To Fin on his First Day of School!

My Dearest Fin,

I can't believe you will go to school this week! SCHOOL! MY BABY! Where has the time gone!

We had our orientation this week and you were able to see your classroom, your cubby and coat hook, and meet your teachers and some of the other children who will be in your class. You'll be in the 3 year old class at St. Stephens from 9-12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Your teacher is Miss Annette and her assistant is Miss Shannon. They seem to be extremely kind as I suppose all preschool teachers must be. Your classroom is the blue room and it's so cute! They actually have a large space divided into three classrooms and after instruction time, they open it up so that you can play with the children in all three classes, not just your own. Speaking of your class, there are 13 children in it - 7 girls and 6 boys - and as I read over the list I wondered who you would choose to be your friends...I can't wait to see.

The school has a huge playground too with tons of stuff to do. As we looked around it, the teachers told us that they bring toys out too when you're having outside time. I'm worried that you're going to have so much fun that you may never want to come home! Our tour even included a peek at the bathroom facilities with their very special little potties. You were too excited to get out onto the playground, but I think you'll get a kick out of using a potty that is just your size. They have full time bathroom monitors too which made mommy feel better to know that there will always be someone nice nearby to help you if your pants get stuck. I'm so proud of your potty training efforts!

Mommy and Daddy got you a new backpack and lunchbox to take to school - since you so love construction equipment we went with that. You have the cutest brightly colored Crocodile Creek set with a dump truck on the front and all kinds of equipment dancing around the edges.

Well, I suppose I'll amend this note to let you know if you liked your first day! I was initially excited at the thought of getting a small break and perhaps a little alone time with Dash, but I hadn't realized how hard it would be to let you go or how much this forces me to face the fact that you're growing up so fast. I guess I'm trying to tell you not to be too surprised if my eyes get a little misty when I have to kiss you goodbye. I just love you that much.

All My Love,

Mom

Life Without TV

Anyone who knows us knows that we have a ridiculously large TV in our bedroom - and that we did so LONG before buying a nicer TV for our family room. We'd all much prefer to sit in bed and watch a movie or a show. We're just those people.

So it was kind of a big deal when said large TV began to go kablooie. Through the past three months, Supreme Purchase* has strung us along, misdiagnosing the problem, ordering the wrong part, only being available to service the TV at naptime, etc. Just long enough for the dang thing to whurr out a final death knell right after the warranty expired. Since the problem started long before the warranty ran out, one would assume that the replacement clause would be honored. Or not. We're currently at war with them.

The point is that our main source of entertainment is gone.

It took me a few days to realize that I never even turn ON the downstairs TV. I'd rather the boys just play when we're down there. Our key viewing periods were when the boys first woke up, at nap time and at bath and bedtime. Now we talk in the morning. I won't lie, naptimes are tough, but that is also probably because Fin is starting to resist the whole process. And a few days ago I got out my binder of old CD's (does anyone buy those anymore?) and we started listening to music. I had no idea dancing to the Cure and Bon Jovi with my kids would be so much fun! Today we went down for a nap listening to Sarah McLachlan. It was fantastic. Fin gets to choose our listening pleasure (this afternoon was an old Concrete Blonde CD because it was a pretty color orange).

Woob looked at me funny when I suggested turning off the cable and suggested I wait to make that decision AFTER the new fall shows start. He's probably right. But for now I'll just enjoy dancing with my kids. You should try it sometime.



*Pseudonym used