Meet the teacher and KINDERGARTEN

Off to the Dr with my bingo and bluey obsessed kids this week! 

We ended up being like an hour early for our appt somehow so we went around the corner to La madeleine's and got coffee and Nutella muffins! Beau was a rockstar at his appointment and measured and weighed super bravely. It's crazy how fast things click for them! Just 2 months ago he screamed. I'm glad I took him because he had a minor staph infection on his nose. Super random and crazy but we got some antibiotics and it helped really fast. 

Monday was also meet the teacher! I unexpectedly got super overwhelmed walking up to this new big school. Then I kinda lost it when Carolina said "this is not my school my school is a cheetah school" talking about the mascot. I got soooo emotional! She was brave. She likes her space theme classroom and was able to immediately recognize her name in the classroom. 

She wore this dress with a yellow bow to meet the teacher last year! We sorted all of her supplies  

She got a goodie from her teacher and gave her a present too! 

Gave her some apple earrings 

I also wore this dress last year for the meet the teacher 

How can it be!! I got so choked up trying to talk to her teacher about Carolina's history that Dane was having to finish my sentences I could barely talk. She assured me she was very compassionate and would be there for me and Carolina 

This hits hard! All the pandemic babies are starting kindergarten this year. 

I was staying in very close contact with last years teacher in between having meltdowns! 

She sent me this for my anxiety. She said she's been carrying it around in her pocket. 

When we left I was PANICKING I was ready to go to her old school and insist a transfer the whole thing made me want to throw up! I was literally telling Dane to drop me and her off at her old school...But we turned in her cute arm print. They requested it on the school website for a bulletin board 

I got so tickled by the pink nails! I was going to suggest it but decided to be quiet and see what she had in mind and it was the first thing she did! It made me feel better because the arm / hand was SO TINY when I cut it out! She's still my baby in so many ways 

We went to eat for Danes moms bday after, it was a full day! 

Last day of summer. 

We had a slow chill day because Carolina was starting dance class again and it was the night before school I didn't want her to be too tired 

She is so cute I can't stand it! So many things happening!! Carolina June is starting dance again! She wasn't ready when she was 2 but she is the perfect little student now! 

She did everything to a T! 

🩰 🩷 so excited to watch her grow this year in ALL THE THINGS! I guess you can say I'm in my dance mom era 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

We have the same teacher she had when she was two! 

She got a sticker and wanted to give it to me! 

After dance it was time....the moment I've been dreading. Kindergarten is kidnapping my baby. 

Everything but my heart was ready. 

Surprise book. 

We read 4 books plus I pulled this one out from under her pillow so make it 5. I would have read 10 to keep tomorrow from coming, but she needed her rest! We said lots of prayers and sang our songs. The book was sweet and simple and funny, nothing too sentimental to make me cry even more lol it talks about the parents crying and the kids are fine 

Taking DEEP breaths tonight....🫶🏻

Yesterday we were wagging "heehaw" everywhere we went and I was chasing her around in a Pooh bear costume. Tonight heehaw is prepping her for kindergarten 💜

I just want the world to be nice to my baby. I know this is the last time she will walk into school as a "baby" a "toddler" still so imaginitive....it makes me cry. At the end of this school year she will walk out a big girl, almost 6 and ready for 1st grade. Kindergarten is special. Five is special. 

Beau fell asleep without me for like one of the first times ever. Carolina has been more clingy to me lately and wanting me to do bedtime. Dane has done bedtime with her for pretty much 3 years since Beau was born. We needed the switch and I'm grateful she initiated it. It's time for me and her to have some mother daughter time during this transition and Beau and Dane needed the daddy son time too. "Without change there wouldn't be butterflies"

The big day...she did really good waking up earlier and getting ready quickly and she seemed happy! Despite this picture haha. This baby does nothing without her chocolate milk first 

Here we go! She picked out her outfit. She looked beautiful 

"If I could pause her at this age forever, I’d be tempted—but I know I would miss out on so many incredible years ahead of watching her become exactly who she’s meant to be.

So instead I’ll meet her in this in-between. 

I’ll try my best to be fully present with her while we’re here. 

And I’ll soak in the moments in my camera roll and in my heart.

We’re growing up together, this girl and I."

The wheels on the bus round and round ...

Obsessed with these crayon bows I found 

They had a lot of cute photo opportunities 

She was very cooperative and having cute pics made it fun and exciting for me...I don't know about her haha 

Hanging her backpack. 

