Party of Two: Preschool, Two Parks and a Pajama Party!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

6:45 a.m. Rise and shine! (Or should I say, Ayize arose - and was shining - at 6:45, while I was mumbling and muttering and trying to pull the covers back over my head.)

Little Man ate a power breakfast of cheesy scrambled eggs with (fake) bacon and a big glass of OJ. We got dressed and hit the road.

He arrived looking pretty excited, and even pulled my had as we walked through the parking lot saying, "Come on, Mama! Huwwy!"

But flash forward five minutes as were in the car driving over...I was imagining that things were not going to go so smoothly. Because our drive began with this cheerful question, piping up at top volume from the back seat: "Where we going now, Mama?"

It suddenly occurred to me that (1) I had just broken my new personal rule of no more abrupt transitions without warnings (we've been having issues moving from one activity to another. And I mean BIG sad tearful issues!) and (2) this was such a crappy timing to have broken the new rule. Ugh.

I said, in an overly-cheerful voice, "Well, honey, you're going to school, to have fun, and play with your friends, and sing songs, and listen to stories! I should have told you sooner, I'm sorry. Does that sound like fun?"

Silence from the back seat.

"Honey? What do you think about that?"

And then..."Mama, I'm owl-baby?"

And then I knew we were okay. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness thank goodness thank goodness for accidental saves!!! But let me explain...

On Monday, we were at the library. I was studiously checking out books about starting preschool when Ayize arbitrarily grabbed this book...

...because he's into owls at the moment again (a periodic craze he passes through). That night, we read it, and he loved it.

The next day, after preschool, when he woke up from his nap, he rejected my special "school" books and went straight for the owl story, asking to read it three times in a row. That night, he brought it out again. We read it again yesterday, during a wait at a doctor's office, and again last night. I was wondering why all the repetition...but in the car this morning, it became clear to me.

"Mama, I'm Owl-Baby?" meant that Owl-Mommy was going to go away...

...but she was definitely coming back!

Anyway, into school we went. Ayize clung to my leg just the littlest bit before abruptly letting go and bounding eagerly into our classroom.

Straight up into the playhouse he went...

"Hi, Mama!"

And then back down the stairs, in a flash, and to the bead table. He hardly waved goodbye as I left. I was so happy!

Talya and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves the whole two hours and I was happily surprised when my phone remained silent (well, not silent exactly, but not with my programmed Oh My God ringtone for the school LOL).

Back to school at 11:15, and Ayize eagerly greeted me in the entranceway. I was surprised to see him out of the classroom, but before I could begin imagining the worst, Hillary, the assistant director approached me and put a hand on my arm. "Don't worry!" she said cheerfully, and went on to tell me that he did great the entire time, except during the last ten minutes when the other parents all arrived and the class gathered in a circle to sing "The Goodbye Song" together. He looked for me, and when I didn't show, tears flowed and so the teachers let him out into the lobby to hang with her and await my arrival.

By the time I came, he was happily playing with some squishy bugs and cheerful as could be. She told me the tears lasted all of two seconds, and apologized for not telling me to return a bit early for this end-of-class ritual. As the door opened and the other students began exiting with their folks, Ayize dragged me back into the classroom and proudly began showing me his favorite activities. He was a blur of activity!

"Playhouse!"

"Cars! Trucks! Choo-choos!"

"Pumpkie!" And he presented me with a beautiful pumpkin he had painted for me that morning.

Meanwhile, the two remaining teachers in the classroom enthused to me about what a good boy he was! How surprised they were that he made it through the whole day on just his second day! How nicely he plays! How well he did, despite several of the other kids continuing to have difficult times and creating an intense classroom experience, at times! I was trying to appear calm and cool but inside I was bursting with pride!!! Of course, this could be a case of beginner's luck, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up too quickly...but I'm really really really proud of Ayize regardless! (Obviously!)

Outside, we met pals - and fellow schoolmates (though sadly, all three are split among the classrooms) - Brady and Kayla. The kids horsed around outside the school for a bit.

Then we headed next door to Raymond Park to play. Kayla's class had pumpkin cookies, and Ayize could hardly hide his envy...

...but luckily, Talya had a cookie of her own on hand, and generously shared it with Ayize.

"Mama, I make you castle!" And he stuck this stick right in the center of his sand pile and declared it a "flag".

Two tired kids piled into the car. Note Ayize's bag of veggie booty. This was just part of the awesome goodie bag our pal Gretchen gave us at playgroup yesterday when we all met up at Harms Woods. Just a few quick snapshots from this venture (sorry to meander off the preschool path for just a moment, but the veggie booty inspired good memories.)

Harms Woods! Colin, Brady, Henry and Greta gathered around the firepit.

Brianna, Ayize, Greta and Brady flanking baby Olivia.

Ayize, Brianna, Greta, Colin and Brady selling me ice cream.

Ayize, Colin, Brady and Greta playing hide-and-seek among fallen leaves and acorns.

Everybody - baby Will, baby Nathan, baby Olivia, Brady, Lukey, Greta, Ayize, Colin, Brianna, Henry, and even our mascot, Scout - enjoying an autumnal story.

Ring-around-the-rosy.

Freaking gorgeous fall foliage. Wonderfully-warm weather. Good friends. Perfect day.

Anyway, back to the present...

...post-nap, we met Tamara, Brianna and baby Nathan at Alexander Park. It wasn't quite as warm as the day before, but it was still another gorgeous autumn afternoon.

I asked Ayize if he wanted to tell Brianna anything exciting about his day, and he cheerfully reported to her that he had had a "big stick!" Huh?? I was blazing with excitement about our school success, and all he remembered about the day was the giant stick he found at Raymond Park afterwards???

Then they hopped into the limo. Ayize chauffeured and Brianna caught a ride.

Awwwwww!

The situation suddenly turned all "Combat convoy", as Brianna took the wheel, while Ayize poked his rifle out the window and took aim at us, shouting kamikaze war cries.

Siblings being silly.

See the squirrel in the fork of the tree? Guess their mission was a success.

Surprise, surprise - Jonah joined the mix. Mollie just happened to be meeting another one of our playgroup pals, Darcie, at the same park.

Sylvia, aswing.

Brianna, inspired to swing silly-style, a la Sylvia.

Teeter-tottering.

Weed-whacking.

All aboard!

Big smiles from baby Nathan!

Throwing kisses at baby Reece!

Laughter all around as Ayize tickles her toes.

Goofball binoculars!

And worse, binocular farts!

"Mama, look moon!"

Dinner at Chipotle, and Ayize was shoveling it in. He'd worked up a big appetite at the park!

7 p.m. and onto our last stop of the day: the library. Climbing up...and up...

...and up!

Once inside, I changed Ayize.

'Cuz it was time for a pajama party!!!

Hee-haw!

Mr. Brian already had the crowd on their feet by the time we arrived, five minutes late. That man has rock star status (among the under-five set. And also, among the grateful-parents-of-the-under-five-set.)