old...)


My oh my, I'm not sure I'm ready for all of this...

the day before...

Truth be told, there were many, many a day in the past five and a half years of being home all the time with Max when I couldn't wait for this day to come. For Max to head off to school every day. I dreamed of it (is that awful to say?...). It seemed like forever away.
And now it's finally here.
I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Or maybe I should say, I have mixed emotions, which I'm not even sure I will articulate all that well...
Part of me is excited: for him to be challenged and get to play and interact with other kids on a daily basis. For me to not worry about how to entertain him all day, and feel guilty when I have to do other things while he sits around playing on the computer or watching TV. It hasn't always been easy having an only child.
Part of me is sad though. I've heard all my friends with older kids say it: Once they start school it just flies by.
I suppose I'm worried about that part of it.
I'm worried that I will blink and he will be finishing high school and off to college. And our house will be empty once again.
Tomorrow marks a big life change for both of us.
He will spend a lot more time away from me. (And next year he will spend even more time at school...ugh) It marks the beginning of his venturing out into the world on his own. (Just typing that sentence fills me with anxiety and joy. An odd combo.)
And me? Well, I survived being the stay at home mom for those tough baby and little kid years. That part of my journey as mom is kind of over. A new chapter starts with the school years. I wonder what I will do with my time. I used to wonder what stay at home moms of school aged kids do all day. Guess I'm that SAHM mom now.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall tomorrow...
I'd love to see him at recess, and in PE, and music class (oh my! he will love music class), and sitting at his table with his new friends.
I have vivid snap-shot memories of kindergarten. I remember my teacher - Miss Shensky, and the classroom, and the days my mom helped in class...
I remember walking through that door pictured above.

My wish for you, Max, my one and only sweet boy-
smile
laugh
listen
enjoy
run and play
make new friends
remember kindness always
and dream big.

xo,
mom