Walking into class like a big girl 

Adorable banner in her room 

They had breakfast in the classroom. I was worried she would be thrown off because her teacher moved her place from meet the teacher but she didn't mind she only noticed her name had moved 

They came across the speakers to say final goodbyes and my chest got tight. 

I looked back and Carolina wasn't looking at me. Her teacher nodded her head as if to say "I've got her mama"

I survived drop off 🩷✏️

Prayers, the kissing hand and minimal tears from mommy...Carolina June was ready, she's so brave.

I told beau it was just me and him now. 

Beau has been so sweet to me with Carolina starting school. I was crying after we dropped her off and Beau said "I'm with you mama" and he tells me "I'm gonna have fun with you" 

"Ma-mom' you wanna have a real picnic with me ?!"

I had a great distraction for the first day. We had gotten a small gift to take Mrs Carrizal 

Carolina really went all in decorating this card! She drew glasses on Mrs Carrizal and gave her curly hair. 

She put a c on the back and a cat (c for Carolina and cat!) so Mrs Carrizal would "know it's from her" 

I printed a first day picture to put inside 

I had such peace in the parking lot and it felt familiar and safe. We stood at Carolina's paw print. She got leopard of the month for "finding her voice" it makes me sad to not be here anymore but this will always be part of the journey and this will always be HER SPOT in my heart 🧡

I sent this text to her teacher and I knew she would totally get the paw print 

I got beau a blue donut as promised and they had an abc one that we got Carolina as a treat too for after school 

After school came sooner than expected. I was laying down with beau and missed a call from the nurse by ONE minute! I immediately called back and she still had Carolina. She had fell down on the playground and hurt herself and cried really hard. She wasn't crying when I talked to her but I felt so bad being her first day new school and all. I asked the nurse to ask her if she wanted to come home and I heard her say she wanted to come home - ON MY WAY! I never want her to think I'm not going coming if she needs me 

All is right 

Dane and Beau have been going on walks and Beau asks a million questions...Dane comes home imitating him and I laugh my head off and so does Beau and then Beau will start talking about all the things on their walk all over again! "Who-body left their truck in the grass?" "Why that lady on the golf cart leaving!" "Where she going?" "What's her name?" "Where's russell's work truck?" Spots russell's regular truck a mile away and asks "where he going?" Dane "idk" Beau- "maybe pick up Kinley or something!"

Day two 

Beau always the hot mess baby brother usually in mismatched clothes 

This was the worst from me. I didn't get to walk her in. I had to drop her off. I asked her if she knew where to go and she said no so I told her it was okay we would tell the teacher who gets her out. The teacher was very "okay we got her! Bye!" Uhm OKAY. Carolina said "bye mom" 

I was a nervous wreck I'm used to watching her walk in the school. By time I was able to find parking and turn around she was gone. I bawled my eyes out and beau said "I'm gonna have fun with you mama" 

We went for coffee with Melanie and Melanie is a wreck too she started crying when she was beau because Ellie is at school this year too so our play dates look very different 

If you need us we'll be drowning our sorrows with coffee because Carolina and Ellie have a new social calendar that doesn't involve us 🤣🩷

I felt much happier when I got my baby! 

The "first" day of school hat made my day. I felt guilty she didn't get to wear it her actual first day because I picked her up early but oh well my baby wanted me and I was there 

Carolina told me about having "hot dogs and white milk" (kolaches) for breakfast in her classroom and described the container they came out of lol she has also told me about sitting on a sun and moon on the rug. She played with toys but told me "have to do our work first!" 

She looks like a big kid already 

Learning computer safety 

TGIF

I'm ready for spirit days! We don't have shirts yet 

All smiles this morning 🖍️💙 

Mommy could not have gotten through this week without our fabulous former teacher Mrs. Carrizal! 

She only has 12 first days of school left to talk me through 🤣 and I know she'll always be there too 🧡 🫶🏻

Looking at a snail 

We also saw a baby frog before school. 

I walked her up to the school doors and she was a little sad that I didn't come in but I told her I couldn't they won't let me. She had a gift for her teacher so I wanted to help her 

After school she was sad because she couldn't open her juice at lunch. She said she asked for help and they didn't hear her. The little things break my heart! But I asked her if her teacher got her gift and she said yes she was happy and opened her drink (imitated opening a can, even made the noise lol) and drank it right away. We picked two I asked her which one her teacher drank and she said the space one. She paid attention! 

