• BIG news,  Bug,  Family Matters

    First Day of School

    1st day of school photo

    Yesterday was Bug’s first day of school. It was very anti-climactic considering all the news coverage we’ve gotten lately for our “elaborate back to school photos”. (I’ll blog that soon, don’t worry.) We did next to nothing. We walked to school. All of us, even Toby which was really cool for Bug.

    Bug and Toby

    walking with Daddy

    It’s a bit of a walk to her school so it was really nice to have a good half hour to talk about all the things we were excited about and all the things we were fearful about. We talked about all of Bug’s old worries and how this year was going to be so much better. She was really optimistic which surprised me. I expected tears and unending worry-fests but she didn’t have any. It’s amazing how much she’s grown up over the summer. She already feels like a seven-year-old to me which is crazy.

    my girl

    Maybe it’s all the black she wears. That’s her color these days. My mom never let me wear black when I was a kid so maybe I let Bug wear as much black as she likes as my own personal rebellion. Sorry, Mom. Urban Babies Wear Black afterall. She’s not emo, she’s just a city kid. Or a suburban kid or whatever it is we live in now.

    goodbye hug

    I’m just happy my kid is happy. When I picked her up from school she bounced out of the classroom like a kangaroo on Kool-Aid. The first thing she said as she nearly tackled me with her signature around-the-knees death hug, was that she wanted to STAY in school. I heard another kid say the same thing to their parents too so I’m thinking maybe the teachers brainwashed them a little bit but I don’t care. I’m just so happy that all the changes we made this summer, all that I’ve been working so hard to make happen, is finally paying off.

    ready.

    I think this school is a good school. She already knows two kids in her class, one from the apartment complex we live in and one from her ballet class. Her teacher seems super smiley and enthusiastic and I don’t know..what else can I say?

    backpacks all lined up

    I’m relieved? It’s gonna be a good year.

    *Super cool black HK backpack was a first day of school present from Toby

  • BIG news,  Bug

    Last Day of Summer!

    Last Day of Summer: She swims!

    Today is a HUGE day. Not only is it the last day of summer vacation and school starts tomorrow but today, Bug officially learned how to swim. She’s not a great swimmer. She only swims in the shallow end with one hand on her nose but I would call this swimming:

    It’s a little spluttery but it’s good enough for me. We’ve spent nearly everyday in the pool all summer and even though she’s a fish connected to her kick-board, she has been very stubborn about putting her head under the water. I figured I’d just lay off and let her do her own thing in her own time. Sure enough, she did it! In the nick of time too!

    Not that we’ll stop swimming now that school will be starting. I fully expect to use the lure of the pool to get her to do her homework everyday after school. Plus, the pool is heated so I figure we’ll still be swimming come December.

    Reading

    Speaking of red-letter days, this has been happening lately.

    I thought this day would never happen. She's finally discovered reading by herself!

    Boredom is the best parenting tool ever.