School Days - Our 3rd off to Kindergarten

Alexander is off to Kindergarten... Just another day in his life! He is the most even tempered of our children. He is the middle child. He was born when the twins were 3 1/2 and he slept all the time. Our house was a busy one with 3 yr old twins. I would see him start to open his eyes, then he would close them quickly again. To me, he was saying "I don't want to be here right now" and he would drift off for another 2 hours. I would say "I don't blame ya buddy... I wish I could escape sometime too." He was a great sleeper -- I mean really over the top. He would sleep 12 hours at night, take 4 hour naps. He could wake up from a nap at 6pm, and still would go to bed at 8pm like clockwork. He never woke in the night. He was a easy baby. We really didn't even know he was here until he started walking. He was only 18 months old when the twins started Kindergarten, then Ben was born a month later. He was still a baby, but he had to be a big brother, poor guy. He sort of got lost in the chaos. I feel guilty sometimes because I never had that much time for him. He was so loveable. He still wants snuggles, hugs, kisses as much as we can get them in. Hopefully, the benefits of having a lot of siblings will out weigh the disadvantage of getting lost in this crazy mix of ours. He is really a special child. Though he has always been easy going, I have noticed him acting out for attention a bit in the past year. He sort of gets stuck between wanting to be a big kid with the twins, and wanting to get the attention that Ben gets as the baby. He has been pushed around a little by older brother Anthony, and now he starts to do this to Ben. I know he needs attention, and I hope to make his transition to Kindergarten a BIG deal.

He started kindergarten this year, and he was so ready. He was not anxious one bit. He also wasn't super excited. It was just like another day for him. He walked right into his class and never looked back. He seems to really love school. He is learning to read, and spell color names. He comes home singing songs about colors, teaching Ben (almost 4 yrs old) what he has learned. The other day, I heard them playing upstairs, and he was trying to teach Ben the "SH" sound. Though he sometimes struggles to wake up in the morning, he is happy in school.





Then... there is little brother, Ben -- 4th child, totally spoiled, and master charmer
Ben will be four in late September. Ben is very big (almost the same size as Alexander), and Ben really doesn't have a bad day. He is busy busy, but always happy, from morning to night. He is a charmer deluxe. I feel like I could put Ben on the school bus too. He is only in the 3 year old preschool class, so we still have 2 more years before Kindergarten. He is ready though. He can't wait to ride the bus!

He comes into my bed in the morning and says "Mommy, do you need snuggles?"... Then he tells us how many snuggles we get for that day -- it could be 2, 5, 100... but he really always wants "snuggles". This summer, he said to Papa, "Do you want snuggles?" Papa asked "What are snuggles?" Ben had to explain that it is a BIG hug and sometimes kisses, and everyone wants them. Of course, Papa was wrapped around his finger -- and that isn't easy to do.

John and I have said over the last year, "Ben, can you just stay little?" and he of course agrees. One day we were talking about his feet (he has enormous feet- same size as Alexander). He asked if his feet would get bigger like Daddy's. I said that when he gets big like Daddy, his feet would likely be big too. He said "Wait... I am not supposed to get bigger!" I then replied that as much as we would love to keep you little, god has a plan to make you get bigger and that is just out of our control. Ben then said "Well... my daddy is just going to have to get God because I am not going to get bigger". Ben thinks his daddy can do anything -- just like most boys. I then had to dig ourselves out of this hole that we created with the desire to keep him little so that Ben would not wish for Daddy to beat up God. I hope he doesn't bring these conversations to sunday school, or they might ask us to join a different church. I can see the teacher's face as Ben tells the class that his daddy is going to beat up God! Oh Mercy!

Ben started a new preschool this year too. He goes 3 days per week, from 8 to 3, and he loves it. They serve him a hot lunch, and my little eater tells me of his meal when he first gets into the car. He feels like he is a big boy too... and he is. I guess the 4th child in any family grow up a little quicker.

And Mommy... well, this is the first time EVER that I have had days at home with only one child, and I am in HEAVEN! We started with twins, and the past 9 years has been crazy. Finally, we have 3 in school, and it is just Ben and I. I teach college part time, so the days he is in school are a little busy. I try to be productive on those days so that I can enjoy the days with Ben. We go for a walk or bike ride, pick up the house, do a few chores, and sometime errands, then we head for our SNUGGLES! I have never known the day with one child, and I love it. I am not as productive as I might otherwise be, but he is the best medicine for this over stretched mommy right now.