Friday night Carolina spent the night with Jaelyn. I was a little bummed because I miss her but I want her to be happy and resume normal activities with her cousin like over summer. 

Saturday we went swimming and planted pumpkin seeds

We planted Halloween pumpkins and Jack be little pimpkins! Carolina liked the Halloween ones because she likes the white pumpkins 

Didn't have time to do much of a "lesson" because there were 6 hands dumping and doing stuff before you had time to instruct them! But they had fun and planted all the seeds. Beau really liked patting the dirt down with a spoon 

Looking at the squash 

It was so hot we got in the pool after!

It should take 90 days we'll see what kind of pumpkins we get! 

We went to a new Walmart because ours has been lacking and Beau bumped his lip on the basket and busted his lip! He had a mouth full of blood. 

We picked out a bluey drink and he was better. I felt bad but I didn't immediately soothe him because I had just told him to stop what he was doing 5 seconds before he hurt himself! I really need him to start listening! I get mad when he gets hurt and it could have been prevented because it upsets me so bad and scares me when 

I tried to take beau home for a nap and he didn't go to sleep. He still very much needs a nap but he did pretty good. But I had to clean the bathroom so he was right next to me while I was scrubbing the toilet asking me lots of questions the whole time lol "what is that in there? Lina pooped?" "You get that off?" "Can I spray this? Only on the toilet?" "I didn't have my vitamin today. You want your vitamin? Daddy have his? What bout Lina? Want me get it for you??" YOU GET THE POINT! LOL he's honestly precious and I will totally miss his gabbing one day and his adorable voice. 

We went swimming again. Here's his adorable curls 

And crazy grannie Carolina 

Carolina has been into making up games! She's so funny and talkative and creative! Her imagination is WILD and VIVID! I can tell she really believes in the things she's acting out and is emotional rather it's happy sad or mad about the storyline! We played with a ball and I was throwing it at my head and making funny and then bopping it up and down over and over trying to keep it from hitting the floor with lots of faces and funny sounds and she was laughing an uncontrollable belly laugh and losing her breath...it brought me back to when she was a little toddler I used to do that and she would laugh the same way...she's big into dramatic effects always has been. It also made me want to spend more time playing with beau as a "bright side" to her being in school...(there is no bright side I miss my baby lol) but beau has never liked toys or playing as much as her it's always been more difficult to play with him his attention span is short he's bored every 5 mins...and obviously 2 kids you get busier and there's twice as much to do so I probably didn't allow as much time for it either. 

Here she is doing a theatrical pose lol 

She keeps telling me she wants blue eyes and white hair like Elsa. I assured her her brown hair and brown eyes were perfect 

We have a favorite bedtime book "goodnight toes" my nana bought it. We've read it so many times she has it memorized so now instead of just listening to me read it she acts out the pages of the book! Bahahaha it's hilarious and honestly I wish I could set up a camera and record our bedtime readings. It took 37 minutes to read 4 books! I loooove it!! We read our 4 dramatic readings and I was saying our bedtime prayer and Carolina stopped me and said "mommy I need to tell you something" my baby broke down crying about school and missing me and wanting me to stay. O M G!!! So out of the blue she's obviously been being so brave and holding in some big feelings. I honestly cried too. I tried to be strong but I told her I miss her too. I tried to point out all the fun things we still do together and tell her I was going to come have lunch as soon as they let me. I made sure to ask questions about new school and teachers and friends and she said everyone is nice. She said she couldn't see my brown eyes when she needed me at school. OKAY CHILD YOURE KILLING ME! I told her she had the same brown eyes as me and if she needed to see them she could look in the mirror because she got them from me! We talked a lot and daddy came and talked to her too we said more prayers about school and that everyone would be extra nice and welcoming. I feel so torn I can't help but wonder if she would be this emotional if she'd stayed at her old

school. But she has consistently told me she does like her new school. Honestly she's confused she thinks her "old school" is shut down or something and that nobody can go" I don't even wanna correct her it might break her heart. To end a super lengthy and emotional blog, here's my baby after lots of tears rocking talking praying reading  songs and cuddles 

This is the last book we read (before she started crying) and she was really dragging it out and I think on purpose, she didn't want our special time together to end. There was one page after this and she didn't want me to flip it because she knew that would be the last one. The things you miss in the moment but realize later 

Pray for us. Kindergarten is hard.